This lesson aims to examine the reasons why King John quarrelled with his barons and ultimately was forced to sign the Magna Carta. But on which terms was King John forced to accept? Firstly students have to work out what the terms of the Magna Carta were. Secondly students have to evaluate the significance of the Magna Carta in the short, medium and long term for King John, for future Kings of England as well as for us today. They will use sources and video footage as well as retrieval grids and a true or false quiz to help them in their research, They will also continue to plot the power struggle between the king, the church, the barons and the people in a sequence of lessons. This lesson includes: Fun, engaging and challenging tasks Links to video footage Printable worksheets Differentiated tasks Suggested teaching strategies PowerPoint format, which can be changed to suit

This lesson links to my previous one on the causes of the Great Fire of London. In this lesson, students have to decide how lucky London was to have the fire in the first place. They are introduced to conflicting arguments before they are given a plethora of evidence from which they will be able decide and make judgements on how to break the news to the current Mayor of London. They are subsequently given argument words to help them construct a persuasive letter. For extra challenge students have to decide if London was lucky or not in the short and long term and break down the evidence into political, social, economic or religious reasons. This is a fun, entertaining as well as a challenging lesson and would also suit a non specialist. The lesson is aimed at key stage 3, but can be delivered at key stage 2 also. The lesson comes with retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching and learning strategies and is linked to the latest historical interpretations, video clips and debate. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end to show the progress of learning. The lesson is fully adaptable in PowerPoint format and can be changed to suit.

The Industrial Revolution The aim of this lesson is to question how far the Factory and Mine Acts went to reform working conditions. Students have to decide how much credit the Government of the day should receive for reforming the conditions of workers in the factories and mines. Furthermore they will evaluate how effective the laws were that were passed and were they adhered to. Finally they will judge how much credit should be given to a number of dedicated and philanthropic individuals who were ahead of their time This lesson explores these questions by examining the evidence of children and discovers how factory owners like Titus Salt in Bradford were determined to help their workers themselves to create a harmonious and thriving community. Students have to think which Acts applied to whom using numbers as well as evaluating how much lives improved as a result of the Factory and Mines Acts. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end to show the progress of learning. The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson and there are differentiated materials included.

The English Civil War The aim of this lesson is to understand why James lost his crown in the Glorious Revolution and how and why the lessons of his father were not learned. Students will define what they think a Glorious Revolution might be, before learning about the reign of James. They will have to judge how seriously Parliament saw him as a threat to the stability of the monarchy and how they could avoid turning the world upside down yet again. They also have to assess the impact of the Magna Carta on the Stuart dynasty as well as completing a thinking quilt, defining key terminology such as Whigs and Tories under James II. The plenary requires students to find and fix statements which will consolidate their learning from the lesson. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The aim of this lesson is to analyse African American experiences in the Civil War. The lesson begins by students exploring the reasons why the law changed, allowing black people to join the US army Some video footage and statistics give an insight into some of the experiences black people encountered, before students complete a thinking quilt linking key terms to events in the Civil War as well as challenge questions. Students also have to evaluate the significance of black regiments by analysing a quote from Frederick Douglass at the time and deciding which statements apply and fit the criteria, before justifying their choices. An interactive blockbusters plenary questions their knowledge from the lesson and checks understanding. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate how much society changed in Tudor England under Henry VIII. Students begin the lesson by recalling how society was structured under Henry VII. They are then required to predict how much society will change, before rating how much change there actually was (using a rate ‘o’ meter gauge). They will then be able to evaluate how much change or continuity Tudor society underwent and why and for which social groups. The plenary asks what is the question from the answers given, using information from the lesson There is some exam practice to complete with a writing frame, some prompts and a markscheme to use if required. There is an enquiry question posed during the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to question if Mary I was fit to rule as a queen and as a woman. Students are given the context to Mary’s succession as Queen Regnant and are challenged in some differentiated questions to predict what will happen in her short reign. Using evidence from her background, some guided reading and source extracts, students have to evaluate how and why the historiography of Mary has changed over time. They are also introduced to her key people and advisors and decide who would have said what in talking heads plenary. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to decide what Mary’s main priorities were on becoming queen. Students learn the problems she faced on her accession and why her and Edward’s reigns have been labelled a mid-tudor crisis by historians. They are given a timeline of Mary’s rule to analyse and complete a diamond nine prioritising activity on her key agenda. They will then be able to make a judgement so far on how fit they think she is to rule and why the historiography of Mary has changed over the years. There is a key word bingo activity to finish the lesson as well as some exam extract analysis practice, with a writing frame and markscheme to help if required. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

World War I The aim of this lesson is to question how frightening it was to fight on the Western Front. This lesson centres around the case of Private Harry Farr who was shot for ‘misbehaving before the enemy in such a manner as to show cowardice.’ Students re-enact his court martial using the witness statements before his sentencing and ultimately decide if his sentence was justified… The start of the lesson requires them to define a coward and more importantly question what shellshock is, which the Government at the time refused to recognise. Students will analyse why so many soldiers refused to fight and preferred to desert instead fully aware of the consequences of their actions. The students will use visual and source evidence and apply higher order thinking skills at the end of the lesson in an extended piece of writing. The plenary questions students’ beliefs on cowardice and challenges their original assumptions at the beginning of the lesson. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

World War II The aim of this lesson is to understand how the British Government prepared for war. The lesson leads students through a wealth of primary sources from path𝑒 news, government films and information leaflets. It analyses how the government used propaganda to rally and convince the nation to stand firm against Hitler and how they could endure and eventually win the war. How effective and convincing their messages were is up to the students to unpick and judge for themselves. Primary evidence, which not surprisingly gives a positive outlook on events such as the evacuation of Dunkirk, Churchill’s radio broadcasts and the bombing of cities, is used; but how effective is their message and will the nation adhere to their warnings about spying and what not to say? Students are questioned throughout the slides and complete some independent research on the types of propaganda posters published. A summarising pyramid at the end builds upon the evidence and judgements they have made. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The Tudors The aim of this lesson is to assess if Henry broke with Rome for love. Henry VIII is on the TV show ‘Take me out’ with Paddy McGuiness. He is looking for love and has some questions for some eligible ladies. The students of course have to interview the ladies first (as Paddy always does) and then feedback to the class. Henry, complete with speaking voice, discusses his options and the reasons for his choices. At the same time he explains the consequences of his actions as the students fill in a grid. This is a fun, engaging lesson, but with the serious and challenging concept of the break with Rome at the fore. At the end of the lesson, students have to write an extended paragraph using key words to explaining the reasons for Henry becoming the Supreme Head of the Church. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The aim of this lesson is to establish how much the students know about history, how historians talk about the past and how this can be applied in a historical context. They are introduced to key words such as chronology, where they form a human timeline, millennium, decade, century and periods of history as well as the misconceptions around AD and BC. Students then have to use these words to describe their favourite piece of history, with the challenge to include as many of these time associated key words as possible. The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. It comes in PowerPoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.

Norman Conquest The aim of this lesson is to assess how scary the Black Death was in1348. Students are introduced to the idea of why the Black Death was so scary, learning about the symptoms of the Bubonic Plague and Pneumonic Plague and the devastation that lay in its wake from empty villages today to paintings showing devastation and death. They learn key words such as contagion, flagellants, humours and miasmas and how these words link to the learning objective through a thinking quilt. They will also find out how the peasants gained in status as a result of the reduction of the workforce and how this gave them more bargaining power with their landlords over wages. The plenary is a Black Death connecting wall which requires students to link four key phrases and to explain how and why they link together. This lesson is therefore designed to be interactive, fun, challenging and engaging and could be used over two lessons. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end using a rate ‘o’ meter to show the progress of learning. The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. It comes in PowerPoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.

Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 This resource in booklet form sets out the course in two sides of A4. This is ideal for the student who wants a quick recap and summary before the exam as it sets out all the main details in bullet form. It is also great for quickly printing and giving out for revision lessons, especially when the students claim they cannot remember anything you have taught! It covers the main events, issues and people connected with the course with a focus on exam requirements. I have included both PDF and word documents in case there is a wish to adapt and change.

World War 1 The aim of this lesson is to question how frightening trench life really was. This lesson begins with a familiar look at trench life. An analysis of sources, audio clips and prose using higher order thinking skills as well independent learning will bring students to the conclusion that trench life was extremely tough for soldiers. A chance to write a letter home, before realising the problems of censorship, will suggest to students that soldiers had to struggle in the mud and squalor surrounding them. However historians such as Dan Snow question how long soldiers spent in the trenches and discovered that in fact 45% of their time was spent behind the lines and in relative safety. Therefore the overriding aim of the lesson of evaluating how frightening trench life was now becomes more apparent. Finally the use of historical hexagons will challenge thinking and challenge students to link ideas together. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout the lesson and this unit of study to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The Tudors This lesson sets out to question whether the reason that Henry broke from Rome all along was due to money. His expensive tastes, his wives, his need to build up his navy and coastal defences and to show Europe his prowess all took a toll on his bank balance. The monasteries with their wealth proved all too easy pickings for his Chancellor Thomas Cromwell in his ‘Valour Ecclesiasticus’. The lesson therefore allows the students to build up a picture of his need for money. Through some investigative work, they will shockingly find many ‘abuses’ and ‘vices’ in the monasteries, giving Henry the excuse to close them down and take their money for himself. They also have to complete their own report on the reasons why Henry broke from Rome with these new findings and some deliberately falsified accounts. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

AQA GCSE 9-1 Elizabethan England, 1568-1603 The overarching aim of this and the subsequent bundle of eleven lessons is to question and explore how Elizabeth tried to assert and establish her authority in the early years of her reign. The lessons are therefore linked together to build up a picture of her difficulties in trying to overcome this. This is the third lesson and attempts to clarify the problems Elizabeth faced as a ruler in her first ten years; from being a female to the succession, foreign policy, Ireland, taxation and religion. Students have to answer a variety of different questions from the start and engage in a thinking quilt to challenge them and link definitions to key words. Students are given a chance to review her biggest problems either in a knockout tournament or using structured questions. This will enable them to answer two of the exam question types; the ‘interpretation’ question and the ‘write an account’ question. Two plenaries focus on retrieval practice and what the students have learnt in the lesson. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

World War II The aim of the lesson is to question whether the America was justified in dropping two atomic bombs of Japan in 1945. Students will give their initial thoughts and reasons why before evidence is presented before them. Various modern interpretations suggest that Japan was about to unconditionally surrender and therefore the use of the atomic bomb was unnecessary. Therefore students are given the context of the war in the Pacific with four scary facts - the Japanese refusal to surrender in battle, the treatment of prisoners of war, the role of Kamikaze pilots and the end of the war in Europe in April 1945. There are some fabulous video links and visual images to analyse. The final task requires students to categorise information into reasons why America decided to use its lethal weapons, including a show of power to Stalin and the Soviet Union. The plenary uses a true or false quiz to check recall and understanding. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

World War II The aim of this lesson is to analyse the reasons behind Hitler’s invasion of Poland and to evaluate if his actions were justified. Within this lesson, students learn about Blitzkrieg, making comparisons with the static and attritional First World War and understanding how the German Army had learnt from their previous mistakes. Students have to also complete a thinking quilt to test their comprehension and literacy skills as it requires them to explain and justify these initial German successes in 1939 and 1940. The plenary finally asks the students to predict what is about to happen in the future through conjecture and formulation their opinions using the information from the lesson. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

World War II The aim of this lesson is to question whether the breaking of the Enigma Code led to Britain winning the Second World War. Having watched the ‘Imitation Game’, I was fascinated to learn more about the story of Alan Turing and the injustice he received at the hands of the British Government. I was therefore inspired to write this lesson for my department especially after his contribution to the war effort and his brilliance of mind. The first task naturally is for students to crack the code and find out what they will be learning about in the lesson. They will also learn about the significance of Bletchley Park and how the code for the Enigma Machine was deciphered by Turing and his team in Hut 8, using a missing word activity. A thinking quilt will also test and challenge their understanding of his early life, his work during the war as well as his legacy. There are some excellent video links using the bbc website and an exert from the film above. The plenary will finally test their understanding of the lesson, using a true and false quiz as well as images to link to the key ideas of the lesson. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.