World War II in the classroom
Teaching Ideas:
The Evacuees
Using a range of media, drama strategies and a fictional story to explore the experience of World War II evacuees.
Task:
Packing a Suitcase
Explain to the class that children, teachers and mothers with children under five were evacuated from cities and urban areas September 1939 in case of air raids. Parents given instruction to pack suitcase for children.
Children think about what items parents may have packed in the cases. Children name an object and create that shape.
Teacher creates a large suitcase (using masking tape). The children must justify why it should be packed in the suitcase. Once they have heard what all the objects have to say they should choose which ones should be packed and stand in the "suitcase".
At the Railway Station
Begin by playing Audio 1: Children evacuated on 1 September 1939
The recording provides background sounds and commentary of children waiting at Waterloo railway station to be evacuated. Discuss what is happening: the children are leaving their homes and parents to travel from urban areas to the countryside and may remain there for several years. The class will listen to you reading the story of a brother and sister who were evacuated at the ages of seven and ten.
Resources:
War posters, photographs of evacuees at railway stations, audio material
Curriculum Links:
Exploring & Making Drama
Sourced
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/schoolradio/subjects/history/ww2clips/eyewitness/evacuees
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The Evacuees
Using a range of media, drama strategies and a fictional story to explore the experience of World War II evacuees.
Task:
Packing a Suitcase
Explain to the class that children, teachers and mothers with children under five were evacuated from cities and urban areas September 1939 in case of air raids. Parents given instruction to pack suitcase for children.
Children think about what items parents may have packed in the cases. Children name an object and create that shape.
Teacher creates a large suitcase (using masking tape). The children must justify why it should be packed in the suitcase. Once they have heard what all the objects have to say they should choose which ones should be packed and stand in the "suitcase".
At the Railway Station
Begin by playing Audio 1: Children evacuated on 1 September 1939
The recording provides background sounds and commentary of children waiting at Waterloo railway station to be evacuated. Discuss what is happening: the children are leaving their homes and parents to travel from urban areas to the countryside and may remain there for several years. The class will listen to you reading the story of a brother and sister who were evacuated at the ages of seven and ten.
Resources:
War posters, photographs of evacuees at railway stations, audio material
Curriculum Links:
Exploring & Making Drama
Sourced
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/schoolradio/subjects/history/ww2clips/eyewitness/evacuees