Was Henry VIII really a good old chap, or was he more of a monster? Get your class to decide and write the the NPG to tell them if they should stock his memorabilia.
Should the National Portrait Gallery sell Henry VIII cushions?
Lessons
Religion and Beliefs in the Early Modern Period
Download this free knowledge-rich plan for a 5 enquiry study into Beliefs in the Early Modern Period. This fits into our coherent Key Stage 3 curriculum. After teaching the overview lesson to the Early Modern Period and then looking briefly at Henry VIII’s reign, you can tackle the key theme[…]
Why did the ideas of Martin Luther go viral?
This clever and accessible enquiry introduces some of the key aspects of The Reformation in Europe. It considers the context in which Martin Luther’s ideas were popularised and disseminated across Europe. It gets students to group and categorise information about the causes of the spread of Protestant ideas, before prioritising[…]
How should we tell the story of Richard Whiting’s execution?
The first lesson of this series, explores how historians should write about the past. Your students will listen to a gruesome execution story of Richard Whiting’s execution on Glastonbury Tor in 1539, and then re-write it. But which historian will approve? Starkey or Von Ranke?
Why was Richard Whiting executed?
Inspired by a session Michael Riley give at the SHP conference many years ago, we have developed this free murder mystery which never fails to engage. This is a great way to teach the reasons behind the English Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries through one individual’s story.
Why was St Winifred’s Church vandalised in the 1500s?
Starting in the present this quirky approach acts as a window into The Reformation. Why, when and who ordered the vandalism inside this church?
Early Modern Beliefs Knowledge Organiser
Download this knowledge organiser for this unit focusing on beliefs in the Early Modern Period. The unit is centred around the question: To what extent did religious beliefs dramatically change for everyone during the Early Modern Period? This knowledge organiser provides your students with the core substantive knowledge they will need[…]
How far were ordinary people really impacted by the Reformation?
This enquiry takes as its starting point the different historiographical interpretations of the Reformation. On one hand, ‘Whig’ historians would consider the Reformation as part of an inevitable process of change, arguing that the religious changes were accepted almost immediately. However, ‘revisionist’ historians suggest that the changes were accepted much[…]
Early Modern Beliefs Substantive Knowledge Test
Download this substantive knowledge test the unit on Beliefs in the Early Modern Period. It tests your students’ core knowledge from this unit of work. Use it alongside an end product from one of the enquiries in this unit to provide you with assessment information about your students substantive and[…]
Cultural Encounters in the Early Modern Period
Download this free knowledge-rich plan for a 5 enquiry study into Cultural Encounters between Britain and the wider world in the Early Modern Period. This fits into our coherent Key Stage 3 curriculum. These enquiries focus in on England’s relationship with the ‘New World’ of the Americas. They also look[…]
Why was privateering so common in the Early Modern Period?
This enquiry challenges some of the depictions of ‘pirates’ in popular culture (as shown in the photo), introducing students to the real-life privateers of the early modern period. First, your students first create a graph to show the highs and lows of English privateering activities during the early modern period.[…]
Should Walter Raleigh be honoured with a national day of remembrance?
This enquiry encourages students to explore the concept of significance. They apply the model advanced by Geoffrey Partington to judge the significance of the explorations made by Columbus and Raleigh. Students rate the significance of these explorations using a radar graph. They have a choice of end tasks allowing them[…]
Was the Plymouth Colony of 1620 a success?
This enquiry explores one of England’s earliest attempts to establish an American colony. You know the one. The one that was led by a group of Puritans escaping persecution under King James I. In the lesson, students employ criteria to judge the colony’s success, considering evidence from a range of[…]
Early Modern Cultural Encounters Knowledge Organiser
Download this knowledge organiser for this unit focusing on cultural encounters in the Early Modern Period. The unit provides you with enquiries linking Britain to the wider world, particularly the Americas. It also focuses on Spain’s empire-building there. This knowledge organiser provides your students with the core substantive knowledge they[…]
Can the vandalism of ‘Conquistador’ Hernàn Cortés’ memorial be justified?
This enquiry takes as its focus the recent vandalism of a Hernàn Cortés statue in Spain. Students are invited to consider whether the vandalism – carried out by those sympathetic to Mexico’s conquest at the hands of the Spanish – was justified; was Cortés a cruel and oppressive coloniser? Or[…]
What is the lasting legacy of the Spanish Empire?
This enquiry focuses on the consequences and long-lasting impact of Spain’s huge ‘New World’ empire. Spain was one of the first European powers to develop a large overseas empire. Although many countries that came under Spanish control gained their independence in the 19th century, the impact of Spanish influence was[…]
Early Modern Cultural Encounters Substantive Knowledge Test
Download this substantive knowledge test the unit on Cultural Encounters in the Early Modern Period. It tests your students’ core knowledge from this unit of work. Use it alongside an end product from one of the enquiries in this unit to provide you with assessment information about your students substantive[…]
How to get the best out of the Edexcel British Depth Study: Early Elizabethan England
Lots of thinking has gone into planning and resourcing the Edexcel British Depth Study Early Elizabethan England. You will be guided through the principles and practice of what quality teaching and assessment looks like. This scheme will make your life easier.
How to get the most out of the AQA Elizabethan England British Depth Study
Lots of thinking has gone into planning and resourcing the AQA British Depth Study Elizabethan England c:1568 – 1603. The rationale behind this comes straight from successful classroom practice. The entire course has been structured around 10 core principles designed to support learning. The Elizabethan England SOW with fully resourced lesson enquiries has been created to increase engagement[…]
ELIZABETHANS 1558-88 – Scheme of Work
Early Elizabethan England for Edexcel 9-1 GCSE
Your GCSE students will be inspired, engaged and challenged throughout these 16 enquiry-led lessons which chart the life and reign of Elizabeth I.
Elizabethan England 1568-1603 for AQA 9-1 GCSE
Teach motivating GSCE lessons that will help raise attainment for the AQA 9-1 Early Elizabethan England British Depth Study, and save yourself hours of planning time. Your GCSE students will be engaged throughout these enquiry-led lessons which chart life during the reign of Elizabeth I. You will cover the required content and teach the[…]
How was Elizabeth’s character and reign shaped by events in her early life?
This enquiry creates interest by focusing on the personal story and drama of Elizabeth I’s turbulent early life. This informed her character and therefore perhaps influenced later aspects of her reign.
What problems did Elizabeth face at the beginning of her reign?
Students learn the understand the various responsibilities of a 16th Century monarch, as well as the challenges and opportunities.
How did Elizabeth maintain her authority?
This enquiry follows on well from the lesson on Elizabeth’s problems in 1558. It helps students understand the mechanics of Elizabethan government and the methods used by the monarch to keep control of the country. The enquiry focuses on the 5Ps of Elizabethan power – progresses, portraits, patronage, privy council and Parliament.[…]
How serious a challenge did Elizabeth face from the Puritans?
At risk of simplification, puritans could be a joyless lot. Not so in this enquiry. Beginning with a ‘Mr and Mrs ‘style recap of puritan beliefs, your students quickly begin to evaluate the level of challenge the puritans posed to Elizabeth and her Religious Settlement. After a post-it relay to[…]
What kind of Church did Elizabeth choose in 1559?
This clever and quirky enquiry takes a lot of quite complex and potentially dry material on religion and makes it pop. The accompanying audio reconstructions help bring the whole thing to life, giving a voice to the different religious groups in Elizabethan society. You will make use of paintings to[…]
How big a threat was Mary Queen of Scots to Elizabeth in 1568?
In this enquiry the fascinating Mary Stuart is introduced into proceedings. Your students will learn how much her arrival on a windswept Cumbrian beach led to a dramatically more uncertain political climate in England. They get an idea of Mary’s turbulent past and family background. Then, they weigh up the[…]
What made the Northern Earls Revolt in 1569?
They marched with Catholic banners before them and ransacked Durham Cathedral, destroying Protestant prayer books before hearing a Mass. But were the Northern Earls acting purely out of a religious zeal to restore Catholicism? It is very difficult to be sure just what motivated the Earls of Westmoreland and Northumberland[…]
What threat did Catholic plots pose to Elizabeth?
Elizabeth faced a number of domestic challenges from Catholics, beginning with the Revolt of the Northern Earls and ending with the Babbington Plot and the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. But just how dangerous a threat were these events? Your students are tasked with advising a documentary maker on how[…]
