About this unit

This unit centres on the evacuation of children during the second world war. While the factual knowledge of evacuation is an essential component of the unit, the main focus is on exploring the varied feelings and experiences of children sent to the countryside and a comparison with a film interpretation set in the same period.

This unit was originally taught over the pace of two mornings of normal school days but could also be taught across a sequence of lessons. There is scope to adjust some of the teaching activities to take account of time constraints in different schools.

 

 

Expectations

By the end of this unit:

Most pupils will have: analysed original source material in layers of inference diagrams; co-written an imagined interview with an evacuee based on original source material; analysed a fictional film clip about evacuation, taking into account its purpose and audience; selected, organised and deployed information to produce a structured account in answer to the question "Was evacuation the adventure that some films suggested?" and "Is there a myth that people in the countryside welcomed evacuees?"

Some pupils will not have made such progress and will have: commented on original source material in layers of inference diagrams; contributed in some way to the writing of an imagined interview with an vacuee based on original source material; commented on a fictional film clip about evacuation; produced some writing in answer to the question "Was evacuation the adventure that some films suggest?" and "Is there a myth that people in the countryside welcomed evacuees?"

Some pupils will have progressed further and will have: analysed original source material in some depth in layers of inference diagrams; taken the lead in co-writing an imagined and fluent interview with an evacuee based on original source material; analysed perceptively a fictional film clip about evacuation, taking into account its purpose and audience; selected, organised and deployed detailed information to produce structured accounts in answer to the question "Was evacuation the adventure that some films suggest?" and "Is there a myth that people in the countryside welcomed evacuees?"

 

Prior Learning

It is helpful if pupils:

• Have studied an overview of the Second World War before completing this unit.
• Are familiar with the idea that interpretations can vary depending on their purpose and audience
  e.g. films, documentaries etc.