6 free Remembrance Day resources and ideas
Use these 6 free Remembrance Day resources and ideas to commemorate soldiers with pupils in primary schools this November.
Teach your pupils about the importance of Remembrance Day with this list of activities and teaching ideas you can use in school today.
What is Remembrance Day?
Remembrance Day, or Armistice Day, is held on November the 11th every year. It is a dedicated time to commemorate and remember all those who fought and died whilst fighting in World War 1 and 2 and other conflicts since.
How to commemorate Remembrance Day
There is no right or wrong way to commemorate Remembrance Day, but in most countries that observe the day, there is a two-minute silence at 11 am. Some countries also hold parades, and in the UK, a National Service of Remembrance is held at The Cenotaph in Whitehall on Remembrance Sunday. Members of the Royal Family usually attend alongside Members of the Cabinet, Opposition Party leaders, former Prime Ministers, and other important leaders in the country.
This ceremony is also marked through the use of poppy wreaths. Poppies are a signifier of Remembrance Day as these were the flowers that continued to bloom on battlefields after the wars ended. The Red Poppy Appeal is held by The Royal British Legion every year in support of the Armed Forces.
In schools, a Remembrance Day assembly is often held and a two-minute silence takes place at 11 am on the 11th. You might also like to take the opportunity to delve into some of the history of Remembrance Sunday or explore important historical wartime events with pupils
6 Remembrance Day school activities
If you’re looking for ways to commemorate Remembrance Day with your pupils, take a look at our list of activities and ideas for the day.
1. Remembrance Day Assembly
A collective Remembrance Day service is a really good way of commemorating soldiers. Coming together as a school to show your respect echoes the Remembrance Sunday service at The Cenotaph. You can use the time to explore the history of World War 1 and 2 with students and share with them the different ways that countries remember soldiers. The BBC has fantastic resources that you can use for free for a respectful and informative assembly. Just remember, there may be some children in the school with family in the armed forces. Make sure these children are supported during this time when there is a focus on those who have died during their service.
2. World War 1 poetry
Poetry is commonly used to mark important events and periods of change. Poetry is often central to services for Remembrance Sunday, in particular, the poem ‘In Flanders Field’ by John McCrae. This poem in particular is a good way to introduce the symbol of the poppy as central to Remembrance Day.
You could also look at poetry from other World War 1 poets; Wilfred Owen, Sigfried Sassoon, and Vera Brittain are just some examples you could use.
3. BBC Remembrance Day teaching resources
The BBC has a wealth of Remembrance Day resources that can be used with pupils. A live lesson from 2018 explores the themes of remembrance and commemoration and supports children through a creative writing activity.
There are lots of audio-based resources including a look into WW1 and remembrance songs that you can learn and sing with your children. There is also an audio series with teacher notes based on the book Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo, and another on War Horse, also by Michael Morpurgo.
You could also use the fantastic series of short films that follow modern children as they meet people who lived through World War 2 and learn about what life was like during that time.
4. Royal British Legion teaching remembrance resources
The Royal British Legion has a fantastic collection of lesson plans for teachers, all of which are linked to the National Curriculum. One of the great things about this collection is that it includes resources appropriate for children as young as 4. Pupils in KS1 can learn about children’s role in the war, how women helped across the Commonwealth, and the meaning of the word ‘Service’.
For KS2 pupils, there are lesson plans to explore a range of World War themes, including travel and the evacuation of children in the UK. There’s also a lovely lesson that teaches children new vocabulary to help shape their understanding of Remembrance.
5. Explore the role of black soldiers during both World Wars
An often overlooked topic for Remembrance Day is the exploration of black people during the war effort. You can explore the role of black soldiers during World War 1 with students using information from blackhistorymonth.org.uk. Walter Tull is one of the more recognised Black British soldiers of World War 1, celebrated for his ‘gallantry and coolness, he suffered from shell shock. Despite this, he returned to war and was later killed in the second battle of the Somme.
The International War Museum also contains an informative article on the experience of Black Americans in Britain during World War 2.
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6. Explore key historic events and people
Remembrance Day is an opportunity to explore key events in British history, and World War 2 contained many of these. You could spend some time exploring the events of The Battle of Britain and the people that worked tirelessly to end the fighting. Learning by Questions has a dedicated resource that explores The Battle of Britain. Children read an informative, age-appropriate piece of text and answer teacher-written questions on the text that they have read. They also get the opportunity to reflect through thoughtful, open questions and creative writing tasks.
LbQ also has a resource that can be used to explore Britain during the Blitz. This text and supporting questions explore ordinary life for people during the heavy bombing raids between September 1940 and May 1941. These resources help exercise children’s comprehension skills, whilst also providing some important historical context to Remembrance Day.
