Real wars are horrible, nothing like the Hollywood versions of them. The poor children of Afghanistan have not only missed out on education, their whole life has been blighted. The graphic accounts by Matthew Campbell and Philip Cass of war-torn Afghanistan show how difficult it is to report these terrible events to readers who are not there. It is a good opportunity for children to reflect on the role of the media.

It is worth talking about how war journalists get their story. How do you know Matthew Campbell is there himself, at considerable risk to his own safety (“eerie quiet”, unexploded mortar shells, prisoners trying to escape, corpses, flying bullets). These were the prisoners children will probably have seen on television, shown kneeling in chains, after they were moved to Cuba.

Although some journalists are neutral, others come from countries involved in the war. Look at the actual words and phrases used to see how these two writers try to concentrate on the facts. Are they entirely unbiased (often blame is not assigned, just the undisputed facts are given), or does any personal judgment come through occasionally (“slaughter”, “fragile coalition”, “bandits”)?

How do our national newspapers and broadcasters report the events in Afghanistan? What happens when the war is over?

Does anyone then care much about the aftermath, the effects on the lives of soldiers, civilians and their families? Use parts of the two journalists’ accounts to write about a fictitious war between the Alphans and the Betans, inserting words and phrases that might make your story more biased towards one side (“evil”, “vicious”, “heroic”, “courageous”). Does the activity make you think more carefully about what you read in newspapers?

Why was so much attention given to John Walker, who took the name Abdul Hamid and was the one American caught fighting for the Taliban? Was it just the hatred, sometimes mixed with fascination, that people have with those they see as traitors? Should reports of war be personalised at all (it may help people understand what it means to the individual, like a child getting no education, but badly done can trivialise or obscure important issues)?

Write a story about a group of children in Afghanistan who go to school for the first time. The story may be fiction, but the Children Helping Children campaign launched in March by The TES and UNICEF, is a way for your pupils to understand what happens to real individuals and communities, and do something to help them.

Ted Wragg is professor of education at Exeter University.

UNICEF desperately needs money to repair schools, train teachers and supply books and materials. For more teaching ideas and suggestions for fundraising activities for the appeal, visit www.tes.co.ukafghanistanIf you don’t have access to the web, ask for copies of the ideas from UNICEF on 0870 606 3377z Ideas from children or teachers can be sent to email: afghanappeal@tes.co.uk or to Ted Wragg, Children Helping Children, 66-68 East Smithfield, London E1W 1BXFax: 020 7782 3205