WWII Child Experience

Overview

This 30-minute session is Lesson 3 of 6 in the unit "World War II Explorers," designed for Year 2 students (aged 6-7). It aims to foster empathy and deeper understanding by having the student role-play as a child living through World War II. This immersive activity aligns with the National Curriculum for England, History Key Stage 1 objectives, promoting historical enquiry and chronological understanding.

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National Curriculum Links

History Programme of Study: Key Stage 1

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Know about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally (e.g., World War II)
  • Understand the lives of significant individuals in the past and their impact.
  • Use stories and recounts to understand the past.

Key Competencies

• Develop chronological awareness by recognising the difference between past and present.
• Use role-play to communicate understanding of historical events.
• Reflect on the experiences of people in the past, fostering empathy.

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Describe the daily life of a child during World War II using role-play.
2. Explain one or two challenges children faced during the war (e.g., evacuation, air raids, rationing).
3. Show empathy by acting out scenarios involving emotions and decision-making typical of wartime children.
4. Begin to understand the impact of historical events on individual lives.

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Resources

• WWII-style costume elements (e.g., flat cap, headscarves, simple clothes)
• Replica items: gas mask box, ration book, evacuee tag
• Scenario cards describing different wartime situations (e.g., being evacuated, taking shelter during air raids, queuing for food)
• Visual aids: Pictures from WWII children’s daily life (black and white photos, posters, evacuee luggage)
• Comfortable space arranged to resemble a 1940s home and street corner

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Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Details/Teacher Notes
0–5 mins	Introduction	Briefly recap what the student has learned about WWII and introduce today’s theme: "Living as a child during the war." Show visuals and costume items for engagement. Use clear, age-appropriate language.
5–10 mins	Dress-Up and Setup	Help the student dress up in the provided wartime child clothes and distribute props (ration book, evacuee tag). Set the scene – "You are about to leave home to stay somewhere safe." Encouraging excitement and curiosity.
10–25 mins	Role-Play Scenarios	Present 2-3 scenario cards sequentially. Each scenario describes part of a day (e.g., packing to evacuate, lining up for food, seeking shelter during an air raid). Pause after each for the student to act and describe how they feel/what they think. Prompt with questions like: “What would you take with you?” “How do you feel when the siren sounds?” Encourage expressive vocabulary and emotions.
25–28 mins	Reflection and Discussion	Sit down with the student and discuss the experience. Ask guiding questions: “How was being a WWII child different from your life today?” “What was hard about that day?” “What did you learn about children in history?” This consolidates understanding and emotional connection.
28–30 mins	Assessment & Closure	Ask the student to recount one thing they did in the role-play and one fact they learned. Brief verbal assessment of learning objectives. Praise effort and bravery in role-playing. Briefly outline what’s next in the unit to build anticipation.

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• All activities are personalised for 1-to-1 teaching, allowing immediate adaptation based on the learner’s comfort and understanding level.
• Use clear visual aids and physical props to support understanding and engagement.
• Encourage the use of the student’s own words and feelings to make the experience meaningful.
• Provide emotional support and reassure throughout, to ensure a safe, positive environment.

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Assessment of Learning

• Informal formative assessment through observation of role-play participation and responses during reflection.
• Check understanding when the student describes daily life aspects and expresses empathy.
• Use verbal feedback and targeted questions to gauge depth of historical understanding relative to Year 2 expectations.

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WOW Factor Teaching Tips

• Use authentic, tactile props to create a multisensory experience, enhancing memory retention and emotional connection.
• Employ dramatic storytelling techniques yourself when introducing scenarios, using varied tone, pauses, and emotional language to captivate the learner.
• Encourage the student to create a “diary entry” in the character’s voice (a simple drawing or sentence), extending learning beyond role-play for future lessons.
• Connect to simple modern parallels, like comparisons between rationing and today’s food choices, to anchor learning in the student’s world.

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This lesson plan offers a rich, immersive history learning experience that meets National Curriculum requirements and deeply engages Year 2 learners emotionally and cognitively with the past through active participation.