Students learn a huge amount of content in this lesson but do so in an engaging manner. The lesson begins with the starter activity in which students are invited to create a VENN diagram to compare two characters - one from the Golden Years and one from Nazi Germany. This introduces the idea of social change and economic recovery between 1923-29 and the class then work through a detailed set of notes in order to gain subject knowledge. The main task is a Tarsia shape card sort activity and students complete the lesson by playing a game of Guess Who to introduce key characters. Please note (prior to purchase) you will need your own board for this plenary activity to work best and you should allow students to use the Internet to research as they play. I hope your students get as much out of this lesson as mine do.

In this lesson students work through a ‘what’s behind the squares’ starter activity which introduces them to the horrors of the First World War. They then proceed to work through the detailed set of notes and use this knowledge in the main activiation tasks (questions to test comprehension and a mind-map activity) before testing their chronological understanding of the notes in the ‘play your cards right’ plenary. My students always love this lesson and it is a great introduction to life in 1920s USA. I’m confident your students will love it too.

This lesson is a 25-page PowerPoint presentation in which students are introduced to the topic with two divergent opinions on the impact of sit-ins (which are revisited later) and a Starter Activity in which the teacher asks them to close their eyes as they are read information about a typical Southern diner in the 1960s. Towards the end, a sit-in is described, focusing on the experiences of the participants. Students are given a choice of three options and then watch a three-minute video clip from the movie “The Butler,” which reveals the violence and verbal assaults sit-in protestors experienced (please be aware there is racially offensive language in the clip). They are asked to revisit their response. The lesson title is introduced, along with graduated aims (all will/most will/some will). The class is then provided with background information on teacher exposition slides before beginning the main activity, which is a two-page source analysis activity (5 sources, 15 comprehension questions). There is then a written activity inviting students to respond to the Key Question using the knowledge they have acquired and the sources. Following this, there is an opportunity for group discussion before the conclusion of the lesson. The class listens to the lyrics of the song “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke (or if you prefer “A White Man’s Heaven is a Black Man’s Hell” – also good but harder to make out the lyrics) and relates this to today’s learning, before deciding which of the two earlier historiographical perspectives they now agree with by moving to a designated area. As always, teaching Civil Rights needs to be done maturely and head-on but with a sensitive approach. I hope this PowerPoint resource enables you to do so for this important topic and helps your students see the importance and courage of the sit-in protestors.

This lesson focuses on the historical skill of interpretation, and students are invited to consider two different opinions on Malcolm X: those of conservative analyst William F. Buckley (who calls him a “public menace”) and movie director Spike Lee (who calls him a “freedom fighter”). The lesson has graduated aims (all will/most will/some will), and students are quickly introduced to the Starter Activity. This activity involves two sources showing different opinions on Malcolm X: one is a mural in New York which shows him as a martyr, and the other is a letter written to the FBI complaining about him. They complete a Venn diagram on these two sources to begin conversations about why there should be such duality of opinions on this Civil Rights leader. Then, there is some background information on his early life to enable teacher exposition. The main task is then introduced, and the class divides 18 cards into positives and negatives to help them form an opinion. This then leads to written and verbal explanations before the class concludes with a voting plenary to answer the main question. All topics on Civil Rights must be taught sensitively and head-on, and I hope this resource helps you bring this important leader and his legacy to life in your classroom.

This 49-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which students are asked to close their eyes while the teacher reads them a story about a crime in Anglo-Saxon England. As they do so, encourage them to perform some of the actions underlined. When they are told to open their eyes, they see a number of visual prompts on the board and are asked to come up with a punishment for the offender. This links to the lesson title, which is introduced alongside graduated lesson aims (all will/most will/some will). There are then some slides of background information describing the main aspects of law and order in this period from tithings to trials by ordeal, and the role of the Witan, the reeve, and other key aspects are discussed. From here, students are asked to create their own ‘museum’ in only 8 objects (examples are given, but they are encouraged to find their own). For each museum piece, they need to explain their choice and how it was used to keep law and order in the period. The lesson aims are revisited, and students present their findings. The lesson plenary invites students to consider the key aspects of the period and to make comparisons with modern equivalents/evolutions (such as hue and cry to telephone). There is an extended written task set as homework at the end if required. This lesson has been pitched at high-achieving high school students and is written in UK English. I hope your students get as much out of it as mine do.

This 26-slide PowerPoint begins with a starter activity in which students listen to the folk song ‘The Fields of Athenry’ and fill in the blanks in a ‘Have I Got News For You’ style activity. They then discuss the meaning of the song. The lesson title and graduated aims (‘all will/most will/some will’) are then introduced. There are some background information slides about transportation to penal colonies for teacher exposition. This then leads to the main activity in which students pair up heads and tails cards in a card sort (the answers are provided so students can self or peer assess) before plotting them onto an emotional rollercoaster to determine the worst aspects of being convicted and sent to Botany Bay. The lesson aims are referred back to, and the lesson concludes with a plenary activity in which students are asked to use the knowledge and understanding they have acquired to create a dialogue between the characters in a famous painting by Ford Madox Brown (‘The Last of England’). This lesson was created with a desirable difficulty level for high-achieving Key Stage 4 students in high school settings and is written in UK English.

In this 44-slide PowerPoint presentation, the lesson commences with a “What’s Behind the Squares? - Starter Activity” introducing the class to the black power symbol given by Tommie Smith and John Carlos in the 200 meters final of the Mexico 1968 Olympics. Graduated lesson aims are provided, delineating objectives for all, most, and some students. Background information about the Black Panthers is presented to allow for teacher exposition. The main task entails a 24-piece hexagonal card sort where students categorize perceptions of the Panthers into positive and negative, making connections before assembling them into an essay map to guide extended written work on the Key Question. The lesson revisits its aims, concluding with students listening to Curtis Mayfield’s music about the Panthers before attempting a class vote based on the Key Question, weighing perspectives such as those of J. Edgar Hoover and Angela Davis. As interpretations may vary, this setup fosters robust debate. It is underscored that lessons about Civil Rights are crucially taught head-on but sensitively, with the hope that this resource facilitates such discussions in the classroom. The lesson is pitched at high achieving high school students and is written in UK English.

This lesson is titled “How similar and how different was the treatment of Conscientious Objectors in the First and Second World Wars?” The lesson begins with an Odd One Out Starter Activity which invites students to pick out Elvis Presley (the only one of the three who picked up arms to fight for his country). This then introduces the lesson’s Key Question/title and aims are given along with graduated objectives (all will/most will/some will). After this there are slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. The class are then allocated roles within teams and begin a Gallery Walk which they use to fill in their grids to show similarities and differences. After this they complete a piece of written work to answer the Key Question. Lesson objectives are revisited, and the lesson concludes with a plenary activity where they are invited to come up to the board and to add a similarity or difference to one of the two categories (trash cans) given. Wishing you a terrific day.

The title of this lesson is “What was the most important invention of Ancient Egypt? Dragon’s Den Project.” This is a great project-based lesson designed to introduce students to the topic of Ancient Egypt and to promote the second-order concept of significance and includes graduated learning outcomes (all of you will/most of you will/some of you will). The lesson begins with a starter activity where students are asked to identify which of the given inventions was not invented in Ancient Egypt. This leads on to a second activity in which they see how many inventions which originated in Ancient Egypt they can identify. From this the class are then introduced to the idea of how historians decide what makes an event or discovery significant and they explore the acronym GREAT: G = ground-breaking, R = remembered, E = extent of importance to people at the time, A = affected the future, and T = turning point. Lesson objectives are introduced (all will/most will/some will). For the main task students are placed in groups and given a card with three different inventions on. They need to choose one of their inventions and explain in presentation form why they feel it is so significant. They can make models and sales pitches to accompany their explanations to the ‘dragons’ (get senior teachers to come in to act as these if they’re good sports). The lesson concludes with a peer assessment class voting plenary on which they felt was the most important invention and why. This lesson has been designed for high school students but can work with slightly younger classes too. Before you leave be sure to follow Dan’s History Highway for more info on hundreds of fully-resourced lessons for busy teachers! Wishing you a terrific day.

“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see other’s points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking. Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan This lesson is titled “How much has Thanksgiving changed over time?” This 28-slide PowerPoint begins with three starter activities. Students are invited to do a Fist to Five, to write their existing knowledge on the board, and then to decide if three statements are true or false. Lesson aims and objectives are then introduced before a series of slides of background information to enable teacher exposition (about the first Thanksgiving, 1863, the ‘20s and ‘30s, and modern traditions since 1941.) Students then test their knowledge in a Whose Line is it Anyway activity. They are then introduced to the main activity, which is to create a timeline of Thanksgiving over time using the information they have learned. They then show off their work in a Gallery Walk and there is a slide in which the teacher cold calls three students to explain. In the first plenary students then come to the board to write down one way Thanksgiving has changed and one way it has stayed the same on the two trash cans on the screen. In the second plenary they vote with Thinking Thumbs on the lesson’s Key Question. Aims and objectives are revisited. There is a homework task also. This lesson was created with a desirable difficulty level for students in high school settings and is written in UK English. Before you leave be sure to follow Dan’s History Highway for more info on hundreds of fully-resourced lessons for busy teachers! Wishing you a terrific day.

“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see other’s points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking. Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan This lesson is titled “How much has Christmas changed over time?” This 28-slide PowerPoint begins with three starter activities. Students are invited to do a Fist to Five, to write their existing knowledge on the board, and then to decide if three statements are true or false. Lesson aims and objectives are then introduced before a series of slides of background information to enable teacher exposition (about Ancient roots, the birth of Jesus, Emperor Constantine, the Middle Ages, Puritans, Victorian Christmas, and the modern era.) Students then test their knowledge in a Whose Line is it Anyway activity. They are then introduced to the main activity, which is to create a timeline of Christmas over time using the information they have learned. They then show off their work in a Gallery Walk and there is a slide in which the teacher cold calls students to explain. In the first plenary students then come to the board to write down one way Christmas has changed and one way it has stayed the same on the two trash cans on the screen. In the second plenary they vote with Thinking Thumbs on the lesson’s Key Question. Aims and objectives are revisited. There is a homework task also. This lesson was created with a desirable difficulty level for students in high school settings and is written in UK English. Before you leave be sure to follow Dan’s History Highway for more info on hundreds of fully-resourced lessons for busy teachers! Wishing you a terrific day (and a Happy Christmas!)

This is one of my most popular lesson activities. Here students will collate information to both sides of the historiographical debate and make links between their factors to create a visual map which they can use for an extended piece of written analysis. I am especially proud of the level of precision and detail in the historical content here as this is a niche area of mine formed whilst working for the Royal British Legion on the Somme a few years ago. The 60 cards are broken down and colour-coordinated for differentiation purposes into personality, tactics, technology, and politics in order to promote a factor-led response. I really hope you enjoy this activity and that your students get as much from it as mine do.

This is one of my most detailed and most enjoyable lessons. Students are issued with a suspect character card of their own (there are 21 including Druitt, Kosminski, and Chapman) and then have to siphon their way through 13 very detailed pieces of evidence to find information that suggests they might be the notorious serial killer. For example, Polish butcher John Pizer might argue that he is local (Evidence A), has an expert knowledge of anatomy (B), and came from Poland where there were a large number of Jews (Evidence L). Students then present their cases and the class vote on who makes the best case. This is an excellent lesson designed to engage students and get them to question evidence, structure, and present their findings. I hope you enjoy it as much as my students do!

This is one of my students’ absolute favourite lessons. They are given the starter activity ‘sellotape challenge’ and are asked to design a castle defence on their desks. Following this students then proceed to work through an incredibly detailed set of notes which outline the key features and changes as well as reasons for this. The cloze / scaffolded activity then tests and measures comprehension. I really hope your students gain as much from these activities as I know mine always do. These activities are fantastic for setting up a ‘build a castle competition’ - the kind of showcase event that brings great kudos and energy to a History Department!

Last year I achieved ninety-four% A*-A in my I G C S E exam results. The year before it was eighty-eight%, making the History Department consistently high achieving and one which students want to sign up for. One of the main reasons for this is the detailed and focused set of revision menus I give to my students to help them prepare for exam success. Now you can have them too. Of all of my resources these revision menus are my must-haves! I hope they can be of much use to your students as they are to mine. If you enjoyed this resource please leaf through my collection of other revision menus and resources. This pack focuses on the League of Nations, includes space for student notes, and includes revision content for the following topics: How successful was the League? How far did weaknesses in the League make failure inevitable? How far did the Depression make the work of the League more difficult? How successful was the League?

Last year I achieved ninety-four% A*-A in my I G C S E exam results. The year before it was eighty-eight%, making the History Department consistently high achieving and one which students want to sign up for. One of the main reasons for this is the detailed and focused set of revision menus I give to my students to help them prepare for exam success. Now you can have them too. Of all of my resources these revision menus are my must-haves! I hope they can be of much use to your students as they are to mine. If you enjoyed this resource please leaf through my collection of other revision menus and resources. This pack focuses on the Peace Settlements, includes space for student notes, and includes revision content for the following topics: What were the motives and aims of the Big Three at Versailles? Why did all the victors not get everything they wanted? What was the impact of the peace treaty on Germany? Could the treaties be justified at the time?

Covering a range of topics. Just print out in A3 and laminate et voila! If you enjoy this set of posters please look through my site which has heaps of outstanding resources for the busy History teacher.

Last year I achieved 94% A*-A in my IGCSE exam results. The year before it was 88%, making the History Department consistently high achieving and one which students want to sign up for. One of the main reasons for this is the detailed and focused set of revision menus I give to my students to help them prepare for exam success. Now you can have them too. Of all of my resources these revision menus are my must-haves! I hope they can be of much use to your students as they are to mine. If you enjoyed this resource please leaf through my collection of other revision menus and resources. This pack focuses on Twentieth Century China, includes space for student notes, and includes revision content for the following topics: China 1911-34 The triumph of Mao and the CCP, 1934-49 Change under Mao, 1949-63 The impact of the Cultural Revolution China, 1969-89

In this lesson students work through fantastically detailed notes before completing a range of written activities and comprehension questions. This lesson also features a ‘play your cards right’ style plenary to check chronological understanding.

In this lesson the class begin by playing a game where they are given a series of statements and need to vote with their feet to decide if they are true or false. Once incorrect they return to their seats and the winner is crowned as the last person standing. (This starter is based on the Great Helmsman goes swimming in order to introduce concepts of power and virility in Maoist China.). The class then work through detailed notes about different groups in society and are given a movie making activity. The lessons concludes with a great plenary PPT in which students are given a series of caption competitions and need to try to use some of the knowledge they have accrued thus far. There are examples given. My students love this topic and I planned these resources during my time teaching in Shanghai so they really mean a lot to me and my students. I hope you can get just as much use from them.