What's included in the World War II History at Home resource and why is it useful?

World War II History at Home is a one-page activity sheet to send home to parents and carers at the start of the topic. It includes what children will be learning, great conversation starters, ideas to try at home, famous figures to explore and places to find out more, covering life on the British Home Front, the causes and impact of the war and how it shaped life today.

What's on the sheet?

Learning: the causes and impact of World War II (1939–1945), life on the British Home Front including rationing, evacuation and the Blitz, life for soldiers including those from the Commonwealth, the Holocaust (handled with care) and how the war has impacted life today.

Conversation starters: questions such as "Food was rationed during World War II. What food would you miss if it was rationed today and why?" and "How do you think children who were evacuated felt when they had to leave their homes without their parents?"

Ideas to try at home: kitchen rationing with a war cake, building a shelter den and cracking a secret code.

Famous figures: Winston Churchill, Anne Frank, Noor Inayat Khan and Adolf Hitler, with dates and a line on each.

Books and websites: Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian, The Lion and the Unicorn by Shirley Hughes and the Imperial War Museum website.

How do our History at Home resources work?

Our History at Home resources sit alongside our history scheme. Send them home to parents and carers at the start of each topic to promote learning at home without it being a taxing homework-style resource. They also help parents build their own knowledge of the topic, so they can connect with what their child is learning in school.

Teach the full unit with our six World War II lessons.