World War I Experience

Overview

Unit: Journey Through Farther (Lesson 6 of 7)
Duration: 60 minutes
Class: Year 4 (aged 8-9)
Class Size: 30 students
Subject: English
National Curriculum Links:

• English programmes of study: Writing - composition (Y4)
• History programmes of study: Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across periods.
• English: Spoken Language: Articulate and justify answers, maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations.

---

Learning Objective

• To connect historical events of World War I to narrative themes studied in the unit "Journey Through Farther".

Success Criteria

• Students will write descriptive and reflective sentences that demonstrate their understanding of the historical context and their emotional response to the role-play experience.

---

National Curriculum References

• English - Writing composition (Years 3 and 4):

  • Pupils plan their writing by discussing and recording ideas.
  • Pupils draft and write by organising paragraphs around a theme.
  • Pupils evaluate and edit by assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing and suggesting improvements.

• English - Spoken Language (Years 3 and 4):

  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role-play, improvisations, and debates.
  • Gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s).

• History (Years 3 and 4):

  • Pupils should develop an understanding of the characteristic features of the past including the nature of change as shown in period events, and the impact on people.
  • Study a local history unit and a significant turning point in British history such as World War I.

---

Resources Needed

• Pre-prepared role-play scenario cards reflecting WWI experiences (e.g., life in the trenches, soldiers’ letters, ambulance drivers, war nurses)
• Costume props (hats, scarves, simple army or nurse armbands) – optional
• Large classroom space cleared for group activities
• Paper and pencils for reflective sentences
• Whiteboard and markers for plenary sharing
• Short extracts from “Journey Through Farther” related to WWI (printed or projected)

---

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Recap: Briefly recap key historical events of WWI previously discussed in the unit (causes, trench warfare, home front).
• Purpose: Explain today’s immersive role-play experience to help deepen understanding of characters and themes from "Journey Through Farther".
• Set the scene: Read aloud a short evocative extract from the unit focussing on WWI.
• Engagement question: Ask "How do you think soldiers felt in the trenches? What would it be like to live through those days?"

2. Role-Play Preparation (5 minutes)

• Divide students into six groups of 5.
• Hand out scenario cards to each group, describing roles such as: trench soldiers, nurses, ambulance drivers, mothers on the home front, war poets, or children evacuated to the countryside.
• Briefly allow groups to discuss and assign roles, ensuring everyone has a part.

3. Immersive Role-Play Experience (20 minutes)

• Groups act out their scenarios in different zones of the classroom or hall. Each scenario includes:
  • A short scripted prompt (written on card) they must use.
  • An emotional challenge: e.g. writing a letter home, reacting to a battlefield news flash, comforting a scared comrade.
• Teacher circulates, prompting with historical facts and encouraging expressive language.

4. Reflective Writing (15 minutes)

• After role-play, bring class back together.
• Ask students to individually write 3-5 sentences describing their feelings and one new thing they’ve learnt about WWI.
• Encourage the use of descriptive language and connect feelings to the narrative themes such as courage, fear, loss, and hope.
• Provide sentence starters for scaffolding, e.g.:
  • "When I pretended to be a soldier, I felt..."
  • "I learnt that life in the trenches was..."
  • "This helps me understand the story because..."

5. Sharing and Plenary (10 minutes)

• Invite volunteers to read their reflections aloud.
• Highlight powerful vocabulary and emotional understanding.
• Discuss briefly how this experience changes or deepens their view of the story "Journey Through Farther".
• Summarise learning: historical events enrich narrative understanding and empathy for characters.

---

Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation during role-play: Engagement, use of language, understanding of historical context.
• Written reflective sentences: Assess for descriptive language, connection of personal emotional response to historical context, and clear narrative link.
• Use simplified assessment rubric to note:
  • Descriptive language used (NA, Developing, Secure)
  • Historical understanding (NA, Developing, Secure)
  • Link to narrative themes (NA, Developing, Secure)

---

Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters or word banks for writing. Pair lower ability pupils with confident peers during discussion.
• Challenge: Encourage advanced learners to write an additional paragraph imagining a letter or diary entry from their role’s perspective.

---

Cross-Curricular Links

• History: Experiencing WWI contexts first-hand supports historical empathy and understanding.
• PSHE: Reflecting on emotions helps develop empathy and perspective-taking.

---

Teacher Reflection Notes

• Were students fully engaged and able to inhabit their roles?
• Was the emotional and historical complexity age-appropriate, and did it resonate with their writing?
• Could the role-play be extended or simplified for different class sizes or time slots?

---

This immersive, multi-sensory lesson integrates History and English, enriching students’ understanding of historical narratives and personalising their engagement with complex themes appropriate for Year 4 learners according to the National Curriculum for England.