Caring on the Home Front - Volunteer memories from World War Two
Cross Curricular teaching 7-11 years
Key Stage 2 and its equivalents in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
There are some parts to children’s learning that cross the curriculum. In recognition of the benefits of cross-curricula work, we have put together a brief list of examples of how Caring on the Home Front and the Project Packs could fit into your teaching. The list is not comprehensive and we are sure you could find many more ways of using this unique resource.
In particular we recognise the benefits of Caring on the Home Front in providing a resource to teach ICT across the curriculum.
In developing this list we have aimed to promote creativity in the classroom in line with QCAs ‘Creativity: Find it, promote it’ framework.
History
The following packs are especially relevant. Specific information can be found in the History teaching 7-11 yrs section.
- Time Detectives: War and children
- Changing Roles – History Key Stages 2 and 3
- Surviving the Blitz – A cross-curricular project
Literacy
Knowledge, skills and understanding:
- Helping pupils learn how to talk effectively as members of a group
- Using dramatic techniques and role-play to explore characters and issues
Breadth of study:
- Group discussion and interaction
All Project Packs offer scope for Literacy work, largely within the area of writing and creating stories and drama.
Art and Design
Programmes of Study
Knowledge, skills and understanding:
- Collecting visual and other information (e.g. from the Internet, using digital cameras)
- Using a variety of methods and approaches to communicate observations, ideas and feelings
Breadth of study:
- Exploring a range of starting points for practical work
- Working on their own, and collaborating with others
Schemes of Work
Unit 3A: Portraying relationships
Surviving the Blitz – A cross-curricular project, in particular, in which pupils are encouraged to design a virtual Blitz museum, offers scope for links with the Art and Design curriculum. Here are some more suggested activities:
Activity 1: Poster design
Pupils could design posters advertising the work of the JWO during the Second World War. Using examples from the Fundraising section, pupils should be encouraged to think about the sort of language and images used during this period.
Activity 2: Caring on the Home Front exhibition
Pupils could put together an exhibition linked to an area covered by the Project Packs or the website more generally. A good example would be an exhibition exploring the lives of children during the war. Resources from the website could be used.
As part of the Caring on the Home Front project, St. John Ambulance and the British Red Cross have also commissioned a portable exhibition that could be displayed alongside pupils’ work. A handling collection of wartime objects is also available. For more information contact the Museum of the Order of St. John or the British Red Cross
Activity 3: Parcel Packing
A popular activity with schools in trials for this site, and at venues for the Caring on the Home Front exhibition, has been parcel packing. This is based on the JWO food parcels sent to Prisoners of War. It encourages pupils to think about rationing, perishable/non-perishable food, and about helping others in need. It also offers scope for Art and Design work.
Download a Parcel Packing lesson plan.
Mathematics
Knowledge, skills and understanding:
- Breaking down a more complex problem or calculation into smaller steps
Breadth of study:
- Using mathematic in work in other subjects
One example of how mathematics could be applied is through the Parcel Packing activity. Pupils could plan out and cost the contents of a food parcel.
ICT
Programmes of Study
Knowledge, skills and understanding:
- Teaching pupils to talk about what information they need and where they can find it
- Interpreting information – checking whether it is relevant and reasonable
- Sharing and exchanging information in a variety of forms, as well as being sensitive to the needs of different audiences
Schemes of Work
Unit 1C: The information around us
Unit 1D: Labelling and classifying
Unit 2C: Finding information
Unit 3A: Combining text and graphics
Using the Caring on the Home Front Project Packs, or the site more generally, offers scope to cover parts of the ICT curriculum. For example, the activities require pupils to search the website to find and analyse information. The image library also offers the opportunity to discuss how text and graphics are combined, and to discuss basic concepts of metadata/labelling and classifying.
PSHE
The following Project Packs are especially relevant, in particular by exploring how people can play an active role as citizens and by exploring the values and ethic of volunteers on the Home Front during the Second World War. Specific information can be found in the PSHE teaching 7-11 yrs section.