Remembrance Day

Preparation and Planning

The topic of remembrance can be a very emotive topic so you will need to be aware of any sensitivities amongst your students and be prepared to address them. It should be highlighted that the purpose of the assembly is to remember that our way of life has been brought by sacrifice throughout the years, and by remembering all the valuable things we sometimes take for granted, we honour that sacrifice. You should ensure that students are provided with a point of contact, should they feel affected by the content of the assembly and wish to talk.

The assembly plan has video footage attached; you will need ICT facilities and an overhead projector to show this to students. If ICT facilities are not available you could save the downloaded video file to a DVD and use with a DVD player.

You will also need to print a Student Worksheet for each pupil.

About the MOD Topic

What is Remembrance Day?
Remembrance Day and the Two Minute Silence have been observed since the end of the First World War. At 11 o'clock, on the 11th November, the nation stops to remember those who fought for our freedom during the two World Wars and those who have lost their lives in more recent conflicts. Today, with troops on duty in Afghanistan and other trouble spots around the world, Remembrance, and this two minute tribute are as important as ever.

For more information on how to support Remembrance Day and the national events taking place, visit the British Legion website: http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance

What is the 'Passing of the Generation' event?
2009 saw the passing of the last three remaining veterans of the First World War living in the UK; 108-year-old William Stone in January, and both Henry Allingham, 113, and Harry Patch, 111, in July.

To mark the passing of the WW1 generation, a national event will take place at Westminster Abbey on Remembrance Day, Wednesday 11 November 2009. The service will recognise not only the military contribution made by this generation during the First World War but also that of the civilian population and will take place in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.

Attendance at the service will be by invitation only, but the congregation will consist of a broad cross-section of the population of the United Kingdom, with links to the War. The Lord Lieutenants in each county will nominate people to represent their areas. Attendees will also include members of the Armed Forces and the Government, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and other VIPs.

Further education resources to support this event can be accessed here: www.passingofthegeneration.org.uk

Further Opportunities for Learning

The Passing of the Generation website contains education resources from key organisations associated to Remembrance Day, including the Imperial War Museum and The Commonwealth Graves Commission (CWGC). www.thepassingofthegeneration.org.uk

It is also important that this assembly draws out the importance of honouring the commitment and bravery of those service people who are injured during service. The Royal British Legion is always looking for volunteers to visit ex-service people who have little contact with the outside world. Students can volunteer by visiting http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/support-us/volunteers.

The Royal British Legion also provides resources for Key Stage 4 citizenship lessons exploring the topic of remembrance; they can be downloaded at http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/schools.

Student worksheet answers

Download the teachers notes PDF to access the answers for this lesson.