AQA GCSE 9-1 Elizabethan England, 1568-1603 The overarching aim of this and the subsequent lessons is to question and explore how Elizabeth asserted her authority and control in the second half of her reign. This lesson aims to explain how the Spanish planning of the Armada was flawed from the start. An analysis of the Commanders involved shows a plethora of mistakes made and how Philip decided to combine the plans of Santa Cruz and the Duke of Palma to placate the two and massage his ego as a superior naval commander. The deteriorating relationship between Philip and Elizabeth is analysed and compared to a pressure cooker – students have to decide which events manipulated Philip’s anger between simmering, boiling and exploding. A thinking quilt aims to challenge assumptions and evaluate the major weaknesses of these Spanish plans and their impact on overall victory. The final challenge is to sort out the bodged names and key words used in the lesson. 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 9-1 Elizabethan England, 1568-1603 This lesson aims to explain how English planning for the Armada was forward thinking, complete with technological innovation, daring courage and just a little bit of luck mixed in. Students have a choice of differentiated materials at their disposal to analyse historical significance of these English innovations and the Commanders involved. Students also have a chance to use causational equations to promote linking ideas together to provide sustained lines of reasoning required for the higher level 4 answers in the marksheme There are some exemplar answers given at the end to emphasise common mistakes and how students can achieve the highest grades, which are typical of those analysed in AQA GCSE courses such as ‘getting to grips with Elizabethan England.’ 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.

The Norman Conquest This lesson aims to question the qualities of William the Conqueror as the new leader of England. Students will learn and discover that to many of the English, he was a foreigner and a usurper, who spoke French and only favoured his friends. Therefore this lesson focuses on his policies towards those who opposed his rule and the ‘harrying of the north.’ Students have to analyse the threat level posed by many of these rebels (by colour coding thermometers next to each rebellion) as well as evaluating how much control he was able to exert over them, by making judgements using a control ‘o’ meter. There are accompanying worksheets and video links to reinforce the learning. The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. It comes in PowerPoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.

Norman Conquest The aim of this lesson is to assess how scary the Black Death was in1348. Students are introduced to the idea of why the Black Death was so scary, learning about the symptoms of the Bubonic Plague and Pneumonic Plague and the devastation that lay in its wake from empty villages today to paintings showing devastation and death. They learn key words such as contagion, flagellants, humours and miasmas and how these words link to the learning objective through a thinking quilt. They will also find out how the peasants gained in status as a result of the reduction of the workforce and how this gave them more bargaining power with their landlords over wages. The plenary is a Black Death connecting wall which requires students to link four key phrases and to explain how and why they link together. This lesson is therefore designed to be interactive, fun, challenging and engaging and could be used over two lessons. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end using a rate ‘o’ meter to show the progress of learning. 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 aim of this lesson is to understand why we should remember the holocaust and why we commemorate it every year. 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.

The Holocaust The aim of this lesson is to analyse and evaluate the reasons why anti-Semitism prevailed in Europe and in particular Britain during the Middle Ages. Students study the causes and consequences of this hatred and jealousy and have to decide and justify why so little was done to defend the Jewish community leading to their expulsion in Norwich. A case study of Mosse Mokke and his wife Abigale, Jewish tax collectors in Medieval Norwich shows how anti-Semitism was rife in Britain in the Middle Ages and how they were portrayed by the local community. 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 centred around a lightbulb) and build up a picture of how difficult it is to blame a single individual or event for this catastrophe. There is some excellent video footage to accompany the lesson and printable worksheets which are differentiated. 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 Holocaust This lesson explores the significance of two shoes found at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Students begin to ask questions about them, relating to their state, gender, laces and condition to final decide what we know for sure about the owners. There are differentiated questions given for those who require extra help. Students are also given the testimony of Rudolf Hoss, the camp commandant of Auschwitz and have to decide which parts of it are the truth or not as the case may be. They are also given the chance to learn why badges were given out to certain inmates or why Primo Levi testified as to how he was able to endure and survive the brutality of Auschwitz until its end. Richard Dimbleby also gives his harrowing account of his first impressions of entering Bergen- Belsen extermination camp. A prioritisation exercise at the end will check recall, retention and understanding at the end of 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 Holocaust The aims of this lesson are to explain how discrimination and persecution of the Jews within Germany led ultimately to their extermination and genocide. Therefore this lesson must be delivered with care; it is also recommended that it is taught and delivered over two lessons. The first part of the lesson is to explain the increasing persecution of the Jews within Germany as students analyse the events of Kristallnacht and evaluate its significance as a prelude to the holocaust. There are worksheets to accompany and excellent video footage explaining the carnage that followed. The second part of the lesson focuses on the Nazis change of direction on the Jewish question as war prevails and the Jews are rounded up and put into Ghettoes. Students study the Human Rights Act of 1998 and prioritise which are the most significant and meaningful rights to them. They then apply these right to what happened in the ghettoes and focus on which rights were taken away from the Jews living in them, much to their horror and anger. The final part of the lesson looks at the Wannsee Conference and the different ways the Nazis tried to exterminate the Jews. 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. There is an accompanying source task and more excellent video links to life in the ghettoes and the Wannsee conference of 1942. The resource comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.

The American West, c1835-c1895, GCSE 9-1 Edexcel This lesson aims to assess the importance of Billy the Kid in the continued problems of law and order in the West. Students learn about his story from a young age to him acquiring his notorious reputation and have to emoji rate each part of it to judge how bad he really was. They have to give reasons for each of their judgements before they give an overall assessment of his life. There is an excellent link to a documentary to reinforce the learning. There is some follow up exam question practice using the ‘importance’ question worth 8 marks, with help given if needed. The plenary uses key letters of the alphabet to link to the learning of the lesson. The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. Some recall retrieval practice is also included linking their prior knowledge of law and order in the towns It comes in Powerpoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to decide to what extent the Nazis achieved their aims towards women in Nazi Germany. Students are forewarned about how views today cannot be applied back then and therefore Nazi policies towards women, as misogynistic as they were, would not necessarily have been rejected but welcomed by women. Some source analysis using images and text begin the lesson, as students gauge what Nazi policies were towards women in 1930’s Germany. They are questioned on policies to raise the birth rate as well as the organisational apparatus established to do this. There is a case study of Gertrude Sholtz-Klink before students evaluate the successes or failing of these Nazi policies. The plenary uses talking heads to decide who would have said what and why at the time. There is some exam practice to finish focusing on the aims of the lesson, complete with a markscheme and help if needed. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to question to what extent the Nazis created a totalitarian state. Students begin by learning Hitler’s ideal of a totalitarian state and how he dealt with the existing political parties. They will also discover how laws passed centrally dissolved the independence and power of the state assemblies. There are some key questions to answer about the revamp of the civil service and the impact of the death of Hindenburg for the German state. The plenary is an old favourite using the octagon and checking the learning from the lesson. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to assess the short and long term impact of the Night of the Long Knives for Hitler and the Nazis Students begin by analysing a speech by Hitler and his thoughts on a ‘Second Revolution’ They learn about the rise of the SA and are given the profile of Ernst Rohm and his increasing power. Students have to decide through a number of choices as to why the SA were a growing threat to Hitler There is a colour coding task to complete on the events of the 30th June together with its aftermath. Finally students have to justify the most important reasons and significance of the events before tackling a source based practice question, with help given if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate the consequences of Schleicher’s scheming. Students begin the lesson with a chronological quiz, recapping the events of the unit of work so far. They are then introduced to Hindenburg inner circle and how he was influenced by them in his decision making. Students also learn about Schleicher’s tactics to bring the Nazis under his control. They subsequently have to put themselves in Schleicher’s shoes and unpick his decision making. With Schleicher’s ultimate failure to govern effectively, students conclude by finalising the reasons why Hitler was to become Chancellor. Students can complete some exam question practice at the end of the lesson, with structured support provided to help them effectively answer the question. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate the extent to which the Nazis created a totalitarian state Students learn how the Nazis ‘reformed’ the police system, increased the activities of the SS, SD and Gestapo and controlled the courts and judicial system. They will complete group work, with detailed information provided, ready to present their findings to the class and justify the extent of totalitarianism in Nazi Germany. The plenary will require the students to make newspaper headlines from their learning. The lesson is quite literacy heavy and may have to be delivered over two lessons. There is some exam practice to be completed at the end, with a focused markscheme provided if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to assess how much of a threat early opposition to the Nazis was. From the off, students have to decide and give reasons why there would be political, worker, Church and youth opposition. They then have to complete some source scholarship from an SS article, promoting total allegiance and devotion of the state. The main task is to analyse the different forms of early opposition giving reasons for why and how resistance was shown, as well as the Nazis reaction to it A headline plenary will aid the consolidation of learning from the lesson. There is some source exam practice to complete if required, with help given together with a generic markscheme. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to assess how much of a threat early opposition to the Nazis posed. From the off, students have to decide and give reasons why there would be political, worker, Church and youth opposition. They then have to complete some source scholarship from an SS article, promoting total allegiance and devotion of the state. The main task is to analyse the different forms of early opposition giving reasons for why and how resistance was shown, as well as the Nazis reaction to it A headline plenary will aid the consolidation of learning from the lesson. There is some source exam practice to complete if required, with help given together with a generic markscheme. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate the success of Nazi efforts to coordinate the Churches in Germany. This lesson is split into two. The first part focuses on the Catholic Church and students begin by being given the context to Hitler’s Catholic background, Catholicism in Germany pre-1933 and why he believed the Catholic Church proved a threat to the volksgemeinschaft. Students then have to analyse Nazi policies towards the Catholic Church, such as the Concordat and rank them in order severity. They also have to decide how these policies weakened the power and influence of the Church. There are case studies on the Pope which investigate the Pope’s actions and responses to Hitler ,as well as the significance and the resistance of Cardinal Galen This section concludes with some source analysis, focusing on the tone used in the language of two sources before the students have to decide the successes or failings of these coordinating policies. The second half of the lesson introduces students to the importance and history of the Protestant Church in Germany. Students identify which Nazi policies might align with Protestant Church interests. before completing a chronological task on the policies introduced by the Nazis and their attempt to create a Reich Church. There are case studies on Martin Niemoller and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, their actions and opposition to the Nazis and the setting up of their Confessional Church. Students can then complete some exam question practice with a comprehensive markscheme to help if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 This lesson questions to what extent the Nazis achieved their aims in relation to young people. The lesson begins with an introduction to the youth of Germany and their importance, both girls and boys, within the Volksgemeinschaft. Students then analyse the aims of the Nazis education policy, its education and youth leaders and are then questioned over the role education played within Nazi Germany. The lesson then switches to the Hitler Youth and similarly the students have to answer a number of questions relating to its policies and aims. A graph of the membership of the Hitler Youth is also evaluated as with youth successes and failings. Some exam question practice will consolidate learning at the end of the lesson, which also includes Youth opposition to Hitler’s policies, so that the aims of the lesson can be addressed. There is a comprehensive markscheme included if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson to evaluate the success of Nazi policies towards its workers in creating a volksgemeinschaft. Students are introduced to the DAF and its leader Robert Ley. They analyse its aims and policies in encouraging workers to increase production. They are then given a number of statements which they will RAG rate (Red, Amber, Green) which will enable them to evaluate the successes or failings of the organisation. They also learn about the Strength Through Joy programme and again have to analyse its strengths and weaknesses. Some source analysis and skills at the end of the lesson will prepare the students for some source exam practice with help and guidance given if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to question whether the Nazi economic miracle between 1933-9 was merely a propaganda myth. The exam practice question is introduced from the start and revisited throughout to check judgement and understanding. Students are introduced to the economic policies of Hjalmar Schacht and how he managed to stimulate the economy through for example building homes and autobahns, mefo bills and tax concessions. Students soon discover how Hitler’s meddling and appointment of Hermann Goering to the Four Year Plan, spelt disaster for the economy. Through a variety of tasks including a true or false quiz, a positive or negative challenge and plotting on a graph, they soon build up a picture of what the reality was for the economy despite the contrary messages from propaganda. The plenary requires them to describe, explain, list,correct or erase the learning from the lesson. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.