This Y8 courtroom drama blends a study of a couple of original sources, one in facsimile form, with evidence from the most recent historical interpretations. All pupils appear as unique witnesses, presenting testimony of varying complexity, for and against Cromwell.
By undertaking the role of the prosecuting and defence counsels the more able pupils are challenged: to select the order in which the witnesses appear: to question them in such a way as the key points are brought out; and to cross-examine . By way of consolidating their understanding of the debate pupils are shown how to construct a discursive answer, one of the key things OFSTED is currently looking at..
Introduction
Set up the enquiry using slides 1-8 of the PowerPoint presentation. This sets the scene and highlights the fact that the interpretation of Cromwell shown in slide 2 is still the dominant one in some communities but that this is now being challenged as questions are asked about the evidence. Draw pupils into the idea of an historical investigation by asking them to work with their partner to come up with 4 types of evidence that might be used in a courtroom to prove that Cromwell was unusually
