In this exciting and impactful lesson, children investigate the question: How close did Britain come to being invaded by Germany? Learning Intentions: Understand the decisions made by Germany and Britain before the Battle of Britain took place. Think and communicate as a historian. Children recreate the Battle of Britain by thinking through the decisions made by Germany and Britain after Dunkirk. Through this reconstruction, they gain a deep understanding of how the battle played out and why Britain succeeded in its defense. They ultimately gain insight into its historical significance. The lesson is in two parts: Step 1 - A Military Analysis (Children act as military analysts, weighing up who had the strongest a) infantry b) air force and c) naval force using information provided. They then use this knowledge to complete the next task: Step 2 – War Games Re-enactment (Children are divided into Germany and Britain. They have a board map and game pieces and must use the understanding from Step 1 to make decisions together). Each group present their decisions and they then get to see how close their decisons were to the real thing! This lesson had been tried and tested. Not only do children love it but the learning really sticks!

This funny panto-style sketch is called Christmas Crackers at the Turkey Farm. In this short production, a large flock of turkeys are in dispute over the true meaning of Christmas. The play has been enormously popular with adults and with the older children that have performed it or watched it. It’s ideal for a quick assembly presentation (5 minutes long) or a short play during a Christmas presentation to parents. The affect on audiences is great. Teachers can have great fun performing it too - there are roles for thirteen ‘turkeys’, and the characters include (amongst others) Depressed Fred, Angry Alf, Professor Pecker, Posh Felicity and Passive Pam. One or two of the lines are risque (typical panto) such as one that refers to Dorris’s white bits but every character’s lines are quick to learn, with minimum rehearsal time required at what is usually a very hectic time of the year. You will have a great time with it!

Each year, Harvest Festival comes around and I search the internet in an attempt to find productions or presentations that are engaging and that discuss important issues such as poverty and the food crisis- a very modern crisis that we are experiencing in Britain today; more working people than ever having to ask for emergency food packs to survive. Many just go hungry. It’s affecting many of our school children. Each year, I am hugely disappointed with what’s out there. So, for those teachers like me that want something funny, interesting, fact-based and significant to do for Harvest, I offer you this four scene play (14 pages). It pokes fun at teachers (who can play themselves or have children dress up as them) and it puts the kids in charge! The children will love it. Most importantly, the audience and children will be affected by it. There are four songs included with word adaptations made to Do They Know It’s Christmas (so that it is Harvest Festival relevant). All song lyrics are provided at the end of the script and in-text notes are given for the appropriate place to sing each. All songs can be downloaded on Youtube (instrumental or vocals included). ENJOY!