WiseArk Ltd which is a ‘micro-company specialising in supplying educational resources.
We specialise in resources for use in tutor time -many of which are also suitable for use in citizenship/PSHE.
We also have a range of resources to support learning in history.
I was a teacher for over 20 years so know from first-hand experience how engaged students can be when given challenges and puzzles.
WiseArk Ltd which is a ‘micro-company specialising in supplying educational resources.
We specialise in resources for use in tutor time -many of which are also suitable for use in citizenship/PSHE.
We also have a range of resources to support learning in history.
I was a teacher for over 20 years so know from first-hand experience how engaged students can be when given challenges and puzzles.
A resource which uses graphs, data and ‘shopping’ activities to help develop both historical and mathematical knowledge and understanding.
There is a range of 20 topics including the transatlantic slave trade, Britain in 1851, The Great Powers before WW1. (See below for full list of contents.)
Helps students develop their historical understanding and use of relevant skills, especially gathering information from sources that are not just written. Activities include: Using information to complete charts; Extracting information from tables; basic accounts and shopping activities; completing data tables by using calculations.
Requires students to use basic numeracy skills such as interpreting data from graphs or pie charts (and presenting data in graph form); solving problems using multiplication, division etc as well as fractions/ratios.
These are used to help develop historical understanding such as relative casualty rates in WW1, cost of living in the 19th century, composition of 17th century society.
Ideal for use as a cover lesson or a stand-alone homework (or for resources for ‘school at home’)
Topics covered: Roman Numerals; England in the Middle Ages; Martyrs in the English Reformation; James I & VI- problems with money; Emigrating to the American Colonies -getting supplies; England in c1688; Making money from the slave trade; The French Revolution: The Terror; Britain from c1750 to c1900; The growth of Middlesbrough in the 19th century; Food, diet and prices in the 1840s; Britain in 1851; Empires; Britain in the 20th century; How well off were people in the 20th century?; The Great Powers before WW1; Casualties in WW1; Food prices in WW2; Population, life expectancy and infant mortality; Battles and casualties.
A resource to encourage purposeful talk and students to reflect on their values.
This example slide has 5 separate ‘questions’ to stimulate discussion and reflection.
The objectives are to encourage students to
discuss and so develop oral skills;
reflect on their values
A selection of activities to help tutor groups or classes get to know each other. The full version of this resource has 32 different activities on both power point and word document
The power point has five different groups of activities:
Sorting activities – getting children moving and engaging with each other;
‘Find someone who ‘ – needs the children talk to each other. They have to find someone who can do a particular task or who likes something particular or who has (done) something.
Discussion points - a set of questions to get small groups talking about issues (we have tried to avoid any controversial topics)
Dilemmas – a different type of question for groups to discuss their response to certain situation (again we have tried to avoid any controversial topics)
Miscellaneous – a selection of 10 challenges including ‘think outside the box, number association and ‘tell the time’
The word document with the full resource contains the same activities- with sheets to fill in for the ‘Find someone who…’ challenges.
The new 2022 version also has some visual challenges to provide a different opportunity for group work (‘spot the differences’ and ‘what is it?’)
Since the end of WW1 the world has never been fully at peace.
This resource is ideal for use at this time of remembrance (whilst also extending horizons to look at the wider world)
This resource shows in visual form how the past 100+ years have still been a period of ongoing conflict (despite hopes that WW1 would be the ‘war to end all wars’).
There is a selection of 50 different conflicts; a range covering civil wars, invasions and multi-national wars. The emphasis is on the post WW2 period to help support citizenship learning-in particular through helping show why there are so many refugees given the recent and on-going conflicts. (The emphasis is on the global community so wars such as the Falklands which was ‘just’ UK v an opponent are not included in this resource).
In the main presentation each slide represents one year (running through takes just over 5 minutes) with each year showing the selected conflicts taking place in that year (so some slides are rather crowded!). For each conflict the dates are given as well as one sentence about it (this only appears when the conflict begins).
There is also a power point presentation of 50 slides -one per conflict- as well as a word document with the same information.
Finally there is a set of three word searches featuring most of the nations involved in the featured conflicts.
A memory challenge using images- based on ‘Kim’s game’.
There is a set of slides each of which features 10 different pictures-that will disappear one by one so that after a minute all are gone. (there is a second slide with them all on to check after a chance to recall the images)
How many can your students remember (or you??) ; can be done as a solo challenge or in groups (useful for encouraging team work –what’s a winning strategy?) – could also be used as a staff challenge!
The full resource has 30 separate challenges -all on power point.
A set of linked resources and activities to help students improve their knowledge and understanding of the chronology of British history.
This is an important part of the History National Curriculum but one which often causes students difficulty.
This is a sample of a selection from a range of these resources.
These are taken from the resources focussed on KS3.
These resources are designed specifically to help students in particular with the ordering of events. To help with understanding the passage of time there is a power point presentation that shows the intervals between events.
This has a range of selected events and is designed to convey a sense of the passage of time by having the transition between slides vary in length depending on how many years actually passed between events.
Each slide has a date, event and appropriate illustration. (Each event slide is on show for five seconds and the whole presentation lasts for approximately five minutes).
As a bonus there is also a ‘click through’ version of the slide show to enable the teacher to give additional information or discuss the event with students.
The selection of events is not meant to be definitive for the study of that period (it’s a selection not a comprehensive timeline!) – this allows for an extra activity/challenge of students deciding what is missing/what could be left out.
The same events are on a word document and to help with improving knowledge there are activities which involve matching events to dates etc.
The first involves sorting set of five different events into the correct order – available on power point and word document.
The second is a set of printable ‘cards’ which can be used for sorting or matching tasks (such as the matching pairs game) – each event is on a separate ‘card’ from its date (organised in sets of 10).
The third is a set of ‘domino cards’ to provide a more supported matching challenge; each card has an event and a date that links to another event -so making a sequence of events.
There are available the following sets of resources: (KS3)
Periods in British History
Medieval Times (2 sub sets – England ; Britain and other nations)
Tudors and Stuarts (2 sub sets – Tudors ; Stuarts)
Industrial Revolution (and farming etc – 3 sub sets: 1694 to 1803; 1803 to 1846; 1851 to 1901
Britain (and the world) c1714 to c1900 (3 sub sets: Britain and the World; Politics and Reform ; Society and Culture
Britain in the 20th century (2 sub sets – Britain in the 20th century; Britain and the world)
There are also resources on KS2 topics
A set of linked resources and activities to help students improve their knowledge and understanding of the chronology of British history.
This is an important part of the History National Curriculum but one which often causes students difficulty.
This is a sample of a selection from a range of these resources.
These are taken from the resources focussed on KS2.
These resources are designed specifically to help students in particular with the ordering of events. To help with understanding the passage of time there is a power point presentation that shows the intervals between events.
This has a range of selected events and is designed to convey a sense of the passage of time by having the transition between slides vary in length depending on how many years actually passed between events.
Each slide has a date, event and appropriate illustration. (Each event slide is on show for five seconds and the whole presentation lasts for approximately five minutes).
As a bonus there is also a ‘click through’ version of the slide show to enable the teacher to give additional information or discuss the event with students.
The selection of events is not meant to be definitive for the study of that period (it’s a selection not a comprehensive timeline!) – this allows for an extra activity/challenge of students deciding what is missing/what could be left out.
The same events are on a word document and to help with improving knowledge there are activities which involve matching events to dates etc.
The first involves sorting set of five different events into the correct order – available on power point and word document.
The second is a set of printable ‘cards’ which can be used for sorting or matching tasks (such as the matching pairs game) – each event is on a separate ‘card’ from its date (organised in sets of 10).
The third is a set of ‘domino cards’ to provide a more supported matching challenge; each card has an event and a date that links to another event -so making a sequence of events.
Topics available : Ancient Greece; Britain before the Romans; Roman Britain; Anglo-Saxon and Viking Britain; Periods in British history
A memory challenge using images- based on ‘Kim’s game’.
There is a set of slides each of which features 10 different pictures-that will disappear one by one so that after a minute all are gone. (there is a second slide with them all on to check after a chance to recall the images)
How many can your students remember (or you??) ; can be done as a solo challenge or in groups (useful for encouraging team work –what’s a winning strategy?) – could also be used as a staff challenge!
30 separate challenges -all on power point.
An example of an ideal resource for a cover lesson or a homework task; each crossword has 20 clues which will complete the grid.
The full resource has 21 crosswords on a range of topics including: Battles, women and Germany. It comes with a free version that has the first letter of each answer as support.
The always popular activity (even for adults!)
This example document has three separate word searches each with answers provided. Each has a grid and 10 words to find.
The full resource has over 110 different word searches on wide range of topics including: Medieval life, slavery and WW2.
Ideal for use in a wide range of settings such as a last minute cover resource or basic homework task (good for getting students to organise their own time)
Maybe even to help staff relax at lunchtime!!
An example of the full resource which uses graphs, data and ‘shopping’ activities to help develop both historical and mathematical knowledge and understanding.
The full resource has a range of 20 topics including the transatlantic slave trade, Britain in 1851, The Great Powers before WW1. (Full list included in free sample)
Ideal for use as a cover lesson or a stand-alone homework. (Answers provided)
Helps students develop their historical understanding and use of relevant skills.
Activities include: Using information to complete charts; Extracting information from tables; basic accounts and shopping activities; completing data tables by using calculations.
Activities to help students develop their historical understanding and improve their ability to comprehend sources.
An example from the set of 20 source based activities – topics include castles, slavery & factory reform. (See below for full list of contents.)
There is a range of different approaches including ‘4,3,2,1’; ‘Who/What/Where etc’; extracting key points; combining information from a range of sources and comparing different sources…
Ideal for use as a cover lesson or a stand-alone homework.
Why the Romans wanted an Empire; Viking attack; Domesday book; Castles; The killing of Wat Tyler; The murder of Thomas Becket; King John: A good or bad king?; The defeat of the Spanish Armada; The Divine Right of Kings; Why did the New Model Army win?; The trial of Charles I; Was Oliver Cromwell a good leader?; Child workers in cotton mills; Living in an industrial city; Capturing slaves; Changes in Britain c1750-c1900; Factory Reform; Why did some people emigrate from Britain?; Why did people support Hitler?; Who was to blame for WW2?
An example of the full resource which has a range of timeline based tasks on a variety of 20 topics (e.g. Ancient Civilisations, British Empire & WW2) -Full list included in free sample.
Ideal for use as a cover lesson or a stand-alone homework.
Helps students develop their historical understanding and use of relevant skills
Activities include: Sorting information into order to enter into a time chart; Using comprehension skills to complete a time chart timeline; categorising information in a completed time chart.
This free resource is taken from a collection of resources that illustrate the role that Imperial forces played in WW1 -did you know that over 1m Indian troops served?
The wordsearch features fifteen of the nations that supplied troops and labourers to the Allied war effort.
In the full collection there is also a power point with a map slide showing the main contributors to the Imperial forces with each linked to a brief information slide; this information is also provided in a word document.
A worksheet looks at where Imperial soldiers fought and how many there were from around the globe.
Ideal for study of the British Empire as well as ‘Black History’
Many people know 2024 is 150 years since the birth of Winston Churchill but did you know that this year is the 500th anniversary of the death of Isma’il I (founder of Safavid Dynasty in Iran)? And the 200th anniversary of the founding of the RNLI and RSPCA?
Anniversaries 2024 is a collection of viewable/printable resources designed to promote awareness of some events whose anniversaries fall this year.
This wide-ranging pack consists of several different types of resource including visual and knowledge challenges as well as discussion stimuli (plus word searches!)
.
They are all based on a selection of people and events from the past 700 years which have an anniversary in 2024.
There is a power point with a picture of each person/event from those years (one that runs through) and a separate display resource with one slide per year (some need two).
There are a range of knowledge based activities including sorting events, matching pairs, A-Z etc (provided in both power point and word format)
There are also picture based challenges (hidden picture and what is it-distorted images).
There is a set of discussion prompts to stimulate debate –again related to people or events featured.
Finally there is a set of seven word searches based on a selection of the people and places etc linked to anniversaries from 2024.
The resource that keeps on giving all year long!
A set of over 50 of the popular vocabulary-based challenge.
Each ladder has a four-letter word at the top and a different four-letter one at the bottom.
Simply change the top word into the bottom one by altering one letter at a time (so creating three new words to fit in the empty ‘rungs’)
Supplied on power point (1 ladder per slide) and in a word document (with answers separately)
Ideal for use in tutor time or as a starter/time-filler -or even as a staffroom challenge!
An introduction to one hundred notable women with a connection to the 20th century -such as Billie Jean King and the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ in 1973.
This is a sample of two women from the 20th century selection which covers the well known (e.g. Mrs Thatcher) to the less well known (such as Rita Loza, first female No.1 chart artist)
For each one there is a brief overview of their life/ impact (250-300 words).
This is provided as a word document. There is also a powerpoint presentation which has a picture of each woman and a descriptive sentence.
The full version contents are:
Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; Barbara Cartland;;Barbara McClintock; Marie Curie ;Jennie Lee;Gertrude Ederle ;Grace Hopper ;Frida Kahlo ;Simone de Beauvoir ;Raymond de Laroche ;Elizabeth Arden ;Mildred Didrikson ;Julliete Gordon Low ;Emily Davison ;Hedy Lamarr ;Edith Cavell ;Lois Weber ;Jessica Mitford ;Marie Stopes ;Rosa Luxemburg ;Edith Burton Hughes ;Betty Wilson ;Helena Normanton ;Maria Callas ;Sue Ryder ;Laura Ashley ;Elisabeth Beresford ;Constance Markievicz ;Maya Angelou ;Margaret Bondfield ;Ellen Church ;Lilian Baylis ;Dorothy Day ;Fay Wray ;Leni Reifenstahl ;Lucy Duff-Gordon ;Diana Mitford ;Edith Wharton ;Ellen Sirleaf ;Jane Bolin; Hattie McDaniel ;Amy Johnson ;Anita Roddick ;Sophie Scholl ;Alice Walker ;Violet Szabo ;Mamie Smith ;Anne Frank; Donna Summer ;Mo Mowlam ;Grace Kelly ;Ethel Rosenberg ;Maria Montessori ;Lita Roza ;Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence ;Rosa Parks; Irene Curie ;;Dorothy L Sayers ;First female Peers ;Barbie ;Sirimavo Bandaranaike ;Grandma’ Moses ;Valentina Tereshkova ;Edith Piaf; Nancy Astor ;Stephanie Kwolek ;Indira Gandhi ;Alice Toklas ;Barbara Harrison ;Shirley Temple ;Betty Friedan ;Dorothy Fields ;Mary Peters ;Billie Jean King ;Virginia Apgar ;Margaret Thatcher ;Agatha Christie ;Virginia Wade ;Hannah Dadds ; Mary Pickford ;Bette Nesmith Graham ;Dame Mary Donaldson;Rachel Heyhoe-Flint ;Corrie Ten Boom ;Mary Warnock ;Gale Sondergaard ;Neerja Bhanot ;Diane Abbot; Elizabeth Lane ;Lucille Ball ;Eve Balfour ;Helen Sharman ;Betty Boothroyd ;Audrey Hepburn ;First female Priests ;Alison Hargreaves; Ella FitzGerald ;Mother Teresa ;Barbara Mandell ;Iris Murdoch
Further updated for changes to MLW and NI in April 2024, as well as some price changes.
Two power points that will help students prepare for the world of work and living away from home.
The first presentation looks at income from employment –considering the main deductions that lead to net pay being less than gross pay.
The slides take students though the process step by step, calculating the deductions from a national living wage job.
The second presentation considers main household expenses such as rent, council tax and insurance. Again the slides take a methodical approach, allowing students to see how quickly their income will be spent.
Ideal for use in PSHE; also available as a separate resource is a set of worksheets for students to do their own working out – these are ideal for functional maths –calculator required!
Updated for April 2024 changes to MLW and NI as well as to reflect price changes.
A set of worksheets that will help students prepare for the world of work and living away from home.
The first sheet looks at income from employment –considering the main deductions that lead to net pay being less than gross pay.
The worksheet takes students though the process step by step, calculating the deductions from a national living wage job.
The second sheet considers main household expenses such as rent, council tax and insurance. Again the worksheet takes a methodical approach, allowing students to see how quickly their income will be spent.
Ideal for use in PSHE and functional maths –calculator required!; Also available as a separate resource is a pair of power point presentations which go through the same information showing students how gross income is reduced and basic spending.