A new decision-making simulation about Hitler’s Foreign Policy and the Origins of World War Two. By playing this game you will learn about how Hitler’s policies led to World War Two, and consider whether this war could have been prevented. There are three worksheets to go with this activity, which easily fills a full one-hour…
Category: 1900-2000 (GCSE History)
Using Facebook in the Classroom
I’m always keen to make use of technologies which students are obsessed with – and one of the most popular is Facebook. I had the idea that the “newsfeed” feature offered fantastic opportunities to produce timelines of topic-based events in an engaging way. Take a look at this “Causes of the Russian Revolution” Facebook Newsfeed….
League of Nations – End of Unit Essay Task
A new League of Nations worksheet for IGCSE to accompany the new decision making game.
Agreements Reached Outside the League of Nations
A new League of Nations worksheet for IGCSE to accompany the new decision making game.
League of Nations – Disarmament
A new League of Nations worksheet for IGCSE to accompany the new decision making game.
League of Nations – Social Problems
A new League of Nations worksheet for IGCSE to accompany the new decision making game.
League of Nations – Border Disputes – Extension Task
A new League of Nations worksheet for IGCSE to accompany the new decision making game.
The League of Nations – Border Disputes
A new League of Nations worksheet for IGCSE to accompany the new decision making game.
League of Nations – Structural Problems
A new League of Nations worksheet for IGCSE to accompany the new decision making game.
Membership Problems – Extension Task
A new League of Nations worksheet for IGCSE to accompany the new decision making game.
League of Nations – Membership Problems
A new worksheet for IGCSE to accompany the new decision making game.
Aims and Strengths of the League of Nations
A new worksheet for IGCSE to accompany the new decision making game.
Culture of the Weimar Republic
A new Fling the Teacher Quiz with 30 randomised questions for GCSE History.
Causes for Germany’s Defeat in World War One: Quiz
30 possible questions in this quiz based on the information in the worksheets within this unit.
Sourcework Project: Why did Germany and her Allies Lose World War One?
A sourcework exercise in the style of the International Baccalaureate. There is also a generic markscheme and suggestions on how to structure each answer.
Interactive Cartoon Analysis: German involvement in the Spanish Civil War
Five cartoons, 10 questions: students provide their own answers using the writing framework provided, then they can compare their answers alongside model answers which I have written to help them revise. A great way to develop sourcework skills.
German involvement in the Spanish Civil War – Sourcework
A new sourcework exercise complete with markscheme, to accompany the complete scheme of work designed to accompany the IGCSE compulsory sourcework paper for summer 2009.
Social and Economic Impact of the First World War
In this worksheet, students consider the types of questions that come up in the exam, and use the wikis produced by each other to plan and then write an answer.
Economic and Social Impact of World War One
Wiki Project: In this worksheet, students are allocated different research projects about World War One upon which to produce a wiki page [samples available here].
World War One Simulation: Life in the Trenches
A brand new release of this popular decision-making game for GCSE History. In this game you will be a British soldier who joins the army in 1914 to fight the Germans. You will have to make decisions in tough circumstances. At the end you will be given a score. By playing this game you will…
Political Quiz: Am I Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democract?
A new version of the comprehensive decision making exercise, with a facility for class results to be emailed as a batch to the teacher at the end of the session.
NEW GAME: How would you have run the League of Nations?
Be in role as an ambitious civil servant on the make! Complete with two worksheets, this game forms the basis of the topic and thoroughly covers all of the important issues for GCSCE History.
Sourcework Exercise: The Causes of the Spanish Civil War
A selection of sources and questions designed to round off the unit on the Causes of the Spanish Civil War.
Causes of the Spanish Civil War: Introduction and Overview Worksheet
This worksheet helps students understand the significance of the Spanish Civil War. It should be used in conjunction with this PowerPoint Presentation.
Causes of the Spanish Civil War: Quiz
20 Question Factual Test: Designed to test and consolidate knowledge from the previous two activities about the Causes of the Spanish Civil War
Causes of the Spanish Civil War: Interactive Newsfeed
Students complete a series of notes “against the clock” using this interactive newsfeed activity which gives them a detailed account of the main events in Spanish History leading up to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1936. They then use their completed notes to complete this timeline worksheet, organising their ideas into those which…
The Assassination of Peter Stolypin
For IB / A-Level historians. A primary source account. Was Stolypin the last hope that the Tsarist regime had to survive? Would his reforms have succeeded given “Twenty years of peace”?
How Should we Commemorate the Holocaust?
Students consider the purpose of commemoration and then design their own Holocaust memorial after looking at a wide range of examples from around the world.
GCSE History Paper 1 Markscheme with sample answers re. the Causes of World War One
Although the Causes of World War One will be tested in IGCSE History Paper 2 in Summer 2008, it will also be tested in Paper 1. Reading through this markscheme and the sample answers will be good way to start your history revision process.
The Legacy of the Holocaust: Israel and Palestine
This worksheet encourages students to consider how the Arab-Israeli conflict is in large part Hitler’s Third Reich’s most lasting legacy.
Why did Hitler Hate the Jews?
This worksheet explains not merely why Hitler hated the Jews, but also why the Jews have been persecuted throughout the ages in countries across Europe. Students connect these factors in a flow diagram and categorise them as religious, racial, economic and social. This worksheet is supported by this antisemitic propaganda for children, and antisemitic propaganda…
IGCSE History Paper 2 Sourcework Focus – Markschemes and Sample Answers
Paper 2 Sourcework Focus – Markschemes and Sample Answers Students can read through these sample answers and grade each one. For each question there is a good, average and below average answer. Can they spot which is which and explain why?
Opposition in Nazi Germany
After looking at the different versions of the famous Niemoller poem in the powerpoint starter, Students use the main worksheet to compare how different social groups opposed the Nazis, and then use this information to complete one of several suggested tasks after completing a factual test. My own students produced “Hollywood Trailers” which can be…
Connecting Factors: The Causes of World War Two
With the main themes revised, students now have to connect the Causes of the Second World War together meaningfully and summarise three essential points of information about each theme using this flowchart.
Nazi Religious Policies
Nazi Religious Policies: By means of a venn diagram, students investigate the various ways in which the Nazis tried to control replace and weaken the Catholic and Protestant Churches.
Weimar Germany 1918-21 Quizzes
A new set of quizzes on Weimar Germany 1918-21 for GCSE-Level History. Choose from Manic Miner, Wordshoot, Cannonball Fun or Matching Pairs.
Stalin and Collectivisation
A new running dictation exercise providing students with thorough details about Stalin’s policies for agriculture, including the Ukrainian Famine of 1932. Designed to accompany the full IB / A-Level unit on Stalin’s USSR.
The Rise of Stalin
A new interactive running dictation exercise which outlines the main events in the final years of Lenin’s life which led to the Rise of Stalin as dictator of the USSR.
Why Appeasement? (GCSE History)
A new diamond 9 diagram for GCSE Historians studying the causes of World War Two. Get students to elaborate on each factor and rearrange them in an order that makes sense to them. They can then use it to answer the question “Why did Britain pursue a policy of appeasement?” Click here for full screen…
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
Causes of World War One
A one-sided summary sheet for GCSE History Revision.
Causes of Spanish Civil War: Conclusion
Students use this worksheet to summarise – and then crucially to connect – the various factors relating to the Origins of the Spanish Civil War. They are then given advice on how to structure an essay.
The Spanish Second Republic
A worksheet in which students are given detailed information about The Spanish Second Republic and then asked to analyse it in various ways.
Fling the Teacher Challenge: The Rule of Primo de Rivera
An interactive computer game to test factual knowledge. The first student to finish should be given 20 points; the second student 18; and so on. I build up a “Fling the Teacher Leaderboard” over the whole course to build up a bit of competition…!
Primo de Rivera
Interactive Jigsaw Table Exercise: The Rule of Primo de Rivera [interactive]: Students have to read each key event, then decide whether it represents success or failure and in what particular policy area. The computer gives a score at the end, writes up the information in the correct order, and provides follow-up questions.
IB History, new syllabus resources
A new page outlining how I plan to teach the new International Baccalaureate syllabus as from September 2008, complete with links and resources.
Spanish Civil War: Map Task
Spain in 1923: Mapwork Task (Recommended as a homework at any point so far in this unit): Students are provided with essential information about the main locations relating to the economic, military, political, regional and social issues within Spain in the years immediately prior to the Spanish Civil War. This information is used to construct…
Hitler, Nazi Germany and the Spanish Civil War – Quiz
An end of unit interactive test designed to accompany the IGCSE Sourcework scheme of work unit at www.activehistory.co.uk.
What were the consequences of the Spanish Civil War for Spain, Hitler and Nazi Germany?
Students are provided with a list of essential points relating to the international consequences of the Spanish Civil War. These are analysed in terms of what Hitler’s objectives were, and what the actual results were – thereby keeping a close focus on the subject of the sourcework paper for 2009 (Germany Involvement in the Spanish…
What were the main events of the Spanish Civil War?
Students should be provided with this interactive newsfeed covering the main events of the Spanish Civil War and then divide these into “Good news for the Republic” and “Bad news for the Republic”. They then have to use their own knowledge of international events in the 1930s to add a final column in the timeline…
Germany and the Spanish Civil War: Guernica
The most notorious example of German involvement in the Spanish Civil War was when the Nazi Condor Legion bombed the Basque city of Guernica. This lesson investigates the event through a detailed analysis of Picasso’s painting provided by Simon Schama’s excellent documentary (available here).
What did Nazi Germany contribute to the Spanish Civil War?
A decision-making exercise. Students are asked a series of questions about how they think Hitler should have organised his help to Franco’s Nationalists. The teacher then tells the students what actually happened in each case so that the class can discuss the merits and drawbacks of each policy. Sourcework questions round the exercise off.
Why did Germany get involved in the Spanish Civil War?
Students analyse a series of written sources – primary and secondary – to develop an understanding of why Germany got involved in the Spanish Civil War. By comparing, contrasting, organising points under key headings and summarising their findings, students will end this lesson with a sound grasp of Germany’s motives. Sourcework questions invite students to…
German involvement in the Spanish Civil War: Quiz
A mid-unit test to accompany the complete scheme of work at activehistory.
Causes of the Spanish Civil War: Sourcework for IGCSE History
A series of pictorial and written sources with questions about the causes of the Spanish Civil War designed to familiarise students with the format of the IGCSE Sourcework examination.
IGCSE History: Causes of the Spanish Civil War
In this worksheet, students use this interactive newsfeed to develop an understanding of the main events leading up to the Spanish Civil War, which they then categorise into social, economic, military and political factors. They produce a biased account from either a Republican or a Nationalist perspective, then consolidate their knowledge by producing a learning…
What was the International Significance of the Spanish Civil War?
This worksheet outlines why the Spanish Civil War was so important in an international sense. The roles of the major powers are outlined and compared and cartoons relating to the non-intervention committee are analysed.
Stalin historiography: Montefiore, Figes, Applebaum, Conquest
A worksheet which provides an overview of the most recent historiography by Montefiore, Applebaum, Figes and others and sets a series of questions about the most popular themes that seem to be arising.
German Involvement in the Spanish Civil War
A complete scheme of work with interactive exercises and worksheets for IGCSE History. Nazi involvement in the Spanish Civil War is the sourcework paper for examinations in 2009!
Who was Responsible for the Holocaust?
A thorny subject, but an important one: were the German people “Hitler’s Willing Executioners”? GCSE History Students consider the evidence for both sides to reach their own judgement.
The Spanish Civil War: IB History
A new study guide for IB History students outlining the relevance of the topic, its causes and consequences.
Nazi Policies for Jews, 1939-4
The development of the Final Solution in the Third Reich is examined and students produce their own classroom presentation.
The Causes of the Cold War: History Study Guide
A new study guide for IB History outlining the relevance of the Cold War, its causes and the key questions.
Nazi Policies for Jews, 1933-39
Students consider whether each antisemitic policy in Hitler’s Third Reich was designed to threaten, humiliate or physically weaken the Jewish people. They consider how the international community responded to Nazi policies. They then consider what the law should really be regarding the treatment of immigrants and national minorities.
GCSE: Manchuria / Abyssinia Quiz
A new Fling the Teacher Quiz designed for GCSE History Revision.
Nazi Propaganda
An analysis of a whole range of Nazi propaganda techniques from Hitler’s Third Reich including sport, posters and cinema. For each, students have to assess evidence of success and failure.
IGCSE / GCSE History Paper 1 Sample Answers
Paper 1 Structured Questions focus – Interactive Cartoon Analysis A large range of cartoons covering the 1919-39 period. For each one, students are asked a sourcework question focusing on the message of the source, and then a three-part Paper 1 style question. When they have written their answer in timed conditions, the computer provides model…
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…
Nazi Policies towards Women
In this worksheet GCSE history students analyse one of Hitler’s speeches to determine how the Third Reich justified the Nazi policy of “Kinder, Kirche, Kuche”. They then categorise his actions according to whether they encouraged women to stay at home or have more babies.
Youth Policies: [2] Youth Organisations in Hitler’s Third Reich
GCSE history students compare the Hitler Youth and the League of German Maidens by constructing a dialogue designed to highlight the positive and negative features about each.
Nazi Youth Policies: [1] Schools in the Third Reich
Youth Policies: [1] Schools Students match entries from Nazi School Textbooks to the subjects they describe, then each student in the class has a “Napola” school report written for them by several people in the class.
Nazi Germany – Social Policies [3]: The Moral Maze
Social Policies [3]: The Moral Maze: Students are presented with a logical defence of the principles of Eugenics and Social Darwinism as they existed in the Third Reich. They are then asked how they would nevertheless challenge some of its assertions both on rational and on moral grounds. One to get them thinking and debating!
Nazi Social Policies [2]: The European Dimension of Social Darwinism
A stimulating worksheet in which students are shown how many of Hitler’s ideas stemmed from social darwinism theories and practices in Europe and America which were popular at the time (and since). A crucial worksheet which helps students get away from the idea that Hitler was a peculiarly “German” problem.
GCSE History – Nazi Germany Social Policies: Overview
Students are divided into groups to investigate Nazi social policies towards undesirables and untermenschen. They are instructed how to organise a PowerPoint show to give to the rest of the class and the findings are recorded in a grid.
The Kronstadt Uprising, 1921: Lenin’s Year of Crisis
A new interactive exercise for A-Level / IB History students in which students are presented with a series of news feeds about the Kronstadt Rebellion of 1921 which spelt the end of War Communism and the introduction of the New Economic Policy (NEP).
Causes of World War Two
Causes of World War Two: Past Exam Questions and Research Task This GCSE History handout outlines the main causes of World War Two: The Peace Treaties, the Weaknesses of the League, the Depression, Hitler’s Foreign Policy, Manchuria and Abyssinia, Appeasement, the Nazi-Soviet Pact. It also provides a list of past history examination questions. Students have…
GCSE History Source Work
Sourcework Exercise: The Causes of World War One Six important sources, each one looking at a different cause of the World War One, with GCSE History questions and suggested approaches.
Causes of World War One: History Revision
Causes of World War One: Connecting the Factors: A diagram which helps students to connect the various causes together rather than simply list them.
Hegel, Marx and Dialectics
For IB / A-Level historians. An accessible introduction to the concepts of Hegelian and Marxist Dialectic which will stand students in good stead for 20th Century Soviet history.
Causes of the First World War
This handout provides a breakdown of the most recent questions from the IGCSE History examination focusing on the Causes of the First World War. It then provides advice about how to prepare history revision notes for each area using this template.
Causes of the Spanish Civil War Simulation
A brand new history game for students of the Spanish Civil War. After reading about each of the problems facing Spain on the eve of the civil war, students rank them according to urgency and then have to decide which policy seems the most appropriate response to each problem. At the end of the simulation…
Social Conditions in the Countryside in Tsarist Russia
For IB / A-Level historians. A series of sources and questions outlining the state of agriculture at the time that Peter Stolypin became prime minister.
Historiography of the October Revolution of 1917
Students consider the main questions which divide historians and form their own judgement on which answers they find the most convincing.
The Reign of Nicholas II (to 1905) [interactive]
For IB / A-Level historians. A “Fling the Teacher” quiz designed to test how much students have learned. Give 10 marks for the first person to finish, 9 for second place, and so on.
Historiography of the February Revolution of 1917
Students consider the main questions which divide historians and form their own judgement on which answers they find the most convincing.
The Events of 1904-1905: The Russo-Japanese War, Bloody Sunday and the 1905 Revolution [computer activity]
For IB / A-Level historians. In this exercise, students are presented with a wide range of primary source material which “tells the story” of 1904-1905 from a variety of perspectives covering the main topics. Students “cut and paste” the information into the appropriate cells of a table which breaks each event into its causes, events…
Why did Germany lose World War One?
Essay Project: Interactive Essay-Planning Tool [interactive] Students then use this interactive essay planning tool to submit a suggested way of linking the four factors, and get – at the simple click of a button – a very detailed model essay plan suggesting not only the content of each paragraph but also – crucially – how…
Social Effects of Industrialisation in Tsarist Russia
For IB / A-Level historians. The success or failure of the industrialisation programme can be measured in social as well as in economic terms. This worksheet contains a series of primary sources relating to the living conditions in the towns which allow students to decide whether the economic benefits outweighed the social disadvantages.
Economic Effects of Industrialisation in Tsarist Russia
For IB / A-Level historians. Students are provided with some raw economic data relating to the results of industrialisation in Imperial Russia. They have to draw conclusions regarding success and failure, and try to guess what missing figures in the tables would have been (this is a great way to get students spotting trends in…
GCSE History Revision
A newly updated section, designed for my KS4 IGCSE history class. Complete with history games, worksheets and lesson plans, these history revision pages will keep students engaged in the run-up to the summer history exams.
The Personality of Tsar Nicholas II
For IB / A-Level historians. Students should have a good understanding of the main issues and personalities relevant to the topic. This worksheet pushes things forward by considering the particular contribution of Tsar Nicholas II’s personality to the situation by looking at some primary source accounts and inviting students to form their own judgement.
The Geography of Imperial Russia [interactive]
For IB / A-Level historians. This task, which is best set as a homework exercise, involves getting students producing a map of Imperial Russia which highlights the range and location of nationalities, climates, time zones and natural resources. In this way they can reflect on the idea that maybe the problems of Imperial Russia were…
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…
An Overview of the Issues Facing Nicholas II in 1894
For IB / A-Level historians. This pack can be used by students following their completion of the simulation to produce a mindmap and / or a powerpoint presentation about the state of Russia when Tsar Nicholas II came to the throne.
Study Guide: Tsarist and Revolutionary Russia, c.1890-1917
Why is this period so important to know about? A brief introductory handout outlining the historical significance of the topic and the main questions for investigation.
Nazi Economic Policies
Students use the Head2Head Interview with Adolf Hitler to organise information about Hitler’s economic policies for Big Business, Small Business, Agriculture and the working classes under key headings in this worksheet.
Hitler’s Consolidation of Power – Quiz
A paper test of 20 questions based on the information in the preceeding worksheets. Students should be given the opportunity to revise for the test by playing this interactive quiz.
Stalin’s Five Year Plans – Keyword Challenge
A new interactive quiz for history students at A-Level / IB Level. Rules of the game can be found here.
The Court of the Red Tsar: Simon Montefiore – Worksheet
A grid which summarises the main themes covered in the “Court of the Red Tsar” audiobook to help teachers and students decide which parts can be made use of within class. The audiobook can be purchased from Amazon here.
Hitler: The Rise of Evil [2003] – Worksheet
Hitler: The Rise of Evil – Worksheet to accompany the drama documentary. A complete breakdown of the themes covered across the two episodes starring Robert Carlyle, designed to help teachers decide which bits should be shown in class and to help students structure their notes. The DVD can be purchased through Amazon here.