Lesson exploring how slaves resisted on plantations. Inference starter, two layers of inference sources linked to utility, card sort categorising passive and active resistance leading to an explanation judgement regarding the most successful forms of resistance.

Lesson 2 in the Hardwick Hall 2025 Historic Environment learning sequence. This lesson focuses on who Bess of Hardwick was and why she was able to build Hardwick Hall. The lesson begins with an image starter, asking students to explore how people like Bess could build manor houses. Students then explore Bess from a video, moving on to the creation of a timeline of her life. From this students create a spider diagram showing how Bess was an effective businesswoman, then explaining how Bess was able to redevelop Hardwick. Finally students assess how far Bess was a typical member of the Elizabethan Gentry.

This lesson explores how both Eisenhower and Kennedy increased US intervention in Vietnam and their similarities/differences. The lesson begins with exploration of existing knowledge of Eisenhower, using a video to make notes, with the same task utilised for Kennedy. Students then use the handout to create a table showing similarities and differences of their policies, leading to a detailed focus on the Strategic Hamlet Programme. Students then list any successes and failures so far for the US in Vietnam, finally assessing how far they agree that the Strategic Hamlet Programme was ultimately a failure for the US.

Lesson 12 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on how England and Spain were vying for power of the seas and links in Drake’s circumnavigation. The lesson begins with a trio starter, recapping key terms/content. Students then explore Elizabeth’s foreign policy aims and how she could achieve them. Students then create a timeline of Drake’s events to plot how this impacted on Spanish relations. Students then explain what was the most significant outcome of Drake’s voyages, leading to a group task assessing the relative significance of each outcome. Finally, students show on a post-it note their opinion of the most important outcome.

L6 in the 2024 Historic Environment series on The Americas and Drake’s circumnavigation, 1577-1580. This lesson utilises the AQA Historic environment source booklet to review the Circumnavigation. The lesson begins with a ‘giant post-it’ task to review the key causes, benefits, dangers and impacts of the circumnavigation. Students then use the source booklet to add to the knowledge audit table (to be printed on A3) to link in features, events and specific knowledge of the circumnavigation. Students then share what the circumnavigation tells them about life in Elizabethan England, leading to a judgement regarding the most significant impact of the circumnavigation. A 3, 2, 1 plenary recaps key learning in preparation for the following essay-planning lesson.

Lesson 1 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson begins by laying the foundations for social structure and political power in 1558. The lesson starts with an exploration of hierarchy, linking to the Great Chain of Being. Moving on students watch a video to explore social change, and then apply learning from a worksheet to a 4-mark describe two features question, allowing opportunity for self or peer-assessment. Students then explore the key political groups/individuals and assess their function, leading to a judgement on who held the most power in 1558. The lesson culminates in a judgement on the extent of decision making power that Elizabeth had upon her accession to the throne in 1558.

A revision lesson exploring the Conservative Party 1997-2007 with focus on leaders and key reasons for divisions. The lesson begins with a ‘who am I?’ recap, leading to a source analysis task of why the Conservatives were electorally unpopular. Students then complete the 5-minute essay plans, leading to a group task on the significant reasons for the Conservative electoral failure 1997-2005. Finally a judgement plenary allows students to reach their own conclusions on why the Conservatives were electorally unpopular in this time period.

L1 in the 2024 Historic Environment series on The Americas and Drake’s circumnavigation, 1577-1580. This double lesson explores how the voyages of exploration benefited Elizabethan England. The lesson begins with an inference source starter, leading to a video clip demonstrating how exploration advanced in this period. Students then rank the main reasons for these voyages, justifying their top 3 choices. Students then explore 5 key Elizabethan explorers, outlining for each their successes and negatives from their voyages. The lesson then moves into a direct comparison between the contribution made by Drake and Raleigh to Elizabethan England, linking into an 8-mark ‘explain what was important’ response with mark scheme and assessment grid included. The lesson culminates in a review of the main motivations for voyages, explorers and benefits these voyages brought in the wider Elizabethan context.

Lesson introducing witchraft in the 16th and 17th centuries. Hyperlinked video introduces why people were accused, chronology card sort shows reasons for accusations, source task explores views on witches and allows an introduction with a plenary recap quiz.

Picture reveal starter showing an auction scene, source analysis of slave sale posters, layers of inference analysis task, clip form Roots with note sheet (video on youtube), discussion over how useful video eveidence is, building to a WWW/EBI answer about the utility of Roots with opportunity for peer/self-assessment and improvements.

AQA 8145 - whole lesson assessing why rebellions failed against Elizabeth including an assessment "account" question and mark scheme

For new Germany unit - 1890-1945 Picture starter focusing on how the depression linked to an increase in extremism, video on the impact of the depression, source sheet and explanation tasks with continuum plenary

For AQA 8145 conflict and tension, 1919-39 Two lesson sequence exploring the events and impact of the Abyssinian Crisis on the League of Nations. Lesson 1 introduces the crisis with a video, and has a 'symbol' poster task included to consolidate the key facts. Lesson 2 focuses on the impact of the crisis, linking Manchuria and Abyssinia together then analysing the impact Abyssinia had on the failure of the League

Two lesson sequence exploring the rule of Oliver Cromwell and interpretations of him. Source starter and comparison of two paintings of Cromwell to explore how he is portrayed. Video hyperlinked in to gather contrasting evidence on Cromwell and categorisation card sort task. Leading to a 12 mark bullet point essay comparing Cromwell's legacy - hero or villain.

Lesson exploring the impact of abolition on black Americans. Videos hyperlinked show the rise of the KKK and the start of the civil rights movement.

Lesson introducing the causes of the Cold War and context of 1950. Video starter, paired card sort categorising causes of the Cold War - use to create a mind map, introduce location of Korea and notion of why the USA and USSR could not directly fight each other, source plenary linked to 4 mark "source supports/opposes...how do you know?" question.

Lesson exploring the role of MLK through 1950s and 60s protests. Recap starter of existing knowledge of MLK, video interpretation of King, carousel activity exploring events like the bus boycott, sit ins, freedom marches etc, activity on significance of King using all learning, significance scale pyramid plenary, essay homework and model answer built in.

Lesson exploring social and economic policies of Kennedy and Johnson. JFK picture starter, analysis of JFK quote, highlight successes and failures of 'new frontier', assessment of success of this, analysis of Johnson quote, card sort on Great Society Programme - used to create a positive/negative table, video interpretation of the Great Society (opportunity to analyse provenance), justification plenary on who made a larger impact to society in the 1960s - Kennedy or Johnson.

AQA 8145 - analysis of Elizabethan society with focus on Great chain of being and use of videos to assess different groups in society. Summary hand out covers different groups. Assessment focus on the impatc of the rise of the Gentry in Elizabethan England.