The Holocaust The aim of this lesson is to understand why we should remember the Holocaust and its significance today Some misconceptions are given at the start, such as what the Holocaust actual means and the differences between concentration and extermination camps. Throughout the lesson the students build up their ideas and add them around a lightbulb to focus on the central aims of the lesson. Students are also given numbers and have to decide the significance of each from 6 million to 2 minutes and 2 seconds or 90cm by 90cm for example. The final part of the lesson refers to the powerful and moving story of Erica, thrown off the train by her parents before she reached Auschwitz and therefore knowing very little about herself. The plenary focuses on some odd ones out exercises and recent genocides to emphasise the importance of remembering the Holocaust. There is some excellent video footage to accompany the lesson. The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.

This lesson focuses on the factors which allowed William the Conqueror to win the Battle of Hastings. The aim of this lesson is for the students to recognise how the factors link together (embedding GCSE skills) and how William could just have easily lost the battle. The students have to first decide who might have said or did what in the battle before completing a card sort activity with various statements which they order into the different categories. The learning tasks culminate in writing a narrative account of the events which is differentiated and key skills and prompts advise on how best to answer this. The plenary checks understanding with a true and false quiz. The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. It comes in PowerPoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.

The Holocaust The aims of this lesson are to explain how Jewish people rose in rebellion or resisted against Nazi atrocities during the Holocaust. The first part of the lesson examines the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, using a thinking quilt to challenge ideas and ask key questions about the motivation and determination to succeed against overwhelming odds. The second part of the lesson analyses resistance in the extermination camps in particular events in Sobibor, Treblinka and Auschwitz. Students are then asked to justify the best and most effective ways to resist from passive to active resistance. Finally a find and fix activity checks understanding and the learning in the lesson. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons in the bundle is to ask who was to blame for the Holocaust? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around a lightbulb) and build up a picture of how difficult it is to blame a single individual or event for this catastrophe. The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.

The English Civil War The aim of this lesson is to decide why an audacious plot was hatched against James I by Catholic plotters and why the conspirators themselves might have been framed by the Government. This lesson is therefore split into two. The first half examines the men and their roles in the infamous plot to blow up the King on November 5th, 1605. Students are introduced through talking heads to Guy Fawkes and King James. They also study sources from the time, including Robert Cecil’s account of the plot and analyse the words trying to make inferences between fact and fiction. A model answer is provided to aid their analytical skills. Furthermore they will evaluate the causes and consequences of the plot, the reasons for its failure and the significance of the conspiracy today. The second part of the lesson will require the interpretation of a number of sources to decide if the plotters were actually framed by Cecil and the government who allegedly knew about the plot all along and actively encouraged it. Students have to decide for themselves before reaching a judgement using key words to aid them. This is excellent groundwork for source analysis they will later tackle at GCSE. The plenary is to talk like an historian answering key questions using information from the lesson. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The American West, c1835-c1895, GCSE 9-1 Edexcel The aim of this lesson is to explore the consequences of the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876 as public perceptions of the Plains Indians changed from weak savages to a real threat. Students are introduced to General Custer before analysing some text on the causes of the Battle (Custer’s Last Stand) and his subsequent defeat. For further challenge, they are then given some fragments of sentences which they have to fill out and complete. They are also required use key words to evaluate the consequences of the battle and recognise a new direction of policy for the US Government when dealing with the Plains Indians. The plenary is to create a brewing pot of ingredients which led to Custer’s Last Stand and defeat. The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. Some retrieval practice is also included to recall the significance of treaties. It comes in PowerPoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.

AQA GCSE Germany 1890-1945: Democracy and Dictatorship This lesson focuses on the change in policy towards the treatment of the Jews by the Nazis. Students have to put events into chronological order and understand why the beginning of World War II changed everything. Students also learn about the Wannsee Conference and the experimental attempts by the Nazis to murder the Jews in Europe from shooting to mobile gas vans before deciding upon the use of Zyklon B crystals. Using numbers and figures they also discover the sheer scale of the atrocities involved in this genocide and what happened in the concentration camps. There are some excellent links to video evidence to accompany the lesson, which are suitable to show. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

AQA GCSE Germany 1890-1945: Democracy and Dictatorship This lesson aims to evaluate how successful Hitler was in consolidating his power after becoming Chancellor. As Hitler contrived to win more votes, a succession of events throughout 1933 and 1934 helped him achieve dictatorial powers. Students therefore have to rate how much power in their opinion he gained from each event (such as the use of Article 48 and the Enabling Act), colour coding the power indicators after each. Then they plot these events on a living graph, thus mapping out this process, also having to decide the legality or illegality of these events of intimidation and communist scapegoating. Alternatively they are given a timeline in which they analyse each event and decide the positives and negatives of each of them and whether these contributed to an increase or decrease in his power. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

AQA GCSE Germany 1890-1945:Democracy and Dictatorship This lesson focuses on two key questions - how were the Ruhr crisis and hyperinflation so closely linked together and how did they create both economic and political problems for the Weimar Republic between 1919 and 1923? The lesson is split into two parts; the first focusing on why the French decided to invade the Ruhr region of Germany and secondly the consequences for them and for Germany when they did. Students have to answer key questions on the invasion of the Ruhr and analyse sources which infer French brutality. A literacy task to follow challenges students’ understanding of the key words used. The second part of the lesson explains the causes and consequences of hyperinflation, its economic impact and winners and well as the losers in Weimar Germany. Some GCSE question practice at the end gives a student friendly markscheme to peer and self assess. There is a plethora of video footage and primary sources to analyse throughout the lesson as well as simplified and chronological explanations. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

AQA GCSE Germany 1890-1945: Democracy and Dictatorship The aim of this lesson is to analyse the terms of the Treay of Versailles and its impact upon Weimar Germany. From the start, students have to understand how difficult it was for the Allies (the Big Three) to decide how to treat Germany at the end of the war. Moreover when they did eventually agree, how did it affect Germany with its reparations for example and what were it terms? The emphasis is also on how students can remember the terms of the treaty, especially with the land lost, complete with difficult spellings such as Schleswig-Holstein and Alsace-Lorraine. Learning tasks include making notes from video evidence, creating a chatterbox, analysing sources, completing quizzes and filling in a ‘find someone who can’ worksheet (a brilliant idea from Aaron Wilkes). The second part of the lesson focuses on GCSE exam practice using cartoon sources related to the Treaty as well as how to answer the first three source questions on the exam, with help on how to answer each. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

Edexcel GCSE 9-1 Medicine in Britain, c1250-present These key individual flashcards aim to get the students thinking of key people and their significance in medicine. I always find students have revised thoroughly for exams, but do not push their grades into the higher brackets as they focus on content rather than the individual’s impact and importance, particularly over time. These flashcards are great when addressing the 12 mark ‘explain why’ question, particularly when arguing over rapid change. There are 33 individuals listed, including those for the Historic Environment; The British sector of the Western Front. Individuals include Hippocrates and Galen, William Harvey, Edward Jenner, Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, Florence Nightingale, Joseph Lister, John Snow, Alexander Fleming, Harold Gillies, Harvey Cushing and many more from the course. Students can use them in class (I use them as starters and plenaries) or to take home and use for their own personal revision programme. I also display them in the classroom (enlarged) and use when teaching this unit of study. The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate the impact the Great Depression had upon Weimar Germany. Students are given the context to the Wall Street Crash and then have to decide if Germany’s problems throughout were the sole consequence of the Wall Street Crash. They are given further details of the effects of the Great Depression and slump in Weimar Germany, from which they answer some differentiated questions. Various scenarios are also put forward, from the social, political and economic effects, to who suffered more - the young, the old or unemployed as well as the rise of extremism. These can be debated and discussed in groups or individually. The plenary further challenges which particular groups suffered in the Great Depression and why. Some source exam practice can be completed, with help and structure given to answer the question if needed. There is a enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE 2O A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution. Students are introduced to the reasons why a constitution was introduced and a new Weimar Republic set up. They then have to analyse the details of the constitution, assessing its strengths and weaknesses. This also includes deciding the winners and losers and the issues still facing Germany as a consequence. There is a focus on some key details such as the Article 48emergency powers, proportional representation, the rule by Presidental decree as well as the survival of some undemocratic institutions. There is some exam practice to complete if required, complete with hints and tips and a generic markscheme included. The plenary concludes with a find and fix activity on the challenges of the Weimar constitution. There is a enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

The First World War The aim of the lesson is to understand why alliances and rivalries at the beginning of the Twentieth Century led to the outbreak of the First World War.World War I. This lesson sets out the long term causes of World War I based on four underlying principles: Nationalism, Imperialism, Alliances and Militarism. The lesson asks the students who and why were countries arguing with each other based on their geographical as well as their historic national rivalries. Students then have to decide who could sit next to each other at a dinner party after they have justified their reasons for distrust and paranoia. The alliances are plotted and colour coded on maps, culminating in a task prioritising and linking the reasons as to why the world was ready for war in 1914. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The First World War The aim of this lesson is to evaluate just how efficient and effective the new weapons of the Twentieth Century were. Students have two objectives; to rate the effectiveness and killing power of the weapons used during the First World War and to explain how well equipped the soldiers were in the trenches, particularly the British Tommy. The lesson begins with discussing the type of weapons used and for students to recognise the continuity and change of many of these pre, post and during World War I. The historian Dan Snow is quoted as saying the British soldier went into the First World War ‘as the best prepared soldier on the planet.’ The lesson subsequently unfolds to explain and evaluate the new weapons used and the advantages (or not) they gave each side. The plenary requires students to link the effectiveness of the weapons to images and to explain how and why this is the case. This lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout the lesson and this unit of study to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is decide how much of a threat Lambert Simnel posed to Henry VII. Students are given the information about the role the pretender Lambert Simnel played and then categorise his Tudor rebellion into causes, consequences and events. They are also challenged to think and justify who would have likely joined the rebellion and why, using a number of given examples of disgruntled lords. Furthermore, they will be required to give a number of reasons for the lack of support for Lambert Simnel, culminating in the Battle of Stoke Field. There is some exam question practice, complete with scaffolding, key ideas and a generic markscheme supplied. There is an enquiry question posed and revisited to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is assess the threat the pretender Perkin Warbeck posed to Henry VII. Students are required to plot the causes, events and consequences of his rebellion(s) as well as discovering others such as those from De la pole, the Cornish and Yorkshire rebellions. They are also required to evaluate the biggest threat of all the rebellions to Henry VII, including Lamber Simnel, Lovell and Stafford Tudor rebellions studied previously. There is a key word literacy plenary to complete before students undertake some exam question extract practice, complete with scaffolding, planning ideas, the key information required as well as a generic markscheme. There is an enquiry question posed and revisited to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is analyse how Henry VII ruled the country through his government and to make comparisons to how the country is ruled today. Students are given information on Henry VII’s government, including his relationship with Parliament and the controversial Council Learned and his use of Justices of the Peace. There is some text to examine which explains Henry’s control of the nobility and local government as well as some source analysis.on Henry VII’s Kingship, To check their understanding, students undertake a quiz with 150 points up for grabs to give it a competitive edge! A final odd one out activity uses some retrieval practice of Tudor government from the lesson. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies and retrieval practice activities.

The Suffragettes The aim of this lesson is to question the motives of Emily Davison. Did she really mean to kill herself or was it a protest that went drastically wrong? Students learn what a martyr is and then sift through the evidence of her handbag to make some conclusions. However, not is all as it seems as conflicting source and video evidence only serves to add confusion to the debate as to whether it was an accident or not. The plenary also requires the students to question whether she can be called a martyr or not and whether she helped the suffragette cause by her Derby protest for the Suffragette cause This is a fun, engaging and challenging lesson which requires students to evaluate and make judgements using evidence as well as getting them to justify their opinions. There is also a chance of role play if you feel daring or not as the mystery of her death unfolds. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to assess Henry’s motives for wanting an annulment and divorce from Catherine of Aragon. Students are reintroduced to some key terminology before they focus on the events leading up to the King’s Great Matter and break with Rome. This is chronologically presented from 1524-1533. They will then be required to assess the significance of each of the prescribed events (such as the sacking of Rome by Charles V, the proceedings at Blackfriars, the dismissal of Wolsey and the Submission of the Clergy) and justify their choices on the annulment crisis. The second part of the lesson examines the causes of Henry’s divorce, whether that be his conscience, faith, desire for more power, financial motives or simply an infatuation with Anne Boleyn. Students will be able to collate and evaluate this information to complete an exam practice question on the break with Rome, with a writing frame and markscheme provided as well as some help and pointers if required. The plenary tests their knowledge on who might have said what in the ‘King’s Great Matter’. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

I have produced these Bitesize Cards to help my GCSE History students revise. They summarise the content for the Germany 1890-1945, Democracy and Dictatorship course, which can be overwhelming for some students. They contain the main events, people and key words needed for the exam. Students can use these 14 cards in lessons or for homelearning to help them with recall, retrieval and retention. I also use them as starters in the lessons or for interleaving to help with the course content. I have broken down the revision cards down into the following themes: Kaiser Wilhelm The Treaty of Versailles Problems in Germany Super Stresemann The Rise of Hitler Hitler’s consolidation of Power The Nazi Police State The Nazi economy Propaganda Youth groups and women Churches Opposition Persecution to Genocide The German Homefront They have proved a great success as a revision tool. I have also posted them on our google classroom (digital platform) so students can access them, when GCSE practice questions are set or they are required to revise for an assessment test. They simply need cutting, hole punching and tying with treasury tags, or simply stapling together. I have included both PDF and PowerPoint versions if you wish to amend or adapt.