Title - Key Stage

Learning From the News – The HMS Royal Oak KS2 Lesson Plan – The HMS Royal Oak history p.01 Poem about the HMS Royal Oak p.02 Further activities, English KS3 p.03 Related Teachers’ TV Videos p.03

Lesson Plan: The HMS Royal Oak Lesson overview: Pupils will learn a bit about the history of the Second World War and what happened on the HMS Royal Oak in Scotland Key Stage 2, Year 3 and Year 4 Unit 9: What was the Second World War? When did it take place? Objectives Outcomes Pupils should learn: Pupils should:  when the Second World War took place (Unit 9)  know some of the key events Resources  Video lesson starter: http://www.teachers.tv/videos/learning-from-the-news-the-hms- royal-oak  Whiteboard/ screen to watch the video  Poem from page 2 of this lesson plan Starter  Whole class activity: Ask the pupils what they already know about the Second World War. You can ask questions such as: do you know when the Second World War began and ended? Do you know who Britain went to war with? Do you know why? Can you name any countries that were also in the war?  Whole class activity: Explain briefly what the Second World War was: it began when Germany invaded nearby counties. Germany’s leader was a man named Adolf Hitler and in 1939, he led his army into Poland. Other countries were frightened because they thought Germany would invade them too. France and Britain promised to help Poland and on the 3rd of September, 1939, the war was declared. The war ended in 1945. (A useful timeline: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ww2_summary_01.shtml)

Main activity 1  Whole class activity: Show the video lesson starter: http://www.teachers.tv/videos/learning-from-the-news-the-hms-royal-oak  Whole class activity: Explain that this happened in 1939 – just after the war had started. Because it happened so early on in the war, it was a real blow to British morale  Written activity: Read out the poem (see resources) and put this text on the board: Eight-hundred and thirty three men and boys died when the HMS Royal Oak was torpedoed by a German submarine on October 14, 1939. The Second World War had just begun and this ship, anchored in Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland, was the first of five Royal Navy battleships and battle cruisers sunk in the war. Now get the pupils to write a news story based on what they have read and seen on the video, imagining it’s 1939. What facts should they include? Should they try and say something positive in the news story?

Plenary  Get the pupils to swap the news stories to assess each other’s learning. Can they think of two good things about each other’s work and one thing that needs to be improved? Page 1 of 4 The Sinking of HMS Royal Oak By Colin F Jones

Like a sleeping giant the Royal Oak lay, When the U-47 Submarine struck, Three ‘eels' were fired two lost their way, But with one there was some luck.

It hit Royal Oaks anchor cable, Though it hardly left a mark, Her shaded anchor lights still burned, Faintly in the dark.

Flood number five from number one, Open the outer door; she's ready! ‘Los'; number five; fired from the stern, The line of travel steady.

Close outer door! Tube is secured, The fourth 'eel' is on its way. But only a spiral of spurting sea, Was visible through the spray.

"Reload the tubes," Priens order came, "Prepare another ‘fan' of three," Down came the chain hoist from above, As the Sub ploughed through the sea.

"Attack" the order turned the bows, towards the sleeping ship, Endrass bent over the optic aim, Felt the Submarine turn and dip.

Doors reopened, the eels jumped out, Three torpedoes from the bow, Towards the Royal Oaks starboard side, That were closing faster now.

The great ship shuddered, lifted up, Then she gently settled back, Lights flickered out, fans stopped running, All power she did lack!

Across the decks the water flowed, And a sheet of orange flame, Exploded beneath the starboard deck, Impossible to restrain.

of 4 Thick black smoke rose o'er the port, Bulkheads shuddered and cracked, Decks caved in and swirling flames, Rose from the cruel impact

Through doors and hatches men were blown, From hot ladders they were flung, In hammocks brutally devoured by fire Their flesh from the cabin walls clung.

Her death throes over the Royal Oak, Plunged beneath the waves, A tomb for more than eight hundred men, For few that day were saved.

Silently the Submarine slipped, Out to the ocean deep, Leaving Scapa Flow and the Royal Oak, To the nightmares of their sleep.

of 4 Further ideas for the Chilean Miners Video

 Written activity: Get the pupils to make a timeline of events that happened during the Second World War