Clare Horrie The National Archives

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/worldwar2

Aims of The National Archives World War II website:

• To create a flexible resource

• Deliver exiting new content not found in published text books or other websites

• Support an enquiry based approach for history students

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/worldwar2

A flexible resource- users can decide how far they drill down:

1. Students can work in any of the six different theatres of war.

2. Each theatre has its own time specific animated maps.

3. The website includes 20 investigations across the six theatres.

4. Each investigation is free standing so the choice is theirs!

5. Investigations have a starter source- which compliments other sources.

6. PDFs for all investigations, individual sources and transcripts can be printed out so students can work on paper if they wish.

7. All film & documents can be downloaded so teachers can create their own tasks.

New archival content not found textbooks, so we provide the hidden stories:

• Teenage secretaries writing to Churchill to give Stalingrad the George Cross

• Plans to disguise the coastline with coal dust

• Report on Pearl Habor- reveal the Japanese preparations

• Polish girls describe living under German occupation

• The story of the man who never was and his girlfriend who never existed

• The story of Christine Granville SOE agent

• Why didn’t Britain bomb the camps?

Students work as historiansUse our sources for enquiry-based investigations.Sources are used to provide genuine evidence to work with, not for mere illustration.Students are not forced to follow a prescribed linear route through the evidence- resource meets a range of learning styles.

We have used technology to engage, but not as end in itself:

-Animated maps-Flash animation e.g.“Open the safe”-Sound transcripts with voice actors-Our investigations offer range of learning outcomes from movie making, presentations using power points templates as well as more traditional report writing and suggestions for role play activities

You can find our new education website at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education