Sharing Our Stories

Overview

This 30-minute session is Lesson 5 of 6 in the Year 2 unit "World War II Explorers". Students will collaboratively create a class newspaper featuring diary entries and stories developed in previous lessons. This activity consolidates their understanding of historical empathy, chronology, and the significance of sharing diverse perspectives from the past.

---

National Curriculum Links

History:

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • changes within living memory. Where appropriate, these should be used to reveal aspects of change in national life
  • significant historical events, people and places in their own locality
  • to understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented

English:

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, vocabulary and understanding by discussing texts
  • write narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional)
  • consider what they are going to write before beginning by: planning or saying out loud what they are going to write about
  • evaluate their writing with peers

Computing (if applicable):

• Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content.

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

• Collaborate to produce a simple newspaper combining written and visual elements, drawing on historical stories explored.
• Understand the importance of sharing history through different formats and perspectives.
• Demonstrate chronological awareness by organising stories in an appropriate sequence.
• Use vocabulary related to World War II and diary writing within their newspaper content.
• Reflect on and discuss how history is shared and remembered.

---

Resources

• Paper and coloured pencils/markers
• Copies of prior diary entries and stories written by the student during lessons 2-4
• Large flip chart or whiteboard for planning
• Example images or simple template of a newspaper front page (age-appropriate, visually clear)
• Sticky notes for planning order of articles
• Optional: Access to a simple desktop publishing app or word processor if using technology

---

Lesson Structure

1. Warm-Up and Recap (5 minutes)

• Greet the student and briefly review what has been covered so far in the unit: diary entries, key stories about WWII explorations, and keeping histories alive.
• Ask: “Why do you think it's important to share stories from the past?” Encourage reflections to build purpose.
• Show a simple newspaper front page template; explain the task: making our class newspaper with their own stories.

2. Planning the Newspaper (7 minutes)

• Together, review the diary entries and stories created so far. Discuss which ones the student feels excited to include.
• Use sticky notes or a whiteboard to organise stories in chronological order—helping reinforce time awareness.
• Decide together on sections for the newspaper (e.g. "Diary Corner", "Stories from WWII", "Did You Know?", "Illustrations").
• Brainstorm a catchy newspaper title related to WWII or exploration (e.g. The Brave Explorer, History Heroes).

3. Creating Content (12 minutes)

• Using the planning above, guide the student in copying or neatly writing their diary entries and stories onto the newspaper layout.
• Encourage adding illustrations or headings to make the pages engaging.
• Support correct spelling for key vocabulary (e.g. "explorer", "war", "family", "story").
• Discuss briefly where photos or drawings can help readers understand the stories better—this aligns with the curriculum's emphasis on different ways history is represented.

4. Sharing and Reflecting (5 minutes)

• Read aloud the newspaper’s main stories together. Provide positive, specific feedback:
  • “I love how your diary entry helps me imagine what it was like during the war.”
  • “Your story about the explorer was very clear and interesting!”
• Ask: “How do you think sharing our stories helps us remember history better?”
• Encourage thinking about how others (family, friends) might enjoy the newspaper.

5. Wrap-Up and Next Steps (1 minute)

• Explain that next lesson they will share this newspaper with their class or family, learning even more about sharing history.
• Praise their effort and creativity, reinforcing the value of their work.

---

Assessment and Differentiation

• Formative Assessment:

  • Observe the student’s ability to organise stories chronologically.
  • Check understanding of historical vocabulary and concepts through their written work and discussion.
  • Assess collaboration and reflection during planning and sharing phases.

• Differentiation:

  • For any emerging writer, encourage drawing and verbal contribution to the newspaper instead of writing all text independently.
  • Extend by inviting the student to add ‘interview’ style questions or captions to deepen engagement.
  • Incorporate technology as a scaffold, e.g. typing content, adding clip art if appropriate and available.

---

Extension Idea (To wow teachers)

• For a creative tech twist, after completing the physical newspaper, create a digital interactive copy using simple software where clicking on images plays audio recordings of the student reading their stories aloud. This combines literacy, history, and computing skills, making learning multisensory and memorable.

---

Reflection for Teacher

• Did the student demonstrate eagerness to share their historical perspectives?
• Were they able to sequence events appropriately and use relevant vocabulary?
• How engaged were they in the creative aspects of the newspaper?
• Note any barriers (e.g. writing confidence) to support future differentiation.

---

This lesson nurtures historical empathy by making the student a storyteller, reinforcing the National Curriculum’s emphasis on understanding and sharing the past through multiple forms. The collaborative, creative newspaper provides an authentic context for purposeful writing and reflection at an age-appropriate level.