The Battle for the throne: 1066 [Interactive simulation] | Factual Test A decision-making simulation as King Harold – will you survive the challenges to your throne? This is a major activity that should keep students busy for at least a couple of lessons (they are even given a certificate with a score at the end that could…

Bayeux Tapestry Slideshow The lesson could start by watching a Bayeux Tapestry Animation on YouTube. Then, view a series of interactive images from the Bayeux Tapestry with analysis of their meaning. Designed to be used to help teachers in a feedback session after students have completed the worksheet accompanying the game above. There is a…

What sorts of things could get me into hell? – The Seven Deadly Sins [teacher-led presentation version]In this activity students will learn about, and connect, the seven deadly sins. They will also learn about which particular punishments are associated with each of these sins. They will then write a dialogue between two people that can…

Castles: Defence and Attack!  A game of strategy: Spend your budget on your choice of features, then read a story of how your castle fares when faced with attack! Complete with a worksheet and extension activities. There’s even a live ‘leaderboard’ to check the progress of your students! This game has now been updated with…

This suite of lessons has expanded over the past few years to become a mini-scheme of work in itself. The complete unit, with additional material such as a worksheet to accompany a documentary video, is available here.

This simulation is designed to provide students with an engaging, enjoyable and rigorous introduction to Imperial Rome. As they journey around the virtual landscape, they will learn about the main personalities and chornology of the Empire through the “Emperors” worksheet, and learn about the main achievements and inventions of Rome through the “Roman Holiday” worksheet. Ideally, students should…

I have created a Fling the Teacher Quiz and eight Arcade Games using my website www.classtools.net to this page of ActiveHistory for student revision purposes.

I have created a Fling the Teacher Quiz and eight Arcade Games using my website www.classtools.net to this page of ActiveHistory for student revision purposes.

I have created a Fling the Teacher Quiz and eight Arcade Games using my website www.classtools.net to this page of ActiveHistory for student revision purposes.

I have created a Fling the Teacher Quiz and eight Arcade Games using my website www.classtools.net to this page of ActiveHistory for student revision purposes.

I have created a Fling the Teacher Quiz and eight Arcade Games using my website www.classtools.net to this page of ActiveHistory for student revision purposes.

Following the retirement of Adobe Flash, I have rewritten my lesson worksheet about the spread of the Black Death to make use of an alternative video.

45 questions to test knowledge of the events of 1066, in the form of various arcade games created at www.classtools.net.

A new interactive exercise • In the Middle Ages, Knights designed their own coat of arms which they could carry into battle so they could be easily identified. • In this activity, you will be asked six key questions about your life, personality and interests. • The computer will then use this information to give you…

I have updated the worksheets accompanying the Time Machine Journey to the Middle Ages, including more detailed structured questions, accompanying teacher answers, and a new mapping activity.

Bayeux Tapestry Slideshow The lesson could start by watching a Bayeux Tapestry Animation on YouTube. Then, view a series of interactive images from the Bayeux Tapestry with analysis of their meaning. Designed to be used to help teachers in a feedback session after students have completed the worksheet accompanying the game above. There is a teacher helpsheet available for this…

Who was the most interesting Roman Emperor of all time? – a classroom debate In this activity, students research different emperors. They can then present their findings in a whole host of ways: through a balloon debate (my favoured approach!), a biopoem, a diamond diagram, and many others which are suggested within the worksheet. Part…

End of Unit Projects Option A: Group Task – Design a Boardgame “In this unit, which starts with a whole-class miming competition, you will design your own board game about the Black Death. Your game should try to show the spread, symptoms, cures and consequences of the Black Death. You will play each other’s games and…

Consequences Video Clip: Consequences Hexagons Activity: Consequences of the Black Death This activity is approached through a ‘Hexagons’ approach which is outlined in detail here. Students cut up the hexagons and organise them in logical groups, with adjacent sides of hexagons indicating connections that are then explained around the diagram. The hexagons were created using the ClassTools.net Hexagons…

Impact Video Clip: Immediate impact and reactions in Italy The Black Death Cardgame! The objective of each player is to get as many cards for their ‘role suit’ as possible. Peasants: should focus on collecting food (clubs) in order to establish a stable food supply. Merchants: should focus on collecting money (diamonds). Nobles: should focus on…

Cures Video Clip: Medieval Medicine Cures and Precautions [plus teacher answer sheet] “Historians think that almost half the population of Europe died in the Black Death. The lowest scoring 50% of the class in this exercise will become ‘casualties’. The teacher will count upwards and you should sit down on the floor when your score is reached. The…

Causes Causes of the Black Death [plus primary sources] “Your teacher will be in role as the local magistrate who has called an emergency meeting to discuss the arrival of the Black Death in our village. The magistrate will read out an account from one of his contacts about what they think has caused the Black Death. Decide where…

Symptoms Video Clip: Arrival of the Black Death in England Symptoms of the Black Death [plus teacher answer sheet] “Imagine a local tradesman has arrived in your village and has fallen ill: you realise with horror that he has brought the Black Death into your village! (a) Number these symptoms from [1] (the first) to [9] (the last)….

Spread of the Black Death Spread of the Black Death Students use this animated map to draw their own conclusions about where the disease started and spread to, and which areas were most affected. Video Clips: Arrival of the Black Death in [1] Italy and [2] France These two video clips provide extra detail about the spread of disease across…

Introduction “What’s the Topic?” – Introductory PowerPoint This series of images is designed to get students thinking about what the next topic might be. Complete with explanatory teacher notes. Starter Video: Overview of the Black Death This online video clip [2m] provides a great flavour of the topic to get students interested! The Black Death…

The Black Death is a popular subject of study with students. This self-contained scheme of work contains a strong role-play element built around a diary that builds up over several lessons. There is also a fantastic cardgame exercise built into the unit and an interactive, self-marking end of unit assessment along with other opportunities to create a boardgame, have a keyword…

The popular Medieval Castles Simulator has now been updated with a new worksheet with an extension activity based around a primary source relating to the siege of Carcassonne in 1240. The simulation can be used as a stand-alone activity, or as part of the ActiveHistory study of The Norman Conquest or The Albigensian Crusade.  

CSI History: The Iceman Mystery This project was developed as a joint study unit between the Head of History (@russeltarr) and the Head of Geography (@MattPodbury) at the International School of Toulouse. Its purpose is to provide an intensive and exciting induction programme to Year 7 students and to highlight links between Geography and History…

TWIST – The Neck Verse!  Whilst the class is voting on the punishments to be given, the “guilty” criminals might be taken outside and provided by your teacher with a copy of the “Neck Verse” (this can be found on ActiveHistory along with an explanation about how it worked). A coin will be flipped. “Heads”…

How far did Medieval Punishments fit the crime?Students start by considering that “In Western Europe the death penalty no longer exists (in other words, people cannot be executed for their crimes). Do you think the death penalty should be brought back for certain crimes? Explain your answer by considering two sides”. They then consider eight…

Medieval Trial – Roleplay!Students complete a creatively written ‘crime report’ against someone else in the class based on one crime from a list provided. Anyone accused of a crime then has to produce a defence statement and the cases proceed to trial, with the credibility of the prosecution and defence cases resting on how effectively…

How effective was the Medieval method of determining guilt?Students start by considering “What methods do the police and courts use today to decide if someone is guilty of a crime?”. They then consider which of theses methods were used (or were even possible) in the Middle Ages. They then interpret an original picture source, and…

How effective was the Medieval method of capturing suspected criminals? In this activity, students decide whether the modern “police” system is better or worse than the Medieval “tithing” system.   Part of “Could you get justice in the Middle Ages?” – Essay assignment with roleplay activities In this study unit students will consider several aspects…

In this activity students will learn about, and connect, the seven deadly sins. They will also learn about which particular punishments are associated with each of these sins. They will then write a dialogue between two people that can be acted out in front of the class: a. “The Sinner”: You will be going into the…

What is Medieval hell like?Image sources to share with the class | Prezi of Images“In this task we will investigate what Medieval people thought Hell was like. In other words, the Church’s power was based on FEAR as well as LOVE. The exact balance between these two things is for you to decide later! Your job is…

Gruesome Martryrdoms, Repulsive Relics! In this activity / presentation (see image), which contains video clips and stimulus images, students are put into teams to research and then present their favoured choice of holy relic to obtain for their new cathedral, and a suitably brave martyr to dedicate the cathedral to.

This new ActiveHistory Mystery focuses on the discovery of a frozen body, high in the mountains. It starts with a “CSI” role-play element and was delivered to Year 7 students as an joint induction project delivered in History lessons (led by me – @russeltarr) and Geography lessons (led by Matt Podbury – @MattPodbury). The investigation concluded with…

Newly updated with new locations, sound effects, video clips and associated worksheet, and the ability to add a class list so that students can be the starts of their own adventure! Students should start the investigation by playing this decision-making game for one lesson. They need to find the missing pieces of their time machine,…

What’s in a name? – Researching and presenting the origins of surnames of people in the school In this activity, students research the origins of surnames of people in the school. They then narrow this down to the names which originate from occupations, and present each of these in a PowerPoint slide with an accompanying…

The Body on the Balcony EPISODE 1 – a Historical Mystery! In this exercise, based on a real historical event, students have to put events into their correct chronological order to make some initial speculations about what has happened. Through doing this they learn about the importance of chronology and understand the meaning of anachronism….

In this brand new activity, students answer a series of questions asked by King Henry II. Based on the quality of the responses he then decides how likely he is to let them build a cathedral. Complete with a worksheet and a live “leaderboard” to build up a sense of competition, this is a great…

This new workpack gets students to think about the layout, design and engineering of Medieval Cathedrals. They learn about the terminology of Church architecture, watch video clips and make deductions from paintings from the Middle Ages showing church building.

An ActiveHistory Mystery. The “History Mysteries” lessons are designed as stand-alone projects which each last 3-4 hours. Through engaging historical topics, they teach skills of research, groupwork, structured writing. There is a standard teacher lesson plan and student record sheet / markscheme for each activity.

A useful powerpoint template to help students frame a case for a character in a “balloon debate”.

The popular 1066 simulation now comes complete with a “leaderboard” so that teachers can monitor the performance of the class “live” during the game.

Now improved with hyperlinks to 80 keywords and an on-screen record of the conversation.

The Middle Ages Worst Jobs in History simulation can be used as a stand-alone lesson, homework assignment or as part of a broader unit on “Was life Good or Bad during this particular period?”. The worksheet has basic activities for a 30 minute lesson, and extension tasks that could be followed up later.

Design your own coat of arms by answering a series of detailed questions about your personality and interests. The computer uses the information to design your shield, choose the colour scheme, and recommend the symbols you should use. A great classroom project which turns into a brilliant display of finished projects!

Year 7 History students create their own family tree after analysing that of The Simpsons cartoon characters using this worksheet.

In this exercise students organise slips of information into appropriate categories, reduce them down to just 15, and use them to answer the question “Was Life Good or Bad in the Middle Ages?”. They work in teams of two or three, and at various points during the exercise the teacher will test each team with…

A short video I put together for my Year 7 students as a “starter” to their studies of views of Hell in the Middle Ages.

Analyse and categorise the evidence to solve this medieval mystery!

The class is divided into two groups to debate the key question in the format of a courtroom trial.