An image of 27 well-known History graduates. The appropriate point at which to watch this video is made clear in the PowerPoint presentation above. Get the class into teams. Each team will take it in turns to name a different face. Teams are “knocked out†when they run out of ideas. The winning team will…
Category: Year 9 History
Year 9 History Resources
Origins of the British Empire
An example of how Xtranormal can be used as a learning tool: this project was produced as a homework project by one of my Year 9 students.
Year 9 History – Expansion, Trade and Industry
A new workpack to accompany the Coalbrookdale Interactive Census. This completely stand-alone workpack provides 5-6 hours worth of lessons and is a great way to develop sourcework analysis skills.
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.
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).
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
The Tennis Court Oath
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.
Causes of the French Revolution: 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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
Why does the French Revolution Matter? – Teacher PowerPoint Starter
A presentation designed to generate student interest and establish the relevance of the subject.
Worst Jobs in History
A totally updated version of this interactive, self-contained game designed to teach students about some of the worst jobs available to young people in Victorian, Tudor and Middle Ages Britain. Simply answer a series of questions about your personality and preferences, and get a full description of your perfect working-class job. A workheet is provided…
Growth of the British Empire: The Triangular Slave Trade
The Trade Triangle is explained and then students produce a “living graph” of the experience on board the ships using www.classtools.net.
Transatlantic Slave Trade – Unit Starter
Students are presented with a series of images of objects, then of people from different continents, and have to deduce from this evidence what the next topic of study is likely to be.
Starter Activity: Arguments of the Anti-Abolitionists
Students read an extract from the “Gentleman’s Magazine” of 1789 and underline all the arguments the writer puts forward in defence of the slave trade, the considers how these arguments could feasibly be challenged.
The Slave Trade – Test
Students are provided with a selection of possible questions in the GCSE Paper 1 format (a. Describe, b. Explain, c. Assess). They are told that one of these three-part questions will be set as the end of unit assessment – it is up to the teacher which to choose!
Conclusion: How was the Slave Trade Abolished?
Students are presented with a detailed timeline of the process of abolition, and then provided with four different tasks to choose from which will enable them to make sense of the information. Students can choose one or a combination of these tasks to complete.
The Balloon Debate – Who was the most important abolitionist?
Each student is allocated a different character to research and to produce a wiki about. The class then has a balloon debate over several rounds to determine the overall winner. The debate from students at the International School of Toulouse can be seen here.
Starter Activity: Methods of the Abolitionists
This PowerPoint provides students with an overview of the actual methods used by the real abolitionists. How do they compare with the campaigns the students came up with for Alan Sugartrader?
The Apprentice – A Campaign to Abolish the Slave Trade!
Alan Sugartrader of the good ship Amistrad leads the abolitionist movement in your local town. He has invited ambitious young businesspeople to come up with a brand new national campaign designed to generate support for the anti-slavery cause. Using a range of sources and a structured framework for preparation, groups of students have to produce…
Head2Head Worksheets
I have uploaded two worksheets to accompany the Head2Head Virtual Interviews. These are designed to work “off the shelf” and provide focus and direction to students conducting their virutal interviews with Hitler, Henry VIII, Martin Luther King, Dr. Fox and Stalin. 1. Newspaper Interview Task 2. Truth or Fiction Task
Life on the Slave Plantations [2] – Images and Explanations
Students are presented with a series of images and explanations and placed into teams for a competition over several rounds to test knowledge and understanding of life on the slave plantations. Instructions for the game can be found here.
Life on the Slave Plantations [1] – Slave Narratives
Students are placed in role as a real-life slave and read a first-person narrative from this sourcepack. They are then interviewed by the class, who records their findings in an attempt to determine the sorts of punishments inflicted for different types of “crimes” on the slave plantations.
Runaway Slave Advertisements
This PowerPoint displays a series of advertisements for runaway slaves. Students are encouraged to read through each to deduce the sorts of conditions that slaves had to endure
The Art of JMW Turner: PowerPoint Starter
This powerpoint presentation encourages students to analyse two of Turner’s greatest paintings: The Slave Ship and The Fighting Temeraire. Each painting is a great comment on the British Empire and its Slave Trade. A good cross-curricular link!
Origins of the British Empire
Students have to copy and paste key details into the appropriate cells of a table which outlines who, why, where and how the British Empire developed. A great way of providing an overview of the growth of the British Empire.
Chatshow Challenge: the Arab-Israeli Conflict
An end-of-unit activity which tests sourcework skills as well as factual knowledge. Students take on the role of either a Palestinian or an Israeli and go “Head to Head” with an opponent to answer key questions from their own biased perspective. The computer produces two scores for each student for teachers to record in the…
Jack the Ripper Quiz
A new quiz on Jack the Ripper, created using www.classtools.net.
Jack the Ripper: Mini-Sourcework Exercise
Mini-Sourcework exercise on Jack the Ripper. Complete with markscheme to test knowledge and understanding (30 minutes).
Jack the Ripper Source Work
Maxi-sourcework assessment Complete with markscheme to test knowledge and understanding about the Jack the Ripper murders of 1888 (1 hour).
Consequences of the Jack the Ripper Murders
A consolidating lesson which looks at the social outcomes of the Ripper murders. Students are given a sourcework test, complete with a markscheme.
Other evidence about Jack the Riper
Students are presented with other key facts about Jack and use this to make their own deductions about the killer. These ideas can then serve as the basis for a lively discussion in class.
What was Jack’s personality like? – the “Dear Boss” letter
Students analyse the gruesome “Dear Boss” letter to make deductions about Jack’s character. Was he educated? Was he an egomaniac? Can we trust this evidence?
Video Worksheet [1]: An overview of the Jack the Ripper murders and the investigation
This worksheet accompanies the first 40 minutes of the video available from Amazon. It provides a good overview of the East End, the victims and the problems faced by the police.
What did Jack the Ripper look like?
In this worksheet, using witness reports from the crime scenes, students build up their own profile of the killer. How old was he? What social background? What witnesses can be trusted? Why are there such discrepancies between the witness reports?
History Shop
It’s with a great sense of relief that I’ve finally launched the ActiveHistory History Store – a massive repository of history books, history CDs and history DVDs available from Amazon, organised by date period and by genre (historical fiction, popular history, history study books, history dvds). There are hundreds of resources available here which I…
Jack the Ripper – The Police Investigation
This worksheet introduces Charles Warren and Sir Robert Anderson, the policemen in charge of the investigation. Students consider a detailed list of the measures that could have been taken and try to deduce which ones were simply not possible at the time; which ones were possible but which were vetoed by the Home Office and…
Who were Jack the Ripper’s victims?
Students investigate the sad lives of each of Jack’s victims: Polly Nicholls, Annie Chapman, Lizzie Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly – and compare similarities and differences between them by construcing parallel timelines. Were these women to blame for the condition they found themselves in by 1888, or were they victims of the system?
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.
What was the East End like in 1888?
In this worksheet, students are introduced to the terrible social conditions that prevailed in East End of London and make deductions about how these could have helped “Jack”. They are presented with a list of the problems and deprivations in the East End and consider how each would have helped the killer. They also analyse…
Black History – The Middle Passage – Simulation
Take on the role of a kidnapped young African in this simulation and see how well you can maintain your strength in the gruelling “Middle Passage” across the Atlantic in this decision-making activity. Complete with five different lesson plans. Part of an up-and-coming new Black History unit which I am currently developing which will be…
Causes of the Industrial Revolution
I have now added a new factual test to the popular “Horatio Ramsbottom: Victorian Entrepreneur” computer simulation. The game itself has also been expanded to include a new decision point relating to Brunel’s “Great Eastern” project.
Who was the most important person in the Industrial Revolution?
A balloon debate lesson plan and worksheet. Each student produces a single powerpoint slide as a key figure from the industrial revolution period explaining why “they” deserve to be remembered as the most important character overall. The debate which follows is a great way of encouraging students to link and prioritise different types of achievements.
Who was Jack the Ripper? – Simulation
Armed with the profiles that they have built up using the worksheet unit about Jack the Ripper, students go to this ActiveHistory Simulation which asks them a series of questions about what they think they now know about the personality and appearance of the Ripper. The computer then analyses their responses to present them with…
Causes of the French Revolution Essay Task
An essay assignment for Year 9 to round off their study of the Causes of the French Revolution.
Testing title
test post
KS3 History Games for Kids
A selection of KS3 History Games for Kids – try them out!
Video Worksheet [2]: Who were the top suspects?
This worksheet accompanies the final 20 minutes of the video available from Amazon. In this part of the documentary, the top suspects are suggested and the video narrator offers his own view on who the murderer was. This is a stimulating way of following the classroom debate and usually provides some lively discussion.
Coalbrookdale Interactive Census
I spent some time over half term completely rewriting the activities based around the Coalbrookdale Interactive Census of 1861. There is now a complete history lesson pack to accompany the searchable database, which I’ll be trialling with my own Year 9 students over the next two or three weeks. Hope you like it!
Flash Activity: Causes of the Industrial Revolution
A brand new activity for Year 9 History, based at ClassTools.net: Interactive Whiteboard Resources
The Causes of World War Two: Flash Prioritisation Exercise
A new activity designed in Flash to encourage reflection on the respective importance of a variety of factors.
“SNAP!” quiz: Jack the Ripper
A new “race against the clock” game designed for Year 9 students.
Manic Miner, Wordshoot and CannonBall now on the Big Screen!
The popular educational arcade games Manic Miner, Wordshoot and Cannonball Fun have now been amended so that the games fill your screen, whatever its size / resolution!
Middle East Conflict: Google Earth Tours
One from a Palestinian Perspective, one from an Israeli Perspective. Produced by Year 9 students at the International School of Toulouse. Click Here to see their work and the reasoning behind it.
Key Stage 3 History Skills – PowerPoints
Two excellent PowerPoint Presentations for use in the history classroom generously donated to ACTIVEHISTORY by Mr. Richard Fitzsimmons: Communication at KS3 What is Chronology?
SPLAT the Industrial Celebrity!
A brand new version of the popular game, now with a high score board – can you get onto the Hall of Fame with your historical knowledge?
New Game: Worst Jobs of the Industrial Revolution
Careers Advice: Victorian Style! An interactive, self-contained game designed to teach students about some of the worst jobs in Victorian Britain. Simply answer a series of questions about your personality and preferences, and get a full description of your perfect working-class job. A workheet is provided – a great way of spicing up a unit…
The Flight to Varennes
Interactive running dictation exercise: The Flight to Varennes
The Trading Game
Uploaded The Trading Game – an interactive simulation designed to teach students about what continents trade which goods, and what sorts of factors can encourage or hinder international trade. Could be used as a follow-up to a study of the British Empire, or as a cross-curricular link with the Geography theme of Globalisation. I would…
Jack the Ripper: Updated Worksheets
Jack the Ripper Improvements made to several of the worksheets (Victims, Other Evidence, Who Was Jack?)
Head2Head: Martin Luther King, Jr.
Updated the “Virtual Chat with Martin Luther King Jr” to make the text-to-speech facility Firefox compatible.
George III / IV: Propaganda and Censorship
George III / George IV: A stand-alone worksheet designed to develop understanding of censorship and propaganda.
19th Century Crime and Punishment: Interactive Game
Amendments to the “You be the Judge” game – students now have to explain their choices as they go along to ensure they reflect on them.
Industrial Revolution: Interactive Simulation Update!
“Horatio Ramsbottom: Victorian Entrepreneur” decision-making game. Completely rewritten and updated to cover more factors, with a new worksheet and added interactive elements.
The Middle East Crisis
Yr9 The Middle East Conflict 5 Possible Outcomes a new worksheet.JigsawTable Exercise Possible outcomes of the Middle East Conflict
Causes of the French Revolution: Interactive game
Decision Making Adventure Game: The Causes of the French Revolution Would you have been able to help Louis XVI keep his throne? A major interactive decision making game for use in the history classroom, complete with a worksheet. Just log students onto a computer, and away they go!
Play Your Dates Right: Dating Game
Play Your Dates Right Code updated do that all the timelines can be printed off for revision prior to taking the quizzes.
Running Dictation Exercises
Running Dictation Exercises: The Middle East Conflict The Latter Stages of World OneWordshoot Quiz “High Stalinism”: Politics and Culture
The French Revolution: Worksheet unit
Yr8/9 Completed uploading the worksheet unit on The Causes of the French Revolution, designed to be taught over three weeks. The complete unit now looks like this: Interactive Exercises 1. Interactive Exercise By C. Warren at Rochester Girls’ Grammar 2. Interactive Running Dictation: The Fall of the Bastille An innovative activity designed to…
The Storming of the Bastille
Interactive Running Dictation. This first example is on the subject of the Storming of the Bastille, and develops note-taking skills by bombarding them with a series of fast-moving news feeds accompanied by illustrations. I’d welcome members’ feedback on this activity – could it be improved? what other topics would lend themselves well to this approach?