History · Year 12

Active learning ideas

Foreign Policy: Scotland and France

Active learning helps students grasp the nuance of Elizabeth I’s foreign policy by moving beyond dates and treaties. When students analyze primary documents, debate decisions, and role-play historical figures, they confront the complexity of balancing religion, power, and diplomacy. This approach makes the consequences of choices tangible, helping students understand why caution often trumped conviction in Elizabeth’s early reign.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• A-Level: History - Elizabeth I: Foreign Policy
• A-Level: History - The Tudors: England, 1485–1603

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 45 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Treaty of Edinburgh Audit

In small groups, students analyze the terms of the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh. They must identify why this was a 'masterstroke' for Elizabeth, as it removed French troops from Scotland and secured the Protestant Lords of the Congregation without a full-scale war.

Explain why Elizabeth eventually decided to support the Scottish Lords of the Congregation.

Facilitation Tip

In The Treaty of Edinburgh Audit, assign each group a specific source so they must justify their audit findings to the class.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Was Elizabeth I's support for the Scottish Lords of the Congregation a calculated act of national self-interest or a genuine commitment to the Protestant cause?' Ask students to cite specific evidence from the period to support their arguments, referencing the Treaty of Edinburgh.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Simulation Game
• 50 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Council's Debate on France, 1562

Students role-play a council meeting where Robert Dudley pushes for an intervention to help the French Huguenots (Protestants). They must weigh the 'religious duty' against the 'financial cost' and the risk of a French counter-attack, demonstrating the 'divided' nature of Elizabethan policy.

Analyze how successful the English intervention in the French Wars of Religion was.

Facilitation Tip

During The Council's Debate on France, 1562, circulate with a checklist to ensure quieter students are called on for key points.

What to look for

Students write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) explaining one key difference between the English intervention in Scotland and the English intervention in France. They should identify one specific outcome for each intervention.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 30 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Defensive or Aggressive?

Students analyze Elizabeth's early foreign policy actions. They discuss in pairs whether she was a 'reluctant' interventionist who only acted when forced, or if she was 'actively' trying to build a Protestant alliance in Europe.

Evaluate the extent to which Elizabeth's early foreign policy was defensive.

Facilitation Tip

For Defensive or Aggressive?, limit the Think-Pair-Share to two minutes to maintain momentum and focus on concise reasoning.

What to look for

Present students with three short statements about Elizabeth's early foreign policy, for example: 'Elizabeth I feared French invasion more than Spanish', 'The Treaty of Edinburgh was a clear victory for England', 'Elizabeth readily funded Protestant rebels'. Ask students to mark each statement as True or False and provide a brief justification for one of their choices.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Research shows that role-play and source analysis build historical empathy and critical analysis more effectively than lecture alone. Avoid framing Elizabeth as either a hero or a villain; instead, focus on the constraints she faced. Use primary sources to reveal her language and actions, which often contradict later myths about her Protestant commitment. Encourage students to question whether her ‘defensive’ stance was pragmatic or principled.

By the end of these activities, students should be able to evaluate Elizabeth’s motivations with evidence and explain how her actions shaped England’s position in Europe. Success looks like students distinguishing between short-term gains and long-term consequences, supported by specific historical references. They should also recognize that religious solidarity was secondary to political stability in her decision-making.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During The Treaty of Edinburgh Audit, students may assume Elizabeth was a ‘champion’ of international Protestantism.

  During The Treaty of Edinburgh Audit, direct students to examine the terms of the treaty and Elizabeth’s correspondence. Ask them to highlight where her actions prioritized removing French influence over supporting Protestant Scots, and provide evidence that she avoided religious language in the treaty.

• During The Council's Debate on France, 1562, students may believe the capture of Le Havre was a success.

  During The Council's Debate on France, 1562, have students analyze the Treaty of Troyes in small groups. Ask them to identify how the plague and French unity led to England’s surrender, and challenge them to explain why this outcome contradicts the idea of success.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Simulation Game
• Think-Pair-Share