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New Focus Education

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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.

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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.
How did the Normans change law and order - KS3 but suitable for AQA 8145
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

How did the Normans change law and order - KS3 but suitable for AQA 8145

(1)
Third lesson of the scheme - changes made by the Normans to England Lesson exploring law and order changes. Starter discusses concept of keeping order and what the Normans could do, video note activity with the sheet, analysis of the changes on the table analysing the extent of change of the laws and how this benefitted the Normans, discussion of successes and failures for the Normans, 3,2, 1 plenary.
L1: Sheffield Manor Lodge (2023 HE AQA) - Why was Mary, Queen of Scots a threat to Elizabeth?
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

L1: Sheffield Manor Lodge (2023 HE AQA) - Why was Mary, Queen of Scots a threat to Elizabeth?

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L1 in the 2023 Historic Environment series on Sheffield Manor Lodge. This lesson explores the nature of the threat Mary posed and what potential solutions Elizabeth had. The lesson begins with a recap on existing knowledge of Mary, moving on to a summary video which explores why she could be a threat. Students then create a timeline of Mary’s life using the hand out up to her arrival in England in 1568. Students then explore the strengths and weaknesses of each solution available to Elizabeth, before reaching a judgement on the most logical. The learning is then applied at an 8-mark interpretation question assessing the threat of Mary. The lesson concludes with an introduction to Sheffield Manor Lodge, with students exploring why it might be a good place to imprison Mary.
AQA 8145 - Health and the People:  How significant was the work of Edward Jenner?
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 8145 - Health and the People: How significant was the work of Edward Jenner?

(0)
Lesson focused on significance and source skills. Link the picture starter, Description of difference of inoculation and vaccination, hyperlinked video on the work of Jenner, explanation of the differences of vaccination to inoculation, ranking significance card tasks, source analysis of the Gillray anti-vaccination source, and model answer built in for use in the lesson or afterwards.
AQA A level 2S Making of Modern Britain - Thatcher and Europe 1979-87
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA A level 2S Making of Modern Britain - Thatcher and Europe 1979-87

(0)
Lesson exploring the changing nature of Britain’s relationship with Europe under Thatcher. Recap starter gets pupils to review existing knowledge of the EEC/Europe (included in PPT), leading to a video giving an overview of Thatcher’s views on Europe and others views on Thatcher. Students split up and plan half an answer to a 25 mark essay question: The Conservative party was pro-European between 1973 and 1987’. Assess the validity of this view after ‘bugging’ the question. After 15 minutes pupils swap and teach each other - focus on explanation and assessment at this stage. Criteria for Level 4 and Level 5 is shared with students who use this to craft an essay judgement using their learning from the lesson. A continuum plenary assesses the strength of Britain’s relationship with Europe by 1987. An assessment (20 mark source adaption) planning sheet is included on Thatcher’s foreign policy - for use as a timed piece in the following lesson.
How did the power of the King change in Medieval England?
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

How did the power of the King change in Medieval England?

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Eleventh lesson in the scheme - how was the power of the monarch challenged in medieval England? Lesson exploring the extent of change in the power of the King in medieval England. Starter recapping key powers a King has, information hunt with table completion on how the power of the King changed/remained the same in Medieval England (can be done as a categorisation card sort if desired), paired task reviewing how the different events studied in this unit impacted on different groups (e.g. barons, peasants), using all of this completion of living graph (attached at the end of the PPT) leading to a judgement summary answer. The post-it note plenary allows assessment of pupils understanding.
Why did the peasants revolt in 1381?
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

Why did the peasants revolt in 1381?

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Eight lesson in the scheme - how was the power of the monarch challenged in medieval England? Lesson exploring the causes of the Peasants’ Revolt. Speech bubble starter recaps how peasants felt by 1381, differing interpretations activity linked to AQA 8145 criteria, video introducing the revolt leading to a thematic categorisation activity of the reasons for the revolt, group task arguing ONE of the main causes of the revolt leading to presentation of their arguments and a summary answer on the most important cause of the revolt. Finally, a post-it plenary allows assessment of pupils judgements on the causes of the revolt
Why was Charles I executed?
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

Why was Charles I executed?

(0)
Lesson exploring why Charles was executed and interpretations of the execution. Source comparison starter, leads to main source activity (can be individual, paired or grouped, with extension challenege questions), exploration of the impact of the execution linked to two questions - how and why do the interpretations differ (linked to AQA 8145 criteria).
AQA A level - Making of Modern Britain Level 3 and 4 essay review/planning - B/C target grades
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA A level - Making of Modern Britain Level 3 and 4 essay review/planning - B/C target grades

(0)
Lesson focused around the sample question: Conservative electoral success in the years 1951-64 was due to rising living standards". Assess the validity of this view (25 marks) Lesson explores Level 3-5 criteria, examining how to reach this, pupils then plan an answer using the DEALs frame. Pupils then explore the model answer highlighting and identifying why it would achieve L5. Pupils then set a target for their next response.
AQA 8145 Health - the significance of penicillin *updated to reflect 2019 changes to questions*
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 8145 Health - the significance of penicillin *updated to reflect 2019 changes to questions*

(0)
Lesson exploring the development and impact of penicillin, linked to the 9 mark similarities question. The lesson starts with a video with a note sheet, leading to a categorisation card sort task asking students to apply the key factors to the different cards (war, individuals, luck, communication, science and technology). Students then use the cards to explain how the different factors contributed to the development of penicillin, leading to a quick video recap on the impact of penicillin. Students then reach a judgement on the most important factor in the development of penicillin. Using all of their learning students plan and answer the following question: Explain two similarities of the work of Louis Pasteur and Alexander Fleming (8 marks). Students then self or peer-assess their answers using the assessment grids.
L8: Sheffield Manor Lodge (2023 HE) - Essay planning and assessment preparation
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

L8: Sheffield Manor Lodge (2023 HE) - Essay planning and assessment preparation

(0)
L8 in the 2023 Historic Environment series on Sheffield Manor Lodge. This lesson explores the assessment criteria and the different potential question styles, leading to the planning of an exemplar and analysis of model paragraph. The lesson begins with students reviewing the key features/learning in a retrieval quiz. Students then explore how to approach a question focused on MQ of S imprisonment, moving on to adding evidence to a causation question on the development of manor houses in this period. Students then plan an answer to a ‘change’ question based on improved security in Elizabethan England and how manor houses (and SML) display this, exploring the mark scheme and completing the essay plan. A model paragraph is then used to annotate as a plenary exploring strengths and areas for development.
L5 - Sheffield Manor Lodge (2023 HE AQA) - The execution of Mary, Queen of Scots
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

L5 - Sheffield Manor Lodge (2023 HE AQA) - The execution of Mary, Queen of Scots

(0)
L5 in the 2023 Historic Environment series on Sheffield Manor Lodge. This lesson explores the road to Mary’s execution and the role of George Talbot within this. The lesson begins with a video recapping the personal threat that Mary posed to Elizabeth, leading to a discussion of the Babington Plot. Students then assess the 4 key plots involving Mary and explain the extent of Mary’s involvement in each. Students then judge ‘how much’ of a threat Mary was and why her execution was significant. Students then debate if executing Mary was the right thing to do in groups. The lesson then explores the role of Talbot in Mary’s execution, analysing his views on Mary and his complicity in her plots. Students then wrap up the lesson with an 8-mark question on the importance of Mary’s execution which can be peer/self-assessed.
L4 - Sheffield Manor Lodge (2023 HE AQA) Why was George Talbot a suitable choice to be Mary's guard?
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

L4 - Sheffield Manor Lodge (2023 HE AQA) Why was George Talbot a suitable choice to be Mary's guard?

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L4 in the 2023 Historic Environment series on Sheffield Manor Lodge. This lesson explores the features, location and development of Sheffield Manor Lodge and why George Talbot was chosen as Mary’s jailor and how suitable he was for this role. The lesson begins with a recap starter exploring why Sheffield Manor Lodge was a good choice to house Mary. A short audio clip then explores who Talbot was and why he was chosen to guard Mary. Students then use the information sheet to complete the data capture exploring why Talbot was suitable, focusing on wealth, religion, status and his attitudes towards his role. Students then assess the strengths and limitations for Talbot in being Mary’s custodian. Students then use the learning from the lesson to answer a question explaining why Talbot was a suitable choice to guard Mary. Finally, the lesson finishes with a judgement on the extent of Talbot’s success with justification.
AQA 8145 Conflict and tension in Asia: Why did the US lose the Vietnam War?
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 8145 Conflict and tension in Asia: Why did the US lose the Vietnam War?

(0)
Card starter categorising reasons for loss into either US failures or success of the VC, group information poster task on the relative significance of key factors (one factor per group: impact of My Lai, protest movement etc), mind map creation using the group posters, continuum group task on relative importance of factors to the US loss, individual judgement on the most significant factor, essay planning (optional) or essay homework and model answer built in: “The main reason that the USA failed to win the war in Vietnam was the tactics of the Vietcong”. How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. (16 marks + 4 SPaG)
AQA 8145 - Health and the People: Why is the NHS so significant?
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 8145 - Health and the People: Why is the NHS so significant?

(0)
Starter exploring exisiting knowledge of the NHS, hyperlinked video on what the NHS is (make notes), Beveridge report hand out and answers to questions, hyperlinked video of impact of NHS, comparison of benefits/issues of NHS (using photocopy of Oxford AQA book pp. 82-83, voting slip plenary comparing NHS to other liberal reforms - allows direct comparison and judgement on which was most successful.
AQA 8145 - Why did Truman sack MacArthur - conflict and tension in Asia
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 8145 - Why did Truman sack MacArthur - conflict and tension in Asia

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Lesson exploring the motivation for Truman's sacking of MacArthur. The 3,2, 1 starter explores MacArthur's military career, the motivations of Truman and the impact of the sacking via a hyperlinked video. Pupils then give their own advice to Truman using the information hand out. Pupils then categorise the various reasons for the sacking in terms of importance and use the information to explain why MacArthur was sacked and the impact this had. Finally, pupils apply their knowledge in a scaffolded manner to the 4 mark source inference question.
Why did the Normans build castles - KS3 suitable for AQA 8145
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

Why did the Normans build castles - KS3 suitable for AQA 8145

(0)
Fourth lesson of the scheme - changes made by the Normans to England Lesson exploring the establishment of castles by the Normans. Starter video introduces why castles were helpful to the Normans, group ‘site of a castle’ decision making activity, card sort on how and why castles were built/used, GCSE style describe question on why castles were built leading to a corners judgement plenary.
How did castles help the Normans to keep control - KS3 suitable for AQA 8145 Pevensey focus
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

How did castles help the Normans to keep control - KS3 suitable for AQA 8145 Pevensey focus

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*Sixth lesson in the scheme - how the Normans changed England * Lesson exploring how castles helped the Normans to keep control of England. Pevensey castle starter - links to prior lesson on defensive features, information hunt on Pevensey, picture annotation around William - how castles helped him, choice of differentiated summary questions to demonstrate learning, judgement line plenary on how important castles were in keeping control.