Key Stage 3, GCSE and A Level History resources available for purchase and download.
New Focus Education offer resources from a teacher with 10 years teaching experience, a track record of excellent outcomes and experience of leadership at several levels.
The main focus is AQA 8145 and AQA A Level, with key stage three resources available with GCSE skills and requirements embedded throughout.
Key Stage 3, GCSE and A Level History resources available for purchase and download.
New Focus Education offer resources from a teacher with 10 years teaching experience, a track record of excellent outcomes and experience of leadership at several levels.
The main focus is AQA 8145 and AQA A Level, with key stage three resources available with GCSE skills and requirements embedded throughout.
*Eleventh lesson in the scheme - how the Normans changed England *
Lesson exploring the extent of change brought to medieval England under the Normans. Video starter introduces the key changes made, paired card sort - change and continuity leads to completion of Venn diagram (attached at end of PPT), judgement on the most significant change, summary answer to how far the Normans changed England, plenary reviewing different groups in society and how far their lives changed.
NB: Assessment GCSE write an account question plan attached for completion next lesson
L2 in the 2024 Historic Environment series on The Americas and Drake’s circumnavigation, 1577-1580.
This lesson begins with a recap of knowledge about Francis Drake, leading into a video that introduces John Hawkins’ role in the slave trade. Students then explore how Hawkins’ role in influencing Drake in undertaking future voyages. The main activity focuses on exploring the 6 main motivating factors for Drake in undertaking his 1577 voyage, with students assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each, leading to a judgement on the main factors that influenced Drake. The plenary sets up the following lesson with students considering the benefits and dangers to sailors in undertaking such a lengthy voyage.
Two lesson series exploring life on plantations for slaves.
Lesson 1 focuses on day-day life. Hyperlinked vider starter leads to a data capture carousel activity and judgement line plenary. The second lesson involves students exploring life on plantations using sources and creating positive and negative interpretations to enable them to reach a clear judgement.
Two lesson sequence exploring the impact of the three key individuals: Video starter, group assessment of one individual and presentations, summary information sheet for each student, signficance card sort linked to 8 mark significance of Vesailus question, impact guess who plenary.
Introduction to Thatcher - images starter, two videos comparing interpretations (hyperlinked in), spider diagrams on key aspects of Thatcher's leadership, source analysis of Thatcherism (content, tone and provenance), impact of Thatcher judgement. Homework included to research one minister with view to present findings next lesson - summary sheet to give out also attached.
Knowledge organiser that reviews three key topics integral to assessing how the power of the King changed/was challenged in Medieval England. Summary points useful for revision.
For AQA 8145 Conflict and tension, 1919-39
Three lesson sequence focusing on the events and impact of the Manchurian Crisis
Lesson 1 introduces the crisis with a video, note sheet and hand out.
Lesson 2 is a role play news report on the crisis with roles including - The league, China, Japan and a reporter
Lesson 3 analyses the impact of the crisis on the league building towards a 'write an account' question with planning sheet and hints
Lessons focused around the 2020 Historic Environment on the Spanish Armada.
The fourth lesson focuses on the key reasons for the failure of the Armada.
The lesson starts with pupils analysing Phillip II’s plan and assessing advantages and disadvantages for Spain. Pupils then categorise the cards into reasons for failure; focusing on weather, English tactics, leadership, luck, Spanish mistakes and English ship design/weapons. Using the cards and additional information (plus relevant textbooks if required), in small groups pupils create a mini poster explaining one of the above reasons for defeat - presenting back after 15 minutes whilst all students complete a table recording the key details, allowing students to assess which reason for defeat they feel is most significant. The plenary focuses on the ‘how convincing’ question, using the Armada portrait as the source material.
Lesson exploring why Britain followed (and then accelerated) a policy of decolonisation 1951-64.
The lesson starts with images exploring why the Empire was significant, leading to an introduction to the policy of decolonisation. Pupils then analyse part of Macmillan’s ‘winds of change’ speech assessing content, then value. In pairs pupils investigate two examples of decolonisation, then snowball to complete the table. Students then rank the reasons for the acceleration of decolonisation at this time, assessing which is most significant. The plenary is a clip of the ‘winds of change’ speech, asking students to assess if we can trust this as a key reason for decolonisation.
This lesson, and the two previous will be utilised in a 25 mark essay planning lesson next in the learning sequence.
This lesson explores the groups who didn’t benefit from the boom in the 1920s. Students begin by using a video to assess how typical this would be, leading to an image comparison of rich v poor. Students then use an information sheet to rank the different groups in society, explaining who was ‘worst affected’ during the boom years. Students then apply their learning to an 8-mark explain question, self or peer-assessing their answers. A judgement line plenary allows students to assess how far everyone shared in the boom years.
A collection of resources allowing students to practice the different question styles for Elizabeth 8145. The resources model the structures, allowing opportunities for students to practice on a variety of sample questions.
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.
Complete resource pack containing 7 full lessons on Drake’s Circumnavigation 1577-1580 (2024 AQA Historic environment pack for Elizabethan England).
The pack includes an overview lesson on why voyages of exploration increased in this period, linking in different explorers, a lesson focusing on Drake’s motivations for the circumnavigation, a lesson exploring the chronology and events of the circumnavigation, a lesson focusing on the impacts of the circumnavigation linking to the following lesson analysing the relative success of the circumnavigation, a thematic study of Drake’s circumnavigation using the AQA source booklet and an essay-planning lesson focused on the assessment requirements of the 16-mark historic environment question.
The bundle also includes a knowledge organiser covering all key aspects of the 7-series lessons and a model answer linked to the 16-mark HE question.
30 lesson sequence covering the entire AQA 8145 Elizabethan England topic. All lessons fully resourced with assessments, mark scheme and model answers built in.
Scheme of learning with hyperlinked videos also included
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.
Exploration of the impact of the Nazis on society. Starter considering who may or may not have benefitted, two hyperlinked videos explore positives and negatives of Nazi society, group task exploring one area and focusing on positive/negative impacts then team teaching others, judgement on how far Nazi Germany benefitted and judgement line/post-it plenary.
Empathy starter, card sort sequencing task using images and text to tell the story of Anne Frank, hyperlinked video of Anne Frank's story and diagram of the annexe for discussion in the PPT. Pupils use this information to create a 'spider diagram' with Anne's picture showing key information in speech bubbles around her. Explanation plenary of the significance of Anne's story in the context of the Holocaust.
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.
