In this 56-slide PowerPoint, the lesson begins with a ‘What’s Behind the Squares’ starter activity. This reveals a woodprint of a witch being interrogated and asks students initial questions to get them thinking about the topic and period. The lesson title is then introduced along with graduated criteria (all will/most will/some will), and there are some background information slides for teacher exposition. The main tasks then take place. Students are asked to read three sources and to attempt comprehension questions on them before attempting a Diamond 16 activity, in which they identify social, economic, and political reasons for the rise of witchcraft (and Hopkins) before then prioritizing them in order of what they consider their importance to be. This then leads to a written task. The lesson plenary is a ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway’ activity in which students test the knowledge they have acquired by filling in the blanks. This lesson was written with a desirable difficulty level for Key Stage 4 high school students and is written in UK English. I hope your students get as much from it as mine always do, and please message me if you have any questions.

This 34-slide PowerPoint begins with a Countdown-style Starter Activity in which students unjumble the letters to reveal the word ‘revolt.’ A definition is given, leading to the introduction of the Key Question and graduated lesson aims (‘all will/most will/some will’). Following this, there are background information slides to facilitate teacher exposition about the Peasants’ Revolt before the main activity. Two versions of a hexagonal card sort (one color-coordinated for those who need assistance) are provided, and students sort the 16 cards into five different factors, ranging from economic reasons to Richard II. Later, students are encouraged to identify links between the factors. The graduated aims are revisited, and the lesson concludes with a starfish plenary, during which the class comes up to the front and adds their evidence to the most important factor in answering the Key Question. Finally, a take-home written task is assigned to test student knowledge acquired during the lesson. I hope your students benefit from this fully-resourced lesson as much as mine always do. It has been tailored for high-achieving Key Stage 3 high school students and is written in UK English.

This 38-slide PowerPoint begins with a starter activity where students look at some picture prompts to discuss methods of modern medicine. This then leads to a discussion of how medicine might have been different in Ancient China. After this, students are introduced to the lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will achieve) and there follows some slides of background information for teacher exposition covering yin and yang, moxibustion, tai chi, etc. Three sources are used to stimulate class discussion (each has one comprehension question), and the class are then asked to use the information to create a role play about Ancient Chinese medicine (a digested version is given to help with this). They can then act these out. I have included an exemplar role play scenario, if you’re struggling for time, but it works best if students create their own. The lesson aims are revisited, and the lesson’s plenary asks students to write down what they have learned about how similar and how different Ancient Chinese medicine was and to place these on post-it notes in one of two corresponding baskets. I hope your students get as much out of this lesson as mine always do. It has been pitched at high-achieving Key Stage 3 high school students and is written in UK English. I created this lesson when teaching in China, so it’s one that’s close to my heart!

This 53-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which students guess whether five statements about Roman entertainment are true or false. They are then introduced to the lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will). Following this, there are information slides covering key areas from Gladiators to Theatre to Public Bathing, facilitating teacher exposition. This leads to the main activity, where students are invited to create a role-play as if they had been transported back in time to explore similarities and differences in entertainment. An example is provided, which the teacher can quickly run through with the class. Subsequently, the students perform their plays, and the lesson objectives are revisited. Following this, a lesson plenary invites the class to make eight comments on a flower to answer the Key Question, and a piece of extended written work is set as homework. This lesson has been designed for Key Stage 3 students but would also suit slightly younger students. It is written in UK English.

This 43-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which the class is invited to guess the top 6 things a museum exhibition requires to be successful (this is done in the form of a Family Feud-style game). This leads to a discussion of the purposes of a good exhibition with a clear theme/concept and quality content displayed in an accessible manner. This introduces the lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will). The class is then invited to consider some key areas of the period, and an example of each is given (e.g., for the early Weimar era, the example of hyperinflation banknotes is given as a possible exhibition artifact, or for Kristallnacht a shard of glass). The class then creates their own exhibitions, ensuring they only select a maximum of 8 items and explain and analyse them as they relate to the period. When they present, the class peer-assesses using the criteria on the sheet (which link back to the Starter Activity). The lesson aims are revisited before the lesson concludes with a plenary in which the class is invited to take on the role of “Voices of Germany 1919-45” or “Voices of the Future” and discuss their thoughts on a range of artifacts (these are provided in one slide, but it works best if you use those that students came up with themselves in their own exhibitions). I designed this lesson for high-achieving IB students, and it works well to introduce a topic on authoritarian states or to conclude it. It can also be used for high-ability, slightly younger students. This lesson is written in UK English.

This 42-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which the class is invited to guess the top 6 things a museum exhibition requires to be successful (this is done in the form of a Family Feud-style game). This leads to a discussion of the purposes of a good exhibition with a clear theme/concept and quality content displayed in an accessible manner. This introduces the lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will). The class is then invited to consider some key areas of the period, and an example of each is given (e.g., for example a pair of handcuffs are used to represent the Great Purges, a Soviet victory flag to represent the Second World War etc). The class then create their own exhibitions, ensuring they only select a maximum of 8 items and explain and analyse them as they relate to the period. This takes a couple of lessons. When they present, the class peer-assesses using the criteria on the sheet (which link back to the Starter Activity). The lesson aims are revisited before the lesson concludes with a plenary in which the class is invited to take on the role of “Voices of Stalin’s USSR” or “Voices of the Future” and discuss their thoughts on a range of artifacts (these are provided in one slide, but it works best if you use those that students came up with themselves in their own exhibitions). I designed this lesson for high-achieving high school students, and it works well to introduce a topic on Stalin’s USSR or to conclude it. This lesson is written in UK English.

This 42-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which the class is invited to guess the top 6 things a museum exhibition requires to be successful (this is done in the form of a Family Feud-style game). This leads to a discussion of the purposes of a good exhibition with a clear theme/concept and quality content displayed in an accessible manner. This introduces the lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will). The class is then invited to consider some key areas of the period, and an example of each is given (e.g., for example a statue of Romulus and Remus for the founding of Rome, a Carthaginian helmet to represent the Punic Wars etc). The class then create their own exhibitions, ensuring they only select a maximum of 8 items and explain and analyse them as they relate to the period. This takes a couple of lessons. When they present, the class peer-assesses using the criteria on the sheet (which link back to the Starter Activity). The lesson aims are revisited before the lesson concludes with a plenary in which the class is invited to take on the role of “Voices of Ancient Rome” or “Voices of the Future” and discuss their thoughts on a range of artifacts (these are provided in one slide, but it works best if you use those that students came up with themselves in their own exhibitions). I designed this lesson for high-achieving high school students, and it works well to introduce a topic on Ancient Rome or to conclude it. This lesson is written in UK English.

This 45-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which the class is invited to guess the top 6 things a museum exhibition requires to be successful (this is done in the form of a Family Feud-style game). This leads to a discussion of the purposes of a good exhibition with a clear theme/concept and quality content displayed in an accessible manner. This introduces the lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will). The class is then invited to consider some key areas of the period, and an example of each is given (e.g., for example Oracle Bones are used to represent the Shang Dynasty, Bronze Bells to represent the Zhou Dynasty etc). The class then create their own exhibitions, ensuring they only select a maximum of 8 items and explain and analyse them as they relate to the period. When they present, the class peer-assesses using the criteria on the sheet (which link back to the Starter Activity). The lesson aims are revisited before the lesson concludes with a plenary in which the class is invited to take on the role of “Voices of Ancient China” or “Voices of the Future” and discuss their thoughts on a range of artifacts (these are provided in one slide, but it works best if you use those that students came up with themselves in their own exhibitions). I designed this lesson for high-achieving students, and it works well to introduce a topic on Ancient China or to conclude it. This lesson is written in UK English.

This 47-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which the class is invited to guess the top 6 things a museum exhibition requires to be successful (this is done in the form of a Family Feud-style game). This leads to a discussion of the purposes of a good exhibition with a clear theme/concept and quality content displayed in an accessible manner. This introduces the lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will). The class is then invited to consider some key areas of the period, and an example of each is given (e.g., for example a signed Ruth Babe baseball is used to represent sports, a soup meal ticket to represent the Depression etc). The class then create their own exhibitions, ensuring they only select a maximum of 8 items and explain and analyse them as they relate to the period. When they present, the class peer-assesses using the criteria on the sheet (which link back to the Starter Activity). The lesson aims are revisited before the lesson concludes with a plenary in which the class is invited to take on the role of “Voices of USA 1919-41” or “Voices of the Future” and discuss their thoughts on a range of artifacts (these are provided in one slide, but it works best if you use those that students came up with themselves in their own exhibitions). I designed this lesson for high-achieving students, and it works well to introduce a topic on the USA in the 1920s and 1930s or to conclude it. This lesson is written in UK English.

This 47-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which the class is invited to guess the top 6 things a museum exhibition requires to be successful (this is done in the form of a Family Feud-style game). This leads to a discussion of the purposes of a good exhibition with a clear theme/concept and quality content displayed in an accessible manner. This introduces the lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will). The class is then invited to consider some key areas of the period, and an example of each is given (e.g., for example a coin showing Greek and Roman influences are used to represent the Ptolemaic Dynasty, her Royal Scarab to represent Cleopatra VII’s reign etc). The class then create their own exhibitions, ensuring they only select a maximum of 8 items and explain and analyse them as they relate to the period. This takes a couple of lessons. When they present, the class peer-assesses using the criteria on the sheet (which link back to the Starter Activity). The lesson aims are revisited before the lesson concludes with a plenary in which the class is invited to take on the role of “Voices of Ancient Egypt” or “Voices of the Future” and discuss their thoughts on a range of artifacts (these are provided in one slide, but it works best if you use those that students came up with themselves in their own exhibitions). I designed this lesson for high-achieving high school students, but it can work for slightly younger students too, and it works well to introduce a topic on Ancient Egypt or to conclude it. This lesson is written in UK English.

This 30-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which students are asked to close their eyes while the teacher reads out a story, taking them back in time to the Forbidden Palace. When they open their eyes, they are asked to work with a friend to create a quick sketch of what was described. The lesson title and graduated criteria (all will/most will/some will) are then introduced, followed by a few slides of background information to enable teacher exposition. This explains several aspects relating to feng shui, the importance of the number 9, symbolism of colours, and much more. The class then begins their main activity, which is to design a visual illustration with written explanations. The lesson aims are revisited, and the lesson concludes with a plenary in which students are asked to add a post-it note to one of three bins to show what can be learned about Ancient China in terms of power, culture, and education. I created this lesson while teaching History in China, and so it means a lot to me to pass it on to other teachers. It is pitched at Key Stage 3 high school students but would work well with slightly younger classes too. It is written in UK English.

This 28-slide PowerPoint presentation commences with a Starter Activity, prompting students to match famous figures with the unusual items they chose to be buried with, such as Houdini and his keys. Following this, the slides detail the discovery of the Terracotta Warriors, leading to an exploration of why Emperor Qin Shi Huang would choose to be interred with 8,000 model soldiers. The lesson title is introduced alongside graduated lesson aims (all will/most will/some will), followed by slides delving into the finds and inferences that can be drawn from them, provided by the teacher. Subsequently, the main activity is outlined, tasking students with crafting a series of diary entries as one of the archaeologists, supplemented by exemplars. Finally, the lesson aims are revisited, culminating in a plenary where students contribute their learnings by writing them on designated baskets categorized into political, economic, military, and social aspects. This lesson, crafted during my tenure teaching History in China, is tailored for Key Stage 3 high school students but is adaptable for younger audiences, and is composed in UK English.

This 47-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which the class is invited to guess the top 6 things a museum exhibition requires to be successful (this is done in the form of a Family Feud-style game). This leads to a discussion of the purposes of a good exhibition with a clear theme/concept and quality content displayed in an accessible manner. This introduces the lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will). The class is then invited to consider some key areas of the period, and an example of each is given (e.g., for example dog tags for the Vietnam war, a photograph of Kennedy and Khruschev for the Cuban Missile Crisis etc). The class then create their own exhibitions, ensuring they only select a maximum of 8 items and explain and analyse them as they relate to the period. This takes a couple of lessons. When they present, the class peer-assesses using the criteria on the sheet (which link back to the Starter Activity). The lesson aims are revisited before the lesson concludes with a plenary in which the class is invited to take on the role of “Voices of the Cold War” or “Voices of the Future” and discuss their thoughts on a range of artifacts (these are provided in one slide, but it works best if you use those that students came up with themselves in their own exhibitions). I designed this lesson for high-achieving high school students, and it works well to introduce a topic on the Cold War or to conclude it. This lesson is written in UK English.

This 46-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity, inviting students to choose what young people in the Medieval era would drink, with beer as the answer due to its safety over water. The lesson title and aims are then introduced, graduated into ‘all will/most will/some will’. Following this, students translate a source from an early Medieval cookbook, with background information provided for teacher exposition on food for nobles, peasants, and religious groups. The main activity involves students being assigned into groups with specific roles and completing sheets on 9 gallery points, followed by creating a role play of a modern student transported back in time to the Medieval period to investigate dining and food. An example play is provided for guidance. The lesson objectives are revisited, and the session concludes with a plenary activity where students add post-it notes to baskets to answer the Key Question and demonstrate similarities and differences. Tailored for Key Stage 3 high school students, it’s adaptable for slightly younger learners and presented in UK English.

This 42-slide PowerPoint commences with a Starter Activity, inviting the class to speculate on the top 6 requisites for a successful museum exhibition, presented in the form of a Family Feud-style game. This initiates a discussion on the objectives of an effective exhibition, emphasising the importance of a clear theme/concept and the presentation of quality content in an accessible manner. Subsequently, the lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will) are introduced. The class is then prompted to explore key aspects of the period, with examples provided for each (e.g., aggra beads for slave capture and bilboes for the Middle Passage, etc.). Following this, students are tasked with creating their own exhibitions, limited to a maximum of 8 items, and are required to explain and analyse them within the context of the period. This activity spans across a couple of lessons. During presentations, peer-assessment is conducted using criteria linked back to the Starter Activity. The lesson aims are revisited before concluding with a plenary, wherein the class assumes the roles of “Voices of the Triangular Trade” or “Voices of the Future” to discuss their perspectives on a variety of artifacts. Although provided in one slide, it is suggested to incorporate artifacts selected by students for their own exhibitions. This lesson, designed for high-achieving high school students, serves as an effective introduction to or conclusion of a topic on the Triangular Trade. It is written in UK-English.

This 51-slide PowerPoint lesson begins with a Starter Activity, during which students are invited to see how many world leaders’ monikers they know (Napoleon is The Little General, Churchill the British Bulldog, Mandela Madiba etc). Subsequently, there is an explanation of what Mary is best known for and how she acquired her nickname. The lesson title and progressive objectives (all will/most will/some will) are then introduced, followed by contextual information about the period for teacher exposition. The primary activity involves students walking around the classroom in groups to peruse information displayed in a Gallery Walk (consisting of 17 picture frames, which need to be printed and affixed around the room). Groups are tasked with assigning roles within their team (coordinator, recorder, timekeeper, researcher, presenter, and proofreader — these can be doubled up if smaller groups are preferred). Some of the information presented during the Gallery Walk suggests Mary does deserve the title Bloody, while other aspects remind us of the more positive aspects of her reign. It’s an engaging lesson that allows students to explore beyond the classroom confines, potentially showcasing their activities to a wider audience within the school. The students collectively complete their information grids and share their findings from the Gallery Walk, leading to an extended writing task centred around the Key Question. The lesson objectives are revisited, and the session concludes with a plenary activity where students indicate their stance on whether they believe Mary is deserving of her nickname by physically positioning themselves to the left or right of the room. It is tailored for Key Stage 3 high school students but could be adapted for slightly younger learners as well. The content is presented in UK English.

This 45-slide PowerPoint lesson is always the first session I deliver in my unit on Ancient China. The lesson commences with an Odd One Out Starter Activity, during which students select one falsehood about Oracle Bones from a selection of four statements. Subsequently, there is an explanation of what Oracle Bones were and how they relate to the Xia Dynasty. The lesson title and progressive objectives (all will/most will/some will) are then introduced, followed by five slides of contextual information about the period for teacher exposition. The primary activity involves students walking around the classroom in groups to peruse information displayed in a Gallery Walk (consisting of 13 pictures, which need to be printed and affixed around the room). Groups are tasked with assigning roles within their team (coordinator, recorder, timekeeper, researcher, presenter, and proofreader — these can be doubled up if smaller groups are preferred). Some of the information presented during the Gallery Walk suggests the existence of the Xia Dynasty, while other aspects question whether it was merely a myth fabricated by later Dynasties. It’s an engaging lesson that allows students to explore beyond the classroom confines, potentially showcasing their activities to a wider audience within the school. The students collectively complete their information grids and share their findings from the Gallery Walk, leading to an extended writing task centred around the Key Question. The lesson objectives are revisited, and the session concludes with a plenary activity where students indicate their stance on whether they believe the Xia Dynasty was real or a myth by physically positioning themselves to the left or right of the room. I crafted this lesson during my tenure teaching History in China, so it holds sentimental value for me to share it with fellow educators. It is tailored for Key Stage 3 high school students but could be adapted for slightly younger learners as well. The content is presented in UK English.

The title of this lesson is “Why did the USSR lose the Afghanistan war?” The lesson begins with an Odd One Out Starter Activity in which students are invited to review four lesser known facts about the Soviet-Afghan War and to identify the incorrect one. After this, the title is introduced as are aims and graduated objectives (all will/most will/some will) and two different perspectives on the Key Question are offered (Yousuf and Gorbachev). These are revisited later. There are then background information slides to allow for teacher exposition to introduce the topic. The main activity then begins. This is a Gallery Walk activity. The class are broken up into groups and each group is given various roles (coordinator, recorder, timekeeper, researchers, presenter, and proofreader – students can carry out more than one role). Students then walk around the room and read each of the 15 pieces of evidence in the Galleries (these need to be printed and stuck up around the room, or corridor if you want to get your class out and moving around school). As they do so they complete the grid provided and are then asked as a group to create a TV news report to answer the Key Question. Following this there is a voting plenary in which the class are asked to vote on their answer to which of the earlier interpretation they mostly agree with. They stand to the side of the room that represents where they fit into the historiographical debate and explain their position to another student. And before you leave be sure to bookmark Dan’s History Highway for more info on hundreds of fully-resourced lessons for busy teachers! Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “What really happened to the Princes in the Tower?” This lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which the class are invited to discuss four methods of execution which have become part of the mystery surrounding the Princes and are asked to explain which they feel is the grisliest. Most will choose the hot poker (!) and this leads to a discussion about why, if that was how the Princes died, anyone would want to kill them so brutally. There are then slides of background information to allow teacher exposition and the lesson title is introduced along with aims and graduated objectives (all will/most will/some will). The first main activity is a 20 piece card sort whereby students divide information into that which suggests the Princes’ uncle, Richard III, killed them, and evidence which suggests they may have escaped. From this they then complete the second main activity which is to create a 3-5 minute TV news report explaining what they feel happened using the evidence they have handled. The class then present these before the lesson plenary in which they are asked to stand up and walk to the side of the room they agree with in a class vote. I hope your students get as much from this History Mystery as mine do. This lesson was written for high achieving high school students and is written in UK English. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “Why were the Tolpuddle Martyrs treated so badly?” This lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which students are invited to discuss what punishments they feel are appropriate for six given crimes. This then leads into the Key Question and the lesson aims are introduced along with graduated criteria (all will/most will/some will). There is then background information slides to allow for teacher exposition. After this, students are paired up and given a character card (Judge Williams/George Loveless). They then complete a Diamond 16 activity before creating a blog in the guise of their character. The lesson concludes with a Have I Got News Style fill in the gaps Plenary to check for understanding. Wishing you a terrific day.