AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 1 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 1 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 1 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 1 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 1 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 1 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: ‘German foreign policy is sometimes

blamed for causing the First World War.

Describe Wilhelm II’s policy of Weltpolitik.’

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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 1 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 1 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 1 Lesson 1

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So, let’s begin …

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 1 Lesson 1

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Start by giving a ‘basic description’:

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 1 Lesson 1

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Weltpolitik (meaning ‘world politics’) was

Wilhelm II’s

aggressive, expansionist foreign policy.

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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 1 Lesson 1

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Weltpolitik (meaning ‘world politics’) was

Wilhelm II’s aggressive, expansionist foreign

policy.

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

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 1 Lesson 1

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Weltpolitik (meaning ‘world politics’) was

Wilhelm II’s aggressive, expansionist foreign

policy.

Click to continue

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

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 1 Lesson 1

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Weltpolitik (meaning ‘world politics’) was

Wilhelm II’s aggressive, expansionist foreign

policy.

Many Germans wanted a strong German-

dominated

central European state (‘Mitteleuropa’).

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

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 1 Lesson 1

Click to continue

Weltpolitik (meaning ‘world politics’) was

Wilhelm II’s aggressive, expansionist foreign

policy.

Many Germans wanted a strong German-

dominated central European state

(‘Mitteleuropa’).

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 1 Lesson 1

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Weltpolitik (meaning ‘world politics’) was Wilhelm II’s

aggressive, expansionist foreign policy.

Many Germans wanted a strong German-dominated

central European state (‘Mitteleuropa’).

In 1898 he ordered Admiral Tirpitz to build up a strong

German navy.

In 1901 he publicly demanded ‘a place in the sun’ for

Germany.

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

AQA (B) GCSE Modern World History

Unit 1 Part 1 Lesson 1

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Weltpolitik (meaning ‘world politics’) was Wilhelm

II’s aggressive, expansionist foreign policy.

Many Germans wanted a strong German-

dominated central European state

(‘Mitteleuropa’).

In 1898 he ordered Admiral Tirpitz to build up a

strong German navy.

In 1901 he publicly demanded ‘a place in the sun’

for Germany.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 1 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 1 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: