Rationale and learning intentions

The focus for this enquiry is on interpretations of D-Day in later years. There are good reasons for using the approach shown here which involves pupils in interviewing veterans and others who have lived through the events. It will motivate pupils, it is likely to make the events, dangers and sacrifices of D-Day more real and it requires pupils to show appropriate social skills.
There are opportunities to help pupils to identify and analyse the differences between interpretations and to devise appropriate questions.

Resources required

• Resource N: Veterans Reflections

1 – The challenge

(These activities pre-suppose an outline knowledge of the narrative of D-Day before tackling this sequence.)
The teacher shows pupils an Oscar statue and says that it is linked to the events of D-Day. Pupils are invited to suggest what the link may be. They may well suggest that the Oscar was awarded for “Saving Private Ryan” … but the teacher can then reveal that it was awarded for a documentary “The True Glory” made within a year of D-Day. Pupils must suggest reasons why D-Day would have been thought to be a suitable topic for a film even at that early stage.

2 – D-Day in film

Teacher uses the clip from “The True Glory” (and others from e.g. “The Longest Day” and “saving Private Ryan” if available and if pupils are of suitable age). It will help if the clips go beyond the action on beaches. Pupils select features of the D-Day Landings that the film(s) seem to emphasise, and note/suggest reasons for any differences in the content and style if using more than one film.  They then prepare a presentation about their findings that they will show the veterans.  They also devise questions to put to veterans who took part in the Normandy landings.  The teacher guides pupils – and uses other pupils – to ensure the focus and wording of questions are suitably sensitive.

3 – D-Day web sites

The pattern given above is repeated for web sites.  These may be selected from the list given in these resources or from others known to the teacher.

4 – D-Day museums

If it is possible to visit one or more museum or site where D-Day is commemorated, the pupils can prepare a presentation on this / these and raise questions.

5 – D-Day commemorative events

If possible, teachers can use e.g. TV footage of the commemoration of D-Day (from web sites such as British Pathe news), photos of memorials, souvenirs, magazines or simply what pupils and/or veterans recall of commemoration events (Resource N) to build up a list of ways in which D-Day has been commemorated.  Once again this should prompt pupils to devise questions that they will put to veterans.

6 – Veterans’ Day

Teacher (or pupils under teacher guidance) arrange for veterans from D-Day to visit the school.  It is possible to broaden this to include others e.g. people who lived through the war years elsewhere or younger relatives of veterans.  The “audience” watches presentations by pupils and answer the pupils’ questions as well as asking questions about what and how pupils learn in history lessons.  Sensitive chairing by the teacher will be needed.