Changing Lives Instructions
Changing Lives: Entire Activity
Changing Lives: Entire Activity
CURRICULUM LINKS
Citizenship (KS2) / Personal and Social Studies (KS2) / Literacy (KS2)
THEMES
Coping with change
Friendship
GOALS
Pupils will understand that when change happens, it can be unexpected or frightening, but can also lead to exciting new experiences, positive encounters, and life-long friendships.
RESOURCES
For this activity you will need to download the following resources (available to download separately or as part of the entire activity):
- Changing Lives Setting the Scene
- Charles
- Edward
- Eric
- Geoffrey
- Ian
- Jean
- Joyce
- Selby
DESCRIPTION
This activity uses extracts from questionnaires that mention experiences of change when veterans joined the armed forces at a young age, made new friends, and visited places they would may never normally have had the chance to see. In their own words, veterans describe the effect that ‘joining up’ had on them, their friends and family members.
Both positive and negative experiences are included.
1. Introduce the group to the idea of change taking place in all our lives. Use the ‘setting the scene’ document to introduce the veterans by handing it out to the class or using it to inform your own introduction - it explains conscription, volunteers, conscientious objectors etc.
2. Split the class into groups, and give each group an individual veteran’s document to read. Each group should read the veteran’s story and work through the activities together. Pupils should:
- Try to imagine what it must have been like for the veteran when they were young, when so many new and unexpected things happened to them.
- Read the veterans’ extracts and answer the related questions, jotting down their thoughts and ideas.
3. Bring the group back together. Ask pupils from each group to report back to the class about ‘their’ veteran. Write a list on the board of:
- Good and bad things that happened to the veterans as a result of change (new opportunities / lost opportunities etc…)
- Things the veterans might have found very difficult to cope with…
- Ways the veterans found to cope with the changes in their life…
- Who helped veterans to handle the changes in their life (friends etc)…
4. Link what the class has learnt about change from the veterans’ stories to changes that may be looming in their lives – e.g. moving to a new school (if applicable to the year group), moving house, new family members, new responsibilities etc.
ACTIVITY EXTENSION
Lead a class discussion about change in the pupils’ lives. Ask the class what they are looking forward to or are worried about. Discuss what new opportunities may arise:- e.g. learning a new musical instrument or joining a new sports team at secondary school; meeting new people and making new friends.
Ask how they can prepare themselves to cope with the changes.
How might they stay in touch with existing friends? Would they like to organise a reunion one day? Make a list of any ideas they produce.
SUMMARY
Sometimes change can be a good thing
Sometimes change can be challenging
Change can bring new and unexpected opportunities
Change can help people make new friends
Friends, family, school and work can all help us handle change
Other website resources
Conscription and conscientious objectors:
Learn Peace – Peace Pledge Union website
http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/infodocs/st_conscription_l.html
Women and war work:
BBC History website
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/lj/warslj/women_10.shtml
