Remembering Anzac Day

Overview

This 60-minute lesson is designed for Year 5 students in New Zealand, focusing on the significance, history, and commemoration of Anzac Day. The lesson integrates reading, writing, and reflective activities with rich discussion and engagement, aligned carefully with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh. It caters to diverse learners with differentiation strategies, provides extension activities for advanced students, and incorporates dyslexia-friendly supports.

Curriculum Links

Learning Area: Social Sciences (Humanities) – Understanding society and history in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Relevant Achievement Objectives (Year 5 Social Sciences):

Understand how historical events have shaped New Zealanders' identity and culture including ANZAC Day.
Recognise different points of view about the past and investigate the causes and consequences of commemorations.

Key Competencies developed:

Thinking: Critical reflection on historical events and significance.
Using Language, Symbols and Texts: Reading, writing, and discussing historical texts.
Relating to Others: Working collaboratively in discussions.
Managing Self: Reflective thinking on personal and national identity.

Supporting Literacy Objectives (English curriculum integration):

Students recount, describe, and retell with specific details.
Present ideas clearly supported by evidence.
Produce well-structured writing with topic-related vocabulary and paragraphs.

WALT (We Are Learning To)

Understand the significance of Anzac Day for New Zealanders.
Learn about the history behind Anzac Day.
Explore different ways New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day.
Express understanding through reading, writing, discussion, and reflection.

Success Criteria

I can:

Explain what Anzac Day commemorates and why it is important in New Zealand.
Identify key facts about the history of Anzac Day.
Describe different ways people commemorate Anzac Day.
Use clear vocabulary and paragraphs in my writing.
Participate respectfully in class discussions, listen to others, and share my ideas.
Reflect thoughtfully on what Anzac Day means to me and New Zealanders.

Materials

Dyslexia-friendly Anzac Day reading passage (with simple language, clear font, and illustrations).
Writing paper and pencils.
Whiteboard and markers.
Anzac Day artefacts or images (e.g., poppies, photos of dawn services).
Sentence stems and visual prompts.

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Engagement (10 mins)

Begin with a brief oral story about Anzac Day using a story-map visual to scaffold understanding.
Show Anzac Day symbols (poppies, photographs) and ask, "What do you know about Anzac Day?"
Link to prior learning: Discuss why we remember special days.

Differentiation: Use clear visuals and simple sentences for students who need extra support. Sentence stems to support oral sharing: "I think Anzac Day is…"

2. Reading Activity (15 mins)

Hand out a dyslexia-friendly Anzac Day passage summarising the history and significance.
Go through the text together as a class, reading aloud with expression and pausing to check comprehension.
Use think-pair-share to discuss the key points: When is Anzac Day? Why do we remember it? How do people commemorate it?

Differentiation: Provide audio recording of the text for students who benefit from hearing the information. Use glossary cards for new vocabulary (e.g., commemoration, soldier, dawn).

3. Class Discussion (10 mins)

Facilitate a guided discussion about the significance of Anzac Day, encouraging students to share their knowledge or experiences.
Use questions prompting reasoning and perspective-taking, e.g.:
- Why do you think Anzac Day is important for New Zealanders?
- What might it feel like to be at a dawn service?
Use sentence stems to support participation: "I think Anzac Day is important because...", "One way people remember is..."

Differentiation: Use pair discussions for students who need less pressure, and extend ideas for advanced learners by asking them to consider different viewpoints.

4. Writing Activity - Reflective Response (15 mins)

Ask students to write a short paragraph about what Anzac Day means to them or how New Zealanders honour this day.
Provide writing scaffolds:
- Begin with: "Anzac Day is…"
- Include one fact about the history.
- Describe one way people commemorate.
- Finish with a sentence about why it's important.

Dyslexia-friendly supports:

Use lined paper with spacing, and coloured overlays if needed.
Provide word bank/illustrations to aid vocabulary and ideas.
Allow oral rehearsal or scribing support as required.

Extension activity:

Advanced learners can write a multi-paragraph piece including historical facts, personal reflection, and a suggestion for a commemoration event they would organise.

5. Reflect and Share (10 mins)

Invite volunteers to share their writing or thoughts about Anzac Day.
Discuss how learning about Anzac Day helps us understand New Zealand identity and values like respect and remembrance.
Close with a minute of silence or a simple collective reflection.

Differentiation Strategies

Learner Need	Approach
ELL / Language learners	Use simplified texts, visuals, sentence stems; pair work for discussion.
Dyslexic learners	Dyslexia-friendly texts, colour overlays, audio reads, oral response option.
Advanced learners	Challenge with extended writing and deeper discussion questions.
Students needing extra support	Provide scaffolded writing frames, small group support, modelling oral language.

Assessment and Reflection

Formative assessment through observation of participation in reading, discussion, and sharing.
Review writing samples for understanding of Anzac Day facts and clarity of expression.
Check success criteria met through self-assessment prompts: "I know I have done well when I can explain Anzac Day and write about it clearly."

Teacher Notes

Promote cultural awareness and respect for the diverse perspectives around Anzac Day including perspectives of Māori and Pacific peoples.
Incorporate Te Reo Māori greetings or vocabulary related to Anzac Day to enhance cultural relevance.
Model use of descriptive and emotive language to deepen students’ reflective writing.
Maintain a calm, respectful classroom atmosphere appropriate for reflection on Anzac Day.

This lesson plan draws on the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh guidance on literacy and social sciences for Year 5, integrating speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills with historical understanding, critical thinking, and personal reflection in a culturally responsive way .

Teaching Instructions