These engaging whole-class reading sessions develop children’s understanding of life during the Second World War, while strengthening their comprehension of non-fiction texts.

The bundle includes five lessons, each containing an original illustrated 2-page reading text and an accompanying slideshow:

1. The Evacuation of Children
2. Rationing
3. Women at War
4. Life in the Blitz
5. British Propaganda

Together, the lessons explore how war transformed everyday life, from children leaving their families and households adapting to shortages, to women taking on new responsibilities and communities living through air raids. Children also examine how propaganda influenced beliefs and behaviour, considering different experiences and the connections between civilian life and the wider war effort.

Each session includes a vocabulary check with definitions animated to appear individually, followed by varied activities developing retrieval, explanation, inference, comparison, evaluation, sequencing and summarising skills. Quick-check questions, solo thinking, partner discussions and deeper-thinking challenges encourage children to justify their answers with evidence.

Suggested answers, support prompts and teacher guidance are provided in the slide notes, making the resources straightforward to prepare and teach.

All Word texts and PowerPoint presentations are fully editable. Best suited to upper KS2 (Years 5–6), the lessons can also be adapted for older learners and used individually or as a series alongside a World War II topic.