War and Family Dynamics

Unit: Exploring War Through Literature

Lesson 4 of 7

Duration: 45 minutes
Class size: 9 students
Age group: Year 7 (11–12 years old)

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National Curriculum Links:

This lesson aligns with the English programmes of study for Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9) under the National Curriculum for England, particularly:

• Reading: comprehension

  • Develop their understanding of texts by:
    • Making inferences and referring to evidence in the text (EN3/3.1)
    • Understanding the relationships between characters and events (EN3/3.3)

• Writing: composition

  • Plan, draft, and present texts, developing narratives and using imaginative language related to the theme of war and personal relationships (EN3/4.2)

• Spoken language

  • Participate in discussions, maintaining focus and taking turns, explaining ideas and building on others’ responses (EN3/5.1)

• Subject competence:

  • Supporting progression from Emerging to Secure levels in understanding and analysing literature

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Learning Objectives

Level	Objective	National Curriculum Focus
Emerging	Identify family members in the story	Reading comprehension: identifying characters
Developing	Discuss how war affects family structures	Spoken language: discussion and explanation
Secure	Analyse the emotional impacts of war on families	Reading comprehension: analysis and inference

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Resources Needed

• Copies or extracts from the text (war-themed literature for Year 7; e.g., Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo or similar age-appropriate novel/extract)
• Large paper sheets and coloured pens/markers for group work
• Family Tree templates (printed)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sticky notes for students

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Lesson Outline

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes)

• Objective: Activate prior knowledge of war literature and introduce family themes.
• Display the lesson’s key question on the board: “How does war change families?”
• Quick round-robin: Each student shares one word or phrase that comes to mind when they think about “war and family”. Write key words on the board.
• Briefly discuss themes introduced.

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2. Reading and Identification (10 minutes)

• Provide students with a short extract featuring key family members affected by war from the chosen text.
• Task: Individually, students highlight or underline the names / roles of family members (Emerging objective).
• Differentiation: Support with prompt questions for Emerging learners (e.g., “Who is the mother? Who are the children?”)

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3. Group Collaboration: Family Tree Creation (15 minutes)

• In groups of three, students create a family tree using the text characters, demonstrating relationships and war-related changes (such as deaths, separations, new roles).
• Encourage the use of coloured markers:
  • One colour for family members alive at the story’s start
  • One for those lost or separated due to war
  • One for changes in family roles (e.g., older siblings taking caretaker roles)
• Groups discuss how war has affected family structure and record brief points on sticky notes to attach to their trees (addresses Developing objective).

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4. Class Discussion and Emotional Analysis (10 minutes)

• Groups present their family trees to the class, focusing on:
  • How relationships have changed (death, separation, role change)
  • How family members might feel emotionally based on the text (loss, fear, resilience)
• Teacher guides questions to deepen thinking:
  • “How do you think this character feels after losing family members?”
  • “What might life be like for the child who became the head of the family?”
• Record key emotional themes on the board (e.g., grief, anxiety, hope). This supports the Secure objective of emotional analysis.

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5. Plenary and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Individual written reflection: Students write one or two sentences completing the stem:
  • “War impacts families by __________ and this might make them feel ___________.”
• Collect reflections for informal assessment of learning objectives.
• Recap key vocabulary and themes.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative:

  • Observation of student group discussions (Developing objective)
  • Accuracy and detail in family trees (Emerging to Developing)
  • Quality of emotional reflections (Secure)

• Summative (via collected reflections and participation):

  • Can students identify family members, describe how war affects them, and analyse emotional impact?

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Differentiation

• For Emerging learners: Use visual aids (family tree example), sentence starters, scaffolded questions.
• For Secure learners: Encourage deeper inference using textual evidence and emotional vocabulary; ask to justify views.
• For all: Collaborative work supports peer learning and confidence building.

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Cross-Curricular Links

• History: Understanding historical contexts of war and its effects on families.
• PSHE: Empathy development through emotional exploration of family struggles during war.

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Extension Ideas (Optional)

• Write diary entries from the perspective of a family member affected by war (focus on emotional language).
• Research how real families have been affected by war and present findings.

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This detailed, curriculum-aligned lesson plan blends reading, speaking and listening, and writing skills while engaging students creatively and empathetically, fully supporting their progression in English at Year 7 level within the framework of the National Curriculum.