Typical History Lesson Activities

A trainee asked but ‘what do you actually do with pupils in typical KS3 lessons? So this is my list of typical and common activities I would use, that might be of use in generating ideas.

Entrance/Start of lesson

-Retrieval – differing level q challenge grid, interleaving quizzes (last lesson, last week, last month) keyword definition retrieval, different topic entirely quiz, 5 in 5 (5facts about 5 different areas table), multiple choice, brain dump what you know on topic, timeline/chronological ordering, answers on a post it note to put on board, match up, cops and robbers

-Repetition – Bingo keywords

-Primary Sources- Inference work

-Interpretations- summarise what they say

-Knowledge Organiser/Keywords- read and self check

-Q&A

-Storytelling

-True or False

-Video clip & retrieval questions

Main/Apply activities

-On top of a good old comprehension worksheet…

-Tables- different causes, different consequences, cause or consequence, success or failure, short term/long term term/catalyst, similarities and differences, events and impact

-Categorisation card sorts

-Flow charts – cause, event, consequence

-Gap Fill

-Guided reading on extended piece of reading/scholarship

-Source analysis

-Carousel Learning points round the room/carousel source analysis

-Diary entries

-Letters

-Role play interviews

-Model answers- annotate and analyse

-I do, we do, you do paragraphs on enquiry questions

-PEEL paragraph

-Diamond 9/prioritisation tasks

-Because, but, so expansion on key facts

-Concept Maps

-Create and quiz using Flash cards

-Discussion debates

-Questioning

-write your own quiz and quiz your partner

-read

Plenary/Review/Checking Understanding

-Q&A

-Class debates

-Think, pair, share

-Structured Talk on a topic

-Mini-whiteboards

-How far Continuum’s- human, post it or plot your own. To discuss or write explanation

-True or False

-Writing conclusions

-Write 5 key take-always

-Paragraph answering enquiry question

-Class vote on main reason and discussion/prioritisation task

-Find someone who

-Newspaper headline/tweets

-Multiple Choice

-Peer assessment and improvements