The Royal British Legion (RBL), together with the National Literacy Trust, has created a range of teaching resources for children in key stages 1-4, designed to help them explore their shared heritage of Remembrance and understand its relevance to today.
In a year where the nation marked 75 years since Victory in Europe, Victory over Japan and 70 years since the beginning of the war in Korea, the Legion is also encouraging people to acknowledge the contribution of a new generation of armed forces who’ve responded alongside essential workers on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19.
The Legion’s new resources are designed to help children draw parallels between these modern-day challenges and the Second World War generation, highlighting the significance of Remembrance in today’s world. The resources have been created to provide children with the right level of support and challenge.
Available to every child
As the national champions of Remembrance, the Legion is committed to ensuring that it’s understood and available to every child and community in the UK.
Catherine Davies, Head of Remembrance at the RBL, says: “In this unique and challenging year, the Legion wants to support children in understanding why we remember. Our new teaching resources will not only teach children about the significance of remembering those from past conflicts, but also help them discover the relevance of Remembrance to today. The RBL is committed to making sure the torch of Remembrance is passed on to the next generation, and these resources will play an important role in achieving that.”
Fay Lant, Senior Programme Manager at the National Literacy Trust, says: “This year, the service and sacrifice of frontline workers is more relevant than ever before and taking a moment to pause and think about the people who work and volunteer to look after us seems especially important. As we also mark 75 years since VE Day, we’ve created a variety of resources for schools that tell the stories of the Second World War and offer a range of creative ways for pupils to explore Remembrance. Whether it’s taking part in our book club focused on ‘Now or Never’ by Bali Rai, creating a whole school Remembrance radio programme or creating your own work of art, there really is something for everyone.”
Reaching all ages
The resources for key stages 2 & 3 include assemblies, bitesize activities and a book club. Primary and secondary ‘whole school’ resources include creative writing and an art exhibition.
Download all the resources at rbl.org.uk/teachingremembrance