Primary sources about Churchill – Silent Discussion
Prior to the lesson, your teacher will print off sets of sources and place them on different tables. The class will be divided into pairs, and each pair will be directed to a different table with a different set of sources. “Read the sources in silence, then still in silence, annotate the source by underlining key words / phrases and either (a) Making your observations, or (b) Asking questions, in the margin (your partner can answer these questions if they wish – otherwise the teacher may do so later). During this time, the teacher will move between the groups silently adding extra questions / observations and answering any questions raised…”

This detailed, stand-alone study unit is based around an interactive Head2Head Virtual Interview with Winston Churchill.

The unit is designed to be used with Year 9 students (13-14 years) but is easily adaptable to other contexts.

The unit develops sourcework and essay-writing skills, and the outcome is a detailed, structured essay answering the key question “Was Winston Churchill a hero, or a villain?”.