Teach the First World War at primary school with our free KS2 project and resources

On 11th November, people around the world will be reflecting on the lives that were irrevocably changed, and those that were lost. Although the study of the ‘Great War’ is not a history topic specified in the KS2 national curriculum, many primary schools believe that it is important to teach its significance to children.

Fallen Fields is a special stand-alone topic that gives you a taster of the 100 inspiring projects from the Cornerstones Curriculum. This curriculum is subject-driven and sequenced from Nursery to Year 6, is supported by high-quality resources, and follows a unique four-stage learning pedagogy. The Cornerstones Curriculum is made easy to implement and assess on Maestro, our online platform for primary schools.

Free Fallen Fields project 

Our special history project, Fallen Fields, is designed to teach children key knowledge about the First World War and comes with a wealth of time-saving resources. Appropriate for children in Years 5 and 6, it provides a series of pre-planned lessons across a range of subjects. Fallen Fields is best taught over two to three weeks, culminating in a fundraising activity where the children plan to raise money for The Royal British Legion. However, some schools decide to adapt the project to teach across one to three days, for a more immersive experience.

Free World War 1 lesson resources 

This free sample project comes with a full set of bespoke and stunningly designed lesson resources, including original illustrations and examples of first-hand evidence, to help bring the subject to life. Through these resources, children learn about the significant events, leaders, dates, and issues around WW1, including the diversity of the people involved. We have also included a First World War knowledge organiser, which children can read before starting the project, and an end of project quiz.

Download your FREE full copy of the Fallen Fields project and resources. Click below to be redirected to our free resource area.

Exclusive and brand new – Remembrance Day Assembly and script.

Private Peaceful 

As part of Fallen Fields, we recommend the story Private Peaceful, by Michael Morpurgo. Told through the eyes of Tommo Peaceful, the story tells us about a young man’s experiences during the First World War. From the nonchalant attitude of the war during basic training to the full-blown horrors of the battlefields of the Western Front, Private Peaceful tackles the themes of family, death, justice, love and remembrance, telling the story of family life during this terrible time and the different effects that the war had on people. You can access a FREE Private Peaceful Love to Read guide here. The guide will support teachers in delivering this poignant story to pupils, explaining the themes and literary devices used by the author. It includes suggested activities that help to develop children’s comprehension and encourage children to consider their own opinions about a significant event in our history.

Cornerstones Curriculum

If you’re interested in finding out more about this exciting curriculum, please get in touch or click the link below to view our curriculum page.