Welcome to RA Resources. I have an extended range of fully resourced, high quality History lessons for KS2, KS3 and GCSE aimed at schools, tutors and home learning. Having taught History abroad and then in Cornwall for 20 years, these lessons reflect my creativity and teaching experience.
Please feel free to email me with any enquiries about the resources on offer. You can keep up to date with my latest published lessons using the Facebook link in my shop.
Welcome to RA Resources. I have an extended range of fully resourced, high quality History lessons for KS2, KS3 and GCSE aimed at schools, tutors and home learning. Having taught History abroad and then in Cornwall for 20 years, these lessons reflect my creativity and teaching experience.
Please feel free to email me with any enquiries about the resources on offer. You can keep up to date with my latest published lessons using the Facebook link in my shop.
In this lesson, students will discover what living conditions were like in Britain’s new industrial towns and specifically examine the increase in illness and disease. Particular attention is paid to the creation of terraced housing, the growth of slum areas, back-to-back housing and the pollution and waste created by such extreme overcrowding in the working class parts of towns.
The lesson includes the following:
Slide 1: Title slide
Slide 2: Lesson learning aims and progress
Slide 3: Lesson Warm Up – Class discussion about how students would describe ‘typical’ housing and accommodation today.
Slide 4: Lesson Warm Up II – Fill in the missing facts about the growth of towns in the Industrial Revolution
Slide 5: Missing terms from the warm-up revealed.
Slide 6: Starter Task: Students view a diagram of typical terraced and back-to-back housing and use this to discuss what housing conditions were like and how this led to ill-health and disease.
Slide 7: Source Analysis – An illustration of slum housing with prompt questions
Slide 8: Source Analysis – Printable GCSE style question sheet
Slide 9: Background Information – The growth of industrial towns
Slide 10: Background Information – Overcrowded terraced housing
Slide 11: Printable fact sheet
Slide 12: Activity 1 – Printable worksheet
Slide 13: Activity 2 – Creative historical writing task with full instructions
Slide 14: Activity 3 – Extended historical writing task with structure ideas
Slide 15: Follow Up Challenge Questions
Slide 16: Learning Review Crossword with answers revealed
Slide 17: Printable version of the learning review crossword
I would be grateful if you could leave a review for the lesson if you feel the lesson is effective for you. Many thanks if you spend some of your valuable time doing this as feedback is highly valued.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
This bundle of lessons contains all of my lessons covering the reign of the Stuart monarchy in Britain.
Carefully read the list below so you are fully aware of the lessons you are purchasing in this bundle:
Lesson 1: An introduction to the Stuart monarchs & events timeline.
Lesson 2: The reign and personality of King James I.
Lesson 3: The causes, events and consequences of the Gunpowder Plot, 1605.
Lesson 4: Was Oliver Cromwell a ‘hero’ or ‘monster’?
Lesson 5: What happened to Oliver Cromwell’s head?
Lesson 6: The causes of the English Civil War
Lesson 7: The belief in Witchcraft in the 1600s.
Lesson 8: The significance of Matthew Hopkins.
Lesson 9: Charles II - The ‘Merry Monarch’.
Lesson 10: The causes, events and consequences of the Great Fire of London
Lesson 11: The impact and events of the Great Plague.
Lesson 12: The Age of Discovery & Scientific Revolution.
Lesson 13: The Glorious Revolution - William and Mary
As always, positive feedback will be warmly welcomed.
This is the full collection of all of my lessons about the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth I specifically aimed at KS3 and fully adaptable for KS2 & KS4.
Please read the list of lessons below carefully so you are fully aware of the resources you are buying.
Lesson 1: The strengths and weaknesses of Elizabeth I.
Lesson 2: Princess Elizabeth’s early life and education.
Lesson 3: the challenges faced by Elizabeth I in 1558.
Lesson 4: The importance of portraits to Queen Elizabeth I
Lesson 5: Queen Elizabeth I’s Religious Settlement.
Lesson 6: Queen Elizabeth’s execution of Mary, Queen of Scots
Lesson 7: The causes of the invasion of the Spanish Armada
Lesson 8: The events of the invasion of the Spanish Armada
Lesson 9: Explaining the defeat of the Spanish Armada
Lesson 10: Causes of the Elizabethan ‘Age of Exploration’.
This bundle contains all of my lessons covering the period of the Norman Conquest and Medieval Society and would make a great scheme of learning.
Please read the list of lessons below so you are fully aware of the lessons you will be purchasing:
Lesson 1: Who should be king after the death of Edward the Confessor?
Lesson 2: The events which led to the Battle of Hastings
Lesson 3: William’s problems and challenges after the Battle of Hastings
Lesson 4: William’s Harrying of the North
Lesson 5: The Domesday Book
Lesson 6: The Feudal System
Lesson 7: Locating a Medieval Motte & Bailey castle
Lesson 8: How did life change during the Norman Conquest
Lesson 9: The importance of the Church and religion in Medieval society
Lesson 10: Why did people go on a Medieval crusade?
Lesson 11: The importance and impact of the Medieval crusades
Lesson 12: The key events and individuals involved in the Medieval crusades
Lesson 13: The murder of Thomas Becket
Lesson 14: Health in Medieval England
Lesson 15: The Black Death Source Investigation
Lesson 16: The Black Death - Prevention, cures and treatments
Lesson 17: The consequences of the Black Death
Lesson 18: How did Medieval Kings die?
Lesson 19: How far did Medieval Society change?
Lesson 20: The life and roles in a Medieval castle
**In this lesson, students will be able to learn about the arguments which were used during the 1800s to support and argue against reforms to improve working conditions in the mines, mills and factories of the Industrial Revolution. **
In addition, students will then learn how some of the reforms set out to help workers.
The lesson includes the following:
Slide 1: Title slide
Slide 2: Lesson learning aims and progress
Slide 3: Lesson Warm Up – Class discussion about how laws today make sure people are safe and looked after in their workplace.
Slide 4: Source Inference Task
Slide 5: Source Inference Task 2
Slide 6: Think & Discuss – What are ‘Reforms’? How does Parliament create new laws?
Slide 7: Think & Discuss – Arguments for and Against the reform of working conditions during the Industrial Revolution
Slide 8: Background information – The public reaction and outrage at finding out about working conditions
Slide 9: Background Information – Who were the ‘Reformers’ and what did they call for?
Slide 10: Activity 1 – What would the Reformers want to do to help improve working conditions?
Slide 11: Activity 1 – An alternative way to think about what the reformers would want to do to help improve working conditions
Slide 12: Activity 2 – Students given a choice of written or creative tasks linked to their learning so far.
Slide 13: Activity 3 – Organise the facts about the reforms worksheet instructions
Slide 14: Printable worksheet
Slide 15: Organise the facts answer sheet
Slide 16: Follow Up Challenge tasks and questions
Slide 17: Learning Review Activity Pyramid.
I would be really grateful if you could leave a positive review for the lesson if you feel the lesson is effective for you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
In this lesson, will learn about the harsh working conditions of the children who worked in the textile mills and factories of Industrial Britain. They will be able to describe a typical working day for the children and make comparisons with their own typical school day.
The lesson includes the following:
Slide 1: Title slide
Slide 2: Lesson learning aims and progress
Slide 3: Lesson Warm Up – Students will use the images to help them identify the various jobs that children did during the Industrial Revolution.
Slide 4: Lesson Warm Up - Answers
Slide 5: Starter Activity: Students will look at a map showing the location of various industries and features of the Industrial Revolution – prompt questions provided.
Slide 6: Starter Activity 2: Source analysis of a child worker in a textile factory – with prompt questions
Slide 7: Photograph of children working in a textile mill and prompt questions
Slide 8: Photograph of children working in a textile mill and prompt questions
Slide 9: Printable lesson fact sheet in the style of an illustrated storyboard.
Slide 10: Task 1: Instructions of how to complete a mind map
Slide 11: Printable mind map for students to write on
Slide 12: Activity 2 – Students to write their own interview with a child in a textile mill
Slide 13: Activity 3 – A 60 minute documentary with task – links to the documentary are hyperlinked and in the notes section
Slide 14: Activity 4 – Students create their own 24-hour timeline of their own typical day and compare this with a 24-hour timeline of a child in the textile mills.
Slide 15: Learning Review Quiz – Filling in the missing terms
Slide 16: Learning Review Quiz answers
I would be really grateful if you could leave a positive review for the lesson if you feel the lesson is effective for you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**In this lesson, students will have an opportunity to study several written and visual sources about children’s working conditions during Britain’s Industrial Revolution. **
They will use these sources to form their own opinion about the conditions and challenges that children faced in a variety of jobs such as in the factories, textile mills and mines. Students will then be guided to think about the usefulness and reliability of the sources they have studied.
**
The lesson includes the following:**
Slide 1: Title slide
Slide 2: Lesson learning aims
Slide 3: Lesson Warm Up – A quick quiz and discussion about the rules which impact young people working today
Slide 4: Background information and discussion – What jobs did children do during the Industrial Revolution?
Slide 5: Background information and discussion – Why did so many children work during the Industrial Revolution?
Slide 6: Starter Activity: Source Inference – a visual source about the conditions in mines
Slide 7: Background information – An overview of working conditions and the role of ‘pauper apprentices’.
Slide 8: Background information – An overview of working conditions
Slide 9: 9 sources covering the topic of children’s working conditions
Slide 10: Single source analysis activity and instructions
Slide 11: Printable table for students to complete their analysis
Slide 12: Source Analysis Task 2 Instructions and model examples
Slide 13: Usefulness and reliability help sheet
Slide 14: Follow Up Challenge Questions
Slide 15: Learning Review
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**This lesson allows students to identify and describe the many changes which happened in Britain during the period of the Industrial Revolution. The lesson allows students to contrast what Britain was like in c.1750 and by c.1900. **
The lesson includes the following:
Slide 1: Title slide
Slide 2: Lesson learning aims
Slide 3: A slide to help students discuss and learn the definition of the term ‘Industrial Revolution’
Slide 4: An introduction to the changes of the Industrial Revolution
Slide 5: Lesson Warm Up Activity: What changes have you experienced in your lifetime?
Slide 6: Starter Activity: Spot the difference between the two paintings of Britain (c.1750 and c.1900)
Slide 7: Historical Source/Interpretation Activity
Slide 8: Documentary Link and Activity about the changes of the Industrial Revolution
Slide 9: An outline of the main learning task
Slide 10: Printable lesson fact sheet
Slide 11/12: Printable worksheets based on the fact sheet
Slide 13: Challenge Activity 1 – What was the impact of the Industrial Revolution?
Slide 14: Follow Up Challenge Questions
Slide 15/16: Learning Review Quiz with answers revealed.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**This great lesson allows students to fully explain the various causes of Britain’s Industrial Revolution c.1750 to c.1900. **
Students are given a number of activities and tasks to help them define what the Industrial Revolution was. They will then use a clearly organised fact sheet to read about the main factors which led to the Industrial Revolution before thinking about how the factors linked to each other and argue which factor they believe to be the most important.
The 19 slide lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, warm up start activities, printable resources, and learning reviews as well as engaging background information and challenge questions for higher ability students. There is a choice of printable resources to suit different ages and abilities. The lesson is mainly aimed at KS3 students between the ages of 11-14 but can easily be adapted for younger or older students.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**In this lesson, students will examine the main events of the ‘Glorious Revolution’ in the years 1688-9. They will learn all about the background to the revolution and be able to fully explain why Parliament were concerned about the rule of King James II. Students will have an opportunity to create their own storyboard of the events as well as then explain the significance of the Glorious Revolution. **
Students will also be able to use this information to explain the significance of the Bill of Rights and the equal rule of William III and Mary II.
The lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, warm up start activities, printable resources, and learning reviews as well as engaging background information and challenge questions for higher ability students. There is a choice of printable resources to suit different ages and abilities. The lesson is mainly aimed at KS3 students between the ages of 11-14 but can easily be adapted for younger or older students.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**In this lesson, students will learn about the many discoveries of the Scientific Revolution. Students will be able to define what historians mean by the term Scientific Revolution as well as the descriptions of the ‘Age of Faith’, the ‘Age of Reason’ and the ‘Enlightenment’. **
They will then study the various discoveries of the time and think about which of these discoveries was the most significant. The lesson will help students think about the idea of significance and guide students through the process of completing their own living graph diagram about the discoveries.
It will also then guide students through completing an extended piece of writing about the discoveries of the Scientific Revolution.
The lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, warm up start activities, printable resources, and learning reviews as well as engaging background information and challenge questions for higher ability students. There is a choice of printable resources to suit different ages and abilities. The lesson is mainly aimed at KS3 students between the ages of 11-14 but can easily be adapted for younger or older students.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**This lesson contains a variety of resources and activities to help students learn about the causes, events and overall impact of the Great Plague in England, 1665. **
For example, students will study the famous nursery rhyme, ‘Ring o’ Roses’, examine extracts from the diary of Samuel Pepys, analyse the orders given by King Charles II to help prevent the spread of the plague, discuss the similarities between the plague and recent Covid outbreak, analyse various sources and statistics about the Great Plague and have an opportunity to create their own poster warning people about the plague.
The lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, warm up start activities, printable resources, and learning reviews as well as engaging background information and challenge questions for higher ability students. There is a choice of printable resources to suit different ages and abilities. The lesson is mainly aimed at KS3 students between the ages of 11-14 but can easily be adapted for younger or older students.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**In this lesson, students will be able to explain the causes of the Great Fire of London as well as the many reasons why the fire was able to spread so quickly over such a large distance. **
Students will be able to analyse extracts from the diary of Samuel Pepys as well as study illustrations and paintings of the fire to help them understand the impact the fire had on people’s lives.
Students will then read information about the fire to help them understand what type of methods were used to fight the fire and the role of individuals such as King Charles II in helping to stop the fire.
The lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, warm up start activities, printable resources, and learning reviews as well as engaging background information and challenge questions for higher ability students. There is a choice of printable resources to suit different ages and abilities. The lesson is mainly aimed at KS3 students between the ages of 11-14 but can easily be adapted for younger or older students.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**The main focus of this lesson is for students to decide if King Charles II of England deserved the nickname, the ‘Merry Monarch’. Students will be provided with background information about the transition of rule between Oliver Cromwell and Charles II and then be given a set of facts about Charles II’s reign to help them decide if Charles II was more focussed on ‘business’ or ‘pleasure’. **
Other tasks in this lesson include an activity about the ‘Great Frost Fair’ of 1683.
The lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, warm up start activities, printable resources, and learning reviews as well as engaging background information and challenge questions for higher ability students. There is a choice of printable resources to suit different ages and abilities. The lesson is mainly aimed at KS3 students between the ages of 11-14 but can easily be adapted for younger or older students.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
In this lesson, students will study the role of Matthew Hopkins during the 1640s in England. Students will learn about Hopkins’ background, the methods he used to gain confessions from suspected witches, people’s beliefs about witchcraft and finally explain why Matthew Hopkins was a significant historical figure during the time of the ‘witch craze’ in England in the 1640s.
The lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, warm up start activities, printable resources, and learning reviews as well as engaging background information and challenge questions for higher ability students. There is a choice of printable resources. The lesson is mainly aimed at KS3 students between the ages of 11-14 but can easily be adapted for younger or older students.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**In this lesson, students will be able to understand the various reasons why there was a ‘witch craze’ in the mid-1600s in England. **
-Students will discuss the meaning of the term ‘witchcraft’ before studying the various factors that led to the witch craze such as the role of Matthew Hopkins, attitudes towards women, the English Civil War, the influence of monarchs and the influence of the Church and religion. Students will then have an opportunity to evaluate the impact these factors had.
The 23-slide lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, warm up start activities, printable resources, and learning reviews as well as engaging background information and challenge questions for higher ability students. There is a choice of printable resources. The lesson is mainly aimed at KS3 students between the ages of 11-14 but can easily be adapted for younger or older students.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**In this lesson, students look at the fascinating story of what happened to Oliver Cromwell’s head. **
Students are guided through the key events of Oliver Cromwell’s rule as Lord Protector, his death and the Restoration of King Charles II.
Students will then use a fact sheet to help them complete a number of optional tasks including a timeline, storyboard and role play. My students absolutely love this lesson!
The 19-slide lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, warm up start activities, printable resources, and learning reviews as well as engaging background information and challenge questions for higher ability students. There is a choice of printable resources.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**This lesson provides students with a range of resources to help them decide if Oliver Cromwell should be labelled a ‘Hero’ or a ‘Monster’. **
-Students will be provided with easy-to-follow facts about Cromwell which they have to categorise into ‘hero’ or ‘monster’.
They will also examine a range of historical sources about Cromwell and evaluate the reliability and usefulness of them.
There is also an opportunity for students to complete an extended piece of writing to demonstrate their knowledge of the arguments on both sides before they give their own opinion about Oliver Cromwell.
The 18-slide lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, warm up start activities, printable resources, and learning reviews as well as engaging background information and historical sources about Oliver Cromwell.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**This lesson provides students with a great selection of activities to help them understand and explain the main causes of the English Civil War in 1642. **
-Students are introduced to the idea of a Civil War and will discuss the role of a parliament in the 1600s.
-They will then read through a variety of different reasons why King Charles I and parliament argued in the years before 1642 and organise these reasons into economic, religious or political factors.
Finally, students will have an opportunity to fully explains the causes of the English Civil War in a piece of extended historical writing before completing a crossword which covers all the main terms from the lesson.
The 17-slide lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, activities, printable resources, starters and learning reviews as well as engaging background information about King James I and the events which led to the start of the English Civil War.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.
**This lesson is a great way for students to learn about the causes, key events and consequences of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. **
-Students will begin by discussing James I’s background and why there was tensions between the king and the Catholics at the start of his reign.
-Students will then discuss the idea of terrorism and how far they believe the Gunpowder Plot fits this definition.
-Students will be given various activities to order the events of the plot and then explain how King James I dealt with Catholics after its failure. Finally, students will be given an opportunity to write a historical account of the events. They will be guided through this with four levelled descriptions.
The 20-slide lesson contains a variety of discussion tasks, activities, printable resources, starters and learning reviews as well as engaging background information about King James I.
Please be kind enough to leave a review of this lesson if you have found it effective. Thank you.
All images used in this lesson are in the public domain and are therefore copyright free at the time of publishing. Images which require attribution have been attributed in the notes section of each slide where the image appears. If you feel any errors have been made, please contact me at raschoolresources@gmail.com in the first instance to resolve any issues. Thank you.