This seven-lesson scheme of work examines King John’s reign, from his conflicts with his brother Richard the Lionheart to the events leading up to Magna Carta and the Baron’s War. Students investigate both foreign and domestic policies and their consequences, with a strong focus on historical writing skills.

The SOW works well as a standalone unit but is also integrated into the free-to-play History game world at Wolsey Academy for an interactive and immersive learning experience.

Each lesson includes:

Quick start guide

Literacy and numeracy starter activity

Teacher narrative context pages – ideal for storytelling and scene setting

Plenaries

A range of active learning episodes

Focus on writing skills

Homework, EAL, and stretch activity sheets

The seven lessons, along with their main activities, are as follows:

Richard I, Crusades & John – Plantagenet map relay, round robin Crusader battle reports, reading comprehension tasks, “Consult the Codex” activity

John’s Early Life – John v Longchamp card sort, PEEKA paragraph practice and assessment, “Consult the Codex” activity

John & Taxes – “Be the Teacher” activity, essay construction practice, “Consult the Codex” activity

John & War – Army recruiter role play presentations, Bouvines video

Magna Carta – Baron grievances card sort, prioritisation tasks, PEEKA writing development

The Baron’s War – Round the Room battle reporting, descriptive writing task, videos (this resource)

End of Unit Assessment – Planning and preparation for a Narrative Analysis Edexcel-style question on John’s legacy

This resource works best when students are also playing the free King John game and completing the Codex alongside the lessons – ideal for homework or ICT-based sessions.

All profits from this resource support charitable initiatives, including refugee assistance, youth sports, educational programmes, and environmental carbon capture, making our work carbon negative.

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