A fully resourced, ready-to-teach KS3/KS4 couple of lessons on Germany after 1945, designed to guide students through Germany’s and Berlin’s modern history. It has a some German tasks in it, but it could easily be adapted for a history lesson. It would suit Year 8, Year 9 or Year 10 (i.e. ages 12 to 15) well, but could also be used outside of these year groups.

Includes:

• Full lesson presentation (two or three lessons depending on how quickly you teach it) - 113 slides!
• Comparison of capitalism and communism
• The occupation of Germany
• Germany being divided
• Escape attempts and wall development
• The development of East and West Germany
• Fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification
• Modern Germany and remembrance
• Plenty of video clips
• Student worksheets (PDFs and editable versions included)

There are also some suggestions at the end about further projects the students could do (DVDs, or ICT tasks).

Starting with the end of World War Two, these lessons explore the occupation of Germany, the rise of East and West Germany, the Berlin Blockade and Airlift, the Berlin Wall, escape attempts, life under the Stasi, the fall of the Wall, reunification, and how modern Germany remembers its past.

This resource includes engaging, clearly structured slides, a supporting student worksheet, a capitalism vs communism comparison task, key vocabulary, discussion prompts, historical thinking opportunities, and a strong reflective ending. It is ideal for busy teachers who want a substantial, visually rich couple of lessons or mini-unit with minimal preparation.

Students will develop their understanding of chronology, cause and consequence, differing political systems, propaganda, surveillance, peaceful protest, and historical memory. The lesson also encourages thoughtful discussion about freedom, division, and the importance of remembering the past.

See my (mainly) GCSE German TES shop here: /teaching-resources/shop/IndieSinger - including full lessons for the (new) AQA GCSE German course following the OUP textbook.