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This fully resourced lesson is part of Key Topic 3 of the Edexcel 9–1 GCSE History course on Russia and the Soviet Union (1917–41). It focuses on the events and consequences of Stalin’s purges, helping students understand both what happened during the Great Terror and the wider impact it had on Soviet society, the military, and Stalin’s control of the USSR.

The lesson builds on prior learning and encourages deeper analysis of the effects of mass repression through structured tasks and clear explanations. There is no need for a textbook — all materials are included and ready to teach.

What’s Included:

Fully editable PowerPoint with step-by-step content delivery

Knowledge recall starter activity to reinforce prior learning

A timeline-style overview of key events: the arrest waves, the show trials, and the role of the NKVD

Student resource slide: structured table for note-taking or consolidation

Consequences split into categories (social, political, military), with guided prompts to build extended answers

Built-in challenge tasks for stretch and support

Exam-style thinking prompts and discussion points

This lesson supports strong understanding of Stalinist repression and prepares students for source and consequence-based questions on Paper 3. It is designed to maximise engagement and reduce planning workload, with clear sequencing, structured support, and built-in challenge. Ideal for both whole-class teaching and independent study.