GCSE - Second World War

Valkyrie at the History Film Club!

Most teachers are aware of the history film dilemma.  There are an increasing number of really good ‘history’ films out there, both the reasonably accurate and the laughably inaccurate, and all types offer a chance to invigorate a bit of classroom work on the relevant topic.  But with increasing pressure on classroom time - much of it seeping away due to January modules, university open days, the odd snow day, field trips by other departments – it really is difficult to justify devoting whole lessons to the showing of a film (if it ever really was, but who hasn’t occasionally taken refuge in one!).  One solution, of course, is the glorious ‘watch this film’ homework, worth setting for the looks of bemusement followed by delight on student faces.  That’s one homework that gets done!  But solution number 2, and a more collective one, is the History Film Club.  Some of my sixth form historians have set one up after school on a Monday evening, using the interactive whiteboards as a decent substitute cinema screen, and it is not only proving quite popular but is provoking interesting discussions afterwards.  First off was “Valkyrie”, the controversial Tom Cruise vehicle.

Into the Storm - Churchill and the War Years

If you missed the superb Into the Storm last night, then it is well worth catching on BBC iPlayer.

Loads of reenactments of key WW2 events in there for students, including Dunkirk, the War Cabinet, Yalta and the bombing of Dresden. The 1945 General Election is also featured prominently.

Watch Into the Storm

Should Truman have dropped the atomic bomb?

Help your students decide whether Truman should have dropped the bomb with this source-based activity from the Learning Curve

D-Day Quiz

Here is a revision mutliple choice quiz for GCSE history students covering the Second World War and the events of D-Day

History Categories