As part of their history topic Upper Two have been experiencing some unique World War 2 themed hands-on learning opportunities:
VE Day Workshop
Educational dance company Dance Days, provided a fantastic workshop for the Upper Two children who spent the afternoon learning a choreographed routine set to 1940’s music. Charlotte set the VE Day tone with her joyful teaching style and was very impressed at the speed at which the children picked up the moves. The Year 6 parents were treated to an animated performance at the end of the session and we were all very proud of what the children had achieved in such a short time.
History Off the Page
The Upper Two classroom was transformed into a 1940’s classroom for the morning, when ‘History Off the Page’ led an informative and enjoyable WW2 themed re-enactment day. Once Mr Shaw (our teacher) was in role, the Upper Two’s stepped into the shoes of evacuees and were soon dipping their nibs into ink pots to write down the morning prayer and calculate money problems with pre-decimalised coins. It became apparent after break that some of the class had undertaken several misdemeanours and broken 1940 rules (such as girls playing football!) at which Mr Shaw dealt out some severe (fake) punishments, such as washing their mouth out with soap and receiving the cane. In the afternoon the children were joined by several of their parents and thoroughly enjoyed the 1940’s shopping experience that had been set up in the hall. Many of the ‘shops’ had real wartime items in them and once again they had to buy and sell using old money. A break was available in the café but unsurprisingly the Spam sandwiches were not a hit! Thank you to the Upper Two parents for giving up their time to make the day run so smoothly.
Dig for Victory at Barleylands
Upper Two’s study of Britain during World War 2 culminated in a fantastic, fun filled day at Barleylands. The day started with a recap about rationing and the effect the war had on farming, food production and daily life. The children then worked collaboratively in their Houses to prep, peel and chop the ingredients for ‘Woolton Pie’, a popular dish in the 1940’s, as it mainly consists of homegrown vegetables. Upper Two’s culinary skills were extremely impressive and I’m sure parents can look forward to enjoying the fruits of their labour this evening. Following their ration style lunch, the children were shown the farm machinery that would have been used by the Land Girls and the polytunnel where vegetables and fruit were growing. The class were then treated to a tractor ride around the huge Barleylands site and were able to see the new born pigs, sheep and goats and feed the adult animals.
