Lesson focusing on planning a 30 mark source question linked to the June 2017 exam paper. The question: With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the reasons for the 1984/85 miners’ strike. (30 marks) Pupils use the level criteria to outline criteria for a level 4+ answer. In groups pupils analyse one source focusing on content, tone and provenance, feeding back to the whole group. A post-it plenary encourages students to reach a judgement on the ‘most valuable’ source. NB - the Arthur Scargill source is different due to copyright, however the June 2017 mark scheme would still be valid

Lesson exploring the failure of the 1984/5 miners’ strike. The lesson starts with an inference task using contemporary images, leading to a video outlining the Battle of Orgreave. Using the hand out students identify and explore the impact of the strike, leading to an activity ranking the reasons for failure. Pupils then link in previous learning assessing the various reasons for industrial unrest in the period, finally culminating in a judgment plenary exploring why the unions were less successful in the 1980s in comparison to the 1970s.

Lesson outlining the causes of the 1984 miners’ strike. The lesson begins with a recap of right to buy. A video introduces the miners’ strike from the Welsh perspective so students can begin to make inferences. Pupils list the various reasons for the strike using the Oxford AQA textbook pp. 128-129 making links to the successes in 1972 and 1974; pupils then rank the causes in terms of significance using the cards. The lesson culminates in an analysis of three sources (two from June 2017 exam and one new Arthur Scargill source) focusing on the reasons given in each for the strike, leading to a judgement plenary on the ‘most valid’ source using the content only.

Model answer for the 2020 AQA historic environment topic - the Spanish Armada. The answer is based on the following question - “Luck was the main reason for the outcome of sea battles like the Spanish Armada in this period”. How far does a study of the Spanish Armada support this statement? You should refer to the Spanish Armada and your contextual knowledge. (16 marks) This question is based on the specimen Stamford Bridge question, as advised by AQA. This answer can be used for revision, modelling, annotation or formal assessment.

Lessons focused around the 2020 Historic Environment on the Spanish Armada. The seventh lesson focuses on applying knowledge to a sample 16 mark essay question (based on the specimen paper Stamford Bridge question, as advised by AQA) : “Luck was the main reason for the outcome of sea battles like the Spanish Armada in this period”. How far does a study of the Spanish Armada support this statement? You should refer to the Spanish Armada and your contextual knowledge. (16 marks) The lesson starts with pupils recapping all they can remember about the Armada. Pupils then use a variety of sources to explore the significance of the Armada both today and in the Elizabethan period. Pupils use the mark scheme to list ‘top tips’ for answering this 16 mark essay question, building on this by completing a PEE planning sheet, using the learning from previous lessons. Using their PEE sheet pupils complete the essay plan for the above question (can be done in class or at home), allowing them to practice answering it in timed conditions in the following lesson. The plenary is a model paragraph that can be printed out from the PPT and annotated in pairs focusing on the strengths.

Lessons focused around the 2020 Historic Environment on the Spanish Armada. *Note - the AQA source booklet is required with this lesson - this can be found on eaqa.org.uk The fifth and sixth lessons focus on analysing the AQA source material to bring together all knowledge of the Armada. Pupils start by recapping key learning through a video, making notes. Each pair or trio is then allocated a source and given 7 minutes to analyse it focusing on; what it tells them about the Armada and what knowledge links to the source. Pupils then present back to the group. Pupils then use the annotated sources to complete the knolwedge audit sheet (can be done as homework), bringing it together by identifying what the Armada study can tell us about Elizabethan England. Pupils then complete a taboo plenary to recap key terminology.

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.

Lessons focused around the 2020 Historic Environment on the Spanish Armada. The third lesson focuses on the chronology of the Armada, with specific focus on the ‘turning points’ of the battle. The lesson starts with a comparison of two accounts of the Armada, linking to the ‘how convincing’ question stem in this unit. In pairs pupils then annotate a variety of sources to understand the key events of the Armada. Pupils then use an overview worksheet to identify when and why the Armada was defeated, using this information to create a ‘symbol poster’/flash cards on the key turning points. Pupils use this information to answer: At which point do you think the Armada was defeated? Finally, pupils recap their learning in a 3,2,1 plenary.

Lessons focused around the 2020 Historic Environment on the Spanish Armada. The second lesson focuses on the comparison of the military power of both nations and how ‘prepared’ both sides were for the Armada. The lesson starts with a recap of the causes of the Armada from the previous lesson, allowing judgements to be made on significance. Students then use a video to make notes on naval advances in the 16th century, leading to an exploration of these advances on a worksheet (photocopy on A3) to allow students to assess how the English may have had an advantage over the Spanish. Pupils then explore the contrasting leaders on both sides, creating a table showing advantages and disadvantages for each based on this. This culminates in a post-it note plenary reaching a judgement as to who they think had the advantage before the Armada started.

Lessons focused around the 2020 Historic Environment on the Spanish Armada. The first lesson focuses on why England and Spain went to war. The lesson starts with a discussion around sources, using existing knowledge to draw out inferences, linking in knowledge of the wider Elizabethan period. The main activity is an information hunt, exploring the reasons for the causes of the conflict, leading to thematic coding of the causes into political, religious, economic and personal reasons. This culminates in a corners plenary, requiring all students to reach a judgement on the ‘most significant’ theme.

Model answer for the 2019 historic environment question for AQA 8145 Elizabethan England on the Globe. The answer explains several factors, focusing on how the Globe shows changes in society using features of the site and wider evidence. Useful for revision, essay planning and in-class assessment.

Lesson one in the Globe historic environment series. This lesson explores what the theatre was like in Elizabethan England. A picture starter encourages discussion on the theatre, following on a video introduces the theatre whilst pupils annotate the labelled diagram using the information from the video. Pupils then apply the information to a describe question on the features of the theatre in Elizabethan society. Pupils then read and highlight the hand out and complete the table analysing the three key figures (Shakespeare, Burbage and Marlowe) and the impact they had then and now, finally pupils reduce the theatre in Elizabethan England to no more than 30 words.

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.

Lesson exploring the strength of the ‘special relationship’ within the context of the Cold War, under Thatcher. Starter asks students to write a guess on their impression of the special relationship using the images, moving on to a video of the special relationship with discussion focused on the balance of power. Using the oxford textbooks pupils create a spider diagram assessing any strengths of the relationship (information included in the PPT), leading to analysis of key events at this time on the worksheet assessing the role Thatcher played and how far each event contributed to the end of the Cold War. A source and ‘value’ question is included to apply the knowledge gathered in the lesson, leading to students writing a judgement to a sample 25 mark essay question as a plenary.

Lesson exploring the impact of the Falklands on Thatcher’s government and standing in the world. Starter recaps existing knowledge of the conflict using pictures, moving on to a video giving an overview of the key aspects of the conflict. Pupils use the Oxford textbook to create a table showing the arguments for and against British involvement in the conflict (information included on the PPT), leading to application of this knolwedge to analyse a source from Thatcher focusing on content, tone and provenance (frame included). Finally, pupils read the summary hand out and create an argument for the pros or cons of the conflict for Thatcher and Britain which links to the judgement line plenary.

A resource focusing on reviewing key content from AQA 8145 Elizabethan England unit. Pupils answer the key questions individually or in pairs as a starter or plenary to review key topics. Useful for interleaving and reviewing prior knowledge throughout the year or could also be used as a homework task. Answers for teachers also included - could be used online on platforms like show my homework with self or peer-marking.

A resource focusing on reviewing key content from AQA 8145 Elizabethan England unit. Pupils answer the key questions individually or in pairs as a starter or plenary to review key topics. Useful for interleaving and reviewing prior knowledge throughout the year or could also be used as a homework task. Answers for teachers also included - could be used online on platforms like show my homework with self or peer-marking.