It worked for me: key stage 2 cameos

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Celebrating VE Day

This lesson was taught by Kirsty Stronach of Oak Meadow Primary School in Basingstoke to two groups of year 5 children as part of a topic of the ‘home front’ in the Second World War. She used a series of teaching techniques to excite and inspire the children as they studied images of VE day.

1. Odd one out

Kirsty set the scene by explaining that the first activity would give the class a clue to the theme of the lesson. She had ready in a bag a selection of food items linked to rationing, such as a slice of bacon, loose tea, bread and a banana. The children then had to discuss which item was the odd one out and why. This proved to be a good starter to remind the children that they were studying the Second World War.

2. Slow reveal

Now that the class was thinking about food and wartime, Kirsty started to reveal a large photograph showing a wartime theme. She stopped at significant points to ask the class what they could see and what they thought was going on. By the time the picture had been fully uncovered the class realised that they were looking at an image of a VE street party.

The whole class then discussed what the picture told them about street parties focusing on details such as:

3. Spot the difference

Kirsty then told the class that she was about to read out a 1945 newspaper article about VE Day. Some of the facts they would hear were new and some were things they had heard before. Half of the class were to listen out for new information and raise their hands when it was read. The other half were to listen out for things they already knew and do likewise.

This was then followed up by a competition. Teams were formed of no more than three. With two teams playing on one sheet of paper, they used sticky notes to write up as many facts as possible that they remembered about VE street parties. There was a catch, however. Teams playing on the same sheet were not allowed to use the same facts as each other – which led to some lively discussions!

4. Reflection

After the excitement of the competition an activity was used to encourage the children to reflect on the different emotions experienced by people during the VE Day celebrations. Kirsty told the class some people’s experiences of VE day were tinged with sadness for loved ones that never returned. She chose four confident readers to read the memories written by people who were present at street parties on VE Day. These extracts deliberately spanned a range of emotions.

5. Prioritising

In pairs the children were then asked to look at four photographs of VE celebrations and select one for use in a poster for a modern film about VE Day. A time limit of three minutes was imposed for this task, after which the children held up their choice of photograph. A discussion followed during which the children justified their choices with several children pointing out that none of the pictures were perfect and asking if they could produce their own.

6. Plenary

The lesson ended with a cliffhanger. Kirsty showed an image of the effigy of Hitler being burnt at a street party and asked the children who they thought this was and why it was being burnt. The children gradually realised it was Hitler and were able to make comparisons with Bonfire Night celebrations and the burning of Guy Fawkes.

Follow up

The children could:

Contents | Remembering the Holocaust