Causes of the French Revolution Historiography: Causes of the French Revolution After producing the first draft of their essay (“What were the main causes of the French Revolution?”), students are then provided with this detailed summary of some of the key schools of thought surrounding the French Revolution. Their task is to research some of…
ActiveHistory: Year in Review
It’s been a typically busy year developing ActiveHistory with new resources based on the interests of my students and feedback from visitors to the website! A rundown of resources and events can be found *here*. Share this:
Using Hexagon Learning for categorisation, linkage and prioritisation
The ability to select, prioritise, categorise and link evidence is a valuable skill that students learn in History. It is also highly transferable to other subjects. Using hexagons is a particularly simple and effective way of developing these skills. Read a detailed case study here. I have created an Online Hexagons Generator at ClassTools.net. …
Tic Tac Know
Great idea by @sallyluane: ‘Tic Tac Know’: Write a grid of keywords. Each student gets a point for each sentence they construct using all the words in a particular horizontal / vertical / diagonal line. Taking it further: Get the students to decide upon the words. If more than one student opts for the same…
Jenga Revision
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Rival interpretations
To assess the causes, consequences or significance of an event, ask students to produce an answer from the perspective of one or more particular witnesses. For example, How would the Kaiser’s explanation of Origins of World War One differ from that of the British Prime Minister? How would Hitler explain his rise to power? How would this compare…
“Wheel of Life” Template
A simple, visual way to evaluate historical and literary characters from more than one perspective! Students choose a fictional or historical character to evaluate and write their name into the template. Decide on at least 4, but up to 8, ways to rate your historical/fictional character (e.g. loyalty, friendliness, intelligence, determination, tolerance – this is…
Causes of the French Revolution – Research and Presentation Task | Sample Presentation
Causes of the French Revolution Research and Presentation Task | Sample Presentation Students study some sample examiners’ markschemes for questions relating to the causes of the French Revolution to analyse what appear to be the central factors identified. They then watch a 30-minute video to develop their understanding further. They organise their findings under key headings, then each student…
TeachMeet, TeachEat, and much more besides…
Last week I flew out from Toulouse to London on Thursday afternoon with Estelle Ash and Simon Gregg for a busy weekend of events, meetings and great conversations with fellow educators. The full details of my trip are here. Share this:
Teacher Introductory PowerPoint – Causes of the French Revolution
Causes of the French Revolution Teacher Introductory PowerPoint A series of images designed to get students thinking firstly about what the topic for study is going to be, and then highlighting some of the key issues surrounding it – in particular, what the central causes of the French Revolution were, how far it delivered on…
Sourcework Skills Overlay Template
This resource is designed to help the analysis of sources. Print if off, cut out the central area, laminate the remainder – then place the source underneath and use a non-permanent marker to annotate as necessary! Share this:
Origins of World War One Sourcework Assignment Pack
Sourcework Assignment Pack A comprehensive pack of sources and questions in the style of GCSE/IGCSE examinations, designed to be printed off at the beginning of the unit and used as homework exercises over the course of several weeks. This forms part of the newly updated ActiveHistory Scheme of Work on the Origins of World War One….
The Rise of Stalin: A Sweet Roleplay Exercise!
The Rise of Stalin: A Sweet Roleplay Exercise! It is 1923. Lenin, leader of the Soviet Union, is close to death and the battle to succeed him is raging in the Politburo. Overview: This interactive exercise forms part of the ActiveHistory unit on Stalin’s Rise to Power. Students take the role of five key members of the Politburo…
Origins of World War One: Model answers and exam questions
End of unit exam-style structured question (there are also some model answers available in the teacher area – model answers[1] | model answers [2]) “Your teacher will choose one (a), one (b) and one (c) question from this extensive list of past questions for this test, which will take place in timed conditions next lesson. As homework, you should…
Mr. Men History: The Origins of World War One
Mr. Men History: The Origins of World War One “In this task we will convert the story of the outbreak of the war into a fairy tale. The background will be provided to you. Your job will be to tell the story of how events unfolded using your knowledge of key events”. This forms part…
Historiography: Quotes about the Origins of World War One
Historiography: Quotes about the Origins of World War One “A. For each quote, decide which theme it relates to: 1. Nationalism and Imperialism | 2. Alliance System | 3. Arms Race | 4. Colonial Rivalry | 5. July Crisis B. Circle off the best quote for each theme. Incorporate this into your summary sheet /…
PieCharts: Who was to blame for World War One?
PieCharts: Who was to blame for World War One? This self-updating Excel spreadsheet allows students to divide responsibility for the war between 6 countries in the form of a piechart, and explain their choices alongside. When printed off, these sheets form a colourful display and an interesting discussion point. This forms part of the newly…
Classroom Trial: Who was to blame for World War One?
Classroom Trial: Who was to blame for World War One? (there is also a completed version for stimulus material in the teacher area). Each person in the class will be given a number (1-6). Each student’s task is as follows: 1. To frame TWO prosecution questions against ONE particular country, in this order: Examples (in this case, against…
The Willy-Nicky Telegrams
Extension Task: The Willy-Nicky Telegrams How could both the Kaiser and the Tsar use these telegrams to “prove” they were not responsible for the war breaking out? Which of these two men do you think most genuinely wished to avoid war? This forms part of the newly updated ActiveHistory scheme of work on The Origins of…
The July Crisis – Decision-making exercise
The July Crisis – Decision-making exercise (requires teacher support sheet). This key period – often overlooked by students who say that the assassination was simply followed by a ‘domino effect’ of countries declaring war – is approached in a ‘decision-making’ format. “Your teacher will provide you with a “decision point” for the first event. Discuss with a…
The Moroccan Crises and Colonial Rivalry
Colonial Rivalry as a Cause of World War One Tension between Germany and Russia (over the issue of Bosnia) and between Germany and Britain (over the Naval Race) was compounded by tension between Germany and France over Morocco and Alsace-Lorraine. This forms part of the newly updated ActiveHistory scheme of work on the Origins of World War One. Share…
The Arms Race and the Role of Kaiser Wilhelm II
The Arms Race This worksheet covers both the arms race on land (Russia and France v. Germany) and at sea (Britain v. Germany). The Role of Kaiser Wilhelm II Imagine you are interviewing Kaiser Wilhelm in 1914. Come up with a series of questions you would like to ask him. Now use the internet to…
Factual Test and Keyword Challenge: The Origins of World War One
Factual Test: The Origins of World War One [teacher password required] This factual test assesses how much knowledge students have acquired so far from their studies. Students should take this test after the class has played the Causes of World War One keyword challenge [play the game | rule of the game] This forms part of the newly updated ActiveHistory…
The Development of the World War One Alliance System
The Alliance System “The idea of an “alliance system” was developed by Bismarck, chancellor of Prussia (a state in modern Germany). Before 1871, Germany was not a unified country, but a collection of independent states. The story continues below. Your job is to show the changing pattern of friendships and enmities in the diagram to…
Nationalism and Imperialism as Causes of World War One
The clash of Serb Nationalism with Austrian Imperialism The tension between Austria and Serbia is explained through a focus on the Bosnian Crisis of 1908 and the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913. Cartoon analysis: Nationalism and Imperialism A simple worksheet with scaffolding sentences to develop sourcework analysis skills. This forms part of the newly updated ActiveHistory…
“Sarajevo Sandwich Syndrome” – Questioning the Reliability of Historical Sources
“Sarajevo Sandwich Syndrome” – Questioning the Reliability of Historical Sources Your task is to investigate six assertions made by a famous BBC documentary about the Origins of World War One. For each one, determine whether it is: (a) Incorrect: Other vidence contradicts the documentary; (b) Inconclusive: Other evidence shows that historians disagree about this point (c) Imaginary:…
Hexagon Learning Case Study: The Rise of Stalin
The ability to select, prioritise, categorise and link evidence is a valuable skill that students learn in History. It is also highly transferable to other subjects. Using hexagons is a simple and effective way of developing these skills, as this case study, which comes complete with all the necessary resources, seeks to demonstrate. The ‘Hexagon…
Introductory Overview: The Origins of World War One
Introductory Overview This handout sets up the topic by providing key facts about the war and asking students to consider how they would answer ‘big’ questions such as “In what circumstances would you be prepared to fight in a war? How can we prevent wars from happening? Does war have any positive effects? What is…
The KeyWord Challenge Game!
Overview This is a simple game which is a great way of rounding off a unit and revising important dates, concepts and people. It is particularly effective just before students have to produce some written work making effective use of key terms. Instructions Put students into teams of 4 or 5. The first member of…
Medieval Castles Simulation, new worksheet and extension task
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. …
Sample source work and model answers, Assess the causes of the 1967 6-Day War
Assess the causes of the 1967 6-Day War This sample sourcework exercise is based on the IB History syllabus and comes complete with model answers which I have written myself to share with my own students. Share this:
“Poppy Fascism?” – a new worksheet for Remembrance
A new worksheet and supporting resources for teaching Remembrance. Students consider questions such as “What does the British Legion actually stand for? What does it do with the money it raises? Why do you think some people might object to the Poppy Appeal?” They then read an article, and read through a cartoon produced directly…
CSI History, The Iceman Mystery!
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…
The Suez Crisis, Sample Sourcework assignment and model answers
To what extent do you agree with the view that Israel and the West bear the largest responsibility for the Suez Crisis in 1956? This sample sourcework exercise is based on the IB History syllabus and comes complete with model answers which I have written myself to share with my own students. Share this:
Google Books for Student Research: 3-minute guide
I have put together the following guide for students to help with their research for Extended Essays, Internal Assessments, Personal Projects…I hope you find it useful! Share this:
Technology Tools for the #historyteacher Classroom – Google Hangout!
Last month I delivered a 50-minute talk to one hundred or so teachers of the OIB programme who were attending a conference in Sevres, France. I wasn’t able to attend in person so I used Google Hangouts to share some ideas and resources with a focus on the materials I have developed at www.activehistory.co.uk and www.classtools.net….
ActiveHistory Mystery: Cat Bottoms and Golden Cups!
This latest ActiveHistory Mystery, which I used with my Year 8 students, is based in the Middle Ages and involves cats’ bottoms, golden cups, mass murder and plenty of treachery… The “History Mysteries” lessons are designed as stand-alone projects which each last 3-4 hours. Through engaging historical topics, they teach skills of problem formulation, deductive reasoning,…
Google Hangout Video Conference: Professor Orlando Figes answers questions on Lenin’s Russia
Following his earlier talk with students on the subject of the 1917 October Revolution, Professor Orlando Figes of Birkbeck University answered questions from students at the International School of Toulouse on the topic of Lenin’s rule of Russia 1918-1924. Over the course of 45 minutes he answered a wide range of questions that the class had formulated in…
Remembrance Day: Memorials
Memorials “Almost every village, town and city in Europe has a memorial to a war which affected its community. In this activity you will consider the purpose of such memorials, research one in depth and contrast it with others from around the world using this PowerPoint Template” Part of a comprehensive set of Remembrance materials…
Remembrance Day: Peace Charities: Which should our school support?
Peace Charities: Which should our school support? This exercise involves students researching a range of different charities, debating their respective merits and deciding which should be the ‘official’ charity that the school should support this year. Could be a particularly good student council project / assembly (e.g. student council presents a range; students vote in…
Remembrance Day: Current Conflicts
Current Conflicts “Remembrance Day commemorates not just past wars, but also current ones too. In this activity you will research a current conflict, produce a one-slide summary using a PowerPoint template, and then compare it to others in order to reflect on the most common causes of warfare” (there is a research template available) Part…
Remembrance Day: Statistics and Infographics
Statistics and Infographics “One death is a tragedy, a million deaths is just a statistic” said Josef Stalin. In this exercise we will familiarize ourselves with some of the key statistics relating to World War One, and consider creative ways in which we can present those statistics to make them more meaningful. Part of a…
Remembrance Day: Songs of War and Peace
Songs of War and Peace “In this activity we will research a whole range of war-related songs, divided between different members of the class. The outcome will be a compilation of what we consider to be the 10 best songs overall” Part of a comprehensive set of Remembrance materials for every single year group. Share…
Remembrance Day: Paintings of WW1
Paintings of WW1 Why do governments employ war artists? What makes a great work of art? What is the difference between art and propaganda? Students consider a range of different paintings, compare and contrast findings. My own selection of paintings can be used instead if you prefer: The Hero (Grosz) | Harvest of Battle, Hospital,…
Remembrance Day: War Poetry
War Poetry “Your teacher will allocate the poems between the members of the class. Use the poem you have been allocated to answer these questions: (a) What is the best word to describe the tone of this poem? (b) How does the poet make you feel this way? (c) How reliable is your source as…
Remembrance Day: Film of WW1: All Quiet on the Western Front
Film of WW1: All Quiet on the Western Front This exercise focuses on the German experience of World War One through the famous novel-turned-film. Students comprehend the final 30 minutes of the film then consider the techniques used in the film to get across its ‘peace’ message. Part of a comprehensive set of Remembrance materials…
Remembrance Day: Oral Testimonies
Oral Testimonies “The scale of warfare often leaves us numbed to its human impact. In the words of Stalin, “One death is a tragedy. A million deaths is just a statistic”. In this activity you will learn about the impact of war upon just one individual by using an online audio-visual archive of interviews with…
Remembrance Day: Propaganda Posters
Propaganda Posters Print off these 10 posters. Create a Venn diagram with them with the three circles representing: 1. Attempts to mobilise women 2. Attempts to recruit men 3. Attempts to generate anti-German feeling. Find other examples to add to the diagram if you have time. Part of a comprehensive set of materials designed…
Remembrance Day: Debating the Issues: The De Bono Method
Debating the Issues: The De Bono Method Starting with a teacher’s introductory PowerPoint, “The teacher will take the role of someone with a ‘Green Hat’. They will choose (or ask the class to vote on) one of a range of ‘Discussion Points’ and each person in the class will be given a number between 2-5…
Remembrance Day: Consequences of War
Consequences of War A stand-alone worksheet version of an activity available on the web in which students compare the results of a large range of wars to compare, contrast and conclude regarding the most likely effects of a war for modern society. Part of a comprehensive set of materials designed for every year group to…
Remembrance Day: Red Poppy, White Poppy, both or neither?
For Year 12/13. The Nature of Remembrance: The White Poppy / Red Poppy Debate “Although Remembrance Day is an established day on the international calendar, there remains a great deal of debate about what exactly we should “Remember”. People who wear the Red Poppy have one opinion, and those who wear the White Poppy have…
Remembrance Day: Shot at Dawn
For Year 13 students. An activity based around first-hand accounts relating to soldiers ‘shot at dawn’ for cowardice during World War One. Discussion points and real debate possibilities relating to this thorny subject. There is also an extension task available based on information available on this website. Part of a comprehensive set of Remembrance materials…
Remembrance Day: Introductory Assembly
The Introductory Assembly This assembly outlines how every single year group in the school will be provided with a different task relating to Remembrance. The assembly focuses on conflicts taking place around the world to provide contemporary relevance every signly year. It can be adapted using this Wikipedia Page of current conflicts for the most…
History: The Story of Everything! Classroom Poster
“History: the Story of Everything!” A new A3 classroom poster showing the connection between History and a whole range of other classroom subjects. Share this:
“Sarajevo Sandwich Sydnrome” – Questioning the Reliability of Documentary Sources
One of the most popular classroom resources covering the assassination of Franz Ferdinand is an episode from the award-winning series “Days that Shook the World” At face value this 30-minute film should be highly reliable: it is a documentary (rather than a feature film), produced by the highly respected British Broadcasting Corporation. However, there are…
Citation Generator: Harvard, Chicago, MLA and APA formats
I’ve updated the ClassTools online citation generator so you can now choose from one of four citation styles. Try it out here! Share this:
Top 10 Free Activities for the History Classroom from ActiveHistory
ActiveHistory is updated so frequently with worksheets, interactive simulations and other resources that it’s sometimes difficult to keep track! Here are ten of the most popular FREE resources on the site (theActiveHistory Gallery provides lots more ideas and resources). To get full access to other resources available to subscribers, please sign up for a free trial. Share this:
Would the October Revolution have taken place without the input of Lenin?
A new KeyWord Checker that helps check the level of detail used in IB History essays. Share this:
Free countdown timer
I’ve just put the finishing touches to a new ClassTools template (http://www.classtools.net/timer) which I hope you will find useful. Unlike other online timers, this one is designed to work on tablet devices as well as standard computers. You can also add multiple timers, run them in sequence or all at once, add a tune / YouTube video to…
“Back to School” ActiveHistory resources for all year groups!
It’s great to start the new school year with some suitably engaging activities. With that in mind I thought I’d share with your the resources I’ll be using with my teaching groups in case you want to make use of them yourself! There are plenty of syllabus changes taking place in different educational systems at…
“Who is your Historical Hero?” – an independent research project, adaptable for all year groups!
“Who is your Historical Hero?” – an independent research project, adaptable for all year groups! This is a great activity for any year group: I trialled it at the end of Year 9 with my own students, but it went so well that I plan to run it with other year groups too. It was…
‘Google Hangout’ with Orlando Figes!
In June 2014, the world-renowned historianProfessor Orlando Figes generously agreed to participate in a live video link-up experiment with IB Historians at the International School of Toulouse to answer questions about the Russian Revolutions of 1917. Over the course of 45 minutes he answered a wide range of questions that the class had formulated in advance following an…
Medieval Crime and Punishment, Essay Markscheme
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?
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!
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?
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?
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…
Essay Writing Phase: Was the 20th Century a Period of Progress?
Part of the ActiveHistory 20th Century Research Project. Essay Writing Phase: Was the 20th Century a Period of Progress? Students are now in a position to write their essay on the key question “Was the 20th Century a Period of Progress?”. In the simplest way, they can write the essay in two main sections: positives…
A History of the 20th Century through Feature Films
A History of the 20th Century through Feature Films This document provides an overview of the 20th Century through feature films. Students can read through the story and, if any films overlap an area of their interest, they can research it further (and even borrow it from the school library to watch!). There is also…
What sorts of things could get me into hell? – The Seven Deadly Sins
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?
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!
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. Share this:
Was the 20th Century a Period of Progress? New Study Unit!
This project is designed to allow students to develop a broad but comprehensive overview of the main events of the 20th Century. Each student will research one key event, theme or individual of their choice to produce an attractive display piece. They will compare and contrast their findings with other people in the class to…
World War One Battlefields Trip Materials, newly updated and developed
The following materials [click here] are designed to help teachers plan a trip to the World War One battlefields of the Somme and Ypres. There are two versions of the trip available. Each one comes with a detailed student workpack (plus teacher notes) which opens in Adobe Acrobat Reader. There is also a detailed itinerary…
Recommended Reading for the History Classroom
This collection of books for the history classroom can be searched by topic, period or theme. Share this:
Recommended Films for the History Classroom
This searchable database of video for the history classroom contains scores of hand-picked recommendations, all searchable by topic and period. Share this:
History Podcasts Database
This project by @activehistory links to thousands of podcasts from many sources on history-related themes. Comments / suggestions welcome! Search by date, topic, country, keyword. There are already thousands available to search from! History Podcasts Database Share this:
The Iceman, an ActiveHistory Mystery!
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…
The Cuban Missile Crisis – Revision Quiz (30 Questions)
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…! Share this:
Vietnam War – Fling the Teacher Revision Quiz (45 questions).
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…! Share this:
Decision Making Simulation: the Vietnam War
Decision Making Game: the Vietnam WarDevelop your knowledge and understanding of this key topic with this interactive adventure Share this:
The Vietnam War – Endgame
Timeline Quiz | Teacher answer sheetThis ‘fill the gaps’ quiz recaps the entire topic and rounds it off with information on how the war eventually came to an end. Share this:
Domestic causes for the US defeat in Vietnam: Civil Rights campaigners, musicians, photojournalists and students
Domestic causes for the US defeat in Vietnam: Civil Rights campaigners, musicians, photojournalists and studentsThe longer that the war dragged on, the more the American public questioned US involvement in it. President Johnson employed a “policy of minimum candor” in its dealings with the media (meaning?). Over time, this policy damaged the public trust in…
Military causes for the US defeat in Vietnam
Military causes for the US defeat in Vietnam In response to the growing involvement of the USA in Vietnam, the Vietcong began a highly effective campaign against the North. Students learn about this topic by using two video clips: Video Clip 1 | Video Clip 2 Economically, they secured aid from China and the USSR Strategically, they…
How and why did President Johnson escalate US involvement in the Vietnam War?
How and why did President Johnson escalate US involvement in the Vietnam War? | Teacher mutimedia presentationBy 1963, Kennedy felt that the US military advisors had done all that they could. He decided to announce a phased withdrawal from Vietnam to be completed by 1965.However, three events transformed the situation and meant that instead US involvement was instead…
The Vietnam War – Sourcework Questions: Why did the US get involved in Vietnam?
Sourcework Questions: Why did the US get involved in Vietnam?Several sourcework questions, culminating in:Here are three reasons why the US may have got involved in Vietnam: which do you agree with most, and why?i. Because they wanted to protect the world from communist dictatorship ii. Because they were paranoid about the communist threatiii. Because they were…
The Vietnam War – Kennedy’s own words on the subject
JFK Speech writing Task Part [3]: Kennedy’s own words on the subjectIn this final part of the speechwriting exercise, students listen to a couple of speeches made by Kennedy on the subject of Vietnam, and then complete their press statements.Video Clip 1 | Video Clip 2 Share this:
The Vietnam War – Why was the USA so concerned that communism could spread into Vietnam in particular?
JFK Speech writing Task Part [2]: Why was the USA so concerned that communism could spread into Vietnam in particular? | Teacher Answer sheet This worksheet gets students to anticipate how the USA managed the difficult situation in Vietnam – the capitalist, Catholic regime of Diem (and his wife, nicknamed ‘dragon lady’) in the South was deeply…
The Vietnam War – Why was the USA so keen to prevent communism spreading?
JFK Speech writing Task Part [1]: Why was the USA so keen to prevent communism spreading? “Imagine you are a speechwriter for the President Kennedy of the United States. Using your knowledge of the Cold War so far, draft a speech (starting “Fellow citizens…”) justifying Kennedy’s actions.” Share this:
Consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis Roleplay Unit One of the most dramatic moments of the 20th Century and a particularly exciting topic to teach and to study! This unit is based around extended roleplay activities firstly from the Soviet, then from the American, perspectives. Students gain a thorough understanding not just of the events but also…
The Cuban Missile Crisis Roleplay Unit – US Roleplay Part 2 (one hour): The Crisis Escalates
The Cuban Missile Crisis Roleplay Unit One of the most dramatic moments of the 20th Century and a particularly exciting topic to teach and to study! This unit is based around extended roleplay activities firstly from the Soviet, then from the American, perspectives. Students gain a thorough understanding not just of the events but also…
Slideshow of ExComm – The Cuban Missile Crisis Roleplay Unit
The Cuban Missile Crisis Roleplay Unit One of the most dramatic moments of the 20th Century and a particularly exciting topic to teach and to study! This unit is based around extended roleplay activities firstly from the Soviet, then from the American, perspectives. Students gain a thorough understanding not just of the events but also…
The Cuban Missile Crisis: US Roleplay Part 1 (one hour): The Initial Response
The Cuban Missile Crisis Roleplay Unit One of the most dramatic moments of the 20th Century and a particularly exciting topic to teach and to study! This unit is based around extended roleplay activities firstly from the Soviet, then from the American, perspectives. Students gain a thorough understanding not just of the events but also…
The Cuban Missile Crisis Soviet Roleplay
The Cuban Missile Crisis Roleplay Unit One of the most dramatic moments of the 20th Century and a particularly exciting topic to teach and to study! This unit is based around extended roleplay activities firstly from the Soviet, then from the American, perspectives. Students gain a thorough understanding not just of the events but also…
Background to the Cuban Missile Crisis: The Cuban Revolution, the Bay of Pigs and the Berlin Wall
The Cuban Missile Crisis Roleplay Unit One of the most dramatic moments of the 20th Century and a particularly exciting topic to teach and to study! This unit is based around extended roleplay activities firstly from the Soviet, then from the American, perspectives. Students gain a thorough understanding not just of the events but also…
Origins of the Cold War, c.1945-61
If the Origins of the Cold War have not already been studied using the detailed unit at ActiveHistory, the following provides an efficient, effective overview. Teacher Lecture – Interactive Multimedia Presentation | Student activity sheet to accompany the presentation Complete with video clips, the comprehensive presentation guides through the origins and development of the Cold…
Fall of Napoleon, Timeline Worksheet and Multimedia Presentation
Timeline and Multimedia Presentation Although the main focus of our study unit has been Napoleon’s domestic policies, the above question highlights that it may be necessary to contrast these with his foreign policies in a ‘to what extent’ style of question. The objective of the following activity is therefore to ensure that you have the material able…
Classroom Trial, Did Napoleon betray the spirit of the French Revolution?
Classroom Trial: Did Napoleon betray the spirit of the French Revolution? The class will be divided into teams to research different aspects of Napoleon’s Rule. Prosecution will be pitted against Defence, with other students acting as judges. The job of the judges at the end of the discussion of the first issues is to decide…
Napoleonic Propaganda, Analysing Portraits Worksheet
Napoleonic Propaganda: Analysing Portraits Worksheet | Images for download In this activity students are given a detailed introduction to the art of propaganda in Napoleon’s France and they are then presented with a wide range of images. Students have to match the captions to the pictures and then decide how to categorise the various pictures. Each student…
Infographic Task, What sort of a man was Napoleon?
Infographic Task: What sort of a man was Napoleon? This framework encourages students to produce a one-sided A3 infographic about Napoleon as a revision aid. Part of the new IB Study Unit on “The French Revolution and the Rule of Napoleon“ Share this:
