Year 2 Great Fire of London

This unit is designed for year 2 but could be adapted to fit into other year groups. Ultimately the unit is focused around Great Fire of London and those who could have been responsible for causing the fire. Throughout this unit, children will spend time learning how to carry out different types of historical research; present arguments based on historical evidence; question sources and work collaboratively. It develops the following skills and knowledge from the National Curriculum:

1. Pupils develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time.
2. They should know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
3. They should ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events.
4. They should understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
5. Changes within living memory. The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Some should be used to compare aspects of life in different periods
6. Different significant historical events.

Lesson 1: A Chronology lesson which uses photographic evidence to give the children a deeper understanding of how and why different periods/peoples in time were so different. Children make links between different time periods as they start to use the language of chronology.

Lesson 2: Children identify the main events connected to the GFL and make initial decisions about who might be responsible for starting it.

Lesson 3: Children are introduced to different sources of historical evidence for the GFL. They learn how to use these sources of evidence to carry out historical research.

Lesson 4: Children use sources and research to make decisions about the GFL.

Lesson 5 - 7: Children present their findings on the GFL through a dramatized role play.

Within this unit plan there are hyperlinks to other resources associated with the plan.