Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1941-91 The aim of this lesson is to evaluate why the Superpowers attempted to improve relations in the 1970s and reduce their stockpiles of nuclear. Students will learn why the opportunity for détente presented itself, through source analysis and a challenge task. This will enable them to decide if the agreements made at the SALT 1 talks were either a positive move to world peace or had very little impact on it. They also have the opportunity to write an extended answer on the significance of these negotiations as well as practising a GCSE question. There are hints and prompts to help 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 material and GCSE question practice. It comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The French Revolution The aim of this lesson is to understand how and why Louis’s financial problems precipitated the storming of the Bastille and the French Revolution The lesson begins by questioning how our present government raises money through taxes, both directly and indirectly. This is then linked to how much debt Louis is in and how he can raise money to run the country (and pay for his extravagances). Moreover, students must prioritise what he should spend his money on and the reasons for this. Students are then given a number of options, from which they have to decide whether this is a good idea to raise money or not and what could be the consequences as a result. This is an evaluative task which will challenge their thinking outside the box, although answers are given or can be revealed to help if required. The true or false plenary will test their knowledge of what they have learnt and check understanding. 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.

The French Revolution The aim of this lesson is to question who supported the French Revolution both internally and externally The lesson begins with the students giving their own opinions as to whether they would support the Revolution. They are then given the context with a literacy challenge, as to how attitudes at the time began to change with the September Massacres of 1793. No lesson is complete without James Gillray’s ‘Un petit Souper a La Parisienne’, which is analysed. Some help with prompts and guidance is given if required. A study of the British reaction is also scrutinised as students learn how opinion became divided with the published works of Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine. The main task is to analyse how different groups within France reacted; these include the Church (with a model answer given on how to complete the task), the Sans-culottes, nobles, Jacobins and Girondins and finally Counter-Revolutionaries. Students can feedback and present their findings to the class. The plenary required a talking heads activities and to distinguish which group would be attributed to the various comments and opinions used. 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. It 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 judge the threat Ireland posed to Henry and evaluate how much control he exerted over it in his reign. Students are reintroduced to Henry’s foreign policy aims and have to decide which one might be applied to Ireland. This will be revisited at the end of the lesson. They are also given information on Henry’s policies towards Ireland and by using a colour coding activity, assess how much in control he actually was. Students are also introduced to Poyning’s Law and the views of two renowned historians to help them justify their conclusions. The plenary revisits Henry’s aims and students have to justify which aim is his main priority with Ireland and why. There is also some extract exam question practice, complete with scaffolding and a generic markscheme if required. There is an enquiry question posed and revisited 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.

Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 The aim of this lesson is to make sure students are able to remember the finer points of the Treaty of Versailles By the end of the lesson they should be able to give an accurate, detailed knowledge and understanding of which parts of the Treaty the Germans hated the most and why Using a podcast, video evidence and different revision techniques in the classroom such as using a chatterbox, students using this lesson will have the tools required to answer a GCSE practice question making substantiated judgements. Furthermore they are given a student friendly markscheme which they can use to peer assess their work. This lesson has a variety of learning strategies to enable a fun, engaging and challenging 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 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 The aims of this lesson are to understand how far the leaders at the Versailles Conference were willing to compromise. The lesson is quite topical and uses current political events to discuss conciliation and compromise. The Armistice set out the blueprint which France expected to follow. However despite the differences of the Allied Powers, the pressure to make a decision quickly made the leaders compromise. As a result, students analyse how the map of Europe was to change. They are led to question which countries were formed and how and why rushing this was may not have been a good idea . Finally a summary of some of Wilson’s 14 points are evaluated; students have to decide who would have had the most objection to each point and justify their reasons. 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 is an introductory lesson to the course. The lesson begins with an outline of the course and the topics studied, as well as the four types of GCSE questions this unit will ask. There is also a student tracking sheet included simplifying the assessment objectives, the GCSE questions and assessments completed. Students analyse the aims of the Peacemakers based on the outcomes of the war as well as their geographical positions, which will explain their different views and expected outcomes. Students will also learn what the Big Three of the USA, Britain and France wanted, using maps and video evidence before creating a speech using suggested key words and sentence starters outlining their proposals. Finally they are given scenarios from the Big Three and have to decide who would approve or disapprove of the views given. 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, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The Tudors: England 1485-1603 The aim of this lesson is to ascertain how smoothly Elizabeth consolidated her power on her succession to the throne. Students use source and documentary evidence to argue how Elizabeth used her coronation so effectively and think how Cecil might advise the Queen from the outset. There is a true and false activity as well as some source scholarship to consolidate the learning in the lesson. Students also have to think why a proposed marriage to Philip II of Spain might have its merits. 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.

This key word literacy display has been designed to be used on classroom walls (or on display boards outside) when introducing a new History topic to the students. It is an easy resource to print and will hopefully save an incredible amount of time and effort when incorporating literacy into a new or existing scheme of work. The slides can also be laminated and used as mobiles hanging from the ceiling or used as part of an informative display. The slides cover the following words and their definitions: The slides cover the following words and their definitions: Anglo-Saxons, allegiance, authority, cause, chainmail, change, Christianity, conqueror, consequence, continuity, defence, economic, features, feigned retreat, Fyrd, hierarchy, Housecarl, invasion, knights, landscape, medieval, Normans, oath, pagan, political, rebellion, religion, siege, society, victorious. The slides come in PowerPoint format so they are easy to change and adapt.

This key word literacy display has been designed to be used on classroom walls (or on display boards outside) when introducing a new History topic to the students. It is an easy resource to print and will hopefully save an incredible amount of time and effort when incorporating literacy into a new or existing scheme of work. The slides can also be laminated and used as mobiles hanging from the ceiling or used as part of an informative display. The slides cover the following words and their definitions: A Church, charter, commemorate, compare, crusade, Domesday Book, Doom painting, evidence, feudalism, function, government, Harrying of the North, historical source, infer, interpretation, laws, martyr, medieval, Motte and Bailey Castle, parish, parliament, penitence, pilgrimage, reign, siege, significant, sin, surrender, The Church, tithe. The slides come in PowerPoint format so they are easy to change and adapt.

The American West, c1835-c1895, GCSE 9-1 Edexcel This lesson aims to assess the importance of Wyatt Earp and the continuing problems of law and order in the West. It follows on from the previous lesson on Billy the Kid. Students learn why Wyatt Earp was employed in Tombstone and then have to emoji rate each part of his story to judge how wicked he ‘possibly’ was. They have to give reasons for each of their judgements before they give an overall assessment on his life. There is an excellent link to a documentary on Earp and well as a clip from the film Tombstone to reinforce the learning. There is some follow up exam question practice using the ‘consequences’ question worth 8 marks, with help given if needed. The plenary is a literacy challenge which requires definitions of key words. The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. Some retrieval practice is also included from the beginning to think of the similarities and differences between Billy the Kid and Wyatt Earp. It comes in PowerPoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.

Rise of Dictators The aim of this lesson is to question if Saddam deserves his reputation as the ‘Butcher of Baghdad’. Students are at first questioned as to what they know about Saddam and are given information on the importance of Iraq and the Middle East with its oil rich economies. Some source scholarship analyses the death of Saddam and the reasons why he was executed. Together with a thinking quilt, students learn about Saddam’s brutal reign of terror together with the Iran-Iraq war and his invasion of Kuwait. Thus so far, the lesson appears straightforward and there is little to argue against his reputation. However students will also learn through video and source evidence of revisionist ideas of Saddam and the consequence of his execution with the instability within Iraq today. Thus they will be challenged on their original assumptions and evaluate how this reputation has been given to Saddam; is it a just a Western perception? Whilst Iraqis may not necessarily doubt his brutal regime, do they insist life was better than now? 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 aim of this lesson is to gauge the weaknesses of Papen’s Government in the prelude to Hitler becoming Chancellor. Students begin by referring back to Bruning’s Government and the reasons for its collapse. They then have to decide the options open to Papen in forming a new Government and are given various scenarios to consider. A case study is also given for Papen’s actions in Prussia and his abuse of his constitutional power. This will help the students complete some exam question practice at the end of the lesson. Some help with structure and a model answer have been included if required. They will also be required to analyse the election results in 1932 and their wider implications for the country. Some clear questioning is used to steer the students to look for trends, implications and significance. The plenary task consolidates the learning of the lesson with putting questions to the answers given. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

The Industrial Revolution This lesson aims to analyse the changing population demographic and the reasons why these changes were happening at the time. The lesson begins with a high tempo start revealing what’s behind the boxes and follows onto a true or false quiz using a clue mat. Each student is also given a character card and analyses how their person impacts upon the population changes happening. They have to explain these changes using various learning tasks, including an extended writing piece with help given if required Finally students have evaluate the various reactions people would have felt at the time and justify their decisions. 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.

Germany 1890-1945: Democracy and Dictatorship This lesson aims to evaluate the effects the Wall Street Crash had on Germany. The focus from the start is to make sure students understand and recognise the differences between this event and hyperinflation, which they too often mistake as the same. Students learn how the events unfolded in America and the impact these events had on peoples’ lives in Germany using video, visuals and a written account of someone who experienced the full effects in Germany. There is a GCSE exam practice question to complete with students boxing up their answers using the sources provided. A find and fix plenary will assess student understanding and test whether they have a grasp of the effects upon Germany. 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 This lesson aims to explain how English planning for the Armada was forward thinking, complete with technological innovation, daring courage and just a little bit of luck mixed in. Students have a choice of differentiated materials at their disposal to analyse historical significance of these English innovations and the Commanders involved. Students also have a chance to use causational equations to promote linking ideas together to provide sustained lines of reasoning required for the higher level 4 answers in the marksheme There are some exemplar answers given at the end to emphasise common mistakes and how students can achieve the highest grades, which are typical of those analysed in AQA GCSE courses such as ‘getting to grips with Elizabethan England.’ 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 GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to question to what extent the Nazis created a totalitarian state. Students begin by learning Hitler’s ideal of a totalitarian state and how he dealt with the existing political parties. They will also discover how laws passed centrally dissolved the independence and power of the state assemblies. There are some key questions to answer about the revamp of the civil service and the impact of the death of Hindenburg for the German state. The plenary is an old favourite using the octagon and checking the learning from the lesson. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to assess the short and long term impact of the Night of the Long Knives for Hitler and the Nazis Students begin by analysing a speech by Hitler and his thoughts on a ‘Second Revolution’ They learn about the rise of the SA and are given the profile of Ernst Rohm and his increasing power. Students have to decide through a number of choices as to why the SA were a growing threat to Hitler There is a colour coding task to complete on the events of the 30th June together with its aftermath. Finally students have to justify the most important reasons and significance of the events before tackling a source based practice question, with help given if required. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

AQA GCE A Level Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918-45 The aim of this lesson is to assess how much of a threat early opposition to the Nazis posed. From the off, students have to decide and give reasons why there would be political, worker, Church and youth opposition. They then have to complete some source scholarship from an SS article, promoting total allegiance and devotion of the state. The main task is to analyse the different forms of early opposition giving reasons for why and how resistance was shown, as well as the Nazis reaction to it A headline plenary will aid the consolidation of learning from the lesson. There is some source exam practice to complete if required, with help given together with a generic markscheme. An enquiry question posed at the beginning of the lesson will be revisited throughout to track the progress of learning during the lesson and the subsequent unit of work. The lesson is available in PowerPoint format and can be customised to suit specific needs. It is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.

This guide is aimed at students to help them study, revise and be prepared for the AQA Elizabethan Historic Environment question for 2025. I have broken down the main details into manageable chunks using the 5 w’s of what, where, when, why and who , This guide has been revised from my 2018 version and focuses on the main concepts of location, function, structure, design, people connected to it, the culture, values and fashions of the time and how the site links to important events of the period. I have also included all the key information needed such as Bess’s background and status, the latest in fashions and the designing of Hardwick Hall as well as its furnishings and garden layout. Please note that many of the pictures from the AQA guidance on Hardwick Hall are not included due to copyright. Please feel free to therefore adapt the guide and include them. Any reviews on this resource would be greatly appreciated