This great resource is designed to help students understand why the US economy boomed in the 1920’s. The key theory underpinning this strategy is that when we rank items, either statements, objects or images, we are required to make explicit the over- arching relationships by which we organise our knowledge and connect our learning. It can used as a starter or plenary and is suitable for middle to upper ability students as a stretch and challenge task. If you would like something aimed at middle to lower ability students, then please check out my card sort of this topic in my TES shop. This task is primarily designed to help students prioritise the different factors in preparation for an extended answer or essay. The resource nine diamond shaped cards which include a range of factors to explain why the US economy boomed in the 1920s. Once students have cut the cards out they are set three tasks including: Remove any reasons for the boom that you don’t think are important. Record and explain why you have removed them. Arrange the remaining diamonds to show any links that you can find between the different reasons. Record and explain your reasons. Make a smaller diamond shape using what you think are the four most important reasons why the US economy boom in the 1920’s. Record and explain your reasons. At each stage students should be feeding back to their group or the class and explaining their choices. The discussion and explanation around the choices that they have made are critical in helping them develop their thinking skills as well as their arguments for writing their essay. The aims and objectives for this lesson are: Theme: Why was there an economic boom in the 1920s? Know: What were the main reasons why the US economy grew? Understand: How did each factor help the economy boom? Evaluate: Which factors were the most important? WILF: What Am I Looking for? Identify & describe: The main reasons why the US economy boomed? Explain: How did each factor help the economy to grow rapidly? Analyze: Which factors were the most important? If you like this resource then why not check out my TES shop where you can find many similar ideas and resources. You can also follow ‘The History Academy’ on Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube and Facebook for the latest updates or even to get in touch and chat about how you have used this resource or to ask questions. We aim to produce cheap and affordable resources for either the price of a good cup of coffee or a happy meal so that you can spend more time doing the things that you want. Anyway, have fun and stay in touch via social media for the latest updates. Kind Regards Roy

This outstanding resource has been designed to provide stretch and challenge for students studying reasons why Italy invaded Abyssinia in 1935 -35. The key theory underpinning this strategy is that when we rank items, either statements, objects or images, we are required to make explicit the over- arching relationships by which we organise our knowledge and connect our learning. It can also be used as a starter, plenary, revision or as a focus for an assessment activity. The resource includes nine diamond shaped cards which include a range of factors which explain why Italy invaded Abyssinia in 1935 - 36. The document is provided in Microsoft Word so you can edit the resource if you wish to customise it further by changing any of the key factors that I have included. Once students have cut out the cards out they are set three tasks including: Remove any reasons that you don’t think are important. Record and explain why you have removed them. Arrange the remaining diamonds to show any links that you can find between the different reasons. Record and explain your reasons. Make a smaller diamond shape using the four most important reasons to explain why Italy invaded Abyssinia in 1935 -36. Record and explain the reasons for your choices. At each stage students should be feeding back to their group or the class and explaining their choices. The discussion and explanation around the choices that they have made are critical in helping them develop their thinking skills as well as their understanding of the topic. The aims and objectives for this lesson are: Theme: Why did the League of Nations fail 1919 - 1939? Know: Why did Italy invade Abyssinia in 1935 - 36? Understand: How were these factors were linked to the weaknesses of the League? Evaluate: Which factors were the most important in Mussolini’s decision to invade? WILF - What Am I Looking For? Identify and describe: Why Mussolini invaded Abyssinia? Explain: How these reasons were linked to the weaknesses of the League? Analyse: Which factors were the most important in Mussolini’s decision to invade? If you like this resource then why not check out my other resources on this topic in my TES shop. You can also follow ‘The History Academy’ on Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube and Facebook for the latest updates or even to get in touch and chat about how you have used this resource or to ask questions. We aim to produce cheap and affordable resources for either the price of a good cup of coffee or a happy meal so that you can spend more time doing the things that you want. Anyway, have fun and stay in touch via social media for the latest updates. Kind Regards Roy

This outstanding resource is designed to help students evaluate how far Custer was responsible for the defeat of the US Army at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The key theory underpinning this strategy is that when we rank items, either statements, objects or images, we are required to make explicit the over- arching relationships by which we organize our knowledge and connect our learning. It can used as a starter or plenary and is suitable for middle to upper ability students as a stretch and challenge task. If you would like something aimed at middle to lower ability students, then please check out my card sort of this topic in my TES shop. This task is primarily designed to help students prioritize the different factors in preparation for an extended answer or essay. The resource nine diamond shaped cards which include a range of factors to explain why Custer lost the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Once students have cut the cards out they are set three tasks including: Remove any reasons that you don’t think are important. Record and explain why you have removed them. Arrange the remaining diamonds to show any links that you can find between the different reasons. Record and explain your reasons. Make a smaller diamond shape using what you think are the four most important reasons why Custer lost at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. At each stage students should be feeding back to their group or the class and explaining their choices. The discussion and explanation around the choices that they have made are critical in helping them develop their thinking skills and arguments for writing their essay. The aims and objectives for this lesson are: Theme: What role did the US Army play in the defeat of the Plains Indians? Know: What happened during the Battle of the Little Bighorn? Understand: What roles were played by Custer and Crazy Horse in the defeat of the US Army? Evaluate: How far was Custer responsible for the defeat of the US Army at the Little Bighorn? WILF: What Am I looking For? Identify & describe: What happened during the Battle of the Little Bighorn? Explain: What roles were played by Custer and Crazy Horse in the defeat of the US Army? Analyze: How far was Custer responsible for the defeat of the US Army at the Little Bighorn? If you like this resource then why not check out my other resources on this topic in my TES shop. You can also follow ‘The History Academy’ on Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube and Facebook for the latest updates or even to get in touch and chat about how you have used this resource or to ask questions. We aim to produce cheap and affordable resources for either the price of a good cup of coffee or a happy meal so that you can spend more time doing the things that you want. Anyway, have fun and stay in touch via social media for the latest updates. Kind Regards Roy

This great little resource gets students to sort through a series of 12 primary and secondary sources about the reign of Queen Mary I 1553 - 1558, with the aim of deciding whether she deserves the reputation of Bloody Mary. Once this has been complete, students can then have a go at answering the question: Does Mary I deserve the title, ‘Bloody Mary’? I would recommend that this resource should be used with either a core or advanced group as there is a lot of reading, which would be too much for a foundation group with low literacy skills. This resource makes a great starter or plenary. It can be cut up the students or placed into envelopes for use with several classes or even set as a piece of homework. The aims and objectives are: Theme: Consequences of the break with Rome? Know: Why did Queen Mary I burn protestant heretics? Understand: How has Mary been viewed by both contemporaries and historians? Evaluate: Does Mary I deserve the title ‘Bloody Mary’? WILF - What Am I Looking For? Identify and describe: Which sources support / disagree with the ‘Bloody Mary’ interpretation? Explain: Why do people disagree about how ‘Bloody’ Mary I was? Analyze: How far does Queen Mary deserve the title ‘Bloody Mary?’ If you like this resource, I have also created a PowerPoint on the reign of Queen Mary I, with additional information to go along with this card sort. This topic also makes for a great assessment task. Kind Regards Roy

This outstanding resource has been designed to provide stretch and challenge for students studying why the USSR and Germany signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939. The key theory underpinning this type of strategy is that when we rank items, either statements, objects or images, we are required to make explicit the over- arching relationships by which we organise our knowledge and connect our learning. It can be used as a starter, plenary, revision or assessment activity. If you are looking for something more suitable for lower and middle ability then please check out my card sort matching exercise on this topic. The resource includes nine diamond shaped cards that explain why both Germany and the USSR signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939. The document is provided in Microsoft Word so you can edit the resource if you wish to customise it further by changing any of the key factors that I have included. Once students have cut out the cards out they are set three tasks including: 1. Remove any reasons that you don’t think are important. Record and explain why you have removed them. 2. Arrange the remaining diamonds to show any links that you can find between the different reasons. Record and explain your reasons. 3. Make a smaller diamond shape using the four most important reasons to explain why Germany and the USSR signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact? Record and explain the reasons for your choices. At each stage students should be feeding back to their group or the class and explaining their choices. The discussion and explanation around the choices that they have made are critical in helping them develop their thinking skills as well as their understanding of the topic. The aims and objectives for this lesson are: Theme: How far was Hitler responsible for the outbreak of the SWW in 1939? Know: What were the terms of the Nazi-Soviet Pact? Analyse: Why did Stalin and Hitler sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact? Skills: Cause, Consequence, Evaluation and Judgement. WILF: What Am I Looking For this lesson? Identify and describe: The terms of the Nazi-Soviet Pact Explain: Why did Germany & USSR sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact? Analyse: How far Hitler was responsible for the outbreak of the SWW? If you like this resource then why not check out my other resources on this topic in my TES shop. You can also follow ‘The History Academy’ on Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube and Facebook for the latest updates or even to get in touch and chat about how you have used this resource or to ask questions. We aim to produce cheap and affordable resources for either the price of a good cup of coffee or a happy meal so that you can spend more time doing the things that you want. Anyway, have fun and stay in touch via social media for the latest updates. Kind Regards Roy

This critical thinking skills activity has been designed to provide stretch and challenge for students studying why it was difficult to maintain law and order in the American West. .The key theory underpinning this type of strategy is that when we rank items, either statements, objects or images, we are required to make explicit the over- arching relationships by which we organise our knowledge and connect our learning. If you are looking for a more traditional exercise then please check out my card sort matching exercise on this topic, which can be downloaded from my TES shop. This resource will easily work alongside any main steam textbook or resource on this topic. The resource includes nine diamond shaped cards which include a range of factors which explain it was difficult to maintain law and order in the American West. The document is provided in Microsoft Word so you can edit the resource if you wish to customise it further by changing any of the key factors that I have included. Once students have cut out the cards out they are set three tasks including: 1. Remove any reasons that you don’t think are important. Record and explain why you have removed them. 2. Arrange the remaining diamonds to show any links that you can find between the different reasons. Record and explain your reasons. 3. Make a smaller diamond shape using the four most important reasons to explain why it was difficult to maintain law and order in the American West. Record and explain the reasons for your choices. At each stage students should be feeding back to their group or the class and explaining their choices. The discussion and explanation around the choices that they have made are critical in helping them develop their thinking skills as well as their understanding of this topic. The aims and objectives for this lesson are: Theme: The American West Know: What were the key reasons why maintaining law & order was difficult? Understand: What roles did social, economic, geographical factors as well as the values and attitudes play of the people at the time, play in making law enforcement difficult? Evaluate: Which was the most important factor? WILF - What Am I Looking For? Identify and describe: what were the main reasons why maintaining law and order was difficult? Explain: What roles did social, economic, geographical, factors as well as the values and attitudes of people at the time, play in making law enforcement difficult? Analyse: Which was the most important factor? Kind Regards Roy