BBC -British History’s Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley - The Glorious Revolution
In this episode, Lucy debunks another of the biggest fibs in British history - the ‘Glorious Revolution’.In 1688, the British Isles were invaded by a huge army led by Dutch prince, William of Orange. With his English wife Mary he stole the throne from Mary’s father, the Catholic King James II. This was the death knell for absolute royal power and laid the foundations of our constitutional monarchy. It was spun as a ‘glorious and bloodless revolution’. But how ‘glorious’ was it really? It led to huge slaughter in Ireland and Scotland. Lucy reveals how the facts and fictions surrounding 1688 have shaped our national story ever since.
Written in Publisher and formatted to A3 the resource can also be saved as a PDF for A4 printing
We all think we know what we mean by a witch, but behind the clichés of pointy hats and broomsticks lies a terrifying history that’s been largely forgotten. Four hundred years ago, thousands of ordinary people, the vast majority of them women, were hunted down, tortured and killed in witch hunts across Scotland and England. Lucy Worsley investigates what lay behind these horrifying events.
She begins her investigation in North Berwick, a seaside town not far from Edinburgh, where the witch hunting craze began. The story goes that, in 1590, a coven of witches gathered here to cast a spell to try to kill the King of Scotland, James VI. Using an account from the time called Newes from Scotland and other first-hand sources, Lucy uncovers a web of political intrigue that led to a woman called Agnes Sampson, a faith healer and midwife, being investigated. She was accused of witchcraft and interrogated at Holyrood Castle by King James himself before being tortured and executed.
Agnes was caught in a perfect storm: hardline Protestant reformers wanting to make Scotland devout, a king out to prove himself a righteous leader, and a new ideology which claimed the Devil was actively recruiting women as witches. Under torture, Agnes gave the names of her supposed accomplices, some 59 other innocent people, resulting in the first successful large-scale witch hunt in Scotland. Its brutal success made it the model for trials rolled out across Scotland and England for the next hundred years.
Written in Publisher and formatted to A3 the resource can be saved as a PDF for A4 printing
In this section Starkey focuses on the early years of Elizabeth’s rule and her reluctance to marry. Her dalliances with court favourites like Lord Dudley provoked speculation, but what concerned her advisers was her refusal to consider a suitor from France or Spain, powers which constituted a military threat. She was in a precarious position: a Protestant Queen in a Catholic country, and Mary, Queen of Scots, who wanted to claim the throne and return the nation to Catholic rule, was a great threat to Elizabeth. Elizabeth, the virgin Queen, the most powerful woman in English history. She emerged as a young princess against a backdrop of civil unrest, political intrigue, executions and coups. She ruled for 45 years and presided over a new kind of state. Her reign saw England emerge from the threat of European annexation to burst forth in a unique flowering of culture and became the world’s leading sea power. In this four part series David Starkey charts the rise and fall of her reign and reveals the powerful resonance it has for the present. This series covers one of the most glamorous and exciting reigns in English history, with bloodthirsty tales of sex, lust, murder and mayhem.
9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemats for the Medicine Through Time course - Topic 1 - Medieval Medicine
These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’.
The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the:
a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units
b) support the need for increased literacy demands
c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles
The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit).
Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of:
1. Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words
2. Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions.
3. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box.
4. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images.
5. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection.
6. A confidence thermometer is also included as a prompt to identify student confidence in the topic.
The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through:
1. Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available
2. Examiners levelled mark schemes
3. Support writing frames with generic sentence starters
Cold War (TV Series) Ep.7 - After Stalin - Supporting Worksheet for the BBC / CNN co-production, narrated by Kenneth Brannagh - Written as a extension and enrichment task for GCSE, it would also be appropriate for A Level studies.
Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet leader after the death of Stalin. Khrushchev rolls back a number of oppressive measures that existed under Stalin, restores relations with Yugoslavia and redirects resources to consumer needs. In a secret speech to the Soviet leadership he condemns Stalin's ruthless rule. West Germany is allowed to rearm, provoking the formation of the Warsaw Pact. Khruschev still wants Eastern Europe to remain within the Soviet orbit - he sends in troops to quell revolts in East Germany, Poland and, most significantly, Hungary. Interviewees include Anatoly Dobrynin, Charles Wheeler and Sergei Khrushchev. The pre-credits scene shows life in Soviet Union under Stalin's personality cult.
9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemats for Russia and the Soviet Union 1917-41 - Topic 4 Economic and Social Changes 1925-41
Written in PowerPoint
(The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit).
These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’.
The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the:
a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units
b) support the need for increased literacy demands
c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles
The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit).
Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of:
Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words
Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions.
Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box.
Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images.
Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection.
The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through:
Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available
Examiners levelled mark schemes
Support writing frames with generic sentence starters
BBC- Elizabeth I’s Secret Agents - Episode 1 - Worksheet to support the BBC documentary
In this episode, we find England alone - a protestant nation in a largely Catholic Europe. Then, 12 years into Elizabeth’s reign, the Pope declares her a heretic, which in the hearts of England’s Catholics gives them permission to kill her. Queen Elizabeth looks to her spymaster William Cecil to stop the Catholic assassins getting through. Cecil establishes a huge espionage network - England’s first secret service. His spies break Catholic conspiracies at home and abroad.
Cecil’s network is put on high alert by intelligence from a source in Catholic Europe. As a result he catches a courier carrying coded letters that lead Cecil to unravel a plot to assassinate Elizabeth and install her cousin Mary Queen of Scots on the English throne. Now Cecil will not rest until Mary Queen of Scots, the figurehead for every catholic threat and repository of Catholic hopes, is eliminated. In order to protect a queen, Cecil must kill one.
Cecil now creates an elaborate Elizabethan sting. He incubates a Catholic plot to assassinate the queen and lures Mary into it. But will Mary fall for the bait and seal her fate. Mary does walk right into Cecil’s trap but even then the spymaster’s aim is thwarted by a queen who refuses to execute her own cousin. Cecil knows Mary must die if Elizabeth is to live, but now that means he must defy his own queen and risk the end of his career - perhaps his life.
Written to provided extension/ enrichment / independent learning options
Written in Publisher and formatted to A3 the worksheet can be saved as a PDF for A4 printing
To coincide with the 50th anniversary of his death, this documentary presents an intimate portrait of one of the greatest monsters of the 20th century, including fresh evidence about his relationships with women, his family and his inner circle.
The West has rarely glimpsed behind Stalin’s granite mask into his extraordinary private world. But through interviews with family members, the programme reveals details about Stalin’s passions as well as his implacable cruelty. Filmed extensively in Russia, including carefully researched reconstructions, the film offers intriguing insights into his motives and behaviour.”
Written in Publisher and formatted to A3 the worksheet can be saved as a PDF for A4 printing
BBC History File—Soviet Communism and The Cold War Ep4. Life in Stalin’s Russ - Supporting Worksheet
A study of the Five Year Plans told through the eyes of an American working in Siberia
Written in Publisher, formatted to A3, the document can be amended and saved as a PDF for A4 printing
BBC History File—Soviet Communism and The Cold War Ep1. The Fall of Tsarism - Supporting Worksheet
A study of the fall of Tsarism and the Revolutions of 1917 through the account of Prince Ysupov, the assassin of Rasputin
Written in Publisher, formatted to A3, the document can be amended and saved as a PDF for A4 printing
In the final episode, Lucy debunks the fibs that surround the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the British Empire - India. Travelling to Kolkata, she investigates how the Raj was created following a British government coup in 1858. After snatching control from the discredited East India Company, the new regime presented itself as a new kind of caring, sharing imperialism with Queen Victoria as its maternal Empress.
Tyranny, greed and exploitation were to be things of the past. From the ‘black hole of Calcutta’ to the Indian ‘mutiny’, from East India Company governance to crown rule, and from Queen Victoria to Empress of India, Lucy reveals how this chapter of British history is another carefully edited narrative that’s full of fibs.
Written in Publisher and formatted to A3 the document can be fully edited and saved as a PDF for A4 printing
9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemats for Weimar and Nazi Germany - Topic 4: Life in Nazi Germany
These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’.
The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the:
a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units
b) support the need for increased literacy demands
c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles
The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit).
Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of:
1. Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words
2. Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions.
3. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box.
4. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images.
5. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection.
6. A confidence thermometer is also included as a prompt to identify student confidence in the topic.
The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through:
1. Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available
2. Examiners levelled mark schemes
3. Support writing frames with generic sentence starters
9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemats for the Medicine Through Time course - Topic 3 - 1750-1900
These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’.
The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the:
a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units
b) support the need for increased literacy demands
c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles
The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit).
Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of:
1. Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words
2. Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions.
3. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box.
4. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images.
5. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection.
6. A confidence thermometer is also included as a prompt to identify student confidence in the topic.
The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through:
1. Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available
2. Examiners levelled mark schemes
3. Support writing frames with generic sentence starters
9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemats for the Medicine Through Time course - Topic 4 - Twentieth Century to present day
These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’.
The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the:
a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units
b) support the need for increased literacy demands
c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles
The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit).
Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of:
1. Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words
2. Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions.
3. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box.
4. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images.
5. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection.
6. A confidence thermometer is also included as a prompt to identify student confidence in the topic.
The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through:
1. Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available
2. Examiners levelled mark schemes
3. Support writing frames with generic sentence starters
Cold War (TV Series) Ep.16 - detente - Supporting Worksheet for the BBC / CNN co-production, narrated by Kenneth Brannagh - Written as a extension and enrichment task for GCSE, it would also be appropriate for A Level studies.
Written in Publisher for A3 printing, the document can be edited for printing as a PDF in A4.
The wartime allies demobilise - the United States enjoys its economic strength and resurgence while Britain and the rest of Europe is exhausted. A new series of purges takes place in the Soviet Union, and is ravaged by famine. Germans are expelled from territories now given to Poland by the Soviet Union, and differences emerge over Germany's post-war rehabilitation. Stalin increases his grasp on Eastern Europe, although does not intervene on the side of the Communists in the Greek Civil War. Britain's power influence goes into decline, weakened from the war and a severe winter. Food shortages threatening stability throughout Europe. The United States begins to adopt with a more assertive foreign policy, countering Soviet influence in Turkey and Iran. Interviewees include Lord Annan, Sir Frank Roberts and Paul Nitze. The pre-credits scene features Winston Churchill's 1946 "Iron Curtain" speech in Fulton in the United States, which set the tone for confrontation.
9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemats for - Topic 1 -The Revolutions of 1917
Written in PowerPoint
(The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit).
These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’.
The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the:
a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units
b) support the need for increased literacy demands
c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles
The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit).
Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of:
Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words
Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions.
Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box.
Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images.
Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection.
The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through:
Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available
Examiners levelled mark schemes
Support writing frames with generic sentence starters
EDEXCEL HISTORY GCSE - Topic 3: The Impact of the break with Rome 1529-40
‘HENRY VIII AND HIS MINISTERS’ SUMMARY 'TOPIC ON A PAGE’ consolidation, revision, resource:
This resource provides students with a 'TOPIC ON A PAGE’ summary for each topic of the Henry VIII and his Ministers Unit. It fully covers the syllabus content for each topic and can be used by students and teachers to:
a) consolidate knowledge and understanding to encourage student mastery (embedding academic language and concepts) after students have completed a topic in class or as a homework task, helping them identify areas of strengths and weaknesses
b) as a quick starter activity to review prior learning or weeks/months later as a spaced retrieval practice task. I regularly take sections from the placemats and use them to support spiralled learning.
c) to encourage relevant exam responses - specifically targeting the FEATURES and 12 MARK EXPLAIN questions - knowledge is organised into CAUSES and CONSEQUENCES in line with sample exam questions Students have commented that this has helped them revise an organised and planned response to exam questions that result in a more concise written response in exam conditions.
d) the question squares can be cut up into cards to form an interactive timeline activity or ranking task when completing causation questions. They can also be used to support the HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE questions - organising knowledge into agree and disagree arguments.
e) as a useful revision aid before the final exam. (Many of my Year 11 students rely on these sheets in the final weeks and days of revision and have commented that they have helped make factual recall of the huge volume of the syllabus content more achievable.
The topic on a page summaries can be used as a stand alone resource or in conjunction with the Edexcel Pearson Revision Guide, where all of the answers can be found. This resource can also be used in conjunction with the topic placemats that I have produced to support students in lessons. In particular, I have successfully used the TOPIC ON A PAGE summaries with the ‘EXAM TECHNIQUE’ side of the placemats so when students are given exam questions, they can quickly find relevant supporting knowledge to use in a response. I have used this resource successfully with students targeted Levels 4- 9. It could be easily adapted for students working on or below L3
Please find my placemats at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-history-learning-topic-placemat-for-henry-viii-and-his-ministers-topic-3-the-impact-o-11804699
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9-1 OCR History B, SHP History Learning/Topic Placemats for The People’s Health: 1250 to present day
Written in PowerPoint. Topic Covered:
The People’s Health GCSE Learning Placemat – Topic 3: Industrial Britain 1750-1900
(The reverse side of the placemat remains the same throughout this study unit).
These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful ‘Edexcel Medicine Through Time’ Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ).
My learning placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’. These OCR Placemats are produced to the same quality and have been used by GCSE Students within my MAT.
The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the:
a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units
b) support the need for increased literacy demands through a language for learning section
c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles
The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit).
Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of:
Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words
Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions. (Identified as good practice by leading practitioner such as Hattie and Morrison-McGill).
Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box.
Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images - all categorised under themes that underline each period.
Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Ideas, attitudes & beliefs, wealth & poverty, urbanisation, science and technology and the role of local and national government) and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection.
The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through:
Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available.
Examiners levelled mark schemes
Support writing frames with generic sentence starters
9-1 Edexcel History Learning/Topic Placemats for Superpower Relations and The Cold War - Topic 3 - The End of the Cold War 1980-91
These interactive learning placemats were designed to meet the challenges of the new 9-1 GCSE. They build upon the successful Medicine Through Time Placemats that I previously designed (and which received 5* reviews by all who have purchased them up to the time of launching these new materials – see: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/9-1-edexcel-gcse-history-of-medicine-place-mat-question-structure-11627611 ). The new placemats have been identified as best practice during a ‘Challenge Partners’ review as well as being identified as best practice by other History teachers on the Olevi ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’.
The new design learning placemats support both teachers and students in addressing the:
a) dramatic increase in the curriculum content needed for the different units
b) support the need for increased literacy demands
c) help students become familiar and more confident in recognising the correct response needed for the unprecedented number of different question styles
The placemats are designed to be double sided. One side focuses on the CONTENT: providing an overview of key knowledge and understanding needed (this will change for each topic area within this GCSE unit).
Every placemat across the GCSE range is designed to encourage greater understanding of:
1. Historical Context - through timelines, picture prompts and key words
2. Awareness of the ‘big picture’ so students can see how individual lessons fit into the unit and make clearer links between prior and future learning – through ‘Big Picture’ questions.
3. Better Literacy – through selected ‘language for learning’ vocab box.
4. Memory prompts to support revision – through the use of carefully selected images.
5. Increased awareness of metacognition – through PME (Progress, Monitor and Evaluation Time) questions to encourage students to deconstruct their learning and identify key factors (eg. Social, economic, political) or key individuals and make links between features. A pictorial metacognition man with 5 question prompts will support student reflection.
6. A confidence thermometer is also included as a prompt to identify student confidence in the topic.
The reverse side contains guidance on EXAM TECHNIQUE through:
1. Identifying the nature of the question styles for each GCSE Unit and the allocated marks available
2. Examiners levelled mark schemes
3. Support writing frames with generic sentence starters