Women’s Roles WWII

Overview

This 45-minute lesson explores the pivotal roles of women before, during, and after World War II, focusing on their contributions in factories, the military, and society. Students will engage in discussion, video analysis, and group activities to deepen their understanding of how women’s roles evolved and their impact on the war effort and society afterwards.

National Curriculum Links

History - Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Pupils should develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
Pupils should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
Pupils should understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims.
Pupils should address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.

Specific Learning Objectives for this lesson:

Describe the roles and contributions of women in Britain during WWII, including in factories (munition production) and military auxiliary services (e.g., WAAF, ATS).
Explain how women’s roles changed during the war and the impact of these changes on post-war society.
Develop a historical narrative using primary and secondary sources.
Use historical terms accurately (e.g., Home Front, evacuation, munitions, auxiliary services).

Learning Objectives

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

Outline the changing roles of women in Britain before, during, and after WWII.
Identify and describe at least three key contributions women made to the war effort.
Analyse video-clips and use information to present women’s perspectives during WWII.
Use specific historical vocabulary related to WWII confidently.

Resources Needed

Video clips showcasing women’s stories in WWII (about 10 minutes total) – e.g. testimonies of female factory workers, members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), and Land Army workers.
Large printed images or primary source historic photographs of women’s roles during WWII.
Whiteboard and markers.
Student worksheets with guided questions.
Timeline poster of WWII for contextual reference.

Lesson Structure

1. Starter (5 minutes)

Activation and Prior Knowledge

Begin with a quick class brainstorm: “What roles do you think women had before WWII? And during the war?”
Record ideas on the whiteboard in two columns: Before WWII / During WWII.
Highlight expected ideas: homemakers, factory workers, soldiers, nurses, farmers.

2. Introduction to Learning (5 minutes)

Teacher introduces the lesson’s focus: exploring how women’s roles changed and their impact during the war.
Share learning objectives aloud so pupils understand the lesson’s goals.

3. Video Viewing and Guided Discussion (15 minutes)

Show selected video clips (total approx. 10 minutes) showcasing three different female perspectives: a factory munitions worker, a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, and a Land Army farmer.
While watching, pupils complete a worksheet with questions:
- What was her role?
- What challenges did she face?
- How did she contribute to the war effort?
After each clip, allow 2 minutes for pupils to discuss pairs or small groups to share answers.
Select pupils to share brief responses with the whole class; emphasise vocabulary use (e.g., auxiliary, munitions, rationing).

4. Group Activity: Role Sort & Timeline Placement (15 minutes)

In pairs, pupils receive a set of cards with descriptions and pictures of different women’s roles during WWII (e.g., factory worker, nurse, pilot, codebreaker, farmer).
Pupils sort cards into three categories: Before WWII, During WWII, After WWII.
Pupils then place their selected roles on the classroom timeline poster and explain why the role is significant to that period.
Teacher circulates, prompting use of historical terms and deeper thinking (e.g., “Why do you think so many women worked in factories during the war?”)

5. Reflection & Assessment (5 minutes)

Bring class back together and discuss: “How did women’s roles during WWII change the way society viewed women after the war?”
Pupils write or verbally share one sentence explaining a lasting impact of WWII on women’s roles, using vocabulary learnt.
Collect worksheets for assessment of understanding.

Differentiation

Provide sentence starters or word banks on worksheets for pupils who need extra support.
Challenge more able pupils to compare and contrast women’s roles with men’s roles, or to explain why some roles changed permanently.

Assessment for Learning

Use pupils’ worksheet answers to check understanding of key roles and vocabulary.
Assess participation in group discussions and timeline activity for ability to use historical terms and explain roles clearly.
Review final reflection sentences for comprehension of impact and use of historical narrative skills.

Cross-Curricular Links

English: Develop speaking, listening, and note-taking skills through discussions and video analysis.
PSHE: Explore themes of gender roles and the impact of war on society.
Art: Optionally, pupils could create propaganda posters promoting women’s war work in future lessons.

Extension/Home Learning

Pupils research 1 famous woman from WWII (e.g., Vera Lynn, Edith Cavell, or a local war heroine) and prepare a short oral presentation or poster for the next lesson.

This lesson plan is designed to be engaging, interactive, and specifically aligned to the National Curriculum for Year 6 history, developing chronological understanding, historical enquiry, and use of subject vocabulary around the topic of women’s roles in WWII.

Teaching Instructions