Key Stage 4 Smart Tasks>
Teaching American West at Key Stage 4
Schools have been teaching the American West as part of the SHP course for over 30 years. I introduced it…
Read MoreSMART TASK: A history puzzle – Opening up of the Western frontier by the railroads. A history mystery
This history puzzle focuses on a well-known painting, Across the Continent, but one which is actually more puzzling than might at…
Read MoreSMART TASK: Why were mining towns such lawless places?
This is a very straightforward, yet highly effective task which asks students to distinguish between the generic and the specific,…
Read MoreSMART TASK Revision: name your best squad
To help students remember who the key individuals were in the history of medicine, you might like to present them…
Read MoreSMART TASK: Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the start? A glass half empty?
The lesson starts with a glass of water which you have filled to roughly half way. Students have to say…
Read MoreSMART TASK: 10 features of the Cold War but can you spot them?
Students often learn about the Cold War in chronological order. This activity offers them an opportunity to explore 10 aspects…
Read MoreSmart Task: How popular was the Vietnam war? What can we learn from just two photographs?
This simple starter uses just two contrasting photographs, one showing the popularity of Johnson’s policy towards Vietnam, the other opposition…
Read MoreSMART TASKS: Why did the US get involved in the Vietnam War?
Three separate short activities help students produce a top grade answer to the question. Task I – brainstorming early ideas…
Read MoreSMART TASK Key Stage 4: Stalin and the Korean War: can you interpret the cartoon?
This Smart task uses a Punch cartoon as part of a lesson on the Korean War. It carefully steers students…
Read MoreKey Stage 4 Smart Task: Scoop! What on earth was going on in Abyssinia in 1935?
This task is run along the lines of a newsroom simulation. Students take on the role of an editorial team…
Read MoreTeaching international relations 1945-1990
This section, dominated by the Cold War focuses mainly on teaching its origins, its main crises and the reason why…
Read MoreDid everyone benefit equally from life in the USA in the 1920s? A market place activity. SMART TASK KS4
This activity is great for getting students off their feet and talking to every other students in the class –…
Read MoreWhy was Hitler able to consolidate his position in power between January 1933 and August 1934? Smart Task KS4
This smart task works as a starter. Students are given 7 reasons why Hitler came to power. In just 5…
Read MoreThoroughly Modern Millie: How do we know this song is about Flappers? A quick musical starter
Students are given the lyrics of a song about flappers (copy provided) and have to find 10 references that prove…
Read MoreGCSE SHP Crime and Punishment: The Metropolitan police force in 1830: SMART TASK
This quick starter uses the slow reveal technique which encourages students to explore parts of a cartoon in a particular…
Read MoreHow well do these cartoons cover the causes of World War One?
In pairs, Y9/GCSE students visit 9 different cartoons posted around the wall. They have to work out: a. Which cause…
Read MoreWho started the Korean War? Smart Task
In this short starter smart task students are given two contradictory accounts of the start of the Korean War, both…
Read MoreThe Marshall Plan: How should we interpret it? Just how philanthropic was it?
The activities in this very varied lesson ask students to raise questions, place sources on a continuum, add analysis to…
Read MoreWhy was the Metropolitan Police Force set up in 1829? Smart Tasks
This activity forms the central spine of a lesson on the reasons for setting up the Metropolitan Police Force in…
Read MorePoaching: Need or Greed? A 3 minute starter SMART TASK KS4
Throughout history, people have had different views of poachers. Were they: a. Starving labourers, snaring game to keep body and…
Read MoreGCSE SHP Crime and Punishment: How and why did Victorian prisons change in the first half of Victoria’s reign
Introduction The Chief Examiner’s report for OCR made the following point: “A number of reports have identified 19C prison reform…
Read MoreAttitudes of the US government to the native Americans: milking an image for meaning
The simple PowerPoint presents students with an image which has six separate panels for them to investigate. Only by exploring…
Read MoreWhy did the Indians lose control of the Great Plains? I want that for my essay SMART TASK KS4
Students work in pairs to answer a GCSE question. They have cards of relevant information to sort through to help…
Read MoreSMART TASK: Overview of Irish history; a question of perspectives.
This smart task looks at iconic moments in Irish history and then challenges students to think how well each event…
Read MoreSMART TASK Key Stage 4: How should we remember the Easter Rising?
Recap This is the concluding lesson on the Easter Rising. If you want a good recap so that students hit…
Read MoreSMART TASK Key Stage 4: Working out what the election posters tell us about Who Voted Nazi
This simple task engages students in thinking for themselves why people voted for Hitler in the 1930s. It uses the…
Read MoreSMART TASK: A Suffragette procession: comparing the evidence
Whether you are studying the OCR unit, AQA or Edexcel you should find this activity helpful. The activity builds on…
Read MoreSMART TASK Key Stage 4 – Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis
With the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile crisis in the news, it is worth spending time reviewing Kennedy’s reputation….
Read MoreSMART TASK Key Stage 4 Deciphering a Cold War cartoon, using the slow reveal technique.
The interactive PowerPoint presentation of the famous Stalin’ The Birdwatcher’ cartoon encourages students to add layers of meaning as more…
Read MoreSMART TASK: Who said what at Versailles? A fun competitive team game with a serious purpose
This simple activity asks students to think who would be the most likely person to make this statement at the…
Read MoreSMART TASK: At what stage would you say it was obvious that the League of Nations would fail to keep peace?
This short task and associated homework asks students to beat the textbook. First they are reminded of the record of…
Read MoreSMART TASK: Germany 1933-34 Revision Quickie
Which factors played their part in establishing Nazi dictatorship in 1933-4? Subscribers only: You need to be logged in to view…
Read MoreRosa Parks – the true story
This open-ended enquiry explores one of the most abiding stories of American Civil Rights. Students are invited to advise a…
Read MoreGCSE Modern World history: Using history of football to interest boys in Inter-war relations 1919-39
If you have ever found it difficult to motivate boys looking at the Inter-war years from 1919-39, why not try…
Read MoreMarking the anniversary of the Wall Street Crash
To mark the 80th anniversary of the Wall St. Crash in 1929, the Guardian produced a simple guide to the…
Read More