Ireland and WWII

WALT

We Are Learning To understand the key events of World War II and the specific experience of Ireland during the Emergency, including the role of Irish farmers and cereal crop production.

WILF

What I’m Looking For

• Clear explanation of World War II’s main events.
• Insight into Ireland's neutrality and social/economic challenges during the Emergency.
• Creative and persuasive collaboration in designing a poster aimed at Irish farmers to promote cereal crop cultivation.

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Curriculum Link

IE Curriculum (Curriculum Framework for Ireland) - History, Strand Unit: The Modern World and Ireland

• Learning Outcome:
  Describe Ireland’s position and experience during World War II (The Emergency).
• Skills Developed:
  Critical thinking, collaboration, communication (oral and written), and the ability to use historical sources and evidence.
• Competencies:
  Being Personally Effective, Managing Information & Thinking, Communicating.

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Lesson Duration

60 minutes
Class size: 20 students

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Lesson Outline

1. Stimulus (5 minutes)

Begin with a powerful, evocative image projected onto the board: an iconic black-and-white photo from 1940s Ireland showing a farmer in his field with a backdrop of rationing posters and vintage Irish "Emergency" newspapers.
Ask students:

• What do you notice in this picture?
• What do you think Ireland was experiencing during this time?

2. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Briefly recap World War II: Causes, major countries involved, and key events (Battle of Britain, D-Day, etc.) using a timeline presented on the whiteboard.
• Transition to Ireland’s position during WWII (The Emergency): explain Ireland’s neutrality, why it stayed neutral, and the challenges from the war impact including rationing, economic strain, and reliance on agriculture.
• Emphasise the crucial role Irish farmers played in supplying food during a time of scarcity, specifically in cereal crops like oats, barley, and wheat to feed the nation.

3. Development (25 minutes)

• Students break into pairs and are given a brief historical source pack (quotes from farmers, government posters from the Emergency, statistics on crop production, excerpts from diaries).
• Task: Analyse the information and think critically about how Irish farmers contributed to the nation’s food security during the Emergency.
• Discussion prompts:
  • Why was growing cereal crops so important at this time?
  • How might the government encourage farmers to increase crop production?
• Pairs share their insights verbally with the class (encourages communication skills).
• Draw attention to social impact (community support, collective responsibility) and cognitive aspects (understanding cause-effect, historical empathy).

4. Conclusion - Poster Design Activity (20 minutes)

• Context for activity: The government has asked you to design an eye-catching and persuasive poster aimed at Irish farmers to increase cereal crop production.
• In pairs, students plan and design their poster, using persuasive language and imagery discussed during the lesson. They must include:
  • Historical accuracy (reflecting the realities of the Emergency).
  • Creativity in attracting farmers’ attention.
  • Clear message about why cereal crop production matters.
• Circulate and support teams, encouraging use of historical vocabulary and persuasive techniques.

5. Wrap-Up and Reflection (last 5 minutes)

• Display posters around the room.
• Quick round-robin where each pair shares one key message from their poster.
• Brief reflection: How did understanding Ireland during the Emergency deepen your understanding of WWII?

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative assessment of participation in discussion and collaboration during poster activity.
• Review posters for historical accuracy, creativity, and communication of key ideas.
• Use questioning to probe understanding during class share-outs.

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Differentiation

• Provide source materials at varied reading levels.
• Allow artistic expression in poster formats (hand-drawn, written slogans).
• Support pairs with guided questions on historical content if needed.

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Resources Required

• Projector and screen
• Printed primary source packs (quotes, posters, statistics)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Large sheets of paper, coloured markers/pencils for posters
• Timeline chart of WWII and Ireland’s Emergency period

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By targeting both the broad global narrative of WWII and zooming in on Ireland’s unique position and farmer’s roles during the Emergency, this lesson develops historical knowledge alongside critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative skills - all deeply aligned with the IE Curriculum framework.