Turning Points Visual Timeline

Overview

This is Lesson 2 of 2 for “Exploring the European Theatre”. Students will examine two major turning-point battles (Verdun and the Somme) and consider what changed after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. They will then create a visual timeline that connects battles and treaties, explaining causes, effects, and continuity and change in the war and Europe’s future.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• describe key causes and effects of major battles (Verdun and the Somme)
• explain continuities and changes in the war after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
• create historical descriptions and explanations using appropriate historical concepts and terms
• use evidence from provided sources to support a short historical argument about “turning points”

Success criteria

• I can identify at least three causes and two effects for Verdun or the Somme using evidence.
• I can explain how the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk changed the war (at least one continuity and one change).
• I can create a clear visual timeline with dates, event summaries, and annotations.
• I can write a short argument stating why these events were turning points, supported by evidence.

Curriculum links

• AC9HH7S05: describe causes and effects, and explain continuities and changes
• AC9HH7K11: key beliefs, values and practices of an ancient society (not the focus in this lesson); instead, we address Year 7 European war content through historical concepts and evidence use
• AC9HH7S08: create descriptions, explanations and historical arguments, using historical knowledge, concepts and terms that reference evidence from sources
• General history capabilities: chronological reasoning, analysis of sources, and communication of historical ideas through structured responses and visual presentations

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: What counts as a turning point? Teacher displays three statements: “A turning point changes strategy”, “A turning point changes power”, “A turning point only matters if it ends the war”. Students think-pair-share which statements they agree with and why.

2. 5–12 min · Direct teach: Verdun and the Somme as turning points Teacher briefly models using historical concepts (cause, effect, continuity, change) with a source snippet per battle (e.g., casualty figures, trench warfare descriptions, resource strain). Students complete a quick two-column note: “Cause (evidence)” and “Effect (evidence)” for Verdun or the Somme.

3. 12–20 min · Mini-lesson: Brest-Litovsk and consequences Teacher explains what the treaty involved in simple terms (negotiation between powers, territorial changes, shifting alliances), stressing cause-effect and continuities (ongoing conflict in different regions) and changes (new borders, different priorities). Students underline the sentence in a source sheet that best shows “change” and circle the one that shows “continuity”.

4. 20–37 min · Group task: Visual timeline with evidence Students work in groups of 4–5 to create a shared visual timeline covering: Verdun, the Somme, Brest-Litovsk, and a final “impact on Europe’s future” event card of their choice (teacher provides options such as shifting power, civilian impact, or later peace negotiations themes). Teacher circulates, prompts with: “What is the cause? What is the effect? What evidence proves it?” Students complete the timeline with:

• dates for each event (or approximate dates if required by the source pack)
• 2–3 bullet annotations per event that explicitly link to cause/effect and continuity/change
• one piece of evidence copied/embedded (short quotation or paraphrased claim) per event
• arrows connecting events with short labels (e.g., “resource strain contributed to…”)

5. 37–44 min · Argument check: One paragraph “Why turning point?” Each group writes a 6–8 sentence historical argument using a structure: Claim → Reasons (2) → Evidence (2–3) → Conclusion. Students swap with another group for a “glow and grow”: one thing clear, one thing to strengthen (e.g., missing evidence, unclear continuity/change).

6. 44–45 min · Exit ticket Students answer: “Which event was the biggest turning point and why?” (1–2 sentences) including one evidence reference from their timeline.

Resources

• Source pack: short extracts on Verdun, the Somme, and the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (images and short texts)
• Timeline template (large sheet or digital slide) with spaces for dates, event summaries, and evidence
• Event cards (or teacher-provided cards) for “Impact on Europe’s future” options
• Coloured markers/highlighters (one colour for causes, one for effects, one for continuity/change)
• Sticky notes for arrows/labels
• Sentence starters for claims and evidence (e.g., “This shows…because…”, “The treaty changed…”, “A continuity was…”)
• Rubric-style checklist (student-friendly): evidence included, cause/effect linked, continuity/change stated, argument written

Assessment

• Formative: teacher checks group notes during timeline creation for correct cause/effect and explicit continuity/change.
• Formative: teacher reviews one group’s timeline mid-way for evidence use and clarity of connections (arrows and labels).
• Summative in-formal: exit ticket paragraph for historical argument and evidence integration.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters and a checklist; assign roles in groups (timeline designer, evidence finder, cause/effect writer, continuity/change checker).
• Support: for students needing it, allow approximate dates and offer pre-written evidence statements to select from.
• Extension: groups must add an “alternative view” sentence (e.g., “Some historians may argue the turning point was…”) and justify with evidence.
• EAL/SEN: allow dual-language support if available in class; provide simplified source versions plus a glossary of key terms (treaty, negotiation, territory, alliance, trench warfare, armistice if mentioned).