AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Hodder Education Revision Lessons

Answering the ‘Describe …’ question

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AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Your friend asks you where you went for your

holidays.

How do you answer?

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Principles

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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You will almost certainly start by giving a broad

opening statement, such as:

‘Aw – I just went to the seaside with my parents.’

Or:

‘Weyhey! We went to Florida!!!!’Click to

continue

Principles

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Then, if your friend seems at all interested, you will

go on to tell him some of the boring details …

(how your father got arrested, how your sister got

eaten by a shark, etc.)

After two or three such anecdotes, your friend is

beginning to yawn, and you shut up.Click to

continue

Principles

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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continue

You answer the ‘Describe …’ question

in much the same way!

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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You are going to get a question which asks you to

describe an issue or an event, for example:

‘Towards the end of the Second World War,

the Allies held conferences. Describe what

happened at Yalta, February 1945.’

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Note that the first sentence is just ‘prompt information’ to jog your memory – the real question is the second part,

which tells you what to describe.

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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The mark scheme says that this is how you are going to earn the 4 marks for this question:

• 1 mark for a ‘basic description’• up to 3 more marks for ‘detailed description of

different aspects’.

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Note that the mark scheme says you need to give ‘at least two’ specific details to earn full marks … so try to give

three!

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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You are advised to spend

7 minutes maximum

on this question.

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AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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So, let’s begin …

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Start by giving a ‘basic description’:

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met at Yalta to

organise the post-war peace.

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Start by giving a ‘basic description’: (from the fact sheet)

This will give you the basic first 1 mark.

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met at Yalta to

organise the post-war peace.

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And then you add the two or three ‘details’:

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met at Yalta to

organise the post-war peace.

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And then you add the two or three ‘details’: (these can include general background context)

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met at Yalta to

organise the post-war peace.

The Red Army had reached Germany’s eastern

border.

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And then you add the two or three ‘details’: (for example …)

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met at Yalta to

organise the post-war peace.

The Red Army had reached Germany’s eastern

border.

Click to continue

And then you add the two or three ‘details’: (but you must also include specific facts …)

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met at Yalta to

organise the post-war peace.

The Red Army had reached Germany’s eastern

border.

They agreed to try Nazi war criminals, admit Russia

into the United Nations, and divide Germany into four

‘zones’.

In the Declaration of Liberated Europe they agreed to

‘democratic and self-governing countries’ and to ‘free

elections’. Click to continue

And then you add the two or three ‘details’: (for example …)

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met at Yalta to

organise the post-war peace.

The Red Army had reached Germany’s eastern

border.

They agreed to try Nazi war criminals, admit Russia

into the United Nations, and divide Germany into four

‘zones’.

In the Declaration of Liberated Europe they agreed to

‘democratic and self-governing countries’ and to ‘free

elections’. Click to continue

So your final answer looks like this:

And this will earn you the full 4 marks.

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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Write your essay, remembering to:• provide a sentence giving a ‘basic description’

and: • add two or three ‘details’ – including perhaps

background context, but certainly specific

facts.

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So …

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 4 Lesson 1

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• provide a sentence giving a ‘basic description’?

• add two or three ‘details’ – including perhaps background context, but certainly specific facts?

Peer-assess each other’s essays. Did they: