Concept of 75 for 75

2. Concept of 75 for 75 2019 commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Normandy ‘D-Day’ Landings, codenamed ‘Operation Overlord’. The operation combined naval, air and land forces in an assault on German occupied France against the German Forces. The Normandy Campaign was more than just one day it was the start of a lengthy and costly campaign to free Europe from German occupation. To mark the 75th anniversary we have created ’75 for 75’, an exciting list of 75 activity ideas that can be used to enhance any commemorative activities your school might be taking part in. There are also a number of useful documents developed for previous Red, White & Blue Day campaigns, such as ‘How to Bake a Trench Cake’ which can still be used or adapted to fit the theme of D-Day. To view this follow the link: www.redwhiteblueday.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/RWB-2018-Lesson-Plan-Activity-2.pdf The activity ideas are grouped in subject areas (mixed ages) for you to ‘pick and mix’ what works with your year group. Some activities link to more than one curriculum subject. English Page 3 Maths Page 4 Science Page 4 Design and Technology Page 5 History Page 6 Geography Page 7 Art and Design Page 7 Music Page 8 Physical Education (PE) Page 8 Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) Page 8 Page 2

3. English British Pathe News Clips: British Pathe created information films which were shown in cinemas across Great Britain including conflicts such as D-Day. These films were used to update people about what was happening around the world. Create your own newsreel to inform the people about the events on D-Day. Deception Plans: Create a plan to deceive the opposing Forces and create confusion to hide the real plans for D-Day. Think about what you could use to help such as a fake Army and incorrect information being produced. What other methods would help you to hide your plans? Fake News: In the lead up to D-Day many fake reports were put out in order to confuse the German Forces. Could you create your own fake news report to add to the confusion? Listening to the wireless: Many people kept up to date with the news by listening to the wireless/radio. Create a ‘News Flash’ bulletin to update the listeners on D-Day and how it has progressed. Newspaper Article: Create an article to explain what happened on D-Day for those reading the newspaper at home waiting for news. Newspaper Competition: The BBC ran a competition asking the public to send in their holiday snaps of France. This was a ruse so that the Allies could study the landscape and decide where best to land. Create your own competition – How would you run it to get the best information? Postcards: Many servicemen sent cards home from their positions during the war. They had to be very careful not to give away too much detail about their whereabouts in case their cards were intercepted. Write your own postcard to update your family and friends. But remember not to give too much away! ‘Loose lips, sink ships’. Propaganda: Design your own propaganda posters to encourage people to get involved in the war effort both on the home front and on the front line. Telegrams: Telegrams were a way of passing important information over a long distance for example from France back to Britain. Pretend you are a soldier on the beaches of Normandy, what important information would you send back to the Prime Minister in Britain? The Reading Den: Create a den using a tent, make it really comfy! Provide a selection of age appropriate books (fiction and non-fiction) for the children to read. You could even include model ships, planes etc… so children can re-create what they’ve read. iPads can be useful to show short appropriate film clips. War poetry: Throughout history (including in WW1 and WW2) many people wrote ‘war poems’ to describe feelings associated with being at war, remembering those lost and being far from home. Pretend you are a soldier sitting on the beach at Normandy, could you write a poem about your surroundings? Weather Report: The weather played a key role in D-Day, the conditions had to be just right to aid the success of the invasion. Investigate the temperature, tide patterns, moon and weather conditions. Create a report to share with those in command of the invasion. Page 3

4. Maths Addition and Budgeting: Each Serviceman had to have a number of key items such as helmets, boots and a uniform. From a price list of items can you add up how much it would cost to clothe 1 soldier? What about 5, 10, 32 soldiers? If your Platoon (27 servicemen) had a budget, how many soldiers would you be able to clothe without going over your budget? Code Breaking: Both the Allied and German Forces would pass encrypted messages over the radio so that the other side had to try and break their code. Have a go at cracking some codes of your own! Encryptions: Practise your own code breaking skills – Create your own code, swap with a partner and see if you can crack their message. Landing Craft: Find out the size of different types of landing craft. How many servicemen could you fit into each type of craft? Rations: From a price list of food/drink items rationed to soldiers on the Frontline work out how much would it cost to feed one soldier for one day? How much would it cost to feed the whole Platoon (27 servicemen)? 24 Hour Clock: The Military always tell the time using the 24 hour clock such as 0630hrs (6am) or 2300hrs (11pm). Can you solve a series of questions using the 24 hour clock? Science Beaches: Chose a beach and study the geology and geography – Why would you land there? What type is the sand? What is the gradient? How do you know what’s the best place to land? Is it suitable for vehicles? Electricity: In order to send messages via a telegraph and pass messages using lights, the forces needed to create circuits. Build your own circuit. Logistics: How would you get the troops to Normandy? What would you need to consider? Pontoons: How did the pontoon float? Could you design and make your own? Periscopes: Submarines use periscopes to look above the surface of the water when they are submerged. They use items such as mirrors to reflect objects for the observer to see. Create your own periscope that can show you an object hiding round the corner. Phases of the Moon: Study the different phases of the moon to decide which would be the best to launch an invasion under. Terrain: Explore the terrain of the Normandy beaches and beyond. What is the terrain like beyond the beach? What makes it a good place to continue progressing the invasion? Tides: Investigate the ebb and flow of the tides at the beaches around Normandy. Weather: Research the best weather conditions that you would need to launch an invasion. Think about what ships on the sea would need, planes in the air and troops on the ground. Page 4

5. Design and Technology Design and Make: Airplanes: Build your own model airplane. Build a boat: Could you build the HMS Belfast? Gliders: Design and make your own Horsa glider. Science Link: Consider what will help it to fly better. Landing Craft: Design and make your own landing craft. Science Link: Floating/Sinking - How does it float? How much weight can you put in before it sinks? Parachutes: Cut a square from a paper napkin/plastic bag cover each corner with tape to make them stronger. Hole punch each corner, thread through 4 pieces of string. Don’t forget to tie the ends. Tie the loose ends onto a button/small toy etc… and you’re ready to let your parachute float. Science Link: Gravity and air resistance. Tank: Build your own. Think about what would help it to drive more smoothly across the beaches. Cook: Recipes: Before WW2 began Britain imported lots of food items and due to supply ships being targeted by German forces, the number of supplies bought in had to be cut. ‘Rationing’ was introduced in 1940, which made sure that people got the same amount of food supplies each week. Rationing continued after the end of WW2 up until 1954. People were issued with Ration Books which stated how much of each item that person could claim for in a shop. Examples for an adult per week:- Butter 2oz or 50g- Eggs 1 Fresh - Tea 2oz or 50g- Milk 3 pints (sometimes just 2 pints) Have a go at making a cake using a wartime recipe. Don’t forget most of the time they would not be able to use a precious egg to make a cake. Does it taste the same? What could you use to replace the eggs or milk that we would use in a cake today? Page 5

6. History Investigate: Children during WW2: Find out what life was like for children during WW2. How does it compare to the life of children today? Compare and contrast. Civilians in an Invasion: What happens to civilians during a war or an invasion? Think about ‘Evacuees’ particularly children. What would it feel like to be away from home? What would you take with you? Where did they go and why? Create a ‘Fact File’ about D-Day D-Day from the German Forces perspective: Research the role that Germany played in the lead up to, during and after D-Day. Did they expect D-Day? How did they prepare for a possible invasion? Who were the key Military figures? Innovation: Investigate what innovations we still use today? For example: Computers – The codebreaking machines used at Bletchley Park, Plastic surgery – Repairing wounds, Speed Cameras – Radar. Key Individuals: Research the roles of key figures of the Allied Forces and German Forces. Could you put together a presentation of the information you have found? (Examples: Churchill, Eisenhower, Montgomery, Tedder, Leigh-Mallory (Allied), Hitler, Rommel (Germany) Landing with Bicycles: Did the troops really take bicycles onto the beaches. Can you use different methods (books, internet etc…) to find out more? Local Places: Different places around the UK did their bit for the war effort. Can you find out what key places local to your area did? (For example: Northampton made boots for the troops) PowerPoint Presentation: Use the internet to find sources of information. How do you know it’s a credible source? Create a presentation to tell your classmates all about D-Day. The Army’s Role: Explore the roles of troops landing on the beaches of Normandy. The Home Front’s contribution to D-Day The Normandy Landings Fact File: Find out all the key facts of the Normandy Campaign and D-Day itself and create a booklet to share with others. The role of women: Women were employed in roles such as nurses, ammunition factory workers, code breakers and spies. Can you find out more about each role? The Royal Air Force’s Role: The RAF played a significant role in the Normandy invasion. How did they provide air support for troops on the ground? Can you find out more about their aerial bombing raids including bombing Calais as part of the deception plan? The Royal Navy’s Role: Learn more about ‘Operation Neptune’ the largest seaborne invasion in history. How did the naval forces support the invasion of Normandy? War Memorial: Visit your local war memorial to discover the names engraved on it. Why not research the name to find out more about the person? WW2 Timeline: Create a timeline of the key events of WW2. Investigate what happened from beginning to end. Page 6

7. Geography Decoy Army: Create your own ‘fake Army’. Think about the dummy parachutists the Allied Forces used. Decoy Vehicles: Build your own dummy vehicles. What would be the best material to use? Think about planes flying overhead, how would you make it look real? Defend your Beach: The German Forces created a series of inventions to defend the beaches from the landings. Can you design and create your own defence? What would be the best materials to use? What is the purpose? How will it work? Models: Make a model of one of the Normandy beaches: Omaha, Juno, Sword, Utah or Gold. (Junk modelling, papier mache etc..) Art and Design Camouflage: It is used to make people, vehicles and buildings blend in with what’s around them. What are the best materials to use? What do you need to consider? i.e. terrain, the landscape. Clothes Peg Servicemen: Create your own figures of soldiers, sailors and airmen using clothes pegs. Study the uniforms that they would have worn. Collages: Use different materials to create an image from D-Day. Identity Cards: During WW2 everyone including children had to carry an identity card to say who they were and where they lived. Create your own identity card. What information would be important to include? Make Poppies: Create poppies as a symbol of Remembrance. There’s lots of materials you could use such as felt, tissue paper and plastic bottles. Make your own Medal: Design and create your own medal to commemorate D-Day. Medals: Servicemen are awarded medals for their service during different campaigns. In WW2 many Servicemen received the ‘War Medal 1935 – 1945’ and those who took part in D-Day would be eligible for the ‘France and Germany Star’ which was given out from 6th June 1944 – 8th May 1945. Can you find out more about these medals? What other medals were Servicemen eligible for? Models: Looking at pictures from D-Day can you create replicas of the vehicles, planes and boats used. Period clothing: Find out about what the troops and civilians would have worn during WW2. Clothes were also rationed! Do you know why? Pictures: Draw a picture of the troops on D-Day – Landing on the beaches, parachuting into the landing zones or even the ships in the sea. Pin wheel poppies: You will need: Red card, split pins, straws and a hole punch. There’s lots of great templates online! Role play Area: Create a role play area such as inside a warship, landing craft, cockpit of an aircraft, inside a tank. Stained Glass Windows: Create a scene from D-Day using tissue paper and laminating sheets. Page 7

8. Music Popular music and songs of WW2: Just as they were in WW1 songs were very popular for boosting morale and in many cases getting a message across. Many of the songs were deeply patriotic on both sides and used to spread propaganda. Investigate some of the songs of the time, why were the lyrics so powerful? What was the purpose of the music? Dame Vera Lynn CH DBE OStJ: The Forces Sweetheart, was a very popular singer at the time both with Servicemen and civilians. Could you find out more about her? Why was her music so popular? Have a listen to…- White Cliffs of Dover- We’ll meet againCan you describe the meaning behind the lyrics? If you were a Serviceman/woman during the war how would it make you feel? Create your own song: Write the lyrics for your own wartime song to keep up the spirits. The Entertainments National Service Association: Formed in 1939, can you investigate what the role of this service was during WW2? Some of the ‘big names’ of WW2 entertainment were part of this service, including Dame Vera Lynn, can you find out who else? Physical Education (PE) Dance: Dance Halls were very popular during the war. Each town/village would have a hall where local people would go to dance along to music of the time. It was a great morale booster! How did they improve community life? Can you create your own dance to ‘We’ll meet again’, what moves could you perform to convey the emotion in the song? Find out what types of moves were popular and incorporate them in your dance. Games: Children did not have the same type of toys and games, but some of the games they used to play are still played by children today. Find out about and play: Hopscotch, leapfrog, conkers, Jacks ‘five stones’ Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) How would you feel? Think about what it would be like to be one or the troops or a civilian in the lead up, during and after the invasion. Discuss what you think it would be like and why. Consider how you would boost morale for the troop and also those left at home. Page 8