Year 6 History

The first lesson in this series starts by introducing your class to where modern-day Benin is and which countries are near it in West Africa. They will discover that the Kingdom of Benin was located in modern day Nigeria, place the Benin Empire on a ... Read More

This lesson gives your class a brief overview of the Benin civilisation between 900 and 1300. Your class will look at a variety of Benin artefacts and deduce facts from them, as well as exploring a timeline of Benin and British history and reading a ... Read More

This lesson starts by challenging your class to think about a bronze artefact. They will discuss who they think the artefact is depicting and what we can learn about the leaders of Benin from it. They will then find out about different Obas of Benin ... Read More

This lesson starts by challenging your class to share what they remember about the royalty of Benin. Then they then will think about the people who made the bronze sculptures we learnt so much from and continue to thinking about the jobs and lives of... Read More

Now that your class have more of an understanding about Benin society as a whole, they will explore the effect trade routes had on the kingdom and consider the way in which Europeans carried out trade with Benin. They will find out about the differen... Read More

This fascinating lesson teaches your class what a golden age is and what the Kingdom of Benin achieved during their own golden age, specifically trade with Europeans and the expansion of their territory. They are lots of possible learning opportuniti... Read More

The final lesson in this series starts by recapping the achievements during the Benin Golden Age and goes on to explore the decline of Benin. Your class will think about the effect that many years of civil wars can have on a civilisation, before find... Read More

This first lesson provides your class with a background to the Victorians, giving details about Queen Victoria, her reign and some of the characteristic features of the period. It also lets your class think about what they already know about Victoria... Read More

This thought-provoking lesson looks at the lives of poor children in Victorian Britain and looks at what they had to do in order to avoid the dreaded workhouse. Starting with an extract from ‘Oliver Twist’, your class will then find out why child... Read More

The Victorian era was a time of great social change. This lesson takes a look at the lack of protection for poor children in the early Victorian period and goes on to explore how and why laws were put in place to try and protect children from hazardo... Read More

This fun and informative lesson will have them marvelling at how different schools today are to schools during the Victorian era. The slides for this lesson start by showing them a photo of a typical Victorian classroom and challenging them to spot s... Read More

This lesson teaches your class why the Victorian era is often referred to as ‘the birth of childhood’. They will think about how leisure time for children might have been different in the Victorian period to today and learn about some of the ways... Read More

Your class can put their research skills to the test in this lesson as they carry out their own research to find out what everyday life was like for children in Victorian Britain. They will start by considering what they already know and making predi... Read More

Now that your class know lots of facts about life for children in Victorian Britain, they can now consolidate what they have found out. The slides pose some questions to discuss, such as what they think the best and worst part of being a child in Vic... Read More

This series starts by thinking about the kind of crimes that are common today and how we punish them. It then goes on to look at a timeline of Britain from the Romans to today and introduces the broad themes that will be looked at over the coming les... Read More

Looking for a Roman Crime and Punishment KS2 History lesson? You've found it! In the second lesson of this series, your class will recap when the Romans lived and when they arrived in Britain. They will then go on to explore which crimes were common ... Read More

This Viking and Anglo-Saxon Crime and Punishment KS2 History lesson explores how crime and punishment changed when the Romans left Britain, and how the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings dealt with criminals. Your class will find out about weregild and tithing... Read More

This Medieval and Tudor Crime and Punishment lesson will teach your KS2 class all about the new laws that were introduced to Britain after the Norman invasion. It explores new crimes that were being committed in the medieval period and the reasons fo... Read More

With a country in religious turmoil, the early modern period began with the infamous gunpowder plot and a Civil War. There were lots of crimes relating to religion, as well as a rise in highwayman, poachers and smugglers. Your class will find out wha... Read More

This Victorian Crime and Punishment KS2 History lesson will teach your class all about the social, economical and industrial changes that happened during the 19th century, and how this was reflected in the crimes that were committed and how they were... Read More

This Crime and Punishment Timeline KS2 History lesson gives your Year 5 or Year 6 class the chance to consollidate everything they have learnt about crime and punishment across the ages. It also challenges them to think about the kinds of crimes we h... Read More

The first lesson in this series gives your class a brief overview of the ancient Greek civilisation before looking at what Greece is like as a country. They will establish the difference between ‘A.D.’ and ‘B.C.’, and place the ancient Greeks... Read More

This lesson explores Athens and Sparta, two of the most famous ancient Greek city states. Your class will identify the features and characteristics of each city state before thinking about ways in which they were similar to and different from each ot... Read More

This lesson starts by looking at a variety of artefacts so your children can deduce information about what ancient Greek armies and navies were like. It then goes on to give them some further information about how these armies were organised. Your cl... Read More

This fascinating lesson offers a glimpse of some of the ancient Greek gods, goddesses and myths. Your class will be introduced to the Olympians and the Titans before reading an example of an ancient Greek myth. They can then carry out different activ... Read More

Research skills at the ready in this lesson as your class investigate what life was like on a daily basis for the ancient Greeks, exploring aspects such as clothing, homes and food. The slides give your class the chance to express what they already k... Read More

This lesson starts off by encouraging children to think about what the world would be like if the ancient Greek civilisation had never happened. The slides then go on to briefly explain how many parts of modern life come directly from the ancient Gre... Read More

The final lesson in this series gives your class the chance to reflect on everything they have learnt about the ancient Greeks. They will consider which facts they have found most interesting and consider how to organise facts into broad heading, suc... Read More

After a brief introduction to the ancient Greek civilisation, this first lesson looks at common prefixes and suffixes that stem directly from the ancient Greek language and studies their meanings. Your class will explore a variety of words we still u... Read More

I wonder if your class have ever stopped to think what the word 'alphabet' means? Well, they won't be wondering for long with this lesson as they discover the ancient Greek alphabet and have a go at some tricky translations! They will look at some ar... Read More

This lesson starts by challenging children to generate questions they would like to find the answer to relating to ancient Greek schools. They will then go on to learn about some of the features of ancient Greek education and identify similarities an... Read More

This lesson introduces your class to the basics of ancient Greek architecture, including columns, capitals and 'The Golden Rectangle', and looks at how and why these ancient Greek features have been favoured by architects in more modern times, partic... Read More

Your class will be introduced to some of the most famous scholars of all time in this lesson as they find out about Archimedes, Aristotle, Plato, Herodotus, Hippocrates and Pythagoras. They will find out when they lived, what they discovered or devel... Read More

This lesson takes your class back to the year 776 B.C. as they learn about how the first Olympic Games started, the features of the ancient Greek Olympic Games and how the Games today have been influenced by the ancient Greeks. Children will consider... Read More

This final lesson gives your class the opportunity to evaluate what has been passed down to us from the ancient Greeks and to draw on what they have learnt to make decisions about which contributions they think are greatest and why. They will express... Read More

The first lesson in this series encourages your class to think of what life was like in 1948 and some of the main changes that have occurred since then, identifying characteristics of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. It starts by showing the... Read More

This lesson encourages your class to identify the advantages of studying such a modern period in history and looks at some of the historical sources that have never before been available, such as photographs and videos, as well as investigating the d... Read More

This lesson starts by giving your class some clues to see if they can identify some key events of the 1950s. It then goes on to give a brief outline of what life was like in Britain at this time, focussing on five main areas: home life, work life, te... Read More

Take your class back to the swinging sixties as they find out who invented the mini skirt, what Beatlemania was and how life changed in terms of home, work, population and more. Through a range of fun activities, your class will be able to express wh... Read More

Children will look at a variety of changes that were occurring during the seventies, such as the women’s liberation movement and key inventions, before focussing on the country’s economic difficulties. Your class will find out why the three-day w... Read More

Take your class back to 'Thatcher's Britain' as they find out what life was like under Britain's first female Prime Minister. Your class will find out about Thatcher’s rise to power and some of the key features of her time as Prime Minister before ... Read More

The final lesson in this series looks at the main changes, inventions and events of the 1990s, including the death of Princess Diana and the invention of the world wide web. It then goes to challenge your class to look for links between the changes ... Read More

What was Britain’s involvement in the Second World War? How was life at home affected? What was its impact on Britain by the time it ended? This first lesson is packed with information about WWII so you can bring your class up to speed with key eve... Read More

In this lesson, children are first asked to consider and discuss the many ways in which British people had been affected by the war. Following this, take a look at one of the first priorities for the post-war government: repairing the cities. Explore... Read More

In this lesson, find out all about the wave of optimism that swept a radically different government into power when the war ended, and its vision for rebuilding and modernising Britain. Following this, challenge children to consider why various aspec... Read More

What is the NHS? What does it do? How does it work? What would life in Britain be like without it? Challenge children to consider all these questions and more as they find out about the creation of the NHS, the campaign to raise awareness about the s... Read More

What do you know about the British Empire? Fill in those knowledge gaps with the included slides, which describe the Empire and the involvement of people from British colonies in the War Effort. They may be surprised to learn just how many people fro... Read More

With the nationalisation of many services and industries and the rebuilding of Britain underway, it became apparent that there would be a shortage of labour. With that in mind, the post-war government granted all people of the British Empire full cit... Read More

Look at what are some of the most visible, lasting legacies of the post-war plans for rebuilding Britain: new towns. Focus on Harlow and the reasons for its construction, then take a look at some of the peculiarities of its layout and architecture. C... Read More

This first lesson introduces your class to the Shang Dynasty of ancient China and places it on a timeline. They will explore what a dynasty is and where the Shang Dynasty were in power, before looking at the differences between what the history books... Read More

Your class will get the chance to do some historical detective work in this lesson as they look at the evidence surrounding the first ten Shang kings. The history books and the archaeological evidence present two different pictures but which source i... Read More

This lesson unearths some of the historical gems that have been found in royal tombs of the Shang Dynasty. Your class will explore some of the many bronze, jade and ceramic objects found and deduce what these can tell us about life at the time. They ... Read More

This lesson explores what life was like for the everyday people of the Shang Dynasty. Your class will discover what towns, cities and homes were like, as well as looking at some of the ways in which people earned a living through farming and craftsma... Read More

The Shang Dynasty was the first civilisation in China to leave written evidence of its existence and this lesson explores the writing discovered on the oracle bones, as well as how the Shang were the first people in China to develop a calendar. Your ... Read More

The final lesson in this series explores the story of how the Zhou army attacked and took over the Shang palace, ending the Shang Dynasty. Your class will read some evidence in the oldest Chinese poetry book and think about its reliability as a histo... Read More

The first lesson in this series explore what England was like before the first Viking invasions. It reminds your class when the Romans left Britain and explores who the Anglo-Saxons were and where they came from. Your class will find out about the se... Read More

This exciting Viking Raids KS2 lesson will give your Year 5 or Year 6 class a great understanding of the Lindisfarne Viking invasions and how the Viking raids affected the Anglo-Saxons. This lesson starts by recapping the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdo... Read More

This Danelaw KS2 History lesson pack explores the peace treaty that was eventually reached between the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons. During the lesson, your Year 5 or Year 6 class will find out how the Vikings continued to raid England and other part... Read More

This Alfred the Great KS2 lesson planning pack explores how Alfred became king of all the remaining kingdoms of England after the Danelaw was established. Your Year 5 or Year 6 children will explore the reign of King Alfred and challenges them to thi... Read More

This Viking Life KS2 lesson pack gives your class the chance to explore what life would have been like for Vikings living in Britain, and to compare this to how their Anglo-Saxon neighbours lived, identifying similarities and differences between the ... Read More

By the 900s, the Anglo-Saxon kings were enjoying a 'golden age' but this was not to last. This lesson explores how Anglo-Saxon power quickly waned after the death of Edgar the Peaceful and how England became a unified country under the control of a s... Read More

The final lesson in this series explores the years between 1016 and 1066 when the Normans invaded and conquered England, ending the era of the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons in England. Your class will be introduced to the men who thought they had the righ... Read More

The first lesson in this series starts by exploring the restrictions and roles of women in the ancient world before going on to look at medieval and Renaissance women in Britain. They will find out about coverture which forced married women to submit... Read More

This lesson starts with the example of Margaret Hughes and her role as the first British woman to be legally allowed to act on stage as a way of looking at some of the restrictions that were placed on women prior to the 1900s. It goes on to look spec... Read More

Find out about the history of the women’s suffrage movement in this lesson as your class are introduced to the women who fought in different ways for the right to vote. They will learn about the peaceful campaigns of the NUWSS before finding out ab... Read More

The outbreak of World War I forced the suffragettes to temporarily abandon their cause to help the war effort. This lesson will take a look at what women did in Britain during war time, particularly looking at the jobs they now did that they had neve... Read More

After recapping some of the major events in the history of women’s rights up to 1928, this lesson will teach your class the difference between primary and secondary sources, and use both to find out about the role of women during the 1950s. They wi... Read More

Children will consider the inequality in girls and boys being rewarded differently for the same tasks as a context for exploring the disparity in pay and work options between men and women in the 1960s and 1970s. Using the example of the Ford Dagenha... Read More

The final lesson in this series gives your class the chance to consolidate what they have learnt about the changes to women’s roles, rights and responsibilities throughout the ages. They will also consider whether women and men are equal in Britain... Read More

This lesson introduces your class to the Aztec civilisation and explores how they ended up at Lake Texcoco, before looking at a timeline of world history periods that the children will be familiar with and placing the Aztecs on that timeline. Read More

This fascinating lesson looks at the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan and explores how the Aztecs turned a swampy island surrounded by grumbling volcanoes into one of the biggest cities in the world at the time through the use of aqueducts, canals, causewa... Read More

This lesson explores how Aztec society was organised and looks at the roles and positions of various groups of people, from the emperor, nobles and priests down to farmers and slaves. It also explores how families were organised into groups called 'c... Read More

Religion was central to the Aztecs and their way of life, and this lesson takes a look what the Aztecs believed and how this impacted on their life, including the practice of one of the most controversial customs in history - human sacrifice. Your cl... Read More

The final lesson in this series teaches your class about how the Aztec civilisation came to end. They will be introduced to Cortés and the Spanish conquistadors and find out about the chain of events that led to the death of the Aztec king Moctezuma... Read More

Your class will be able to put their research skills to the test in this lesson as they explore what daily life was like for the average Aztec as they research Aztec food, clothes, homes, markets and more. Read More

Who was the last Tudor monarch? In this first lesson, children will learn about the life of Elizabeth I, and how she came to the throne. They will find out about the unrest in the country at the time due to religious differences, and how Elizabeth he... Read More

Why were Spain and England enemies? In this lesson, children learn about the tensions between these two countries during the Elizabethan era, and the events that led up to King Philip II’s decision to invade England. As a class, they will find out ... Read More

What was the plague? In this lesson, children learn about the bubonic plague, and how multiple outbreaks of the disease killed a large percentage of the population of England over the years. They explore the believed and actual causes of the plague, ... Read More

What was everyday life like in Elizabethan England? Children will find out how life was different for the rich and the poor by comparing aspects such as education, employment, food, health and medicine, and crime and punishment. In their independent ... Read More

What did the Elizabethans do for fun? In this lesson, children find out about the wide range of leisure activities for both the rich and poor in the Elizabethan era, and are encouraged to share their opinions on these activities. In their independent... Read More

Are we justified in calling the Elizabethan era a ‘golden age’? In this final lesson, children use their knowledge of Elizabethan England from the previous lessons to discuss the numerous achievements of Queen Elizabeth during her reign. In their... Read More

Why do we explore our world today? Children begin by looking at some of the reasons for exploration in the Elizabethan era, and compare any similarities with modern-day reasons. They are then introduced to Francis Drake. As a class, they find out how... Read More