This lesson explores how conservatism emerged as a political philosophy. The lesson begins with an extract exploration on why conservatism is a ‘controversial’ ideology, leading to a video note taking exercise, introducing the key principles of conservatism. Students then explore the views of Hobbes and Burke, leading to a contrast of similarities and differences of conservative thinkers. Finallly, students explore similarities and differences between liberalism, socialism and conservatism.

This lesson explores modern socialism. The lesson begins with a debate on the core principles of socialism across the class, with debate prompters. Students then use a worksheet to explain what tensions exist within socialism, before a guided reading sheet explores socialist views today. A recap plenary of ‘who said what’ allows students to recap the views of the key thinkers.

This lesson focuses on the 25-mark extract response. The lesson begins exploring the marking criteria, askign students to collate ‘what makes a good response’. Students then make inferences from the extracts on socialist views of capitalism, leading to a paired planning session on the extract question. Students then can write it in class/at home, with a WAGOLL provided for students to analyse and highlight where they see meaning, knowledge, contrast and provenance.

This lesson explores the economic theories within conservatism. The lesson begins with a key terminology recap, leading to a video (with notes) exploring conservative thinkers views on economic changes/progress. Students then explore the strengths and weaknesses of conservative views on the economy, allowing students to bring synoptic links of economic conservatism in action in the UK/US. Finally, students debate how far conservatism is compatible with capitalism.

This lesson explores how conservative thinkers view human nature. The lesson begins with an exploration of Thomas Hobbe’s views, leading to a video introducing the key thinkers views. Students then make notes on the different aspects of human nature under conservatism, leading to a summary of the similarities and differences between that of liberal and socialist views.

This lesson focuses on conservative views on society. The lesson begins with an extract practice, focusing on inference and provenance, leading to a table assessing the strengths and weakness of conservative view of society. Students then compare the similarities and differences of liberal/socialist views of society to conservatism, leading to a model paragraph for a 9-mark explain question.

This lesson explores the features of ‘traditional conservatism’. The lesson starts with an extract analysis, asking students to explore what traditional conservatism looks like today. Students then complete a data capture sheet carousel, exploring the evolution of traditional conservatism. Students then explore the similarities and differences within traditional conservatism itself, leading to a key terminology/individual trio plenary.

This lesson explores the views of the state within conservatism. The lesson begins with a starter creating an hypothesis for what conservative views of the state would be using key terminology, moving on to an exploration of views using the information state. Students then contrast similarities and differences of the New Right perspective, leading to a 9-mark exam practice on how conservative thinkers view authority.

This lesson focuses on the changing nature of conservatism with the New Right perspective. The lesson starts with a video that introduces the origins of New Right conservatism, leading to an extract analysis of what New Right conservatism looks like today. Students then explore the key reasons why New Right conservatism emerged, ranking them in order, moving on to using the textbook to create a spider diagram on the key features of New Right conservatism (Political Ideas, 2nd edition Hodder, pp. 114-117). Finally students compare and contrast two extracts exploring the differences between traditional and New Right conservatism in the plenary.