A Year 11 class and a partner school abroad studying the same period hold a mock hearing on who bears most responsibility for the outbreak of war in 1914. The UK class argues that Germany does, drawing on Fritz Fischer's interpretation, and the partner class argues that the great powers stumbled into war together, drawing on Christopher Clark's The Sleepwalkers. Each side calls witnesses in role, such as Bethmann Hollweg, Sir Edward Grey and Sazonov, who are cross-examined by the other side, and every student has a job: advocate, witness, cross-examiner, researcher passing evidence notes, or juror. The jury is drawn from both classes and votes with reasons in a Mentimeter poll at the end. The hearing is a Teams meeting hosted by both teachers on school accounts, whole class to whole class, and each student finishes by writing which piece of evidence moved them most.
Tools: Microsoft Teams, Mentimeter Nine ideas for your own version in Generate
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