Upper Key Stage 2 World War 2 - NEW LOOK
The beginning of World War 2

Understand why World War 2 started, and what is meant by the ‘Phoney War’. Explore Neville Chamberlain's attempts to 'appease' Adolf Hitler in order to avoid leading the nation to another war, just 20 years after the end of the first World War. Learn about events in Winston Churchill's early life, before he became Prime Minister.

Session 1 The build-up to World War 2

Objectives

History

  • Study an aspect or theme in British history that extends chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
  • Explore questions about the cause(s) of historical events.
  • Understand narratives within the periods studied.

Enquiry question
What events led to the outbreak of World War 2?

Outcomes
Children will:

  • Find out when Britain and France declared war on Germany.
  • Explore some of the factors that led to war with Germany.
  • Begin to construct a timeline to help understand the chronology of World War 2.

You Will Also Need

Weblinks
BBC video Britain declares war on Germany

Session 2 Neville Chamberlain and Appeasement

Objectives

History

  • Study an aspect or theme in British history that extends chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
  • Develop the appropriate use of historical terms (i.e. appeasement).
  • Understand narratives within the periods studied.

Enquiry question
What was ‘appeasement’?

Outcomes
Children will:

  • Discover how Neville Chamberlain tried to respond to Hitler.
  • Explore arguments for and against appeasement.
  • Continue to explore the ‘narrative’ of the events that led to the start of World War 2.

You Will Also Need

Weblinks
Video: Neville Chamberlain returns from Germany

Session 3 Winston Churchill

Objectives

History

  • Study an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
  • Understand how our knowledge of the past is built up from a range of sources.
  • Understand narratives within the periods studied.

Enquiry question
Who was Winston Churchill; why do we remember him?

Outcomes
Children will:

  • Find out more about Winston Churchill.
  • Continue to build understanding of the interwoven events that led to the start of World War 2.
  • Have discussed the significance of various dates and events in the build-up to the war.

You Will Also Need

Children’s Timelines from Session 1
Playdough

Weblinks
Blood, Sweat and Toil speech (listen from 3:22)
Interactive timeline from bbc.co.uk
Video: Who was Winston Churchill?