This great resource is designed to help students understand why the US economy boomed in the 1920’s. The pedagogy underpinning this strategy is that when we rank items, either statements, objects or images, we are required to make explicit the over- arching relationships by which we organise our knowledge and connect our learning. It can used as a starter or plenary and is suitable for middle to upper ability students as a stretch and challenge task. If you would like something aimed at middle to lower ability students, then please check out my card sort of this topic in my TES shop. This task is primarily designed to help students prioritise the different factors in preparation for an extended answer or essay. The resource nine diamond shaped cards which include a range of factors to explain why the US economy boomed in the 1920s. Once students have cut the cards out they are set three tasks including: 1. Remove any reasons for the boom that you don’t think are important. Record and explain why you have removed them. 2. Arrange the remaining diamonds to show any links that you can find between the different reasons. Record and explain your reasons. 3. Make a smaller diamond shape using what you think are the four most important reasons why the US economy boom in the 1920’s. Record and explain your reasons. At each stage students should be feeding back to their group or the class and explaining their choices. The discussion and explanation around the choices that they have made are critical in helping them develop their thinking skill as well as their arguments for their essay. The aims and objectives for this lesson are: Theme: Why was there an economic boom in the 1920s? Know: What were the main reasons why the US economy grew? Understand: How did each factor help the economy boom? Evaluate: Which factors were the most important? WILF: What Am I Looking for? Identify & describe: The main reasons why the US economy boomed? Explain: How did each factor help the economy to grow rapidly? Analyse: Which factors were the most important? If you like this resource then why not check out my TES shop where you can find many similar ideas and resources. You can also follow ‘The History Academy’ on Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube and Facebook for the latest updates or even to get in touch and chat about how you have used this resource or to ask questions. We aim to produce cheap and affordable resources for either the price of a good cup of coffee or a happy meal so that you can spend more time doing the things that you want. Anyway, have fun and stay in touch via social media for the latest updates. Kind Regards Roy

This great resource makes an excellent starter, plenary or revision activity for teaching the introduction to the Liberal Reforms 1906 - 1911. Its aimed primarily at middle to upper ability students as a thinking skills activity, although with support lower ability students could easily access this task . The pedagogy underpinning this strategy is that when we rank items, either statements, objects or images, we are required to make explicit the over- arching relationships by which we organise our knowledge and connect our learning. If you would like something more suitable for middle and lower ability then you could always download my card sort, which provides students with headings such as New Liberalism, political rivalry, national efficiency and social reformers. The resource includes nine diamond cards. Each card includes a statements explaining why the Liberals introduced their reforms. Students a asked to do the following tasks: 1. Remove any reasons that you don’t think are important. 2. Arrange the remaining diamonds to show any links that you can find between the different reasons. 3. Make a smaller diamond shape using the four most important reasons to explain why the Liberals introduced their reforms. At each stage students should be feeding back to their group or the class and explaining their choices. The discussion and explanation around the choices that they have made are critical in helping them develop their understanding of the topic. The aims and objectives for this lesson are: Theme: How successful were the Liberal Reforms 1906 - 1911? Know: Why did the Liberals introduced their reforms? Understand: What roles did social reformers, national efficiency, political rivalry and new liberalism play influencing their decision? Evaluate: which factors were the most important? WILF: What Am I Looking For? Identify & Describe: Why did the Liberals introduce their reforms? Understand: What roles did the social reformers, national efficiency, political rivalry and new liberalism play? Analyse: Which factors were the most important? If you like this resource then why not check out my other resources on this topic in my TES shop. You can also follow ‘The History Academy’ on Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube and Facebook for the latest updates or even to get in touch and chat about how you have used this resource or to ask questions. We aim to produce cheap and affordable resources for either the price of a good cup of coffee or a happy meal so that you can spend more time doing the things that you want. Anyway, have fun and stay in touch via social media for the latest updates. Kind Regards Roy

This great thinking skills activity is designed to get your students discussing, prioritising and deciding which factors were the most important in helping to explain Hitler’s rise to power. The key theory underpinning this strategy is that when we rank items, either statements, objects or images, we are required to make explicit the over- arching relationships by which we organise our knowledge and connect our learning. If you are looking for a more traditional exercise then please check out my card sort matching exercise on this topic, which can be downloaded from my TES shop. This resource will easily work alongside any main steam textbook or resource on this topic. The resource includes nine diamond shaped cards which include a range of factors which explain Hitler’s rise to power. The document is provided in Microsoft Word so you can edit the resource if you wish to customise it further by changing any of the key factors that I have included. Once students have cut out the cards out they are set three tasks including: 1. Remove any reasons for Hitler’s rise to power that you don’t think are important. Record and explain why you have removed them. 2. Arrange the reaming diamonds to show any links that you can find between the different reasons. Record and explain your reasons. 3. Make a smaller diamond shape using what you think are the four most important reasons for Hitler’s rise to power. Record and explain your reasons. At each stage students should be feeding back to their group or the class and explaining their choices. The discussion and explanation around the choices that they have made are critical in helping them develop their understanding of the topic. The aims and objectives of this lesson are: Theme: Germany 1919 - 1945 Know: What factors helped Hitler become a dictator? Understand: What factors are linked together? Evaluate: Which factors are more important Skills: Cause and Consequence WILF: What Am I Looking For? Identify and describe: The key stages to Hitler’s rise to power? Explain: Which factors are linked together? Analyse: Which were the most important reasons? If you like this resource then why not check out my other resources on this topic in my TES shop. You can also follow ‘The History Academy’ on Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube and Facebook for the latest updates or even to get in touch and chat about how you have used this resource or to ask questions. We aim to produce cheap and affordable resources for either the price of a good cup of coffee or a happy meal so that you can spend more time doing the things that you want. Anyway, have fun and stay in touch via social media for the latest updates. Kind Regards Roy

This great resource is designed to help students work cooperatively and research the key stages in Adolf Hitler's life from 1889 - 1933. This lesson makes a great observation lesson if you are trying to demonstrate collaborative learning. The PowerPoint includes information, content and sources that can be printed off on A3 for the following stages in Hitler's life 1889 - 1909, 1909 - 1913, 1913 - 18, 1918 - 23 and finally 1923 - 22. This information can be given out to groups or pinned up on the wall. I've also included an optional observation sheet for students to use to record their research. The first activity in the lesson is a snowballing starter of the key words to help activate the learning. The second task, the market place activity can be approached in one of two ways. Your first option is for your five groups to rotate around the information, record their five facts and then move on to the next stage in Hitler’s life / career OR for a student from each group to speak for their table and rotate and share what their group has learnt. The aim of this activity is not just to give students an overview of Hitler's life and his ideas, but to also get them to listen, speak and collaborate as effective learners. The final activity, is a plenary class discussion which tries to get students to match Hitler's ideas to different stages in his life. There is no perfect match, it is designed to promote debate. There is a second discussion questions which centers around why did Germans vote for Hitler jobs, bread, ripping up the Treaty of Versailles, revenge or Anti-Semitism? The aims and objectives are: Theme: Germany 1923 - 1933 Know: Who was Adolf Hitler and what did he believe? Understand: How did Hitler’s experiences shape his beliefs? Understand: Why did Hitler join and become leader of the Nazis Party? Evaluate: Why did the membership of the Nazi Party increase? Skills: Narrative, Causes, Consequence, Significance. What Am I Looking For this lesson? Identify and describe the key facts about Hitler’s early life? Explain how Hitler’s experiences may have shaped his beliefs? Analyse the reasons why people joined and supported the Nazi Party? If you like this resource then why not check out my other resources on this topic in my TES shop. You can also follow 'The History Academy' on Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube and Facebook for the latest updates or even to get in touch and chat about how you have used this resource or to ask questions. We aim to produce cheap and affordable resources for either the price of a good cup of coffee or a happy meal so that you can spend more time doing the things that you want. Anyway, have fun and stay in touch via social media for the latest updates. Kind Regards Roy

This great little resource gets students to sort through a series of 12 primary and secondary sources about the reign of Queen Mary I 1553 - 1558, with the aim of deciding whether she deserves the reputation of Bloody Mary. Once this has been complete, students can then have a go at answering the question: Does Mary I deserve the title, ‘Bloody Mary’? I would recommend that this resource should be used with either a core or advanced group as there is a lot of reading, which would be too much for a foundation group with low literacy skills. This resource makes a great starter or plenary. It can be cut up the students or placed into envelopes for use with several classes or even set as a piece of homework. The aims and objectives are: Theme: Consequences of the break with Rome? Know: Why did Queen Mary I burn protestant heretics? Understand: How has Mary been viewed by both contemporaries and historians? Evaluate: Does Mary I deserve the title 'Bloody Mary'? WILF - What Am I Looking For? Identify and describe: Which sources support / disagree with the 'Bloody Mary' interpretation? Explain: Why do people disagree about how 'Bloody' Mary I was? Analyse: How far does Queen Mary deserve the title 'Bloody Mary?' If you like this resource, I have also created a PowerPoint on the reign of Queen Mary I, with additional information to go along with this card sort. This topic also makes for a great assessment task. Kind Regards Roy

This great little resource gets students to sort through a series of 12 primary and secondary sources about the reign of Queen Mary I 1553 - 1558, with the aim of deciding whether she deserves the reputation of Bloody Mary. Once this has been complete, students can then have a go at answering the question: Does Mary I deserve the title, ‘Bloody Mary’? I would recommend that this resource should be used with either a core or advanced group as there is a lot of reading, which would be too much for a foundation group with low literacy skills. This resource makes a great starter or plenary. It can be cut up the students or placed into envelopes for use with several classes or even set as a piece of homework. The aims and objectives are: Theme: Consequences of the break with Rome? Know: Why did Queen Mary I burn protestant heretics? Understand: How has Mary been viewed by both contemporaries and historians? Evaluate: Does Mary I deserve the title ‘Bloody Mary’? WILF - What Am I Looking For? Identify and describe: Which sources support / disagree with the ‘Bloody Mary’ interpretation? Explain: Why do people disagree about how ‘Bloody’ Mary I was? Analyze: How far does Queen Mary deserve the title ‘Bloody Mary?’ If you like this resource, I have also created a PowerPoint on the reign of Queen Mary I, with additional information to go along with this card sort. This topic also makes for a great assessment task. Kind Regards Roy

This PowerPoint is designed to span two lessons and includes 6 activities to help students assess the tactics that General Haig used at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. The aims and objectives are: Theme: Why was there a stalemate on the Western Front? Know: What tactics did General Haig use at the Battle of the Somme in 1916? Understand: Why did the Battle of the Somme end in a stalemate? Evaluate: Was General Haig the 'Butcher of the Somme? Skills: Cause, Consequence, Source Analysis and Interpretation WILF: What Am I Looking For? Identify and describe - What happened during the Battle of the Somme in 1916? Explain - Why did Haig’s tactics fail to achieve a breakthrough? Analyse - How far was Haig’s responsible for the failure to break through in 1916? These activities include a snowballing starter, source analysis comparing John Laffin and the BBC’s Blackadder interpretation of General Haig, a contemporary cartoon analysis to assess public reaction in 1916, a summary diagram of why Haig tactics failed and a source analysis comparing the different perspectives of George Coppard and Haig of the progress made on the first day of the attack. I’ve also included a card sort activity which could be used as the basis for an assessment or extended writing on the topic. In all there are 40 slides which can be easily customised for your students. It could also be uploaded to a virtual learning environment and used as an independent learning resource for homework. Professional Knowledge For those of you who are new to the profession, this topic is controversial for a number of reasons. Firstly, the leadership of the British Army during the war is traditionally described by some historians as ‘lions led by donkeys.’ Please note that this interpretation first grew out a dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Versailles and the concept that the First World War would be the ‘War to end all wars’ in the 1930’s. Clearly by then, many of the sacrifices appeared to have been in vain with the rise of Hitler and the threat of war. However, in the immediate aftermath of the First World War, Haig was seen as a hero. He was also the man who set up the Royal British Legion and began the first poppy appeal. Secondly, this topic is controversial for many of our Australian cousins whose sense of national identity grew out of their frustration and anger over the disaster at Gallipoli. This has led to feeling that the British tactics were a complete failure in all theatres of war and has led to the writing of some pretty bad popular history by Australian tour guides like John Laffin in his book ‘British Butchers and Bunglers of WW1’ to almost justify the Republican Movement in Australia. Anyway, have fun and I look forward to your feedback.

This tried and tested card sort looks at the controversial topic of General Haig's leadership during the Battle of the Somme. Students are given two heading cards labelled 'Butcher of the Somme' and the 'Man who won the war.' However, depending upon how you decide to use them you could change them to 'evidence for and 'evidence against' as the document is in word. In addition to the headings cards, students are given 14 statements to sort through. These are based on the latest research on the topic. This activity is suitable for a wide range of learners and could be used as the basis of an assessment task or extended writing activity. Aims & Objectives Theme: Why was there a stalemate on the Western Front? Know: What tactics did General Haig use at the Battle of the Somme in 1916? Understand: Why did the Battle of the Somme end in a stalemate? Evaluate: Was General Haig the 'Butcher of the Somme? WILF: What Am I Looking For? Identify and describe- What happened during the Battle of the Somme in 1916? Explain - Why did Haig's tactics fail to achieve a breakthrough? Analyse - How far was Haig's responsible for the failure to break through in 1916? Professional Knowledge For those of you who are new to the profession, this topic is controversial for a number of reasons. Firstly, the leadership of the British Army during the war is traditionally described by some historians as 'lions led by donkeys.' Please note that this interpretation first grew out a dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Versailles and the concept that the First World War would be the 'War to end all wars' in the 1930's. Clearly by then, many of the sacrifices appeared to have been in vain with the rise of Hitler and the threat of war. However, in the immediate aftermath of the First World War, Haig was seen as a hero. He was also the man who set up the Royal British Legion and began the first poppy appeal. Secondly, this topic is controversial for many of our Australian cousins whose sense of national identity grew out of their frustration and anger over the disaster at Gallipoli. This has led to feeling that the British tactics were a complete failure in all theatres of war and has led to the writing of some pretty bad popular history by Australian tour guides like John Laffin in his book ‘British Butchers and Bunglers of WW1' to almost justify the Republican Movement in Australia. History as always is controversial. Historians create a hierarchy of facts to suit their own interpretations. This exercise gets students to have a go at creating their own! I have also created a PowerPoint to accompany this topic, which can be downloaded separately or as part of a discounted package. Kind Regards Roy

This tried and tested card sort looks at the controversial topic of General Haig's leadership during the Battle of the Somme. Students are given two heading cards labelled 'Butcher of the Somme' and the 'Man who won the war.' However, depending upon how you decide to use them you could change them to 'evidence for and 'evidence against' as the document is in word. In addition to the headings cards, students are given 14 statements to sort through. These are based on the latest research on the topic. This activity is suitable for a wide range of learners and could be used as the basis of an assessment task or extended writing activity. Aims & Objectives Theme: Why was there a stalemate on the Western Front? Know: What tactics did General Haig use at the Battle of the Somme in 1916? Understand: Why did the Battle of the Somme end in a stalemate? Evaluate: Was General Haig the 'Butcher of the Somme? WILF: What Am I Looking For? Identify and describe- What happened during the Battle of the Somme in 1916? Explain - Why did Haig's tactics fail to achieve a breakthrough? Analyse - How far was Haig's responsible for the failure to break through in 1916? Professional Knowledge For those of you who are new to the profession, this topic is controversial for a number of reasons. Firstly, the leadership of the British Army during the war is traditionally described by some historians as 'lions led by donkeys.' Please note that this interpretation first grew out a dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Versailles and the concept that the First World War would be the 'War to end all wars' in the 1930's. Clearly by then, many of the sacrifices appeared to have been in vain with the rise of Hitler and the threat of war. However, in the immediate aftermath of the First World War, Haig was seen as a hero. He was also the man who set up the Royal British Legion and began the first poppy appeal. Secondly, this topic is controversial for many of our Australian cousins whose sense of national identity grew out of their frustration and anger over the disaster at Gallipoli. This has led to feeling that the British tactics were a complete failure in all theatres of war and has led to the writing of some pretty bad popular history by Australian tour guides like John Laffin in his book ‘British Butchers and Bunglers of WW1' to almost justify the Republican Movement in Australia. History as always is controversial. Historians create a hierarchy of facts to suit their own interpretations. This exercise gets students to have a go at creating their own! I have also created a PowerPoint to accompany this topic, which can be downloaded separately or as part of a discounted package. Kind Regards Roy

This great little card sort is a must have for anyone studying why William won the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The resource in a word format so it can be fully adapted to suit your learners, but I have made sure that it's accessible for core, foundation and gifted and talented students. This card sort can be used as a starter, mini plenary or plenary. It can also be used as a planning exercise before students attempt writing an extended essay for assessment purposes on the topic. So in brief, I have provided a two page worksheet with the following heading of leadership / tactics. organisation, luck and Harold's mistakes as well 16 cards that students can sort under these headings. The aims objectives are: Theme: Why did William win the Battle of Hastings in 1066? Know: What factors helped William to win? Understand: How important was William's leadership, tactics, luck and organisation in helping to win? Evaluate: How far did William win or Harold lose? WILF - What an I Looking For? Identify / describe: Why William won the Battle of Hastings? Explain: Several reasons why William won the Battle of Hastings? Analyse: Explain which factor was the most important reason why William won? I have been observed several times with this lesson and have been graded outstanding each time. This is a high quality resource, which works. The students love the activity which never fails to help them develop a sophisticated understanding of why he won! However, don't take my word for it, download and try it! Kind Regards Roy Ps Check out some of my other Norman Conquest resources!

These graphic organisers can be printed off as worksheets or used on your Interactive Whiteboard for a wide range of subjects and topics to help students analyse sources or compare and contrast ideas.