I am a History Teacher with a love for producing high quality and easily accessible history lessons, which I have accumulated and adapted for over 20 years of my teaching career. I appreciate just how time consuming teaching now is and the difficulty of constantly producing resources for an ever changing curriculum.
I am a History Teacher with a love for producing high quality and easily accessible history lessons, which I have accumulated and adapted for over 20 years of my teaching career. I appreciate just how time consuming teaching now is and the difficulty of constantly producing resources for an ever changing curriculum.
The American West 1835-1895, GCSE 9-1 Edexcel
The aim of this lesson is to understand the significance of the Johnson County War and the consequences of the range wars between Homesteaders and Cattle Barons.
Students are given the context of the range wars, before they have to predict what might happen as they are given 12 key scenarios ranging from the growth of the WSGA, the killing of Ella Watson and Jim Averill and the beginning and end of the Johnson County war.
The plenary is a horse race team game where a series of questions are asked. Correct answers allow their horses to progress around the course.
There is some follow up exam question practice using the ‘consequences’ question worth 8 marks with help given if required.
The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. Some recall retrieval practice is also included using a talking heads activity.
It comes in Powerpoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.
World War II
The aim of this lesson is to decide if everyone celebrated VE Day and the end of World War 2 in May 1945.
At first glance, it would appear so as famous pictures at Trafalgar Square show soldiers and civilians alike celebrating as well as the famous faces on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.
Students are also given information about the lead up to the German surrender in the form of a quiz, in which they have to choose the right options to gain points.
However, further investigation reveals the Americans were still fighting the Japanese in the Pacific, as well as prisoners of war still held captive around the world.
Students also have to consider the terrible losses people had gone through and therefore had little cause to celebrate.
I have also included some curious questions such as why did divorce rates surge at the end of the war or why were there rumours that soldiers were to be trained in jungle warfare?
There is lots of video evidence from the time to accompany the lesson as well as a talking heads plenary, which analyses which leader said what at the end of the war in Europe.
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 retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941-91
The aim of this lesson is to be able to give a narrative account of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Students may already know some of the details of this lesson from their learning at Key Stage 3.
Students are given the context of the pictures taken from the U2 American spy plane and evaluate the significance of this find, studying the photographic sources and maps from the time.
They then take on the role of President Kennedy and see if they can match the decisions he made, collecting points on the way.
This leads nicely into the GCSE question practice of writing a narrative account of the events, making sure they link the events together coherently and in chronological order.
The plenary focuses on analysing the consequences of the crisis for Soviet and American relations.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout this and subsequent lessons to show the progress of learning.
The lessons in this bundle are therefore linked together to build up a picture of how diplomacy, propaganda and spying led two Superpowers with opposing political ideologies to create tensions, rivalries and distrust as well as subsequently forming mutual understanding and cooperation over the time period in question.
The resource includes suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1941-91
The aim of this lesson is to analyse the events leading to the Berlin crisis of 1948 and the actions of the Allies to unite a divided Berlin into Trizonia with its new currency, the Deutschemark.
Students begin by analysing maps of Berlin to understand its unique position in East Germany; they also use text to find out key information and decipher key words as well as evaluating how the crisis unfolded using a dual coding and text mapping exercise.
The plenary requires the students to use causational equations to explain how and why the crisis happened.
There is some GCSE exam question practice to complete, with tips on how to answer the consequences question, with model answers given if required.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout this and subsequent lessons to show the progress of learning.
The lessons in this bundle are therefore linked together to build up a picture of how diplomacy, propaganda and spying led two Superpowers with opposing political ideologies to create tensions, rivalries and distrust as well as subsequently forming mutual understanding and cooperation over the time period in question.
The resource includes retrieval practice, suggested teaching strategies, differentiated materials and GCSE exam practice.
It also comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1941-91
This lesson focuses on the financial aid given to Western Europe as part of the Marshall Plan.
Students have to evaluate how significant it was in relation to the Truman Doctrine and how Stalin reacted this ‘dollar imperialism’.
There are differentiated questions which explore why this aid was also offered to Eastern bloc countries, how America was able to offer such huge sums and who received a majority of the aid. There is some text to therefore analyse and use to make inferences.
The plenary asks students a series of questions which recap the lesson and consolidate their learning from previous ones.
There is some GCSE exam question practice to complete, with tips on how to answer the consequences question, with a model answer given if required.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout this and subsequent lessons to show the progress of learning.
The lessons in this bundle are therefore linked together to build up a picture of how diplomacy, propaganda and spying led two Superpowers with opposing political ideologies to create tensions, rivalries and distrust as well as subsequently forming mutual understanding and cooperation over the time period in question.
The resource includes retrieval practice, suggested teaching strategies, differentiated materials and GCSE exam practice.
It also comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1941-91
The aim of this lesson is to assess the importance of Gorbachev’s new thinking and evaluate the consequences of his new policies with the collapse of Soviet control in Eastern Europe
Therefore this lesson is divided into two parts and can be delivered over two lessons.
The first part of the lesson analyses Gorbachev’s problems when he became the leader of the Soviet Union.
Students will analyse sources and decide on the biggest problems he faced before prioritising these in an evaluation task.
The second part of the lesson requires the students to undertake a quiz, picking up points on the way with the right decisions made, as Eastern European satellite states began to increase their freedoms and break away from the Soviet Union.
Students can write an extended answer from what they have learnt with literacy help given.
A GCSE practice question on the importance of Gorbachev’s policies can be completed after a colour coding plenary task to summarise Gorbachev’s premiership.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout this and subsequent lessons to show the progress of learning.
The lessons in this bundle are therefore linked together to build up a picture of how diplomacy, propaganda and spying led two Superpowers with opposing political ideologies to create tensions, rivalries and distrust as well as subsequently forming mutual understanding and cooperation over the time period in question.
The resource includes retrieval practice, suggested teaching strategies, differentiated material and GCSE question practice.
It comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
Rise of Dictators
The aim of this lesson is to decide how evil Tsar Nicholas was.
Students are given facts about Tsar Nicholas and his family which suggest he is a caring and devoted family man as well as a competent ruler. Inferences will be made using video, source and photographic evidence.
Students are then given more information which will challenge their original assumptions. Incompetence, an ambitious and influential wife, a massacre as well as the growing influence of a ‘mad monk’ will enable students to give him an ‘evil rating’ out of 10.
An extended written piece using argument words and a writing frame if required will allow students to give their final judgements and be able to justify their conclusions as to how evil they think he was, or not as the case may be.
In the plenary activity, students have to prove they are not a robot by ticking the correct images which link to the learning of the lesson.
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 some retrieval practice on Dictators, suggested teaching strategies, differentiated materials and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
The French Revolution
The aim of this lesson is introduce the types of Government that existed within Europe in 1780.
Students are given a map of Europe in 1780, from which they learn the various rulers and how they each individually ruled their countries, making links and connections between them as well as recognising their differences.
They will also study contemporary accounts of France and evaluate the reasons why the seeds were sown already in France for a revolution.
The plenary requires students to use their knowledge from the lesson to complete a multiple choice quiz.
The lesson comes with differentiated materials, 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 French Revolution
The aim of this lesson is to understand the social position and place of the three classes or Estates in French society.
Students are given information about all three Estates from which they have to categorise their privileges and duties, which they can present in a diagram or in written form.
There is some source analysis as well as a brilliant video clip which highlights the class gap between the second and third Estates.
They will also be required to explain how each Estate feels with their position in society and which taxes had to be paid as duties.
The plenary gives numerous fictitious people from which the students have to identify the Estate they belong to and whether or not they would support the King.
The lesson comes with retrieval practice activities, differentiated materials, 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.
AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603
The aim of this lesson is to assess the reasons behind the fragility of the crown during the Fifteenth Century.
Students begin by using some source scholarship to analyse the weaknesses of the reign of Henry VI and the beginning of the Wars of the Roses between the Lancastrians and Yorkists.
They also have to decide whether it was the weaknesses of Henry VI, the nobles or lack of support for the monarchy which caused the Wars of the Roses.
The final task requires the students to fix a number of inaccurate statements and correct them from their learning during the lesson.
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 judge how significant the role played by Thomas Cromwell was in the break with Rome.
Students recap on the weaknesses of the Catholic Church on the eve of the Reformation and how Henry was being influenced by numerous Humanist writers as well as his new Chief Minister.
There is some source scholarship to complete on Cromwell to emphasise the part he played, as well as some focused reading to ascertain if he was just a master planner for Henry or a devious master manipulator.
They are given a print out of the Reformation Parliament containing all the Acts passed between 1529-34. There is also a distinction made between statute law and canon law.
There is some exam practice to complete on the role of Cromwell in the break with Rome, complete with a model answer to scrutinise and a detailed markscheme.
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 judge the significance and impact of the Pilgrimage of Grace.
Students begin by studying the events of the Lincolnshire Rising and deciding the most important reasons for its causes.
They are then required to analyse the motives of the key figure of Robert Aske and the significance of the subsequent Pilgrimage of Grace as well as its banner and its impact upon the north as well as the government of Henry VIII.
Students will then be required to map out the resistance of three figures on Henry’s break with Rome and then question why there was in fact such little opposition to Henry at the time.
There is an evaluative pyramid to complete for the plenary, before students tackle some exam question practice, with an accompanying planning sheet and markscheme 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.
AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603
The aim of this lesson is analyse the rise of the Duke of Northumberland to power.
Students are given a timeline of Northumberland’s life and the significant events in his rule during Edward’s reign.
They can also complete some source scholarship with views from various historians summarising his governorship.
Students also complete a multi-choice quiz on the succession as Northumberland looked to install Lady Jane Gray on the throne and learn the consequences of his political naivety.
Points are awarded to give a competitive edge and find out who has clear political acumen in the group.
The plenary compares the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland and what their major differences were.
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.
**The development of the Plains, American West c.1862-c1876. **
This bundle is the second part in a series of lessons I have created for Edexcel GCSE 9-1 The American West, c.1835-c1895
Students will be assessed on their knowledge and understanding of the early development on the Plains with the passing of the Homestead Act of 1862 through to the second Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868.
They will focus on the advantages with the coming of the Pacific Railroad but how this accentuated the problems of settlement and the growth of the towns.
Students will learn about the life of cowboys and what was involved on the long drive and life on the ranch. They will recognise the significance of key people such as Joseph McCoy, Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving and John Iliff and how they changed the cattle industry.
They will study the conflicts which arose between ranchers and homesteaders as well as between the US Government and the Plains Indians such as Little Crow’s War and Red Cloud’s War.
Lessons will target consequence such as the US government policy of moving the Plains Indians to reservations where they could be ‘protected’ and the changes to their way of life.
Furthermore I have dispensed with individual learning objectives for each lesson to focus throughout on a specific enquiry based question which addresses the knowledge and skills required for the GCSE questions and shows progression in learning required during this course.
Moreover it allows the students to critically think for themselves to decide who was benefitting from this rapid change to America as well as how and why.
For assessment purposes each lesson is accompanied by one of the three key exam questions with help and exam tips if needed. These can be completed in the lesson or for homework or used for interleaving.
The lessons are as follows:
L12 The Homestead Act
L13 The Pacific Railroad Act
L14 Problems of Homesteading (free resource)
L15 Growth of the Cattle Industry
L16 Life of Cowboys
L17 Rivalry between Ranchers and Homesteaders
L18 Impact of Settlement o n the Plains Indians(free resource)
L19 Little Crow’s War and the Sand Creek Massacre
L20 Red Cloud’s War
The lessons are all differentiated and are tailored to enable the students to achieve the highest grades. Each lesson also contains some retrieval practice.
The lessons come in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
These lessons are designed to meet the needs of the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum and cover the development of the Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509; the struggle between Church and crown, Magna Carta and the emergence of Parliament.
This bundle addresses key historical skills from the outset: What made a successful Medieval Monarch? Why did King Henry II want more power over the Church and why was he forced to publicly say sorry? What were the differences and similarities between the reigns of King Richard and his brother King John? What were the causes and consequences of King John signing the Magna Carta? What was significant about the Peasants’ Revolt or Edward II’s promotion of his favourites?
These skills are addressed in each of the lessons and allow students to be able to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends and be able to create their own structured accounts and written narratives.
Moreover this bundle allows students to understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims on the reputations of King Richard and King John.
The lessons are broken down into the following:
L1 Medieval Monarchs introduction
L2 The murder of Thomas Becket
L3 Was King Henry II really sorry?
L4 King Richard the Lionheart
L5 King John
L6 The Magna Carta
L7 The siege of Rochester Castle (free resource)
L8 The Peasants Revolt
L9 King Edward II
L10 Bonus lesson - Genghis Khan
These lessons are designed to be fun, challenging, interactive and engaging.
The lessons are enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start and revisited at the end to show the progression in learning and who held the power in Medieval England.
All the lessons are differentiated and come with suggested teaching and learning strategies and link to the latest interpretations from the BBC and other sources.
The resources come in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
This bundle is the second part in a series of lessons I have created for Edexcel GCSE 9-1: Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941-1991.
The lessons are all differentiated, fully resourced, amendable on Powerpoint and are tailored to enable the students to achieve the highest grades.
The lessons will allow students to demonstrate (AO1) knowledge and understanding of the key features and characteristics of the period studied from the building of the Berlin Wall and its eventual collapse to the end of the Cold War.
They will also explain and analyse (AO2) second-order concepts such as change and continuity in tensions between East and West such as détente and Reagan’s Second Cold War and the causes and consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Prague Spring, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and Gorbachev’s new ideas.
The lessons are as follows:
L12 Berlin Ultimatum
L13 Building the Berlin Wall
L14 Cuba and the Bay of Pigs
L15 Cuban Missile Crisis
L16 Prague Spring
L17 Détente and SALT 1
L18 Helsinki Accords and SALT 2
L19 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
L20 Reagan and the Second Cold War
L21 Gorbachev’s new ideas
L22 Fall of the Berlin Wall
The lessons are enquiry based with a key question of how close was the world to a nuclear war using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lessons and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning.
The lessons in this bundle are therefore linked together to build up a picture of how diplomacy, propaganda and spying led two Superpowers with opposing political ideologies to create tensions, rivalries and distrust as well as form mutual understanding and cooperation over the time period in question.
The resources include retrieval practice, suggested teaching strategies, differentiated materials and GCSE exam practice questions.
They all come in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
AQA GCSE 9-1 ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND, 1568-1603
I have produced these flashcards to help students be prepared for and help revise for their GCSE exam on Elizabethan England.
They are easy to use and; simply cut out fold and line up.
Students can test each other in class or take them for their home learning.
The flashcards will help with:
Recall, retrieval and retention
3rd tier vocabulary to attain the higher marks in the examination
Vast subject content
The Historic Environment for Sheffield Manor Lodge, 2023
Conflict and Tension 1918-1939
This lesson aims to focus on how the League was organised and run on a day to day basis.
Despite some strengths, students analyse its inherent weaknesses from the start.
Using source material, video footage and worksheets, students work out how and why each part of its structure (such as the Assembly or the Council) was a strength as well a weaknesses.
They can then put their new found knowledge to the test using specific skills to analyse and evaluate source exam practice questions.
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, some retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
Conflict and Tension 1918-1939
This lesson is split into two; the first part concentrates on the Mukden incident and the causes of Japan’s invasion into Manchuria in 1931.
Students analyse a map of the area before completing a jigsaw puzzle and explaining in their own words (or pictures) the causes of the invasion.
The second part of the lesson focuses on the consequences on the invasion and how powerless the League was to act, despite the moral condemnation from Lord Lytton’s report.
There are some excellent links to video footage of the invasion in the lesson and how the League reacted to reinforce the learning.
Students also have to decipher some visual images and text to build up a clear picture of the whole incident before they are ready to tackle a ‘write an account’ question.
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, some retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.