starter activity

Can you identify these planes? What helps you identify them? Why would it have been important to be trained in aircraft recognition during WWII?

Spitfire

The most famous of the British WWII fighters. Characterised by its streamlined shap and long nose. It had 8 machine guns hidden in the wings. Top speed 362 mph. Spitfires could match V1 Rockets for speed and tip them into the Channel with their wings

Stuka

Junkers Ju87 Stuka Dive Bomber. One of the most feared ground attack planes in the German air force because of the wailing sound fans in its wings made as it dive-bombed its targets. Top speed 370 mph.

Heinkel He 111. German long-range bomber. Characterised glass-covered gun emplacement above pilot. Total of 3 machine guns, nose, top and belly. Pay load of 1000 kg of bombs. Top speed 247 mph.

Heinkel

Hurricane

The British WWII fighter. Very agile. Characterised by its stubby shape and rounded wing tips. Top speed 328 mph. Hurricanes shot down more enemy aircraft than its more famous cousin the Spitfire.

Messerschmidt

Messerschmidt 109. Fastest German fighter. Top speed 357. More than a match for the Spitfire. Characterised by shark-like nose – painted yellow. Machine guns mounted on engine and in wings.

Your taskYour task

Study the planes you see and try to Study the planes you see and try to recognise them as they fly past. You recognise them as they fly past. You will only have 5 seconds!will only have 5 seconds!

Can you remember any key Can you remember any key information about each plane!information about each plane!

Did you get it right?Did you get it right?

Aircraft one – SpitfireAircraft one – Spitfire Aircraft two – Stuka Dive BomberAircraft two – Stuka Dive Bomber Aircraft three – HeinkelAircraft three – Heinkel Aircraft four – HurricaneAircraft four – Hurricane Aircraft five - MesserschmidtAircraft five - Messerschmidt

Did the Home Did the Home Guard make a Guard make a

differencedifferenceTo find out the key functions To find out the key functions

of the Home Guardof the Home Guard

To evaluate their successTo evaluate their success

Learning objectives

Keywords: Local Defence Volunteers, sabotage

Your taskYour task

Read the handout and Read the handout and complete these tasks.complete these tasks.

Make a list of the key Make a list of the key functions of the Home functions of the Home GuardGuard

List the challenges they List the challenges they facedfaced

Why did the government Why did the government think it was important to think it was important to form the Home Guard?form the Home Guard?

How well-equipped were the Home Guard

soldiers?

Extension taskExtension task

Tom Wintringham revolutionised the Tom Wintringham revolutionised the way Home Guard soldiers were way Home Guard soldiers were trained. Find out about his life and trained. Find out about his life and the government response to his the government response to his ideas.ideas.

Tom Wintringham – use www.historylearningsite.co.uk to help you

Watch a clip from Dad’s army. How useful is this TV series in find out about the Home Guard?

    

Your taskYour task Study the Study the

cartoons about cartoons about the Home Guard. the Home Guard. How useful are How useful are these in finding these in finding out about the out about the Home Guard.Home Guard.

What additional What additional information do information do you need to know you need to know to assess their to assess their usefulness?usefulness?

HomeworkHomework

Revise for your final termly Revise for your final termly assessment. In particular look at these assessment. In particular look at these topics:topics:

Treaty of  VersaillesTreaty of  Versailles Causes of WWII, including topics like Causes of WWII, including topics like

appeasementappeasement The Great DictatorsThe Great Dictators The Home Front including topics like The Home Front including topics like

evacuationevacuation

PlenaryPlenary

5 key functions of the Home Guard5 key functions of the Home Guard 3 challenges they faced3 challenges they faced How successful were they?How successful were they? Why did the government think it Why did the government think it

was vital to have a Home Guard?was vital to have a Home Guard?