Keystage history

£2.2. million to be spent on time-saving curriculum materials in hist, geog and science

Sounds great doesn’t it. Even better when you realise that the money is to fund school-based initiatives rather than top-down material generated by DfE. (Remember the QCA schemes of work-God…

Using History Hits as a starter at KS3 and GCSE

Nearly all of us have asked pupils to jot down 10 things about a topic as a useful starter to get students focused. It works pretty well, but I have…

Early Islamic civilization – KQ1 – Why should we study the early Islamic civilizations in school today? SMART TASK

One of the misfortunes of a long history of stereotyping and conflict between Islam and the West is that it has fostered ignorance. Muslims and westerners know too little of…

Early Islamic civilization – KQ2 – How was the Islamic civilization able to spread so far, so quickly?

In this demanding but important overview session pupils have to work out from clues the key reasons for Islam’s growth before going on to classify and prioritise them. The session…

Early Islamic civilization – KQ3 – What can we learn about early Islamic civilization from the way they set up the capital at Baghdad?

Pupils are first asked to design a picture showing what Baghdad would have looked like 1,000 years ago. It is best if they draw it as an aerial view- a…

Early Islamic civilization – KQ4 – What was so special about Baghdad in its Golden Age?

In it’s Golden Age, ten times more people lived in Baghdad than in London. So what was so special about it? And how can we possibly know? Pupils work on…

Early Islamic civilization – KQ5 – Just how amazing was daily life for rich people in Islamic cities such as Baghdad and Cordoba?

Pupils in role as rich Saxon visitors to 10C Islamic cities, have to capture the essence of these amazingly sophisticated cities. Towards the end of their journey they have to…

The best way to plan your history topic at KS1 and 2 for September

It may seem odd that I’m still peddling advice on how to plan a primary history topic when schools have been doing this for the national Curriculum for nearly 30…

Mayan civilization – KQ1 – Why do we study the Maya in history at KS2?

Following a brief introduction to locate the Mayan civilization in time and place, stress that we knew very little about this society until recent excavations. Then give over most of…

Mayan civilization – KQ2 – Reasons why the Maya empire grew – When so much of the land they lived in was mountain and jungle, how did the Maya manage to become so important?

This is a contentious area and historians cannot be sure so it is a quick overview type lesson. Learning objectives Pupils are able to offer at least 2 valid reasons…

Mayan civilization – KQ3 – What was everyday life in Mayan civilization? How different was it for rich and poor?

Having been introduced to the nature of Mayan society with its clear hierarchy, and having seen various models and artists’ impressions of life in Mayan city states 1,200 years ago,…

Mayan civilization – KQ4 – How can we possibly know what was life like for the Mayan people 1,000 years ago? SMART TASK

Introduction This multi-faceted enquiry ranges from scene-setting story telling, and making deductions (using the strategies Zones of Inference and Prove it!), through to creative uses of evidence with Call My…

Mayan civilisation – KQ5 – Mayan civilization and human sacrifice

KQ5 If the Maya were so civilized why then did they carry out human sacrifice? SMART TASK Please note that this can be a delicate issue to be treated with…

Mayan civilisation – KQ5 additional information – Ideas to support your teaching of the Maya religious practices

How will you present cultural practices that differ from our own, such as human sacrifice, as practised by the Maya? Are you guilty of cultural chauvinism? While human sacrifice appears…

Mayan civilisation – KQ6 – Why did the Mayan empire decline?

How can we solve the riddle of why the Mayan empire ended so quickly? When there are apparently 88 competing theories about the end of the Mayan civilisation where do…

Y6 pupils play film detectives to learn about government propaganda SMART TASK

Using a short Ministry of Information film, which last just 8 minutes and can be accessed online here (please note we do not have copyright for this and you will…

Mayan civilisation – KQ6 – Additional information – Why did 90% of Maya ‘disappear’ around 900AD?

This article comes largely from the Historical Association website Around 900AD, most of the Maya disappeared from the historical record. Many of their cities were deserted. No more stelae [special…

KS2 Islam -Today is anniversary of start of Building of Baghdad

If you are teaching Islamic civilization at KS2 you might like to watch a short podcast which looks at the start of the building of Baghdad on 31 July 762.

Brief 10 question diagnostic assessment task for KS2 Ancient Egypt

Pupils have to answer 10 fairly open ended questions for which answers are provided reflecting the knowledge and understanding outlined in the medium term planner. Q1 How can we know…

What history skills should we be developing?

It is often helpful have a short list of key historical skills which is neither too daunting nor too convoluted. Here is one such list. But where do you think…

Spanish Armada: 430th anniversary- great lessons to enjoy for KS2 and 3

Those of you teaching the Spanish Armada at KS2 or 3, will know that today is the 430th anniversary of the decisive battle of Gravelines. You may not know that…

Teaching Stone Age to Iron Age at KS2 : Building your confidence

This excellent website offers you a very short, reliable summary of all the key points you need to teach to your KS2 pupils. Towards the end of the topic you…

Trump’s woeful ignorance of own country’s Cold War history

I know we shouldn’t be surprised when Trump commits another faux pas, but I can’t help admitting that my hackles rose particularly high this afternoon when I heard him claim…

Teaching KS3 History: Significant world society/issue

Area 7 of the new National Curriculum for history makes it mandatory for schools to teach at least one study of a significant society or issue in world history and…

Why did President Truman drop the atomic bombs in August 1945? A study in interpretations SMART TASK KS3

This is a well-covered topic and most of you will already have your own favoured approach. For that reason I am not offering just one lesson but instead a series…

Fighting Fit. What did Florence do to improve the lives of the soldiers when she arrived in the Crimea?

In this lesson children compare the appalling conditions in the hospitals on Florence’s arrival at Scutari. With the help of animated rats!! They list the most significant problems and then…

Planning for teaching Ancient Greece KS2

The main foci throughout this planner are: Ideas, Beliefs, Attitudes (especially the role of women); Way of life (contrasting Athens with Sparta and grasping that ideas flourished in a society…

Using drama to teach the Gunpowder Plot at KS1: a big hat, a lantern and a sleeping guard

You may choose to use drama for any number of reasons. You might simply want to recap the story. Perhaps your aim is to deepen children’s understanding of the plotters’…

Ignorant minister Nick Gibb says history teachers don’t use textbooks

Nick Gibb climbed on his hobby horse again this week and criticised teachers for not using textbooks more. The replacement of textbooks with work sheets and hundreds of thousands of…

Great new GCSE Crime and Punishment resource

Some of the world’s first police mugshots have been revealed showing criminals caught more than 150 years ago, including the earliest joyrider jailed for stealing a horse and cart. The…

Ancient Greece – KQ1 Part 1 – How can we possibly know so much about the Ancient Greeks who lived over 2,500 years ago?

Any study of ancient Greek society must begin with an appreciation of the physical features of Greece. Landform and climate do not explain the vast and varied achievements of the…

Only 1 in 50 children can spot fake news-teach them history

According to a survey published today only 1 in 50 primary pupils have sharp enough critical skills to detect fake news. It concluded : If we don’t take urgent action…

Ancient Greece – KQ1 Part 2 – Theseus and the Minotaur: Is there any evidence for the legend?

This KS2 smart task places pupils in the role of detectives trying to prove that the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur may actually have been been a fact. First…

Ancient Greece – KQ1 Part 2 – Background information

This short article provides some background information to support your teaching of Key Question 1 Part 2. Set the lesson in a chronological framework. It is probably worth chunking up…

Ancient Greece – KQ2 Part 1 – What can we work out about everyday life in Ancient Athens?

There are three distinct parts to Key Question 2 but each centrally based around the need for pupils to use evidence of different forms. The introductory PowerPoint shows 4 contrasting…

Ancient Greece – KQ2 Part 2 – Ancient Greek vases: the answer lies on the pot

This KS2 history lesson, in which the decoration of a Greek pot is slowly revealed, features two cracking activities designed to set pupils thinking deeply, laterally and creatively. It is…

Ancient Greece – KQ2 Part 3 – What was life like for women in Ancient Greece?

This simple lesson on life for women in Ancient Greece, based around a PowerPoint presentation, makes an excellent contribution to literacy and also makes pupils aware of the nature of…

Ancient Greece – KQ3 Part 1 – Why was Athens able to be so strong in the 5th and 6th century BC?

As well as recapping Athens’ natural advantages (coastline to trade by sea, expand into colonies and capture slaves) and their natural resources (silver mines) pupils focus on the significance of…

Ancient Greece – KQ3 Part 2 – The Battle of Marathon. A history mystery

This lesson on the Battle of Marathon makes a major contribution to pupils’ thinking skills. They are presented with a paradox. How could the David of Athens beat the Goliath…

Ancient Greece – KQ3 Part 3 – comparing six contrasting interpretations of the original Marathon run

Interesting session comparing six contrasting interpretations of the original Marathon run, followed by analysis of which to believe and understanding of why we have so many versions. Introduce with slide…

Ancient Greece – KQ3 Part 3 – Additional Information – 10 Things Your Pupils Need To Know About Pheidippides ’Marathon’ Run

1. Herodotus makes no mention of the run from Marathon to Athens The principal source for the battle of Marathon is the Greek historian Herodotus. He makes no mention of…

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Written by Neil Thompson