Reflecting on Fire

Overview

This 30-minute lesson concludes the "London's Fiery Past" unit by guiding Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 students to reflect thoughtfully on the Great Fire of London. Through discussion and a creative written reflection, pupils consolidate their understanding of the event's causes, effects, and its lasting impact on the city we know today. The lesson aligns closely with the National Curriculum for England’s History programme of study for Key Stage 1.

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National Curriculum Links

History - Key Stage 1

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Understand changes within living memory (Great Fire of London is within living memory relative to earlier periods studied)
  • Recognise significant historical events
  • Use common words and phrases related to the passing of time
  • Talk about the lives of significant individuals in the past
  • Identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods

English - Key Stage 1

• Develop spoken language and listening skills through group discussions
• Writing: expressing ideas and information clearly in short texts

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (Reception)

• Encouraging reflection and shared experiences
• Developing confidence in expressing thoughts

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

• Recall and explain key facts about the Great Fire of London and its effects on the city.
• Discuss how the fire changed London and why it remains important today.
• Express their own thoughts and feelings about the historical event both verbally and in writing/drawing.
• Use historical vocabulary such as ‘past’, ‘fire’, ‘buildings’, ‘London’, and simple time-related phrases (e.g., “a long time ago,” “after the fire”).

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Resources

• Large timeline poster from earlier lessons (showing before, during, after the fire)
• Picture cards illustrating key elements (fire, buildings, fire fighters, rebuilt London)
• Whiteboard or flipchart and pens
• “My London Fire Reflection” worksheet (template with space for drawing and 2-3 simple sentences)
• Crayons and pencils

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-up & Recap (5 minutes)

• Gather pupils in a circle or seated area.
• Show the timeline poster and picture cards. Prompt children: “Can you remember what happened in the Great Fire of London?”
• Use simple questions to guide recall:
  • When did the fire happen? (A long time ago, 1666)
  • What started the fire?
  • Why did it spread so fast?
  • What happened to the buildings and people?
  • How did London change afterwards?
• Encourage brief pupil responses; celebrate with praise to build confidence.

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2. Class Discussion: Why the Fire Matters (10 minutes)

• Write the question on the board: “Why do we still remember the Great Fire of London today?”
• Prompt pupils to share ideas, such as:
  • It changed the way buildings were made (safer materials).
  • It helped firefighters learn how to stop fires better.
  • London became a cleaner, brighter city afterward.
• Use vocabulary cards to reinforce historical terms.
• Where possible, encourage children to link the past event to their own experience (e.g., "Have you seen fire engines? What do they do?").
• Record key ideas visibly on the board or flipchart to validate pupil contributions.

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3. Reflection Activity: My London Fire Story (10 minutes)

• Distribute the “My London Fire Reflection” worksheet.
• Explain: “Draw a picture of your favourite thing from the story of the Great Fire. Then write one or two sentences about what you think was important about the fire.”
• Model a simple example on the board: “The fire was very big. It helped London be safer.”
• Support pupils individually where needed; encourage use of key vocabulary.
• Allow children to share their reflections with a partner or the group if time allows.

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4. Plenary: Sharing & Celebrating Learning (5 minutes)

• Invite 3-4 students to briefly share their drawings and sentences with the class.
• Reinforce the main learning point: “The Great Fire of London was very important because it helped make the city better and safer for people.”
• Praise all pupils for their fantastic listening, thinking, and creativity throughout the unit.
• Optionally, display completed reflections in the classroom as a learning celebration.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment during discussion: Check for accurate recall and use of appropriate historical vocabulary.
• Written reflection: Evaluate pupils’ ability to communicate ideas about the fire simply but clearly, appropriate for their age.
• Observe pupil participation and confidence in sharing ideas aloud.

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Differentiation

• Reception & Early Year 1: Focus on drawing with sentence starter support (e.g., “The fire was ___.”)
• Year 1 & 2: Encourage more extended sentences with historical vocabulary incorporated.
• Provide extra scaffolding and one-to-one help for pupils with SEND or EAL as needed.

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Teacher Notes / Tips

• Use expressive storytelling to help bring the Great Fire to life again in pupils’ minds.
• Celebrate pupils’ reflections with positive feedback to enhance engagement and confidence.
• Link to contemporary fire safety where appropriate to make learning relevant (e.g., “We have smoke alarms now to keep us safe!”).
• Consider following up with a creative display or class book compiling pupils’ reflections to mark the end of the unit.

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This lesson ensures pupils finish the unit “London’s Fiery Past” with a strong foundation of historical understanding, personal reflection, and communication skills—all tailored to the age and abilities of Reception and Key Stage 1 children as specified by the English National Curriculum.