Curriculum Overview
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Lesson |
Subject |
Lesson Title |
Skill |
Core Knowledge |
Lesson Brief |
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1 |
History |
Evacuation! |
In this lesson children will: Evaluate the human impact of war, oppression, conflict and rebellion on the everyday life of a past or ancient society. |
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Imagine leaving home for an unknown period of time, packing your belongings into a box no bigger than a shoe box. Ask children to think carefully about what they would need and to bring their box of belongings into school. When the children arrive at school, give each of them a label, telling them to which part of the United Kingdom they will be evacuated. Try to ensure that friendship groups are sent to different places. You might want to give parents and carers advance warning. After separating, come back together to discuss how it felt. |
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2 |
English |
Remembering our experience |
In this lesson children will: Consider and evaluate a range of different contributions and viewpoints. Core knowledge By the end of this lesson children should know: Evaluating is determining the quality or significance of something. Summarising a person's speech can help you to reiterate the key points that have been made. Evaluating a person's speech can help you to formulate your own opinions. |
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Imagine leaving home for an unknown period of time, packing your belongings into a box no bigger than a shoe box. Ask children to think carefully about what they would need and to bring their box of belongings into school. When the children arrive at school, give each of them a label, telling them to which part of the United Kingdom they will be evacuated. Try to ensure that friendship groups are sent to different places. You might want to give parents and carers advance warning. After separating, come back together to discuss how it felt. Work in groups and explain to others how they felt about being given a label and split from friends. Share the things that packed in their boxes with others and explain why they chose those particular items. Note: Provide the children with a range of reading materials and web access, to enable them to research the topic of evacuation independently. |
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3 |
English |
In this lesson children will: Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Evaluating different viewpoints can help you to shape or redefine your opinions. In many discussions, it is beneficial to have an open mind, whereas, in other discussions, you may wish to defend strong beliefs. If you agree with someone in a discussion, you may be able to build on their explanation with your own evidence or anecdotes. |
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Look at a range of historical photographs that show children being evacuated. Talk, in groups or with a partner, to describe what and who the images show, including how the children or families in the photographs might have felt at that moment. Imagine a conversation between the people in the picture. Note: The BBC History website has some fantastic images of children being evacuated and moving into their new rural homes. Children could select a range of evacuee photographs and paste into software, such as Photo Story. Narrate a soundtrack about how people might have felt, including the feelings of both children being evacuated and their parents. |
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4 |
English |
Researching |
In this lesson children will: Retrieve, record and present a range of relevant information from fiction and non-fiction texts, focusing on the evidence from the text. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Evidence cited from a text can be written inside inverted commas. Rereading the question and answer can help you to check the relevance of your information. |
Use a range of non-fiction texts, including first hand historical accounts and the web, to research and record detailed information about a specific aspect of evacuation. Note: Suggest topics that children might research, such as travel, rationing, daily life, schooling and the differences between home and their host home. |
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5 |
English |
Letters home |
In this lesson children will: Consider how authors have developed characters and settings in what children have read, listened to or seen performed. Describe settings, characters, plot and atmosphere using well-chosen vocabulary, integrating dialogue effectively. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: The atmosphere of a narrative is its mood or tone. The tone of a text is the attitude put across by the narrator's words. For example, a narrator can appear omniscient, arrogant or friendly. The mood of a text is the feeling it evokes in the reader. For example, a dark, stormy night can evoke anxiety or curiosity. An atmosphere can be maintained by the use of well-chosen vocabulary. Integrated dialogue can speed up or slow down the pace of the plot. Key events in a plot can be foreshadowed by the earlier presence of an object or a character's actions. Plot elements can affect the atmosphere. For example, flashbacks and comedic sections can cause a contrast in emotional intensity. |
Use their research and experiences to write letters to their families, imagining that they have just arrived at their new homes. Think about how they might describe their journey, new surroundings and feelings. Check their letters to make sure that there is cohesion across the paragraphs and that spellings and grammar are correct before sending. Note: Put their letters into envelopes, address them home and post them. Encourage the children to ask their parents how they felt when they received their letters. |
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6 |
History |
Timeline of significant events |
In this lesson children will: Articulate and present a clear, chronological world history narrative within and across historical periods studied. |
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Create a timeline showing major events of the Second World War, between 1939 and 1945. Use a range of historical resources to find the dates for significant events, such as the start of the war, the introduction of rationing, the first evacuations, the Battle of Britain, the Blitz, Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour, the official liberation of the prisoner of war camps, Hitler’s death, Churchill’s replacement by Attlee and Japan’s surrender. Note: Provide children with historical source materials for researching dates and events, along with picture cards that give a brief description of each event for the children to sequence. Teams can compare their dates and the order in which events happened. This activity might well raise questions about the accuracy of various historical source materials. Children could use appropriate software to produce an illustrated timeline of important dates in the Second World War. |
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7 |
Music |
Sounds of the war |
In this lesson children will: Identify and explain patterns and motifs in live and recorded music that provoke feelings in the listener. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: A motif in music is a short musical idea that is repeated and developed throughout a piece. |
Listen to a range of sounds from the war, including air raid sirens, bombing, Spitfires, the Blitz, gas mask drills and ‘all clear’ sirens. Explain how these sounds make them feel when they hear them. Think of a drill or action that they could do each time a certain sound is played and be ready for action throughout the day. Note: When the air raid siren is played, children could hide under their desks. When the Spitfires fly overhead, they must go to the windows to spot them. Perhaps the bombing sounds are the cue for running outside to a designated shelter. Prepare for a noisy day. |
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8 |
PSHE |
Evacuation propaganda |
In this lesson children will: Explain the benefits of giving and receiving constructive feedback and support. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Constructive feedback is supportive guidance that is given to help people strengthen their areas for development. Strategies for providing constructive feedback include giving a ‘feedback sandwich’ (positive comment, area for improvement and positive comment), using the passive voice and giving specific areas for improvement. |
Look at a range of posters and propaganda materials used during the war. Talk about how these presented evacuation to parents and to those who might offer homes to evacuees. Note: Examples of posters used at the time can be found online. What messages did they give? How successful were they at reassuring parents? |
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9 |
Geography |
Evacuation locations |
In this lesson children will: Use lines of longitude and latitude or grid references to find the position of different geographical areas and features. |
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Look at UK maps to find the locations on their evacuation labels. Find out more about their destinations using maps, online research, books and other sources. Use this information to help them add detail to their letters home. Note: Children could compare their evacuation location with the major cities targeted by the German air raids. Suggest reasons why some areas of the country were more likely than others to be bombed. Use a key to show the areas targeted for attack and those used for evacuation. |
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10 |
English |
Anne Frank's diary |
In this lesson children will: Read, discuss and understand an increasingly wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks with enthusiasm, building on their own and others' ideas and challenging views courteously. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Readers can build on each others' opinions about different texts and books. Readers can challenge each others' opinions in a useful and positive way. |
Listen to an abridged version of the story of Anne Frank. Then read the story independently or with a partner, sequencing the main points of the story in a chronological timeline, list or storyboard. Note: Give children the opportunity to think sensitively about this moving personal account and discuss their thoughts, feelings and questions. |
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11 |
English |
Character profiles |
In this lesson children will: Retrieve, record and present a range of relevant information from fiction and non-fiction texts, focusing on the evidence from the text. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Evidence cited from a text can be written inside inverted commas. Rereading the question and answer can help you to check the relevance of your information. |
Read a range of excerpts from Anne Frank’s diary in more detail. Discuss with a partner what the excerpts tell them about Anne’s life, including her hopes and her fears. How would they describe Anne’s character? Begin to generate a character profile of Anne. Note: There are many videos, photographs, animations and films about Anne Frank and those hiding with her in the secret annexe. Ask children to look at pictures of Anne and the annexe. Who else was concealed there? |
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12 |
English |
Features of diaries |
In this lesson children will: Make detailed notes on an appropriate planning format, drawing on reading and research where necessary. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Plans can be added to and amended as new research is carried out during the planning stage. Turning research into notes can help to create a clear plan and avoid plagiarism, which means copying someone's work without referencing it. Plans can be adapted as new ideas occur during the writing process. |
Imagine that they are Jewish children, hiding in another secret annexe in Amsterdam. Consider the accounts that they might have written, describing how they might have whiled away the hours, including what they would have eaten, thought about and felt. Begin to draft a diary for a week in the life of the other secret annexe. Note: Children should be reminded of diary writing features, perhaps using a checklist. Some children might like to create a more contemporary online blog. |
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13 |
English |
Everyday life in Amsterdam |
In this lesson children will: Consider how authors have developed characters and settings in what children have read, listened to or seen performed. Describe settings, characters, plot and atmosphere using well-chosen vocabulary, integrating dialogue effectively. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: The atmosphere of a narrative is its mood or tone. The tone of a text is the attitude put across by the narrator's words. For example, a narrator can appear omniscient, arrogant or friendly. The mood of a text is the feeling it evokes in the reader. For example, a dark, stormy night can evoke anxiety or curiosity. An atmosphere can be maintained by the use of well-chosen vocabulary. Integrated dialogue can speed up or slow down the pace of the plot. Key events in a plot can be foreshadowed by the earlier presence of an object or a character's actions. Plot elements can affect the atmosphere. For example, flashbacks and comedic sections can cause a contrast in emotional intensity. |
Use images and other historical source materials to learn about everyday life in wartime Amsterdam. Continue to write their diary, with an emphasis on creating mood and atmosphere, basing their ideas on factual research and making their accounts as authentic as possible. Note: Children could work together to build up a word bank that provides them with a powerful and evocative vocabulary. Words might include silence, scared, rattling, loneliness, afraid, Nazi, hiding, Jewish, discovered, secret, courage, occupation, resilience, anticipation, terrified, footsteps and whispering. |
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14 |
English |
Final diary entries |
In this lesson children will: Make detailed notes on an appropriate planning format, drawing on reading and research where necessary. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Plans can be added to and amended as new research is carried out during the planning stage. Turning research into notes can help to create a clear plan and avoid plagiarism, which means copying someone's work without referencing it. Plans can be adapted as new ideas occur during the writing process. |
Imagine that they are Anne in her final hours, as she lay dying from typhus in Bergen-Belsen. Consider what her final hopes might have been for herself, her family, her diaries and the world. Draft a short final diary entry from Anne’s perspective, commenting on these aspects in her final days. Note: Anne was finally captured and sent to Auschwitz. She died of typhus in 1945 in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. |
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15 |
Design and Technology |
Wartime food |
In this lesson children will: Follow a recipe that requires a variety of techniques and source the necessary ingredients independently. |
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Find and make popular wartime foods. Collect and preserve fruits, make jam, pickles, eggless sponge cake, Woolton pie, apple crumble and spam fritters. Find out what children might have eaten during the course of a single week. Note: Children should be made aware of the limited availability of some ingredients due to rationing. Perhaps consider planting some vegetables and fruit bushes to grow on the ‘home front’. |
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16 |
Design and Technology |
Anderson shelters |
In this lesson children will: Select the most appropriate materials and frameworks for different structures, explaining what makes them strong. |
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Look at images of Anderson shelters to determine what they were made from and how they were constructed. Use a range of materials to construct a structurally sound miniature Anderson shelter. Use their structures to test loading capacity, using rubble or sand. Record their results on a spreadsheet, highlighting the most effective structures. Keep photographs from before and after testing. Note: Children could also build large shelters in the school grounds using house bricks, cardboard, earth, planks and other recycled building materials. Find out about the effects of bombing and air raids on everyday life. Children could also find out about the Morrison shelter and how this differed from the Anderson model. |
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17 |
PE |
Wartime games |
In this lesson children will: Develop and refine strategies and tactics for attacking and defending during competitive team games. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Attack and defence tactics can be developed and refined in several ways, such as through practice and coaching, watching competitive games being played by others, asking questions and listening to feedback. |
Play games and take part in activities that were popular with children during the war. Take part in organised games, such as football, tag, rounders and cricket, and in paired games, such as hopscotch and marbles. Note: Children could also be offered a range of simple game making resources for free play, including materials for making pea shooters, ropes, balls and hoops. |
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18 |
History |
Similarities and differences |
In this lesson children will: Evaluate the human impact of war, oppression, conflict and rebellion on the everyday life of a past or ancient society. |
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Look at images of both Jewish and German children during the war. How are they similar to or different from each other? Consider what each is doing, wearing and feeling in the images provided. Find out the meanings of the words 'prejudice' and 'discrimination' and explain these terms to each other. Light a candle and reflect for a minute or two on all the children who were affected by the war. Note: This subject matter is highly sensitive and very complex. Before planning your session, it would be good practice to read the guidelines for teaching about the Holocaust, published by the United States Holocaust Museum, available on the web. |
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19 |
Music |
Wartime songs |
In this lesson children will: Take the lead in instrumental or singing performances and provide suggestions to others. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Suggestions for improvements to musical performances include more practise; strategies to cope with performance pressure; better presentation, including eye contact with the audience; improving the planning and logistics of a performance and confidently introducing pieces and songs. |
Learn to sing popular wartime children’s songs such as Run Rabbit, Run, It’s a Long Way to Tipperary and Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag. Sing songs as a group and try to learn them by heart. Learn and sing a song in a different language, such as the Jewish folk song Shalom Chaverim, a song written in Hebrew to be sung as old friends part. Note: Listen to old radio broadcasts of each of the songs. Ask ‘Which is your favourite? Why?' |
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20 |
English |
Slogans and messages |
In this lesson children will: Explore types of questions and their uses in different contexts. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Different question types are suitable for different purposes, such as a closed question for a retrieval exercise and a probing question to get to the root of a complicated answer. A rhetorical question is a question that is intended to make a point rather than get an answer. For example, asking 'What time do you call this?' when someone is late emphasises their lateness instead of requiring an answer. A leading question encourages a person to answer in a particular way, such as 'How much did you enjoy that day trip? where the word 'enjoy' encourages a positive response. |
Look at a range of wartime posters, slogans and propaganda messages. Discuss the meaning of the word propaganda and consider why propaganda was used during the war. Discuss whether the posters and slogans are effective, analysing the use of language and imagery. Note: Children could discuss the differences between the strength of the visual over the written word. How effective would the posters be without their words? Or without their pictures? |
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21 |
English |
Propaganda campaigns |
In this lesson children will: Retrieve, record and present a range of relevant information from fiction and non-fiction texts, focusing on the evidence from the text. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Evidence cited from a text can be written inside inverted commas. Rereading the question and answer can help you to check the relevance of your information. |
Research information linked to a given slogan using a range of historical source materials. Record information and facts linked to the campaign to gain a deeper understanding of why propaganda materials were needed. Share their findings with the class. Note: Campaigns to explore could include ‘Dig for Victory’, ‘Make Do and Mend’, ‘Hitler Will Send No Warning’ and ‘Look Out in the Blackout’. |
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22 |
English |
Planning a campaign |
In this lesson children will: Make detailed notes on an appropriate planning format, drawing on reading and research where necessary. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Plans can be added to and amended as new research is carried out during the planning stage. Turning research into notes can help to create a clear plan and avoid plagiarism, which means copying someone's work without referencing it. Plans can be adapted as new ideas occur during the writing process. |
Imagine that they have been asked to create a new campaign aimed at children. Choose from a range of campaign topics, such as helping mum at home while dad is away, recycling old toys, being well behaved for host families and not wasting food. Begin to draft ideas for a propaganda poster, considering how to gain the audience’s attention, remembering that their audience would be children of their age. Note: Discuss the impact of slogans by comparing posters of the war with some more contemporary examples used in advertising today. |
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23 |
English |
Sharing our progress |
In this lesson children will: Use a range of organisational and presentational devices effectively, adapting their text to suit the audience and purpose, selecting the appropriate form and using similar writing as models for their own. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: A text can be adapted for different audiences and purposes. For example, the level of formality can be increased by writing in the third person, using the passive voice and making precise, ambitious vocabulary choices. Bullet points can be used instead of paragraphs to emphasise, simplify or condense a large or complicated body of text. |
Imagine that they have been asked to create a new campaign aimed at children. Choose from a range of campaign topics, such as helping mum at home while dad is away, recycling old toys, being well behaved for host families and not wasting food. Begin to draft ideas for a propaganda poster, considering how to gain the audience’s attention, remembering that their audience would be children of their age. Create a slogan for their campaign, then use ICT to design their posters, experimenting with font and text size to add extra impact to the overall visual of their poster. Share their progress with the class, evaluating how their work is developing and discussing improvements. Note: Consider if their slogan is effective at persuading children to alter their behaviour. |
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24 |
English |
Completing our campaigns |
In this lesson children will: Assess the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing, proposing and making changes to spelling, grammar, vocabulary and punctuation to enhance effects and clarify meaning, including the correct subject and verb agreement and choosing the appropriate register. Proof-read for spelling and punctation errors. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Writing techniques can clarify the meaning of a text and add extra impact to different types of writing. For example, repetition and summaries can clarify the main points in a persuasive text. Adding or removing detail or technical language can clarify meaning. If the subject and verb does not agree, rewrite the sentence so the meaning is clear. For example, 'she were excited' should be 'she was excited'. If the register is inconsistent, choose the level of formality required and amend the text to suit. |
Imagine that they have been asked to create a new campaign aimed at children. Choose from a range of campaign topics, such as helping mum at home while dad is away, recycling old toys, being well behaved for host families and not wasting food. Begin to draft ideas for a propaganda poster, considering how to gain the audience’s attention, remembering that their audience would be children of their age. Create a slogan for their campaign, then use ICT to design their posters, experimenting with font and text size to add extra impact to the overall visual of their poster. Share their progress with the class, evaluating how their work is developing and discussing improvements. Note: Consider if their slogan is effective at persuading children to alter their behaviour. Refine and edit their work, printing out their finished poster. Create a mini booklet, using their poster as a front cover, to explain the reasons behind the campaign. Note: Children could explain, on the inside of their booklet, why they chose that cause and why it was important to wartime children and the war effort as a whole. |
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25 |
History |
The Blitz |
In this lesson children will: Articulate the significance of a historical person, event, discovery or invention in British history. |
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Find out about the London Blitz, starting from the first day of bombing on 7th September 1940. Use a selection of historical source materials, including photographs and first hand accounts, to find out what happened. Find out what measures were taken to reduce the effects of bombing and what people had to do to survive. Create a safety guide to inform people how to protect themselves during the Blitz. Note: The Blitz was a sustained aerial bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany, which took place between September 1940 and May 1941. It was a very significant part of the Second World War. Weeks of sustained bombing raids killed thousands of people and destroyed many homes and cities. |
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26 |
Computing |
Battle of Britain |
In this lesson children will: Select, use and combine a variety of software, including internet services, to meet a goal. Core knowledge |
By the end of this lesson children should know: A variety of software, such as word processing software, image editing software or internet services, can be selected, used and combined to meet a goal. |
Use the web to find information about the Battle of Britain. Working in pairs, make a digital timeline of events. Download images to add illustrations and images to their timelines. Note: Encourage children to compare their findings. Do they all agree on key dates? How reliable are online historical resources? Which websites did they use to find their information? |
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27 |
History |
Wartime leaders |
In this lesson children will: Describe and explain the significance of a leader or monarch. |
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Look at images of world leaders at the time of the war. Work in groups to find out about each leader and their beliefs. Draw around the outline of a classmate and fill the inside of their outline with a leader’s characteristics and beliefs. Around the outside of their outline, record things that they think the leader would say about the war. Present their thoughts and ideas back to the rest of the class. Note: Children could use hot seating to interview each of the leaders, asking questions and challenging their ideas. |
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28 |
Geography |
Targets of the Blitz |
In this lesson children will: Use lines of longitude and latitude or grid references to find the position of different geographical areas and features. |
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Locate the cities and ports bombed during the Blitz on a map of the UK. Look closely at surrounding areas, considering why these places were vulnerable to bombing. Draw a sketch map of the UK, showing the bombed locations and identifying other significant geographical features such as rivers and railways. Note: Birmingham, Coventry, Swansea, Southampton, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Hull and Glasgow were all bombed during the Blitz. There were also air raids on seaside towns, such as Eastbourne, and on cathedral cities, such as Canterbury. |
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29 |
Music |
Class song |
In this lesson children will: Play and create pieces of music with a clear understanding of pulse and rhythm. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Pulse can be created using bar lines to write bars of music with the same number of beats per bar, and using articulation to create strong beats. Rhythm can be created using notes of varying length, such as quavers, crotchets, minims and semibreves. |
Develop a class song about the Blitz, composing lyrics to a well known war song melody that they have already learned, such as Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag. Work in groups to create verses about particular aspects of the Blitz, such as finding shelter, the falling bombs, keeping safe and how it felt when a raid was over. Note: Think about the rhythm and beat of the chosen song and ensure that children’s lyric suggestions will fit within the existing song structure. Model this, composing a first verse together, and then allow children to work in smaller, independent groups to add additional verses. Practise singing the song together. |
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30 |
English |
Performing conversations |
In this lesson children will: Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Evaluating different viewpoints can help you to shape or redefine your opinions. In many discussions, it is beneficial to have an open mind, whereas, in other discussions, you may wish to defend strong beliefs. If you agree with someone in a discussion, you may be able to build on their explanation with your own evidence or anecdotes. |
Imagine a conversation between two wartime characters. Perhaps soldiers on the front line, children in the school playground or a parent and child in an air raid shelter during a bombing raid. In pairs, take on one of the roles and create a short conversation that might have taken place, making sure that their conversations are true to the time. Note: Perform their conversations to others, evaluating whether or not the content was appropriate for their scenario. Prompt imaginative conversations by giving children a choice of images or photographs to explore. Children could use selected character photographs of people in the Second World War and paste into audio software used to record their conversations. |
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31 |
English |
Mood and character |
In this lesson children will: Make inferences, such as inferring characters' feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, including distinctions between fact and opinion. Justify them with detailed, targeted evidence and extended written responses. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: An inference can be supported by more than one piece of evidence from the text. Evidence should be selected carefully so that it is concise and relevant. Evidence cited from a text can be written inside inverted commas. |
Look at examples of speech in text, identifying phrases which describe how characters are speaking and explain what this tells us about their mood, character and role. Find descriptions in passages of dialogue which help the reader to visualise what is happening and how characters are behaving. Note: The first chapter of Goodnight Mister Tom is a great example, as Tom grumpily meets the billeting officer on his doorstep. The passage gives a good insight into his character and the challenges and hardships of evacuation. |
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32 |
English |
Beginning a wartime story |
In this lesson children will: Make detailed notes on an appropriate planning format, drawing on reading and research where necessary. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Plans can be added to and amended as new research is carried out during the planning stage. Turning research into notes can help to create a clear plan and avoid plagiarism, which means copying someone's work without referencing it. Plans can be adapted as new ideas occur during the writing process. |
Use their spoken conversations as a stimulus for writing the first page of a wartime story that opens with narrative dialogue. Draft their ideas, remembering to help the reader to visualise the scene by including descriptions of events, where they take place and how characters behave. Note: Provide children with a prompt sheet to help them develop their story writing skills. Writing rules should include opening and closing speech correctly, beginning quotations with a capital letter, enlivening narrative by varying ‘(s)he said’ with different synonyms and adverbs, using question marks and exclamation marks appropriately and capitalising characters’ names. |
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33 |
English |
Engaging the reader |
In this lesson children will: Consider how authors have developed characters and settings in what children have read, listened to or seen performed. Describe settings, characters, plot and atmosphere using well-chosen vocabulary, integrating dialogue effectively. Core knowledge |
By the end of this lesson children should know: The atmosphere of a narrative is its mood or tone. The tone of a text is the attitude put across by the narrator's words. For example, a narrator can appear omniscient, arrogant or friendly. The mood of a text is the feeling it evokes in the reader. For example, a dark, stormy night can evoke anxiety or curiosity. An atmosphere can be maintained by the use of well-chosen vocabulary. Integrated dialogue can speed up or slow down the pace of the plot. Key events in a plot can be foreshadowed by the earlier presence of an object or a character's actions. Plot elements can affect the atmosphere. For example, flashbacks and comedic sections can cause a contrast in emotional intensity. |
Continue to develop their ideas, reflecting on whether their introductory pages are sufficiently engaging to encourage the reader to read on. Keep referring back to the checklist to make sure that they include all the necessary features. Note: Encourage children to read their developing narrative aloud with expression, to check for fluency. Does the conversation between the two characters sound real and natural? |
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34 |
English |
Promotional paragraphs |
In this lesson children will: Use a range of organisational and presentational devices effectively, adapting their text to suit the audience and purpose, selecting the appropriate form and using similar writing as models for their own. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: A text can be adapted for different audiences and purposes. For example, the level of formality can be increased by writing in the third person, using the passive voice and making precise, ambitious vocabulary choices. Bullet points can be used instead of paragraphs to emphasise, simplify or condense a large or complicated body of text. |
Complete their first pages, then create a promotional paragraph for their book, describing how the story develops. Word process the opening to their story and design a book jacket, displaying the promotional paragraph on the back cover. Note: Children could swap their narrative with another child, reading it carefully as if it was a new book that they had chosen to read. Tell the author what they enjoyed about the story. |
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35 |
History |
Travelling back in time |
In this lesson children will: Compare and contrast leadership, belief, lifestyle or significant events across a range of time periods. |
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Find out what it was like to go to school during the war. Travel back in time, dressing in typical 1940s dress, with shorts and blazers for boys and pinafore and long socks for girls. Take part in a typical lesson of the time, perhaps learning times tables by rote or in geography, using maps to identify countries under attack by Germany. Remember to pack a lunch typical of the time and take shelter when the sirens sound. Note: Look the part by wearing period dress and planning lessons typical of the time. |
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36 |
History |
Being away from home |
In this lesson children will: Evaluate the human impact of war, oppression, conflict and rebellion on the everyday life of a past or ancient society. |
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Read first hand and eyewitness accounts, in letters from soldiers sent home to their families and loved ones. Discuss what these letters reveal about how it felt to be away from home and how it might have felt to receive such a letter. Note: Letters are an excellent source of information and also can help children to understand some of the feelings, hopes and fears of the soldiers. There are many sources freely available online. |
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37 |
History |
Homes now and then |
In this lesson children will: Compare and contrast leadership, belief, lifestyle or significant events across a range of time periods. |
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Use photographs from the time to explore similarities and differences between a wartime home and homes of today. Search for clues by looking closely at images, and making lists of their findings. Note: In the wartime home, toilets were often outside, and there was often no bathroom, but a jug and basin for washing. Imagine living with no TVs or video games. |
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38 |
Design and Technology |
Toys from the 1940s |
In this lesson children will: Choose the best materials for a task, showing an understanding of their working characteristics. |
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Make a simple toy using scraps of wood, card, fabric or paper. Look at examples of toys from the 1940s for inspiration, choosing to make something that they would like to play with. Perhaps a pack of cards, a wooden train or animal, a doll or a paper plane. Note: Games made out of paper and card were popular during the war, because they were cheaper to make and paper was not scarce. Old metal toys were sometimes given by their owners to be melted down to help in the war effort. |
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39 |
PSHE |
A speech to the Commonwealth |
In this lesson children will: Explain the benefits of giving and receiving constructive feedback and support. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Constructive feedback is supportive guidance that is given to help people strengthen their areas for development. Strategies for providing constructive feedback include giving a ‘feedback sandwich’ (positive comment, area for improvement and positive comment), using the passive voice and giving specific areas for improvement. |
Listen to Princess Elizabeth making her first public speech on 13th October 1940, with a radio address to the children of the Commonwealth. Talk about what she says and why the broadcast was made. Why do they think it was important for the princess to make this speech? Work in pairs to write a short speech for an audience of wartime children. Note: This speech is accessible online and was made as part of the BBC’s radio programme Children’s Hour. Record children’s speeches and listen back to them. Can they articulate their words as well as Princess Elizabeth? |
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40 |
English |
Step 1 |
In this lesson children will: Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Evaluating different viewpoints can help you to shape or redefine your opinions. In many discussions, it is beneficial to have an open mind, whereas, in other discussions, you may wish to defend strong beliefs. If you agree with someone in a discussion, you may be able to build on their explanation with your own evidence or anecdotes. |
Listen to Winston Churchill’s end of war speech. How do you think people felt when they heard it? Imagine you’ve just heard the speech on the wireless and have a conversation about it with a friend. |
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41 |
History |
Step 2 |
In this lesson children will: Articulate the significance of a historical person, event, discovery or invention in British history. World War II |
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Let’s organise a street party to celebrate the news! Find out what people did at street parties after the war. What will you need to organise? |
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42 |
English |
Step 3 |
In this lesson children will: Use a range of organisational and presentational devices effectively, adapting their text to suit the audience and purpose, selecting the appropriate form and using similar writing as models for their own. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: A text can be adapted for different audiences and purposes. For example, the level of formality can be increased by writing in the third person, using the passive voice and making precise, ambitious vocabulary choices. Bullet points can be used instead of paragraphs to emphasise, simplify or condense a large or complicated body of text. |
Write a letter or invitation persuading the residents of your street to come to the party! Perhaps you could invent a slogan for the end of the World War II? |
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43 |
Art and Design |
Step 4 |
In this lesson children will: Combine the qualities of different materials including paper, fabric and print techniques to create textural effects. |
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Design and make bunting to decorate the houses to celebrate the end of World War II. Remember to ‘make do and mend’! |
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44 |
Design and Technology |
Step 5 |
In this lesson children will: Follow a recipe that requires a variety of techniques and source the necessary ingredients independently. |
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Celebrate the end of World War II. What will you have to eat? Decide what you could make – but remember rationing is still in place and will be for a long time after the war! Is there anyone you could invite to help you bake some wartime recipes? Can you find out exactly when rationing ended? |
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45 |
Music |
Step 6 |
In this lesson children will: Take the lead in instrumental or singing performances and provide suggestions to others. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Suggestions for improvements to musical performances include more practise; strategies to cope with performance pressure; better presentation, including eye contact with the audience; improving the planning and logistics of a performance and confidently introducing pieces and songs. |
Decide what music and songs will be played or sung at the party to celebrate the end of World War II. Can you practice your favourite song of the time to perform? |
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46 |
Music |
Step 7 |
In this lesson children will: Compose and perform a group score using a wide variety of timbres, textures, rhythms and motifs. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: A score contains all the information musicians need to rehearse and perform a piece of music, including separate lines for each instrument or voice part, notation showing pitch and duration of sounds and markings to show dynamics, such as mp and mf. |
Many dads, who have served as soldiers, sailors and airmen during World War II, are on their way home! Can you write a simple song to welcome them? What kind of things might their children want to say to them? |
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47 |
Art and Design |
Step 8 |
In this lesson children will: Create innovative art that has personal, historic or conceptual meaning. |
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It’s party time! Make sure you wear your Sunday best! Perhaps you would like to make a flag or a banner to wave to celebrate the end of World War II? |
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48 |
English |
Step 9 |
In this lesson children will: Analyse the meaning of words, including figurative language, and consider the impact of language on the reader. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Language choices can have different effects on the reader, such as those produced by emotive, persuasive, formal or informal language. For example, formal language can evoke a serious attitude in a reader. |
My word! People are celebrating all over the country about the end of World War II! Look at the pictures taken. How do you think people were feeling? What does it say in the newspapers of the time? |
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49 |
English |
Step 10 |
In this lesson children will: Make detailed notes on an appropriate planning format, drawing on reading and research where necessary. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Plans can be added to and amended as new research is carried out during the planning stage. Turning research into notes can help to create a clear plan and avoid plagiarism, which means copying someone's work without referencing it. Plans can be adapted as new ideas occur during the writing process. |
Write a diary entry recalling your end of World War II celebration. Try to express your feelings as well as describing what happened. |
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50 |
English |
Emotional speeches |
In this lesson children will: Consider and evaluate a range of different contributions and viewpoints. Core knowledge |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Evaluating is determining the quality or significance of something. Summarising a person's speech can help you to reiterate the key points that have been made. Evaluating a person's speech can help you to formulate your own opinions. |
Listen to Winston Churchill’s speech to the VE Day crowds in London on 8th May 1945. Discuss the emotions and feelings that might have been stirred in the listening crowds. Examine the transcript of the speech, discussing and highlighting words and phrases which Churchill used to evoke an emotional response from the crowd. Present their thoughts and ideas back to the whole group. Note: Children could be given a guide for effects to look out for, such as rhetorical questions, short punchy sentences and powerful verbs or adjectives. Encourage them to explore how Churchill gets the crowd on his side. |
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51 |
English |
Repetition in speeches |
In this lesson children will: Analyse the meaning of words, including figurative language, and consider the impact of language on the reader. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Language choices can have different effects on the reader, such as those produced by emotive, persuasive, formal or informal language. For example, formal language can evoke a serious attitude in a reader. |
Read Churchill’s ‘We shall fight them on the beaches’ speech with a partner. Identify the techniques used and the effects on the listener. Read and remember the repetitive parts of the speech, reciting them out loud. Is the speech easy or difficult to remember? Note: ‘We shall fight them on the beaches’ is one of the defining speeches of the Second World War, remembered by many, even those too young to have heard it at the time. Repetition in a speech not only makes it easier for the speaker to recall the script, it also helps the audience to understand, remember and be persuaded by its message. Martin Luther King and Winston Churchill both used repetition in their famous speeches. |
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52 |
English |
Key messages |
In this lesson children will: Select appropriate sentence structures, grammar and vocabulary to change and enhance meaning. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: You can change the tone of a sentence, for example, by using formal grammatical structures such as the passive voice and the subjunctive tense. Shades of meaning can be achieved by selecting vocabulary from a wide range of terms. For example, choosing from a sliding scale of adjectives and verbs and adding adverbs to state degrees of possibility. Precise punctuation choices can help you to be clear and unambiguous, such as colons, semi-colons, hyphens and dashes. |
Collect ideas for a speech that they could give to a crowd of other children at the end of the Second World War. Focus their speech on one key message, something that they feel passionate about. Consider a suitable message and make sure that their ideas are appropriate for both the occasion and the audience. Note: Children should be encouraged to think of ways to inspire their audience, through words, gestures, tone of voice and by showing their passion for the topic as they deliver their speech. |
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53 |
English |
Get organised! |
In this lesson children will: Use a range of organisational and presentational devices effectively, adapting their text to suit the audience and purpose, selecting the appropriate form and using similar writing as models for their own. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: A text can be adapted for different audiences and purposes. For example, the level of formality can be increased by writing in the third person, using the passive voice and making precise, ambitious vocabulary choices. Bullet points can be used instead of paragraphs to emphasise, simplify or condense a large or complicated body of text. |
Structure their speeches using a clear introduction, body and conclusion. All great speeches require shape. Outline at least three strong points to support their argument. Build cohesion across their whole speech, using the techniques seen in examples. Note: Refer to the saying ‘Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them’. Remind children to consider their audience carefully when choosing their vocabulary. |
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54 |
English |
Don’t be a gasbag! |
In this lesson children will: Select and use appropriate registers for effective communication. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Register refers to the level of formality of the language used in a text. Formal language is usually used in serious, professional or academic situations. Informal language is usually used in relaxed situations. |
Practise delivering their speech, timing it over a few rehearsal runs to check it lasts no more than three minutes. Rehearse their speeches aloud in pairs, giving each other feedback and advice on how to make their speeches clearer and more engaging or memorable. Note: Encourage children to make their final sentence the most striking. Remind them to leave their audience impressed. People tend to remember the last point or emphasis, so deliver it with passion. |
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55 |
PSHE |
United Nations |
In this lesson children will: Explain where human rights came from and that there are laws to protect human rights in the UK. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Human rights were set out in 1948 by the member countries of the United Nations to ensure that the atrocities of the Holocaust never happened again. The Human Rights Act 1998 was passed by parliament to put the European Convention on Human Rights into British law. |
Discuss how it might be possible to prevent another world war. What could we do? Research the role of the United Nations and describe why it was set up and its peacekeeping mission. Find out which countries are members of the United Nations and find them on a map or globe. Note: Allow children plenty of time to share their thoughts and ideas. Perhaps they could each quietly and thoughtfully write a wish for peace, placing it in a wishing jar. They could write them anonymously and share them all as a class. |
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56 |
PE |
D-Day dances |
In this lesson children will: Vary dynamics of movements or dance, developing actions in time to music with a partner or as a part of a group. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: In dance, dynamics means how the body moves, in terms of the speed, energy and flow of the movement. For example, the dynamics of a dance could be described as explosive or jerky. |
Create a whole class dance sequence which represents the events as allied troops landed on the Normandy beaches on D-Day. Consider how to organise the dance and how individual movements could be linked or choreographed. Choose a piece of sombre or classical music for their dance that reflects the solemnity of the day. Perhaps try Pachelbel’s Canon in D. Note: Read or research the events of D-Day, one of the last major battles fought between the Allies and the Germans. Children should work on their individual movements before choreographing a whole class scene. |
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57 |
Music |
Singing performance |
In this lesson children will: Take the lead in instrumental or singing performances and provide suggestions to others. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: Suggestions for improvements to musical performances include more practise; strategies to cope with performance pressure; better presentation, including eye contact with the audience; improving the planning and logistics of a performance and confidently introducing pieces and songs. |
Record a range of wartime songs and send them to elderly relatives or community members to listen to. Alternatively, perform to an invited audience of older visitors who perhaps experienced the war or postwar period as children. Note: Provide tea and cakes for visitors, encouraging the children to listen and ask questions about wartime or postwar experiences. |
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58 |
History |
Homing the homeless |
In this lesson children will: Evaluate the human impact of war, oppression, conflict and rebellion on the everyday life of a past or ancient society. |
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Look at images of the many refugees who were homeless when the war ended. Consider what the pictures reveal or suggest about these displaced people. Use the drama technique of hot seating to explore their plight. Note: The Allies set up the United Nations to keep the peace after the war. One of its most urgent tasks in 1945 was to help refugees to return to their homes or to find new ones. |
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59 |
Computing |
Summarising our learning |
In this lesson children will: Select, use and combine a variety of software, including internet services, to meet a goal. |
By the end of this lesson children should know: A variety of software, such as word processing software, image editing software or internet services, can be selected, used and combined to meet a goal. |
Create an animated presentation, multimedia presentation or podcast to summarise their learning about World War II. Use animations, transitions, sounds and images to capture the listener’s interest. Note: Encourage children to include both facts and a personal viewpoint of events and circumstances experienced during the war.
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