The KING’S Medium Term Plan – History
Y8 Learning Cycle 1 Programme
Module 2
SCIENCE
Overarching
Challenging
question
Why have people made challenges to those in power?
Subject
Challenging
Question
How much did Britain change as a result of the English Civil War and to what extent was the war justified?
Lines of Enquiry
Lines of Inquiry
This unit is about challenges to power with a specific focus on the English Civil War. It will allow pupils to not only see the causes of such
challenges to power but the repercussions of these as well. Higher order thinking will be analysing extent of change and continuity.
Week 1: Why did the relationship between the monarchy and parliament become difficult towards the middle of the 16th Century?
Week 2: How did this lead to the English Civil War?
Week 3: What were the principle differences between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers?
Week 4: How was the war resolved?
Week 5: Why did Oliver Cromwell bring Charles 1 to trial and subsequent execution?
Week 6: Revision, learning homework – incorporate the skills developed this semester. Assessment week.
Week 7: Gap teaching – from assessment analysis.
Progress
Objectives
Week 1
(2 Hours class
learning + 1
home learning)
By the end of this semester, students in history will be able to:
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recall why the English Civil War began
research the key battles during the English Civil War
analyse how much the English Civil War changed England
examine whether Cromwell needed to behead Charles I
understand the causes and consequences of the English Civil War
evaluate how necessary the English Civil War was
compare and contrast Britain before the war and Britain after the war
propose how Britain could be different had the war not happened
Why did the relationship between the monarchy and Parliament become difficult towards the middle of the
16th Century?
Lesson 1: The way the country was governed in the 16th Century was unfair?
Progress Outcomes:
 Describe some of the facts about 16th Century rule
 Produce a comparison between life then and now
 Analyse/debate how fairly the country was governed in the 16th Century
Learning Activities:
1. Do Now: What makes a fairly governed country? Images on board and students jot down ideas
2. Students work in pairs to read through and choose what events, facts and laws were fair and what were not, this must
be discussed and justified leading to a certain amount of debate in the class - Worksheet
3. Apply knowledge to compare this to today, how different was it then? – Research, how many of these laws are still in
place or if things have changed a lot
4. Using this new knowledge debate how fairly the country was at the time, what issues were there? - Piece of writing
and plenary opinion line
Lesson 2: The relationship between monarchy and parliament was at breaking point by the end of 16th
Century?
Progress Outcomes:
 Explain some reasons behind friction between parliament and the monarchy
 Interpret sources in order to construct an opinion about this relationship
 Identify key areas of conflict between the monarchy and parliament and assess how poor relations were and what
could be done about this
Learning Activities:
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Complete a do now task to identify who was more powerful and why
Explain why there may be problems, who wouldn't like the situation?
Investigate the opinions of people at the time, identify what some problems were
Role-play a mediator coming in to repair relations between the two, assess key areas of conflict and suggest changes
Home learning:
Why was there a strain on relations? Talk about how important each reason was and why parliament and the monarchy were
not happy. How fair do you think things were then? - table. What monarch was most and least fair?
REACH:
Suggesting changes to the then existing system using creativity and own knowledge.
Opportunity for peer assessment this week in activities
Week 2
How did this lead to the English Civil War?
(2 Hours class
learning + 1
home learning)
Lesson 1: Parliaments main concern was being ignored?
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Recall the reasons for tension between parliament and the monarchy
Discover how Charles I wanted the country to be ran
Analyse sources in order to investigate what parliaments main concern was
Assess why the monarchy was not keen on letting parliament have their way and what this meant for parliament
Learning Activities:
1. Do now: Recall why were parliament and the monarchy on bad terms at the end of the 16th Century?
2. What examples can you find to suggest that Charles I believed he should be the only one allowed a say in ruling the
country? Read through evidence.
3. Analyse sources from parliament and suggest what you thing parliaments biggest concern was and why?
4. Using the sources studied assess why the monarchy was not keen on giving parliament power and what this meant for
parliament. What options were left for them?
Lesson 2: Religion was the most important cause of war?
Progress Outcomes:
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Discuss the causes of the English Civil War
Report recommended categories for these causes
Construct a support opinion on most important category individually
Debate and assess what category is the most important weighing up all evidence
Learning Activities:
1. Do Now: Match the problems between parliament and the monarchy into categories
2. Pair and share, Discuss with the person next to you your choices and report to class
3. Identify what the most important category was in leading to war in your opinion using evidence
4. Debate the various categories in order to weigh up what the group thinks is most important. Drama style panel.
5. REACH marking response
Home learning:
In this week’s homework students will report on the debate they have had in class. They will discuss the debates that they had
in their groups and the conclusions that they came to as well as stating whether they agreed with the consensus of the group
and why is the case.
REACH:
Students will debate in groups allowing them to discuss opinions and weigh up evidence before demonstrating what they have
came up with to the class.
Grade pointed work to be completed and REACH marked this week
Week 3
What were the principle differences between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers?
(2 Hours class
learning + 1
home learning)
Lesson 1: Roundheads and Cavaliers were completely different groups?
Progress Outcomes:
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Explain the basic characteristics of roundheads and cavaliers
Produce a comparison of the two armies pointing out key differences
Examine the two groups closely in order to assess how different they really are
Weigh up what we know of the two groups in order to assess who stood a better chance of winning at the start
Learning Activities:
1. Do now: What do these images tell you about the two types of soldiers, which is which?
2. Choose the key facts on both roundheads and cavaliers to create a short textbook entry telling them apart
3. Create an advert/recruitment poster for either army, use key differences to advertise
4. Assess all of the information gathered today to write a conclusion about how different they are, look at similarities and
differences for a top answer
Lesson 2: Roundheads were more effective fighters?
Progress Outcomes:
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Describe some facts about fighting in the English Civil War
Explain what made one side or the other more effective fighters
Analyse the fighting carefully in order to say who was more effective at different points
Justify an overall conclusion in which you assess which side was the more effective fighting force
Learning Activities:
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Do now: What makes an effective army? Brainstorm
Group work to identify who were the more dominant fighters when and why, different info and answer sheets
Analysis work individually to decide what the key turning point in the war was, justify this
Using the information students have gathered pupils must give arguments for and against the roundheads being the
more effective fighters
Opportunity for peer assessment this week in activities
Home learning:
Pupils must create a timeline of events for the English Civil War based on class-work and at least 3 new events discovered in
homework.
REACH:
Pupils looking at all sides of arguments before forming a reasoned conclusion with regards to a variety of aspects of the
English Civil War.
Week 4
How was the war resolved?
(2 Hours class
learning + 1
home learning)
Lesson 1: Parliaments victory was inevitable?
Progress Outcomes:
 Explain events that led to parliaments victory
 Make conclusions about the importance of particular events
 Compare the final months to the start of the war, how much has changed?
 Assess all information in order to decide whether or at what point (if any) was parliaments victory inevitable
Learning Activities:
1. Do now: Read through information and answer question, how did parliament win the English Civil War?
2. In pairs discuss the importance of the events of the English Civil War. Where was the turning point?
3. Write a letter as a Cavalier to your close friend Lord Westerly telling him how much things have changed since the war
began
4. Create a chart that shows when it one side was on top and when if ever Parliament's victory seemed inevitable,
explain your chart underneath
Lesson 2: Britain was a better place after the English Civil War?
Progress Outcomes:
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Explain what life was life after the English Civil War
Discover what people said about life after the Civil War, better or worse?
Compare before and after the English Civil War
Assess whether Britain was in fact better off after the English Civil War
Learning Activities:
1. Do now: What changes would you expect to be made after the war? Recall from previous lessons.
2. Examine a range of sources about life after the English Civil War. Place into categories of positive and negative, why
may each person be saying this?
3. Analyse life before the English Civil War, were people happy then?
4. Assess the hypothesis in the form of a monks writings depicting life after the war
5. Grade pointed work to be completed, marked and REACH time completed
Home learning:
Pupils must research the various goals that Parliament had before the war and see how successful that Parliament was in
achieving what they wanted.
REACH:
Assessing life before and after the war in order to make accurate comparisons and reach high level, evidence backed
conclusions.
Week 5
Why did Oliver Cromwell bring Charles I to trial and subsequent execution?
(2 Hours class
learning + 1
home learning)
Lesson 1: Cromwell needed to bring Charles to trial?
Progress Outcomes:
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Recall events leading to Charles being brought to trial
Explain why Charles was brought to trial
Analyse Oliver Cromwell as a leader, why would he need to bring Charles to a trial?
Judge how necessary it was for Cromwell to bring Charles to trial
Learning Activities:
1. Do now task: Recall events leading to the end of the English Civil War
2. Read through information and pick out reasons for Charles to be brought to trial
3. Read the profile of Oliver Cromwell. Why would he need to bring Charles to trial? What ways would it benefit him?
4. Write a newspaper report following the end of the war that judges what should be done with Charles
Lesson 2: Charles deserved to be executed for his crimes?
Progress Outcomes:
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Recall the reasons behind Charles I being tried
Collect evidence to support Charles and evidence to prosecute him
Construct a defence or prosecution of Charles I using all the evidence available to you
Assess all the evidence in order to make a judgement on whether Charles I should have been executed
Learning Activities:
1. Do Now, recall the reasons behind Charles I trial. How did we get to this point?
2. Read through the evidence relating to Charles and separate it into lists for and against his execution
3. Students are lawyers working either in the defence or prosecution at the trial of Charles I and must look up evidence
from class and online to support their case and this will be heard at the end of the class
4. Students will listen to a variety of arguments for and against and the class will act as the jury and must decide whether
or not Charles I should have been executed or not, assessing all evidence
5. Opportunity for peer assessment this week in activities
Home learning:
This week’s homework is to prepare for the assessment, students will be given revision materials which they will interact with.
REACH:
Assessing a variety of evidence from across the learning cycle to decide whether or not Charles I should have been executed
Gap Analysis Reinforcement
Gap
This end of module time will be allocated to re-teaching any gaps discovered in each individuals knowledge as a result of the assessment
Reinforcement
process
Extended Learning
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Compare the English Civil War to the American or French Civil Wars
Research American and French Civil Wars
What were the long term consequences of the English Civil War
How would the English Civil War have looked to the rest of the world?
How significant was the English Civil War?