Teaching Resources

What’s The Story Topics

History Key Stage 2 – Britain since 1930
  • A study of the impact of the Second World War or on the lives of men, women and children from different sections of society. (11b)
Equipment

To make best use of this site in your classroom you will need:

  • LCD data projector with whiteboard, or enough computers for children to work in small groups
  • Speakers or headphones
  • Writing and drawing materials
  • If wishing to use the activity without computers, you will need to print out the images you wish to use and their corresponding clues

Objective

By playing the ‘What’s the Story’ activity online, children will explore images relating to the impact of WW2 on the people of Swansea and Hartlepool. They will be encouraged to question what they see and think about the stories behind people and actions shown in the images..

Time Required

One full lesson

Suggested Classroom Activities

What’s the Story? Who were they, why were they in the image, what were they doing and what could have been their next steps?

We recommend that you begin your session by working through the PowerPoint Presentation which contains copies of all images used in the online activity. If possible print out the images and clues onto A4 paper and give to children working in small groups. There are twelve images in the presentation.

Ask children what they think is happening; what the story behind the images is. Use the clues to trigger ideas and discussion.

Then let the children work together. This can be done around computers using the online version, or at desks using the materials you have photocopied.

Using the online version, an additional button (sound) offers an audio version of the clue text and, where possible, additional sound effects area added to help make the text come alive to children with poor reading skills or eyesight.

By breaking the class up into small groups, discussion and questioning can be greatly encouraged. G&T students can be stretched by using the internet to search for more detailed background information, source similar images and artefacts or track down oral histories which could add to the class’s work.

Extension activities

Divide the class into 12 groups and ask each group to spend 10 minutes looking at each image/text combination.

Ask each group to prepare a one minute story to present to the rest of the class. They could use their drama skills, drawing or simply read some prepared text. It would be really interesting to combine all three approaches. Depending on their learning and language level probe them on their understanding and whether they have met anyone who survived WW2, or was a child of someone that had.

At this point you can develop the lesson further in any direction you require. You may wish to explore one image in more detail – the PowerPoint presentation offers all images and text for you to use with your whiteboard.

Gifted and Talented students can be encouraged to dig deeper – perhaps writing a short diary of a day in the life of their person, or writing their story as a letter to a friend.

Worksheet 1 will help children record observations.

Assessment

The worksheets included in this site can be used as part of your methodology for assessment of understanding, knowledge and skills. (note this section to be completed once teacher testing complete so we can incorporate teacher input)

History Key Stage 3 – A world study after 1900
  • A study of WW2 and its impact on Britain, Europe and the wider world. (13)
  • A local history study
Equipment

To make best use of this site in your classroom you will need:

  • LCD data projector with whiteboard, or enough computers for children to work in small groups
  • Speakers or headphones
  • Writing and drawing materials
  • If wishing to use the activity without computers, you will need to print out the images you wish to use and their corresponding clues

Objective

What’s the Story? is an activity suitable for stimulating the early stages of a local history study exploring the impact of WW2 on local people.

Time Required

One full lesson in the computer suite, or during homework
One full class lesson

Suggested Classroom Activities

We recommend that children play this activity without teacher supervision online either during homework or as a computer suite session.

This will prepare them for a more intense classroom session where you will work through their ideas and ‘stories’ in a group context.

Having played the activity online and in a classroom setting, we suggest you use the PowerPoint Presentation to lead a group discussion focussing on the similarities and differences between Swansea, Hartlepool and your local community. If you have planned to carry out a local history study, then it is worth saving this activity until you have completed that work as you can share local images with those we have supplied.

Children can use this session as a jumping off point for their own work: creating an imaginary war diary for example. Gifted and talented children especially can benefit from taking the themes in this game and using those as building blocks for their own local research.

By breaking the class up into small groups, discussion and questioning can be greatly encouraged. G&T students can be stretched by using the internet to search for more detailed background information, source similar images and artefacts or track down oral histories which could add to the class’s work.

All clues are replicated by the spoken word for children who have difficulty in reading on-screen text or prefer the auditory experience.

Extension Activities

The images offered in this game could form the focus for an interesting animation exercise using simple software or digital cameras to re-record each image and add children’s own words as commentary – proving the ‘story’.

Leading on from that is the opportunity for drama and role play. Children could work in groups to choose an identity and explore it either individually or collectively.

Taking that idea further could encourage children to visit the local library or museum to research for similar stories; ask older members of their families if they had ever met local people who survived WW2 – and, most interestingly – to compare those stories with groups of people who never often feature in popular histories; the poor, disadvantaged and those from ethnic minorities who came to Europe to support the British cause. (Gurkas, Hindus, Pacific Islanders, etc). A Google search of the Internet will lead to several opportunities.

Worksheet 2 will help children record observations.

Assessment

The worksheets included in this site can be used as part of your methodology for assessment of understanding, knowledge and skills. p{color:red}. (note this section to be completed once teacher testing complete so we can incorporate teacher input)

WORD Worksheets

Worksheet 1: What’s the Story Worksheet KS2: A simple template where children can paste in a copy of one or more selected images and write a short response to the question ‘What’s the Story’

Worksheet 1 (KS2): What’s the story – A day in the life of ……

Choose one of the photographs with people in ‘What’s the Story’. The circle below represents a day. In the centre of the circle paste your photograph and then tell the story by writing what you think would have happened that day.

Here are some ideas and words you might like to use:
Blitz Air raid Bomb damage Evacuee Ration book
Shelters Put up black out curtains Warnings Collect gas mask Home guard

12am
6pm 6am
12 pm
Now write about your own day

12am
6pm 6am
12 pm

Print out another worksheet write about a different person if you have time.

Worksheet 2: What’s the Story Worksheet KS3: A simple template encouraging children to compare and contrast images and stories from the presentation with similar stories they have researched in their own community.

Worksheet 2 (KS3): What’s the story – Compare and contrast

Choose one of the photographs with children from What’s the Story and paste it into the box on the left hand side. In the right hand side box write some words that tells the story of what is happening.

Here are some ideas and words you might like to use:
Blitz Air raid Bomb damage Evacuee Ration book
Shelters Put up black out curtains Warnings Collect gas mask Home guard

Photo Words

Now do the same again, but with one of the people you have researched in your own town.

Photo Words