Battle of Britain PE Game 1

The is the name commonly given to the effort by the German air force () to gain air superiority over Britain’s (RAF). On 10th July 1940, the Luftwaffe made their first attack on British ships in the Channel. In August 1940, the Luftwaffe began its mass bomber attacks on British airfields, harbours, factories and stations. In the following three months the RAF lost 792 planes and over 500 pilots were killed, but Britain won. The German planes of the Luftwaffe were good, but they could not beat Britain’s planes, along with the and the well-developed British radar technology.

You will need: Mats Soft bowling pins (or card tubes/empty plastic milk bottles) Scooters or ride-ons Soft balls

Split the class into two teams: Germany and Britain. Assure all the children that they can swap sides half way through the session, so that everyone has a go at being Germany and at being Britain.

The teams must face each other across the playing area. Set it up so you have one mat (aircraft) for 3 children. Have the players in the game agree on how far the mats will be from each other. On the floor in front of each mat, set up four soft bowling pins. Place a scooter (Navy boat) and four soft balls (ammunition) on each mat to start.

Designate someone to sail as the Navy (scooter). The person on the scooter is the only person who can retrieve balls from the sea (hall floor) and bring them back to their mat (aircraft). However, the players on the mats may catch thrown balls or reach for them on the floor, keeping one foot on the mat. The players on the mat must try to knock down the pins at the other mat by throwing balls using correct overhand technique. At least one foot must be on their mat at all times. When all the pins by your mat are knocked down, set them up and restart the game with another person on both teams as the Navy's ships (scooters). Battle of Britain Advanced radar game

The radar was invented by Robert Watson-Watt and was invaluable to the men who fought the Battle of Britain. The radar allowed Britain to track incoming German warplanes and gave Fighter Command sufficient time to get airborne and attack them. A chain of radar stations covered the south east of England. Combined with the work of the Royal Observer , radar was the eyes of the RAF and Fighter Command in particular. The pilots of Fighter Command needed to be in the air as soon as was possible in an effort to stop the Luftwaffe getting to London. It was radar that gave them this time. It also allowed the pilots to stay in the air longer as the pilots could be given specific bearings as to where they could find incoming enemy planes - as opposed to time spent hunting for them and wasting valuable fuel reserves.

You will need: Mats, Soft bowling pins (or card tubes/empty plastic milk bottles) Scooters or ride-ons Soft balls Blindfolds

Play the game in the same way as Game 1. So, split the class into two teams: Germany and Britain. Assure all the children that they can swap sides half way through the session, so that everyone has a go at being Germany and at being Britain.

For this game, all players in the hall must work in silence.

Like in Game 1, the teams must face each other across the playing area. Set it up so you have one mat (aircraft) for 3 children. Have the players in the game agree on how far the mats will be from each other. On the floor in front of each mat, set up four soft bowling pins. Place a scooter (Navy boat) and four soft balls (ammunition) on each mat to start.

Designate two people on each team to sail as the Navy (scooter) and act as a radar player. The person on the scooter is the only person who can retrieve balls from the sea (hall floor) and bring them back to their mat (air craft). This person has to be blindfolded because they are going to follow a series of instructions given to them by the radar player. Ask the radar person to call out ‘left, right, left 3 pedals’, etc. to the Navy. Radar and Navy may need to practise this.

The players on the mats may catch thrown balls or reach for them on the floor, keeping one foot on the mat. The players on the mat must try to knock down the pins at the other mat by throwing balls using correct overhand technique. At least one foot must be on their mat at all times. When all the pins by your mat are knocked down, set them up and restart the game with another person on both teams as the Navy ship (scooter).

More challenging: Designate another radar player on each mat to stand and clap or tap a code to the blindfolded throwers on their mat. Their clapped or tapped code needs to communicate to the throwers which direction to throw. Work this code out together in the teams before playing this version.