King John

Pupils’ book: 68pp. Authors: Dale Banham & Ian Dawson

Teachers’ book: 72pp, including photocopiable resources.

Described by Rob Phillips as ‘ … one of the most important and outstanding textbooks published in the last twenty years’ King John is far more than a study of just one medieval monarch.

Yes, it begins with an in-depth study enabling pupils to avoid superficiality and truly understand the nature of medieval monarchy, their key responsibilities and the problems they faced but then comes the engaging overview of the story of power in the whole medieval period, tackling key questions about the power of the King, the development of parliament and the changing relationship between England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France.

The book also offers a range of stimulating strategies for developing literacy. These strategies fully address the problems pupils face when they attempt to organise and communicate their ideas. Memorable analogies such as the Hamburger Paragraph and the History Grand Prix develop pupils’ ability to communicate their knowledge of the past in a coherent, organised and structured way. Pupils are shown how to argue with passion, engage in debates and produce substantiated explanations. Finally, the book deepens pupils’ understanding of key historical concepts. ‘King John’ has been used as a model of good practice in history education for developing pupils’ understanding of historical interpretations.

So here, in one package, is content, process and concepts – and those literacy skills, allowing you to more than meet the demands of the new Key Stage 3 PoS. And the activities are challenging, interesting, relevant and above all fun! Feedback from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive so I’ll end by returning to that review from Rob Phillips. Rob ended by saying ‘every History department should have a set’. Have you?

Use these Amazon links to order copies or use the Hodder link on the left of the screen to order from the publisher.

Buy/browse on Amazon for Pupils’ Book: King John: A Depth Study in Medieval Monarchy for Key Stage 3 (This Is History)

‘King’ Cromwell?

Pupils’ book: 68pp. Authors: Andy Harmsworth & Ian Dawson

Teachers’ book: 48pp, including photocopiable resources.

What's the ‘King Cromwell?’ recipe for a tasty study of early modern British History for the current and revised KS3 National Curriculum?

• Take the most controversial figure in British history (Oliver Cromwell)

• Add the excitement and bloodshed of the English Civil War

• And the drama of the trial and execution of a king

• Put in lots of engaging sources and activities to develop pupils’ historical skills

• Then stir in some powerful strategies for delivering citizenship (how and why  Parliament became more powerful than  monarchs)

• And for developing literacy (showing pupils how to write a biography, a big end-product of which they can be really proud) 

• Stir well in the classroom and serve hot ….. your students will keep coming back to ask for more !

That’s how King Cromwell? continues the story you began with King John, using the format of depth and overview studies, process and concepts (chiefly significance) and literacy skills (visit the History Fairground now you’ve got the hang of the Grand Prix track) that pupils will now be used to and confident with. That story of power is taken forward so pupils understand the big picture as well as the details – and they can even see the big picture all on one spread!

Use these Amazon links to order copies or use the Hodder link on the left of the screen to order from the publisher.

Buy/browse on Amazon for Pupils’ Book: "King" Cromwell?: Britain 1500-1750 - A Key Stage 3 Depth Study on the English Civil War: Pupils' Book (This Is History)

Dying for the Vote

Pupils’ book: 72pp. Authors: Jane Richardson & Ian Dawson

Teachers’ book: 80pp, including photocopiable resources.

Not just a brilliant title but an excellent set of activities.

Can your pupils mount a campaign to persuade the Couch-Potatoes to vote? Only if they care about the sacrifices and experiences of people in the past so the book sets out to help them care, accompanying Feargus O’Connor through early 19th century Leeds and asking ‘Would you join the Chartists?’ before investigating ‘Why did women die for the vote?’ If that all sounds a little ‘heavy’ it’s all done through visual sources and artwork with explanatory captions – with pride of place perhaps going to the stunning photograph of Emily Davison’s funeral cortege in Morpeth. What were all those people thinking as they stood five or six deep? Not many seem to have removed their hats.

Throughout the book pupils are guided in creating their advertising campaign with pages modelling how to create effective posters, how to write a persuasive speech, how to design a leaflet and create a TV advert. All in all, a campaign to make quite an impact at a parents’ evening and to help pupils think sensitively about why people risked their lives for the vote. And this completes the trilogy, enabling pupils to tell the story of how the power of monarchs waned, parliament developed and ordinary people won their rights.

Use these Amazon links to order copies or use the Hodder link on the left of the screen to order from the publisher.

Buy/browse on Amazon for Pupils’ Book: Dying for the Vote: KS3 Depth Study on the Chartists and the Suffragettes: Pupils' Book