Second World War - The British Home Front

This lesson examines the British Home Front during World War II, focusing on the daily lives of civilians, rationing, evacuation, and the Dig for Victory campaign. Students will learn about the impact of the war on British society through video analysis, guided reading, and creative projects. Activities include analysing Evelyn Carter’s diary, creating posters for the Ministry of Information, and writing PEEKA paragraphs. The lesson concludes with a discussion on the challenges and resilience of the British people.

Lesson Content and Activities:

Introduction:
Discuss the concept of the Home Front and its significance during World War II.
Watch videos on life in Britain and rationing during the war.

Video Analysis:
Choose the correct summary of the rationing video and discuss its accuracy.

Evelyn Carter’s Diary:
Read extracts from Evelyn Carter’s fictional diary.
Make notes on how various aspects of the Home Front impacted her life, including gas masks, rationing, the black market, Dig for Victory, evacuations, her husband fighting, ARP wardens, and the Women’s Voluntary Service.

The Home Front Experience:
Discuss the key aspects of the Home Front such as evacuations, the Dig for Victory campaign, rationing, and the black market.
Examine government posters encouraging evacuation and discuss their messages and target audiences.

Creative Project:
Create a poster for the Ministry of Information to encourage people to support the Home Front.
Choose a campaign, select a target audience, and create a short slogan.
Design the poster to be eye-catching and respectful.

Writing Task:
Write a PEEKA paragraph explaining the impact of the Home Front on British society.
Mention at least one impact and discuss one limitation.
Use today’s keywords and PEEKA paragraph structure.

Class Discussion:
Share and discuss the posters and paragraphs.
Reflect on the resilience and challenges faced by the British people during the war.

Resources:
Video links on life in Britain and rationing
Extracts from Evelyn Carter’s diary
Government posters
PEEKA paragraph guidelines

From a series of over 30 Second World War lessons made by Wolsey Academy. They provide a thorough foundation of knowledge in this vital period of 20th Century History and each lesson looks to focus on a range of historical skills and exam techniques to equip students with knowledge and transferable research, analysis and study skills.
To find the complete bundle search on the Wolsey Academy website.

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