Creative Reconstruction

Overview

This is Lesson 5 of 6 in the unit "London's Fiery Past" for Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 students. The lesson lasts 30 minutes and focuses on understanding and creatively reconstructing London following the Great Fire of 1666. Students will consolidate their learning from previous lessons by designing a model or drawing depicting their vision of post-fire London and explaining their creative choices.

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National Curriculum Links

History

• KS1 History - Pupils should be taught to:
  • Changes within living memory. Where appropriate, these should be used to reveal aspects of change in national life (NC History Programme of Study, Key Stage 1).
  • Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally, such as the Great Fire of London (1666).
• Skills development:
  • Developing an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time.
  • Identifying similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
  • Asking and answering questions and using a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms.

Art & Design

• KS1 Art and Design - Pupils should be taught to:
  • Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.
  • Use drawing, painting, and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences, and imagination.
  • Develop a wide variety of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, shape, and form.
• Cross-curricular links:
  • Encourages fine motor skills, creativity, and verbal communication.

English

• KS1 Spoken Language - Pupils should be taught to:
  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations, and debates.
  • Speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English.
  • Gain, maintain, and monitor the interest of the listener(s).

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, all students will:

• Demonstrate understanding of the impact of the Great Fire of London by creatively reconstructing post-fire London using drawings or models. (History)
• Use materials and artistic techniques to express historical knowledge and imagination. (Art & Design)
• Communicate their ideas clearly and confidently to peers. (English Spoken Language)
• Use historical vocabulary relating to the Great Fire of London. (History)

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Resources

• Large sheets of paper, card, or cardboard for drawing and model bases
• Colouring pencils, crayons, watercolour paints, and/or collage materials (tissue paper, fabric scraps, glue, scissors)
• Building blocks or recyclable materials (e.g. small boxes, paper rolls) for model construction
• Visual aids: images from previous lessons showing London before and after the fire
• Vocabulary word cards: “fire”, “house”, “street”, “burnt”, “rebuild”, “church” etc.

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (5 minutes)

• Gather students on the carpet and recap the Great Fire of London using key images from prior lessons.
• Ask quick questions to elicit what they remember about what London looked like before, during, and after the fire, highlighting key changes (e.g., burnt buildings, new building materials).
• Introduce today’s activity: “You will imagine you are a city planner after the Great Fire. What would London look like? How would it change? You will create a drawing or model to show your ideas!”

2. Main Activity (20 minutes)

• Organise students into pairs or small groups (two or three per group) to encourage collaboration.
• Stimulate creativity by phrasing open prompts: “Think about the colours, shapes, and materials you would use. What kind of houses would you build to stop another fire? What else would you include – parks, wider streets?”
• Circulate the classroom, supporting with vocabulary and encouraging descriptive language, e.g., “What materials did you use? Why did you choose to place the houses here?”
• Invite students to create either:
  • A drawing of post-fire London showing burned areas and new buildings, OR
  • A 3D model from construction/recyclable materials representing their vision of the city rebuilt.
• Encourage use of the historical vocabulary word cards.

3. Presentation & Review (5 minutes)

• Invite each group to show their drawing or model to the class.
• Ask them to explain:
  • What they have created.
  • Why they made certain design choices (e.g., “We made the houses with stone to stop the fire spreading”).
• Praise effort, use of vocabulary, and creative ideas.
• Briefly reinforce key learning points about how the Great Fire changed London’s landscape and life.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative: Monitor participation and engagement during group work. Note students using historical vocabulary and demonstrating understanding through design choices.
• Oral assessment: Evaluate clarity and confidence in presentations. Are students communicating why they chose certain designs or materials?
• Creative output: Collect drawings/models to assess grasp of the topic and integration of historical knowledge with creativity.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide visual vocabulary cards and sentence starters ("Our London has... because...") to scaffold communication. Work in small groups mixing more confident with less confident pupils.
• Challenge: Encourage some students to compare pre-fire and post-fire London explicitly through their art, or suggest improvements to stop fires in their designs.

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Behaviour and Classroom Management Tips

• Use mixed-ability pairs to foster peer support.
• Reinforce “listening to others” during presentations; praise attentive audience behaviour.
• Set clear expectations for sharing materials and rotating around resources.

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WOW Factor Ideas for Teachers

• Create a mini “exhibition” at the end of the lesson displaying student drawings/models alongside vocabulary cards for other classes or parents to view.
• Introduce a simple “time capsule” box where students place a small note or drawing about what they learned from the lesson, to be opened at the end of the unit.
• Use descriptive storytelling during the starter to emotionally engage students before creating (“Imagine you are standing in London as the flames go out... What do you see? What needs to change?”).

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This lesson plan balances historical knowledge, creative expression, and communication skills respectful of Early Years and KS1 capabilities, aligning tightly with the National Curriculum for England. It embeds progression and enjoyment, empowering young learners to connect with London’s fiery past through hands-on and spoken language activities.