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AQA GCSE 9-1 Elizabethan England, 1568-1603, Historic Environment Question 2026

This lesson explores the significance of the Globe Theatre in Elizabethan England and will prepare students fully for the historic environment question in 2026. This lesson has 38 slides and therefore is best to be delivered over at least two. The lesson has been revised since I first published it in 2019

Students will discover how the Globe became a major hub of entertainment, attracting audiences from all levels of society and helped shape the popularity of the English theatre. Through the works of playwrights like William Shakespeare, the theatre reflected the values, culture, concerns and politics of the time, making it a powerful mirror of Elizabethan society.

The lesson begins by examining two previous student answers, which students have to annotate and decide the marks they could award for each. They will show the common mistakes they make on this question from previous years. There is a simplified markscheme to consult as well as that supplied from AQA.
Two model answers are also analysed which will reflect the higher Level 4 marks awarded for a ‘complex explanation of the consequences leading to a sustained judgement’. Students are given tips and focus on how to achieve these higher marks.

Students are also required to fill in a grid to help them research the ‘5 P’s’, which focus on the main concepts of location, function, structure, design, people connected with the site, how the site reflects culture, values and fashions of the time and how the site links to important events and/or developments of the Elizabethans in the 16th Century. This will help them to gain the knowledge needed to write the question set from the exam board. The answer will also include the

Students are finally given a choice of 6 GCSE practice exam questions to complete with some scaffolding to help if required. Tips are given how to make a sustained line of argument rather than list the people, plays and the entertainment on offer from the Globe and other surrounding theatres.

The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. It comes in PowerPoint format which can be edited and changed to suit.

Any reviews on the resource would be greatly appreciated.