GCSE OCR History A Resource Banks

These packs provide a wide range of innovative and stimulating classroom activities designed specifically to cover key topics for the 2016 OCR A GCSE specification! Each resource contains 20–30 ‘pick-up-and-go’ activities that fit into your lessons and develop vital historical skills.

Will support teachers and pupils in all areas of the specification

N Stanley, Teacher & Reviewer
A wide variety of activities for students…
  • Each core activity covers a clear specification point and in specification order – develops students’ knowledge and understanding of the period in a logical way
  • Extension ‘discussion points’ challenge students and develop second-order historical concepts – vital for accessing top marks in the exam
  • Four types of keyword activity for every topic with student-friendly definitions for each term – help build confidence and familiarity with need-to-know figures and events
  • Timeline activity provides a fantastic visual overview of the time period – great at both the start and end of the course!
… that fit in easily with any lesson!
  • Clear teacher instructions for each task including suggested timings – easy to apply in the classroom
  • Most activities need no preparation – perfect for cover lessons or starter and plenary tasks
  • Answers provided, great for AfL or instant classroom feedback!

Pupils are given plenty of opportunity to think through the issues raised in the course of their studies and encouraged to articulate them both verbally and in written form

N Stanley, Teacher & Reviewer

What do teachers say about this resource? (7448)

I liked this resource... Very helpful as an overview... There was a good variety of activities...I particularly liked the illustrations... The structure of the exam style questions will greatly aid the less able... This resource will enhance learning by getting students to apply their knowledge, often in a fun, interactive manner... The presentation was diverse and the text was broken up in a user-friendly way... It matched the spec well, treating the topics in a chronological, yet also thematic order.

L Ashley, HoD & Peer Reviewer

I'm very positive about this resource, which will support teachers and pupils in all areas of the specification. Pupils are given plenty of opportunity to think through the issues raised in the course of their studies and encouraged to articulate them both verbally and in written form.

N Stanley, Teacher & Reviewer

What do teachers say about this resource? (11700)

A very worthwhile resource, filling a gap in the market and with a lot of variety to appeal to different learning styles... It kept well to the spec... The tips were valuable... The answers are thorough... Its educational value is thus to reinforce class activities/teacher input ,while giving the student some "ownership" of their work... I would certainly purchase this. It would be beneficial to teachers and students.

L Ashley, Head of History & Peer Reviewer

What do teachers say about this resource? (7118)

A useful addition to [ZigZag's] other resources on this topic.

I particularly liked the key term definitions.

[This resource] should enhance learning by providing an overview of all activities covered, and its educational value is to make what at first glance seems an unwieldy topic for pupils, manageable.

It matches the spec well and interprets it appropriately.

L Ashley, Head of History & Peer Reviewer

What do teachers say about this resource? (6998)

This is an extremely well structured resource, which mirrors the content of the specification. It will help pupils in both a consolidation of the facts and thinking through and understanding both causes and results.... The resource employs a wide range of different approaches which should motivate and stretch our pupils, as well as sparking ideas in teachers of how they can adapt some of the approaches for themselves.... The variety of approaches covering all of the specification content provides teachers with a resource which is both motivating and demanding.... The focus of the material is on the factual content of the specification and also gives pupils the opportunity to develop research skills.

N Stanley, Teacher & Peer Reviewer

The activities would clearly engage the pupils.

N Stanley, Teacher & Peer Reviewer