League of Nations Origins

Overview

This 90-minute session introduces Year 10 students to the formation and purpose of the League of Nations. It explores the context of post-World War I peace efforts, highlighting the League’s intended role in promoting international cooperation and conflict prevention. The lesson aligns with the History National Curriculum for England, focusing on key historical concepts and inquiry skills.

National Curriculum Links

History Key Stage 4:
- Understand the study of history as a coherent, chronological narrative from the late 19th century and 20th century (2014 Programme of Study)
- Develop understanding of historical periods and events that shaped the modern world, including causes and consequences of conflict and peace-making
Historical Skills:
- Formulating enquiries, selecting and organising relevant historical information
- Explaining and analysing causes and consequences of events and developments in history
- Evaluating interpretations and reaching substantiated conclusions

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

Explain why the League of Nations was established after WWI.
Describe the key aims and structure of the League.
Analyse early hopes and the intended role of the League in maintaining peace.
Develop historical enquiry by forming questions about international cooperation.

Resources

PowerPoint presentation summarising context, aims and structure of the League
Primary source excerpts (e.g., Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points, League Covenant excerpts) – dyslexia-friendly formatted sheets (clear font, bigger spacing)
Whiteboard and markers
Graphic organiser worksheet: “Why was the League formed?”
Video clip (5 minutes) summarising post-WWI peace efforts (subtitled)
Reflection journals or exercise books

Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes)

Purpose: Activate prior knowledge around WWI and peace efforts.

Ask student: “What was the world like after WWI?” Record ideas on whiteboard under headings: ‘Problems’ and ‘Solutions’.
Prompt with keywords: devastation, alliances, conflict, peace.
Differentiation: Provide a keyword bank with definitions for students who need extra support.

2. Presentation & Discussion (20 minutes)

Purpose: Introduce the League’s origins and aims.

Present a brief PowerPoint covering:
- Post-WWI context: devastation, desire for peace
- Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points as a blueprint
- Formation of the League at the Paris Peace Conference 1919
- Structure: Assembly, Council, Secretariat, Permanent Court of International Justice
- Key aims: prevent wars, disarmament, arbitration, cooperation
Use visuals and simplified text to support dyslexic learners.
Pause after each section for comprehension questions (“Why do you think leaders wanted to create the League?”).
Extension for advanced learners: Encourage them to consider what challenges the League might face based on structure and aims.

3. Primary Source Analysis (25 minutes)

Purpose: Develop enquiry and analytical skills by interacting with sources.

Provide dyslexia-friendly versions of short extracts: Wilson’s 14 Points (focus on the League), League Covenant Article 1 (objectives).
Task: Using the graphic organiser, identify key reasons for the League’s creation and intended methods to maintain peace.
Scaffold support for students needing extra help with guided questions (e.g., “What does this document say about war?”).
For advanced learners: Challenge them to compare the two sources and identify similarities and differences in tone or purpose.

4. Video and Reflection (15 minutes)

Purpose: Consolidate understanding through multimedia and reflection.

Show a 5-minute subtitled video explaining the League’s establishment and first goals.
After watching, ask the student to write 3 sentences in their reflection journal addressing:
“Why was the League of Nations created? Do you think it was a good idea?”
Offer sentence starters for less confident writers.
Provide extension opportunity: Write a short justified opinion for extra challenge.

5. Plenary & Peer Teaching (20 minutes)

Purpose: Review learning and communicate understanding verbally.

Student uses their graphic organiser and reflections to teach back/explain to teacher what the League was and why it was formed.
Teacher asks probing questions to deepen understanding, e.g., “What do you think might have made the League successful or unsuccessful?”
Summarise key points on whiteboard.
Differentiation: Provide visual mind-map template for student to complete during peer-teaching if needed.

Assessment

Formative assessment through questioning during presentation and peer-teaching.
Completed graphic organiser evaluated for understanding of origins and aims.
Reflection journal entry assessed for comprehension and engagement with content.

Differentiation Strategies

Keyword banks and sentence starters for literacy support.
Dyslexia-friendly printing: clear fonts (e.g., Arial/Comic Sans), larger spacing, pastel backgrounds.
Scaffolding questions and graphic organisers to organise thoughts.
Extension tasks with higher-order questions for rapid learners.
Multimodal inputs: visuals, video, primary sources to cater for diverse learning styles.

Extension Activities

Research and present on one early challenge the League faced in 1920s.
Write a short persuasive speech from the perspective of a 1920s world leader supporting or criticising the League’s aims.
Create a timeline of key events leading to the League’s founding and early development.

Homework Suggestion

Write a brief letter as a citizen in 1919 expressing hopes or concerns about the League of Nations. Use sources from today’s lesson to support ideas.

This highly structured and differentiated lesson builds a solid foundation for the unit on the League of Nations, fostering critical historical enquiry and empathy while aligning tightly with the National Curriculum’s focus on understanding modern world history through key events and concepts.

Teaching Instructions