Unique resources created by an experienced Secondary English and History teacher. These are academically rigorous resources that target children between 13 and 18 years of age.
Unique resources created by an experienced Secondary English and History teacher. These are academically rigorous resources that target children between 13 and 18 years of age.
Part of a set of resources created for a year 10 English class in Australia (ACARA syllabus). The other resources are also available in my store – Aussie_Resources. A PowerPoint designed for use in a 70 minute lesson.
This unit teaches students to be media literate and prepares them to do a speech where they analyse 1 x print news item and 1 x audio visual news item.
This lesson is dedicated to unpacking the assessment task and includes snippets from the task sheet. This is followed by information about how to structure their speech (a breakdown of the 4 body paragraphs). The C standard criteria is then displayed with a second column which explains this criteria in kid friendly terms. This is followed by information about the plan of attack for how to begin the task (starting with selecting a topic from a list of options decided by the teacher). There is information about the planning booklet which students will complete over a week before beginning to write their draft. There is also an example speech (B standard) which can be read to give students an idea of what their final product will look like. There is also information about PowerPoint do’s and don’ts and the PETAL paragraph structure that we will be using instead of TEEL for this assessment as it is specifically tailored to analysing tasks.
The resources in this lesson can be broken down and used over a few lessons e.g. you could take body 1 and use this as a model in the lesson where they write body 1.
Part of a set of resources created for a year 10 English class in Australia (ACARA syllabus). The other resources are also available in my store – Aussie_Resources. A PowerPoint designed for use in a 70 minute lesson.
This unit teaches students to be media literate and prepares them to do a speech where they analyse 1 x print news item and 1 x audio visual news item.
The lesson begins with explicitly explaining the cognitive verb analyse and the process of analysing. There is an outline of some things that students will need to address when analysing in their upcoming assessment. This is followed by an exploration of some visual features which students can look out for in print and online news stories e.g. illustrations, colour, font choices, layout of text and graphics, positioning (within the newspaper/magazine), body language and facial expressions within photographs and shot sizes. After this there is a front cover of a magazine for students to view and identify the features in. the next slides include the remainder of the magazine story for students to analyse.
Part of a set of resources created for a year 10 English class in Australia (ACARA syllabus). The other resources are also available in my store – Aussie_Resources. A PowerPoint designed for use in a 70 minute lesson.
This unit teaches students to be media literate and prepares them to do a speech where they analyse 1 x print news item and 1 x audio visual news item.
This lesson is about the features of television news. It begins with information about common sections in televised news including finance, the weather and sports. The importance of currency and getting the most interesting/important stories is emphasised. The structure of a news program is explained (info about the length of a news break and the likely the order of stories, before zooming in on the structure of a particular story (e.g. a 25-word lead + events in chronological order). There is a YouTube clip about Prince Harry to exemplify this. Students must pick out the 5W’s and 1H + determine who is shown positively / negatively. Important visuals are explained e.g. footage of dramatic events, use of computer-generated graphics, generic footage e.g. of scientists working in the lab, pictures/maps/icons etc. This is followed by some terms for students to write down: intertitles, interviews, voice overs, tight writing, camera angles, establishing shots, music, sound effects, logos and editing. Students need to know about these as any number of them could be in the news segment that they end up choosing to analyse for their assessment.
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The syllabus objectives would also be useful more broadly for English students in other states and countries with an interest in German Nationalism between 1914–1945 (World War I begins –World War II ends).
Context: My school runs this program in Alternative Sequence (yr 11 and 12s in together) due to the small size of the school. This lesson was delivered as a 2 hour block during the term 4 exam block to introduce the unit for the following year and to allow year 10s and 11s who would be studying the subject together to meet each other.
This resource includes:
1 x PowerPoint
1 x Handout + an answer sheet
The lesson includes:
• A brief history of Germany (political structures)
• Information about conflict which existed pre WW1 (including changing statehoods in Europe.)
• Definitions of important ideologies – nationalism, expansionism, imperialism & militarism
• Introducing the concept of alliances and the war climate in the build up to World War One
• The assassination of Frans Ferdinand and its significance
• Germany’s experiences in WW1 (initial success followed by stalemate and defeat)
• The Treaty of Versailles and its ramifications for Germany
The lesson ends with a group work activity where students are assigned key sections of the Treaty of Versailles which they have to locate online. Once found they must fill in a graphic organiser with a summary + a speculation about the motivation (intended result) for each article.
There is a handout of the graphic organiser for this activity. There is also a teacher answer sheet.
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The syllabus objectives would also be useful more broadly for English students in other states and countries with an interest in German Nationalism between 1914–1945 (World War I begins –World War II ends).
Context: My school runs this program in Alternative Sequence (yr 11 and 12s in together) due to the small size of the school. This lesson was delivered as a 2 hour block during the term 4 exam block to introduce the unit for the following year and to allow year 10s and 11s who would be studying the subject together to meet each other.
This resource includes:
1 x PowerPoint
1 x Handout
This lesson includes information about:
• Revising what we learned about the Treaty of Versailles – what the Big 3 wanted + the key terms of the treaty
• Fallout of the Treaty of Versailles (issues with the reparations payments and the war guilt clause)
How to analyse and evaluate visual sources
A visual source analysis activity
• Germany becoming a Republic
Goals of the Weimar Republic
Political opposition in the early stages of the Weimar Republic
• The Stock Market Crash + Great Depression and how this impacted Germany
• The Golden 20s
Problems which still impacted Germany in this period
The emergence of the Nazi party
The 25 points program (1920) + a groupwork task to engage with this source
The Beer Hall Putsch (1923)
Mein Kampf
• Hitler’s ideologies, VABs and motives
Anti Semitism
Nationalism
Anti-democracy
• Hitler’s Rise to Power
The worksheet is designed to be used at key points in the lesson
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The syllabus objectives would also be useful more broadly for English students in other states and countries with an interest in German Nationalism between 1914–1945 (World War I begins –World War II ends).
Context: My school runs this program in Alternative Sequence (yr 11 and 12s in together) due to the small size of the school. This revision activity was used as an engaging end to the second session in exam block to check for understanding and recall of the content covered over the 2 sessions. (These resources are sold separately in my store).
Resource can also be used as a template to create your own jeopardy quiz.
A lesson designed for a flipped classroom approach. The content of the Word Document was put onto the class One Note with sources attached so that students could work through the lesson independently at their own pace. (Ideal for leaving as a cover or during school closures).
**The resource includes: **
A warm up where students receive the definitions for a range of historical concepts, they have to use their prior knowledge to label them.
An article from the New York Times (about the Cultural Revolution). There is a retrieval chart for them to fill in and some questions to answer.
Some questions for students to answer as they engage with the 2015 Cambridge textbook (see below).**
Please note: your school will need access to the following textbook in order to complete one of the activities - Sowdon, T. (2015). Analysing the Chinese Revolution. [2nd e.d.]. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The end of term assessment for this unit was an Independent Source Investigation.
The content would also be useful more broadly for students in other states and countries with an interest in the China (1931-1976). The other resources are also available in my store – Aussie_Resources.
A lesson designed for a flipped classroom approach. The content of the Word Document was put onto the class One Note with sources attached so that students could work through the lesson independently at their own pace. (Ideal for leaving as a cover or during school closures).
The resource includes:
The word document referred to above
A warm up where students receive the definitions for a range of Features of Evidence (used when analysing). They have to use their prior knowledge to match the definitions to the correct term.
A word document version of the History Skills explanation of Explicit vs Implicit meaning (in case the website link goes dead)
Questions for students to answer as they read chapter 14 of the 2015 Cambridge Textbook (see note below)
An explanation of the COMA acronym which can be used to interrogate visual sources and communicate your findings
Please note: your school will need access to the following textbook in order to complete one of the activities - Sowdon, T. (2015). Analysing the Chinese Revolution. [2nd e.d.]. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The end of term assessment for this unit was an Independent Source Investigation.
The content would also be useful more broadly for students in other states and countries with an interest in the China (1931-1976). The other resources are also available in my store – Aussie_Resources.
A PowerPoint used during the assessment phase of the unit. It begins by explaining what a rationale is and then provides a suggested structure (based on the QCAA exemplar). I have then colour coded and annotated the rationale from the QCAA exemplar to demonstrate the language features and key content. As a key component of the rationale is a tentative thesis statement (aka hypothesis), the PPT then shows how to write a tentative hypothesis and provides some good and bad ones for students to consider. Finally, the students have time to write their first draft of the rationale.
There is also a word document with sentence starters and a handout with 3 example rationales for students to annotate.
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The end of term assessment for this unit was an Independent Source Investigation.
The content would also be useful more broadly for students in other states and countries with an interest in the China (1931-1976). The other resources are also available in my store – Aussie_Resources.
A PowerPoint used during assessment phase of the unit (when students are completing a historical inquiry). It begins with information about how to do a BOOLEAN search. This is followed by a list of good places to look for sources online as well as a list of sources I don’t want to see. There is a recommended research process with tips and suggested word counts. This is followed by what information student should put into their IA2 source analysis tables (a reminder of the Features of Evidence which should be noted is provided via the CAMPORUM acronym). Finally, there are examples of what goes on the left and right side of the table.
An introduction to the topic that students were being assessed on in this particular unit: Eugenics in Nazi Germany. Other relevant terms that were explained in this lesson include euthanasia, hereditary, Aryan, Ubermensch, Untermensch
The lesson began by defining eugenics and sources of this ideology. Notes that students were to copy were underlined.
Information (historical context) was provided about the places that this happened in the world during the 20th Century. Specific examples of what happened in the USA (Indiana and Chicago) based on information sourced from a reputable journal article.
This was followed by some slides looking at how Social Darwinism was used to justify practicing eugenics. From here, I explored what transpired in Germany and how Jewish people became victims. There are slides explaining the Nazi party’s platform and how Jewish people were used as scapegoats to blame for Germany’s manifold problems.
A screen shot from a textbook which summarises major anti-Jewish laws that were introduced between 1933-1939. The subsequent slides provided information about specific laws including the 1933 “German Law on Hereditary Disease” and the 1935 “Marriage Health Law.”
This is followed by information about 2 key eugenicists / scientists in this era: Dr Ernst Rudin and Dr Josef Mengele. Students will learn about their motives and intentions + their actions (progression from eugenic theory > compulsory sterilization > to the killing of mentally ill patients + experimenting on twins).
For homework, students were given a list of scientists from this era. They chose one to research and had to create a poster to communicate their findings to the class.
A PowerPoint designed to teach students how to write an essay under exam conditions in response to historical sources. (In Queensland this is done once a year and students are given half of their sources one week before the exam, the remainder are unseen sources. The question is unseen until the assessment date.) The lesson will help build student assessment literacy as they become familiar with the criteria which they will be assessed with.
The lesson begins with tips for how to write a thesis statement (aka historical argument / hypothesis). Students are shown an example introduction (from QCAA’s sample IA1) and they must identify the thesis statement.
Students are then shown the example question used by the QCAA. As a class we discuss what we believe the task statement is asking the student to do. We unpack the words ‘to what extent.’ The PPT then goes through each of the criteria one at a time. The syllabus definition is provided along with what is required to get top marks. On the next slides this is followed by a look at a body paragraph which has been written with the criteria in mind (words which demonstrate this skill are highlighted). Sometimes an additional example from the subject report (these have been written by actual students.) This is followed by tips for engaging with sources, preparing for the exam etc. A recommended structure is provided for the introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion is also provided.
A lesson designed to provide students with an understanding of events between the Warlord era (1916) to the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party.
The lesson includes definitions for terms including Kuomintang/Guomindang, Communism (which students need to add to their glossary)
Information is provided about the diverse nature of warlords. The impact of the Treaty of Versailles meeting in 1919 (and the decision not to return the Shandong province to China) is briefly mentioned. This leads to an exploration of the May Fourth Movement, the New Culture Movement and the Guomindang (Nationalist party). Sun Yat-Sen’s 3 guiding ideological principles are shown. Information is provided about how he was inspired by the 1917 Marxist revolution in Russia. Information about how Marx’s theory had to be modified to fit China’s situation (is provided). This is followed by details about how the CCP formed (with the help of a Comintern Agent) in 1921. A brief bio of the following figure is provided for students to copy down (Jiang Jieshi/Chiang Kai-Shek). Why the CCP initially allied itself with the Nationalist party and how this relationship became fractured. A brief bio of Mao Zedong / Mao Tse-Tung is introduced.
**Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The end of term assessment for this unit was an Independent Source Investigation.
The content would also be useful more broadly for students in other states and countries with an interest in the China (1931-1976). The other resources are also available in my store – Aussie_Resources.**
The lesson begins with an overview of the Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. This is followed by a competitive Google challenge where two teams must race to Google the dates for key events displayed on the board. Students have to then record their homework (a research task) in their diaries.
A recap of what we have previously learned is provided. This is followed by a 22 minute YouTube viewing activity (Mao Zedong: The Chairman of Communist China).There are some notes about Mao’s ideologies for students to record in their books. There is also information about the conflicts which arose between Mao and the CCP’s Russian-oriented Central Committee (The Politburo). There is a 4 minute video about The Long March. A visual map of the routes they took, along with information about the weather and conditions, is provided. Historical interpretations of this march are displayed for students to read and discuss.
This is followed by information about The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) and how this eventually led to the CCP achieving victory and the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on 1 October 1949.
The lesson ends with an examination of Mao’s first Five Year Plan.
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The end of term assessment for this unit was an Independent Source Investigation.
The content would also be useful more broadly for students in other states and countries with an interest in the China (1931-1976). The other resources are also available in my store – Aussie_Resources.
A great resource for revisiting punctuation basics with high school students. This worksheet can be used as a one on one tutoring resource. Alternatively, you can take activities from here to use as fast finishers or homework activities.
This document introduces students to the three major uses of the apostrophe: to make words possessive, to make contractions and to make odd plurals. Each section includes a range of activities for students to apply what they have learned (short response and some multiple choice questions taken from past NAPLAN tests).
It also includes some follow up activities that can be set for homework.
During this module students investigate their personality type and explore how people manage conflict. They apply conflict management strategies to real life contexts and make decisions about what strategies are most effective.
This is a work booklet pack which was designed for use during the 2020 COVID 19 pandemic. It would also be useful for students who are absent for medical / personal reasons. The content within this resource could be adapted into PowerPoints or worksheets for use in the classroom. This work pack contains three lessons worth of content.
Lesson 1 - This lesson has a pre-test for students to fill in - it is supposed to show what students know prior to completing the research task for their assessment.
Lesson 2 - This lesson contains tips which students can use to research key terms they need for their report. The tips include ‘skimming and scanning,’ the Big 6 steps for researching & how to do a BOOLEAN search. It also includes information about aggressive, passive and assertive communicators. Reasons why people may opt for each communication style are outlined as well as the pro’s and con’s of each style. Tips for how to be more assertive are shared along with an example assertive conversation (transcript). Following this are tips for how to respond to criticism (using ‘clouding’ or ‘probing).
Lesson 3 - students have time to research their key terms for their report. They complete section 1A of their booklet (including a bibliography).
Part of a set of resources created for a senior Social & Community studies class in Australia (QCAA syllabus). The other resources are also available in my store - lrigb4. Designed for use in 70 minute lessons.
Part of a set of resources created for a senior Social & Community studies class in Australia (QCAA syllabus). The other resources are also available in my store - lrigb4. Designed for use in 70 minute lessons.
A PowerPoint designed to inform students about the additional protections provided to parents in the workforce. It begins with a warm up - a paragraph writing activity about unions and how they support workers. A key term - what constitutes a ‘workplace’ followed by a checking for understanding activity. A review of term ‘workplace rights’ and a list of rights you should have at work. Sources of employment rights and obligations - a workplace rights pyramid. An overview of the communication skills students need for their exam and the key topics (content) students need to know. How to answer a short response question (using the RAF acronym). This is followed by a scenario reading activity (involving a pregnant employee) and students have a chance to practice using RAF to offer their interpretation of the case in a concise way. Before students read the scenario, I give an explanation of the cognitive verb ‘interpret’ and some clever connectives which can be used when interpreting and students view a clip explaining redundancy. Students read the case study and complete a graphic organiser (answers provided on subsequent slides). They then write a TEEL paragraph in response to a question similar to one they will encounter in their exam. Afterwards we look at other rights for women in the workplace (around breastfeeding and pregnancy). To conclude this lesson we go through a list of ‘I Can’ statements which break down the criteria into simple terms for students to understand.
Two word documents of sentence starters to help students to write their essay about identity theft / financial fraud.
Sentence starters for QCIA students on a modified program (organised for each paragraph of the essay - cloze passages)
Sentence starters grouped by cognitive verb (helping to build student assessment literacy - they need to work out which sentence starter option works best for their needs)
Two exemplar essays which can be deconstructed with the class to discuss their pro’s and con’s
Part of a set of resources created for a senior Social & Community studies class in Australia (QCAA syllabus). The other resources are also available in my store - lrigb4. Designed for use in 70 minute lessons.
Part of a set of resources created for a senior Social & Community studies class in Australia (QCAA syllabus). The other resources are also available in my store - lrigb4. Designed for use in 70 minute lessons.
An explicit scaffolding lesson to help students to begin writing their essay about identity theft / financial fraud. I always encourage students to write their body paragraphs before writing their introduction but make sure they have a clear idea of what their thesis statement (overall argument) will be so they can link to this in their body paragraphs.
This is for a low literacy class so it assumes they are mostly unfamiliar with the genre. It explains what a thesis statement is and has prompts for how to write one.It provides specific advice about criteria 2.3 (which requires students to make a decision and justify it) as this decision / recommendation will naturally influence their thesis.
It specifically unpacks the term ‘recommend’ and provides some sentence starters for recommending. There is a gradual release slide where there is an I do, we do and you do for making recommendations about an unrelated topic. This is followed by a brain break video about catfishing a teen using social media. After students make a decision for their assessment topic and draft their thesis, this is followed by a review of TEEL paragraph structure. Finally, time is provided for them to begin writing body paragraph 1 (utilising teacher prompts on the slides).
Part of a set of resources created for a senior Social & Community studies class in Australia (QCAA syllabus). The other resources are also available in my store - lrigb4. Designed for use in 70 minute lessons.
A PPT designed to introduce the class to employer rights and responsibilities. It begins with a cloze passage getting students to define workplace rights. This is followed by a brainstorm activity to get them thinking about what characteristics make a good employer / boss / manager. A list of employer responsibilities from the Legal Studies textbook are provided followed by a TEEL paragraph writing activity and a ranking activity. Students view a clip about how to address being treated unfairly at work. It concludes with a paragraph writing activity about their own career direction.
A homework sheet with three scenarios for students to read and respond to. They need to complete a graphic organiser listing the workplace violations and making recommendations to the employees about what they should do.