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The French Revolution

World History teaching resources for the high school classroom: lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes and simulation games for KS3, IGCSE, IB and A-Level teachers.


 

French Revolution Worksheets and Lesson Plans

1. Why does the French Revolution Matter? - Teacher PowerPoint Starter
A presentation designed to generate student interest and establish the relevance of the subject.
2. The Fall of the Bastille: Running Dictation Exercise [interactive]
An innovative activity designed to help students learn about the opening stages of the Revolution. There is a worksheet that can be used to accompany the activity.
3. Long-Term Causes of the French Revolution: The Three Estates System
A worksheet designed to be used as a 'back to back' exercise in the classroom. The teacher copy should also be downloaded.
4. Short-Term Causes of the French Revolution: King Louis XVI
A good King? A good man? both? neither?! Students reach their verdict after looking at a variety of primary sources.
5. Short Term Causes of the French Revolution: Marie-Antoinette
The teacher should start by showing students this PowerPoint Presentation of stills from the Kirsten Dunst film to decide what impression is being created.
They then use the worksheet to decide how accurate the interpretation actually is.
Marie-Antoinette
Marie-Antoinette as played by Kirsten Dunst
6. Mid-Term Causes of the French Revolution: War, Economy, Philosophers
Which of these three were the most important? And what nasty "dirt" can we find out on each of these philosophers to minimise the damage to the King?
7. Decision-Making Game: The Causes of the French Revolution: Part 1 [interactive]
Can you help Louis XVI avoid Civil War? A decision-making adventure, complete with sound effects and worksheet tasks.
Students have the ability to proceed straight onto Part 2 of the game when they finish it; I personally prefer not to play the game at this stage, but instead play Part 1 and Part 2 in one go at the end of the study unit as a revision exercise. However, if time is limited (e.g. 30 minute lesson), breaking it into two smaller simulations would be a good idea!
8. Mid-Unit Assessment
Students are provided with a list of possible questions for a GCSE-style test. In a subsequent lesson, the teacher should pick one question at random and the students write their answers in a timed exercise.
8a. Essay-Planning Task
This worksheet is designed to be used in conjunction with the mid-unit assessment in this unit. Students compare, contrast and connect 6 key factors to produce a detailed essay plan.
9. The Tennis Court Oath and the Constitution
A role-play lesson. Students consider how they would have voted on each of the key issues discussed at the Tennis Court, then compare these to what was actually decided.
10. The Flight to Varennes [interactive]
A worksheet to run alongside this innovative activity designed to bring the drama of King Louis XVI's desperate gamble alive
11. Classroom Roleplay: The Trial of King Louis XVI
A one-hour lesson. The class is organised into prosecution, defence and judges and each one has a specific task to prepare for the trial. The roleplay itself is a lively activity which forces the students to think on their feet and critically evaluate the evidence prior to reaching a judgement.
12. The Trial and Execution of King Louis XVI
Primary sources and discussion points relating to the events leading to the death of King Louis XVI (and of Marie-Antoinette).
13. Decision-Making Game: The Causes of the French Revolution: Part 2 [interactive]
Can you help Louis XVI avoid Civil War? The second part of the decision making simulation. As stated earlier, I prefer to play both Part 1 and Part 2 of the simulation in one go at this point.
14. The Terror
Who were the Jacobins and the Girondins? Who was the most evil of them all?
15.

Napoleon Bonaparte: Hero or Villain?
Students conduct a "round robin" exercise, gathering information from their classmates after each student is given just one piece of information from this list. They then have to categorise their points and put them into a diagram using classtools.net.

16.

Conclusion Debate
did the French Revolution change a lot, or just a little? For the better, or for the worse?

 

 

End of Unit Interactive Quizzes

1. Manic Miner Game: The French Revolution
2. CannonBall Fun Game: The French Revolution
3. Wordshoot Game: The French Revolution
4. Interactive Exercise
By C. Warren at Rochester Girls' Grammar


 


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