This is the dramatic and exciting story of one the first kings of the Shang Dynasty, King Tang of Shang.

This is a recount of the dramatic end to the Shang Dynasty at the Battle of Muye. Pupils will discover the story of the last Shang king, King Zhou, and they will find out why his behaviour lead to the fall of the Shang Dynasty. It could be used for guided reading or as a stimulus for pupils to create their own recounts or drama performances.

This activity encourages pupils to look at the different ways in which Shang people used symbols and ideograms as writing. Pupils can use the web to research different uses of writing and record their findings on the worksheet.

This is an activity that encourages pupils to think about the ancient Shang practice of taking prisoners of war. Pupils will consider the arguments for and against Shang kings taking prisoners of war and they will write and deliver a persuasive argument to support or oppose this practice.

This is an activity that allows pupils to prepare for a class debate. Pupils will place themselves in the shoes of the Shang fighters at the Battle of Muye and they will take part in a debate about whether or not they should defect to the opposing army.

Pupils can use this flowchart to learn about the Dynastic Cycle and the concept of the Mandate of Heaven, a popular philosophy in the time of the Shang Dynasty.

This resource contains a set of picture cards to match up with short explanations. Pupils will become familiar with the different types of artefacts that help us to know about life in the Shang Dynasty

Romans planning for Y3/4. Includes 10 history lessons and 10 literacy lessons. History lessons: 1. Introduction: How did the Roman Empire begin? 2. Rise and Conquer!: How did the Roman army help the Roman Empire to expand? 3. Invading Britannia: How did Britain become part of the Roman Empire? 4. Who was Boudica?: How did Boudica rebel against the Romans? 5. Building up Britain: What did the Romans build after they settled in Britain? 6. Time to Relax!: What did people do for leisure in Roman Britain? 7. Digging up the Past: What do archaeological sites tell us about Roman Britain? 8. Home Sweet Home: What were houses like in Roman Britain? 9. What did the Romans do for us?: What important things did the Romans introduce to Britain? 10. Summing up: What have we learned about this period of history? Literacy Lessons: The ten lessons in this unit aim to give children the opportunity to understand the features of instructions as a genre. In the first week, children will engage with the text type by following instructions to make edible Roman roads out of biscuits, chocolates and custard! There is also a grammar focus on using prepositions and imperative verbs. In the second week, pupils will use drama to develop ideas and extend their vocabulary. They will then plan their own set of instructions about becoming gladiator champions and they will then have the opportunity to draft, edit and present their final instructions. The literacy objectives covered in this unit are: - To give and follow verbal instructions - To use prepositions - To read and follow written instructions - To identify how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning - To use a range of imperative verbs - To prepare a group performance - To make a plan for my writing - To write my own instructions - To edit my writing - To make decisions about how to present my writing The PDF files contain the full lesson plans and all accompanying pupil resources.

A full lesson for KS2 about the Anglo-Saxons settling in Britain, including a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets. Why did the Anglo-Saxons want to settle in Britain? In this lesson pupils learn the difference between invading and settling. They explore some of the key reasons the Anglo-Saxons wanted to settle in Britain, looking at push and pull factors. Pupils will then write a letter from British King Vortigern to persuade a group of Anglo-Saxons to move to Britain. Objectives: To understand the terms ’invaders’ and ‘settlers’ To explain some of the reasons the Anglo-Saxons wanted to settle in Britain The lesson plan includes differentiation ideas to adapt the activities for the needs of your class. You may also like: Anglo-Saxons Unit for KS2: A fully-resourced unit of 10 history lessons for KS2, covering the Anglo-Saxon topic. Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from? A complete lesson for KS2

A full lesson for KS2 about King Alfred the Great, including a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets. Who was Alfred the Great? In this lesson, pupils will find out why Alfred was a significant figure in Anglo-Saxon history. Pupils will listen to Alfred’s story and consider why he left a legacy as a ‘great’ king. They will then design a commemorative statue and be challenged to think about why historians sometimes doubt the truthfulness of the historical sources that tell us about King Alfred. Objectives: To explore the story of Anglo-Saxon King Alfred To consider why Alfred is remembered as ‘The Great’ The lesson plan includes differentiation ideas to adapt the activities for the needs of your class. You may also like: Anglo-Saxons Unit for KS2: A fully-resourced unit of 10 history lessons for KS2, covering the Anglo-Saxon topic. What was it like in an Anglo-Saxon village? A complete lesson for KS2 Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from? A complete lesson for KS2

A full lesson for KS2 about life in an Anglo-Saxon settlement, including a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets. What was it like in an Anglo-Saxon village? This lesson explores life in an Anglo-Saxon settlement. Pupils will take a video tour and think about how the Anglo-Saxons used natural resources to make their settlements safe and self-sufficient. Pupils will design their own settlement maps and think about what different people might be doing in the settlement on a day-to-day basis. Objectives: To explore the features of an Anglo-Saxon settlement To consider what life might have been like for different people living in an Anglo-Saxon village The lesson plan includes differentiation ideas to adapt the activities for the needs of your class. You may also like: Anglo-Saxons Unit for KS2: A fully-resourced unit of 10 history lessons for KS2, covering the Anglo-Saxon topic. Why did the Anglo-Saxons want to settle in Britain? A complete lesson for KS2 Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from? A complete lesson for KS2

A full lesson for KS2 about Anglo-Saxon religion, including a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets. How did the Anglo-Saxons find out about Christianity? This lesson is designed to help pupils to understand key concepts of paganism and Christianity and how the two religions existed side by side in the Anglo-Saxon period. Pupils will complete a dictionary challenge to become familiar with associated vocabulary and then they learn about three important Christian missionaries. They will watch a video to reflect on how Christianity spread across Anglo-Saxon Britain and then design commemorative stained glass windows depicting key figures. Objectives: To find out about Anglo-Saxon religious beliefs To learn about key figures who helped the Anglo-Saxons to find out about Christianity The lesson plan includes differentiation ideas to adapt the activities for the needs of your class. You may also like: Anglo-Saxons Unit for KS2: A fully-resourced unit of 10 history lessons for KS2, covering the Anglo-Saxon topic. What was it like in an Anglo-Saxon village? A complete lesson for KS2 Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from? A complete lesson for KS2

A full lesson for KS2 exploring how Lord Shaftesbury worked through the Factory Act and other campaigns to improve the lives of Victorian children. This resource includes a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets. How did Lord Shaftesbury improve the lives of Victorian children? In this lesson, pupils will learn how Lord Shaftesbury campaigned to improve children’s lives. After learning about the Factory Act, pupils will write a letter from Lord Shaftesbury to the government proposing changes to the law. Finally, pupils will have the opportunity to link Lord Shaftesbury’s work to the legacy of other significant figures from history. Objectives: To explore why Lord Shaftesbury was an important figure To find out how Lord Shaftesbury’s campaigns improved children’s lives during the Victorian period The lesson plan includes differentiation ideas to adapt the activities for the needs of your class. You may also like: Victorians Full Unit for KS2: A fully-resourced unit of 10 history lessons for KS2, covering the Victorians topic. Introduction to the Victorians: (FREE): A full lesson for KS2 introducing the Victorian period, including a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets. Who Was Queen Victoria?; A full lesson for KS2 exploring the life and significance of Queen Victoria, including a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets. Victorian Inventions: A full lesson for KS2 about famous Victorian inventions, including a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets. Industrial Revolution A full lesson for KS2 exploring the impact of the Industrial Revolution, including a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets. Victorian Railways A full lesson for KS2 about the introduction of the railways, including a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets. Victorian Working Children A full lesson for KS2 exploring the topic of jobs for Victorian children, including a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets.

Lesson 3. Let it Grow! Let it grow!: How did Shang farmers provide food for their society? This lesson addresses the question of how farmers were able to irrigate their crops to provide enough food. Pupils will be introduced to the legend of Yu the Great and will consider his influence on the Shang Dynasty. They will learn what kind of food people ate in Shang times and try out a Shang recipe for Ginger Millet Porridge. The PDF file includes the full lesson plan and two pupil activities including the story of Yu the Great and a recipe for Shang porridge. For Upper KS2.

9. Coming to an End: Why did the Shang Dynasty fall in 1046 BC? Pupils will discover the story of the last Shang king, King Zhou, and they will find out why his behaviour lead to the fall of the Shang Dynasty. Pupils place themselves in the shoes of the Shang fighters at the Battle of Muye and they will take part in a debate about whether or not they should defect to the opposing army. Pupils will then have the opportunity to learn about the Dynastic Cycle and the concept of the Mandate of Heaven. The PDF file contains the full lesson plan and three activity sheets including the story of the Battle of Muye.

Lesson 4. Dynasty Drama: Why did the first dynasty of Ogiso end in AD 1180? In this lesson pupils will find out how things changed in Benin Kingdom when the last Ogiso king was exiled from the kingdom and the second dynasty of Obas took charge. Pupils will listen to the dramatic series of events before making their own comic strip version of the story. The PDF file contains the full lesson plan and three

Lesson 5. Obey the Oba!: What were the rulers of Benin Kingdom like? In this lesson pupils will use the Benin Bronze Plaques as historical sources to find out about the 'Obas' who ruled Benin Kingdom. Pupils will use their online research skills to discover more information and then use what they have learned to design their own bronze plaque depicting a powerful Oba. The PDF file contains the full lesson plan and two pupil activity sheets. For Upper KS2.

Lesson 7. Picturing the Kingdom: What was Benin Kingdom art like? In this lesson, pupils will consider what its surviving artwork tells us about Benin Kingdom. They will develop their ability to analyse art work and they will learn the technical vocabulary associated with it. Then pupils will prepare and record their own podcasts about one peice of art from Benin Kingdom and have the opportunity to use what they have learned to create their own works of art. The PDF file contains the full lesson plan and a pupil activity sheet. For upper KS2.

Lesson 2. Settling Down: What was it like in settlements around the Yellow River Plain? This lesson invites pupils to consider the problems faced by people in early Shang settlements. Pupils will discover how Shang people overcame issues of flooding and irrigation problems and they will find out how Shang cities were organised, with an opportunity to design their own Shang city. This PDF file contains the full lesson plan and two pupil activity sheets. For upper KS2.