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Sumerian history through story-telling and expressive movement
Lesson Plan
The Sumerian mystery lesson is based on a story about what people found in one of the royal tombs of Ur dating from about 4000 years ago. (This was in ancient Mesopotamia, near what we now call the Persian Gulf.)
(These resources are attached below)
The story is full of...
Sumerian history through story-telling and expressive movement
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Real Lives: Jessie Reid Crosbie
Historian feature
Alyson Brown, Dan Copley and Jack Bennett uncover the life of a reforming Liverpool headmistress.
Our series ‘Real Lives’ seeks to put the story of the ordinary person into our great historical narrative. We are all part of the rich fabric of the communities in which we live and we are...
Real Lives: Jessie Reid Crosbie
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Counterfactual Reasoning: Comparing British and French History
Teaching History article
Year 8 use counterfactual reasoning to explore place and social upheaval in eighteenth-century France and Britain
Two linked motivations inspired Ellen Buxton's research study: she wanted pupils to make connections between British and French history and she wanted to explore the potential of counter-factual reasoning within a causation enquiry. It...
Counterfactual Reasoning: Comparing British and French History
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HA Conference 2021 round-up
1st July 2021
So, we didn’t all get to pack into a room together and chat loudly and sort through our new canvas HA bag this year, but we did still have a conference. A second year done using digital technology rather than meeting up face-to-face – and a second success. We built...
HA Conference 2021 round-up
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The Historian 95: An American showman
The magazine of the Historical Association
Featured articles:
The 2007 Medlicott Medal Lecture: What kind of history should school history be? Chris Culpin (Read article)
P. T. Barnum - Promoter of 'freak shows' for the family - John Springhall (Read Article)
Roald Dahl and the Lost Campaign - Trevor Fisher (Read Article)
Presenting Naseby: Documents, terrain, findings and...
The Historian 95: An American showman
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As a primary school teacher have you taught about the Holocaust?
Primary History article
Teaching the Holocaust at primary level can be incredibly rewarding and result in pupils broadening their historical understanding as well as encouraging them to consider other issues. The importance of challenging prejudice, ignorance and racism, the importance of not being a bystander and valuing life are just a few of...
As a primary school teacher have you taught about the Holocaust?
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Bolton Branch Programme
Article
All enquiries to Mrs Melissa Wright mwright@boltonschool.org.uk 07912369060
All talks start at 6.30pm on the first Monday of the month (except Sept & Jan), and takes place in the Sutcliffe Suite, Bolton School Girls’ Division, Bolton School, Chorley New Road, Bolton BL1 4PA. Free parking is available in the Girls...
Bolton Branch Programme
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Getting Year 7 to set their own questions about the Islamic Empire, 600-1600
Teaching History article
Sometimes particular problems can lead to unexpected solutions. In this case, Sally Burnham decided to solve a problem that she had identified among her Year 12 students by changing the way in which she teaches Year 7. Her Year 12s were finding it difficult to set appropriate questions for their...
Getting Year 7 to set their own questions about the Islamic Empire, 600-1600
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The Historian 62: Catherine de Medici
The magazine of the Historical Association
Featured articles:
4 Is History Dangerous? - Eric Hobsbawm (Read article)
6 Britain and the formation of NATO - Carl Watts (Read article)
12 Sir William Petty: Scientist, Economist, Inventor 1623-87 - John Adams (Read article)
15 Durham: a personal perspective - G.R. Batho (Read article)
18 Catherine de Medici and the...
The Historian 62: Catherine de Medici
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HA activities and impact
10th November 2025
An understanding of history has the potential to change lives. The HA’s continuing work seeks to empower learners at every age and level to access high quality history education, inside and outside of formal learning contexts. We want everyone to be able to engage with, debate, examine and shape history.
In...
HA activities and impact
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The Historian 56: Philip II of Spain
The magazine of the Historical Association
Featured articles:
Philip II of Spain, the Prudent King - James Casey (Read article)
Quixotically Generous...Economically Worthless - William Kenefick (Read article)
1497, Cornwall, and the Wars of the Roses - Ian Arthurson (Read article)
Stalin, Propoganda, Soviet Society, and the Great Terror - Sarah Davies (Read article)
The New...
The Historian 56: Philip II of Spain
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A Guide to Oral History for Schools and Youth Groups
6th June 2018
The Oral History Society's Schools and Young People Group has developed A Guide to Oral History for Schools and Youth Groups. This important set of resources is designed to support teachers and anyone working with young people on oral history projects.
Oral history is a living history of everyone’s unique life experiences, and so is...
A Guide to Oral History for Schools and Youth Groups
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The Historian 89: The Great Liberal landslide
The magazine of the Historical Association
4 Letters 5 Editorial 6 HA News
8 The Great Liberal Landslide of 1906: The 1906 general election in perspective - Dr Ian Packer (Read article)
17 A Pirate of Exquisite Mind: The Forgotten William Dampier - Diana Preston (Read article)
26 Popular Revolt & the rise of Early Modern States -...
The Historian 89: The Great Liberal landslide
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The Historian 94: Civil Rights: How did the Civil Rights movement change America?
The magazine of the Historical Association
Featured articles:
Civil Rights: How did the Civil Rights movement change America? - A.J. Badger (Read Article)
The creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 - Alexander Murdoch (Read Article)
Historians in the National Archives - A.D. Harvey (Read article)
The Japanese history textbook controversy: a content analysis -...
The Historian 94: Civil Rights: How did the Civil Rights movement change America?
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'Doing Local History' through maps and drama
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Editorial note: John Fines produced two case studies of Local History for the Nuffield Primary History Project. One on them is published here for the first time.
'Doing Local History' through maps and drama
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Introducing local history: the Fusehill Workhouse Project
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Master and Mistress of the Workhouse refused to talk to any of us as she was adamant that nothing she could remember would be very interesting!
Of course disappointments like this have to be accepted and...
Introducing local history: the Fusehill Workhouse Project
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Local railway history: using visual resources
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Before the 1960s British Rail's spider-web network of railway lines reached every town and thousands of villages. Where you live would have been within a thirty minute journey from a station; scroll down to look at...
Local railway history: using visual resources
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More than skin deep: unmasking the history of cold cream
Historian article
From the ancient Mediterranean to the shelves of twenty-first century pharmacies and cosmetic counters, cold cream has a long history. In this article, Farhana Qayoom Shaikh explores how Galen’s simple formula for treating skin complaints transitioned over the centuries into a luxury beauty product.
More than skin deep: unmasking the history of cold cream
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How could an ITaP help you teach more history?
Primary History article
Sharing our classrooms with a student teacher has changed over recent years, as the DfE has become increasingly interested in the ITT curriculum seamlessly integrating into school placement experiences. Part of this relates to ITaPs. This article outlines an ITaP designed by the University of Reading. Not only does it...
How could an ITaP help you teach more history?
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Using learning outside the classroom at historic sites to explore British history units
Primary History article
British history in the National Curriculum (2014) provides extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom, from the earliest times to the present day. Visiting historic sites is one experience of learning outside the classroom that provides a meaningful and stimulating focus for understanding Britain’s past. This said, any site and...
Using learning outside the classroom at historic sites to explore British history units
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From our branches: Conwy Borough Branch
Historian feature
A new branch of the Historical Association has recently opened in North Wales. In this article, branch founders Morgan Ditchburn and Gemma Campbell introduce themselves and provide an exciting account of the present and future activities of the Conwy Borough Historical Association Branch...
From our branches: Conwy Borough Branch
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Assessment exemplar: children questioning artefacts
Exemplar
Questioning can be used in assessing childrens historical skills, as this example shows.The children were all in Year 4, and were withdrawn from their mixed Year 3/4 class for this lesson. They had covered several aspects of National Curriculum history, including over the past year the Egyptians and a local...
Assessment exemplar: children questioning artefacts
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Triumphs Show: Shining a light on Eastern European history with Jadwiga of Poland
Teaching History feature
What is the value of local history? How should the history curriculum reflect the lives of our pupils and local communities? While Andrea was on her PGCE placement, we found ourselves posing these questions one afternoon, during a mentor meeting. We discussed how local history can shine a light on...
Triumphs Show: Shining a light on Eastern European history with Jadwiga of Poland
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Historical Interpretation: Why is it still such a major issue?
E-CPD
This E-CPD unit was produced for the previous National Curriculum, when Interpretations in History were still relatively new. In the current National Curriculum, Interpretations are still central to the skills necessary for success. Perhaps more so, as it is now a separate assessment objective [AO4] at GCSE, starting in 2016,...
Historical Interpretation: Why is it still such a major issue?
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Working effectively with your local history societies: the benefits and challenges
Primary History article
Local history provides rich opportunities to engage children in their immediate local area and understand their own history and how history contributes to a greater overall understanding and bigger picture. In this article, Nick Harman shares his school’s experience of participating in an exciting joint project with the local heritage...
Working effectively with your local history societies: the benefits and challenges
