| Full lesson | Create for a teacher a set of content for giving a lesson, beginning with the lesson plan. Each new block of materials must begin with an H1 heading (other subheaders must be H2, H3, etc). When you describe required pictures, write those descriptions in curly brackets, for example: {A picture of a triangle} |
| Which subject | History |
| What topic | The great fire of london |
| What length (min) | 30 |
| What age group | Year or Grade 1 |
| Class size | 20 |
| What curriculum | |
| Include full script | |
| Check previous homework | |
| Ask some students to presents their homework | |
| Add a physical break | |
| Add group activities | |
| Include homework | |
| Show correct answers | |
| Prepare slide templates | |
| Number of slides | 5 |
| Create fill-in cards for students | |
| Create creative backup tasks for unexpected moments |
The Great Fire of London
Year 1 (Ages 5-6)
History
20 students
This lesson aligns with the History National Curriculum focusing on significant historical events, people, and places in their own locality.
| Step Number | Step Title | Length (minutes) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the Topic | 5 | Introduce the Great Fire of London with a brief explanation and show a short video clip. |
| 2 | Discuss the Fire's Causes | 5 | Facilitate a discussion asking students what they think might have caused the fire, guiding them with questions. |
| 3 | Hand Out Printable Cards | 5 | Distribute the printable cards to each student for them to fill out during the lesson. Provide instructions on what to write. |
| 4 | Major Figures and Events | 5 | Discuss key figures (e.g., Samuel Pepys) and significant events of the fire using the timeline poster as a visual aid. |
| 5 | Activity - Fill Out Cards | 5 | Allow students to fill in the printable cards with information discussed during the lesson, encouraging creativity and engagement. |
| 6 | Collect/Check Cards | 3 | Randomly check or collect the cards to ensure understanding without presentations. |
| 7 | Recap and Conclusion | 2 | Summarise what has been learned about the Great Fire of London and ask students if they have any final thoughts or questions. |
"Good morning, everyone! Today, we are going to learn about a very important event in history called the Great Fire of London. This fire happened a long time ago, in 1666, and it changed the city forever. To help us understand this event better, let’s watch a short video clip together. Are you ready? Let’s begin!"
[Play video clip about the Great Fire of London for 3-5 minutes.]
"Wow! That was interesting, wasn’t it? The Great Fire of London was a big fire that caused a lot of damage. Can anyone tell me what they remember from the video?"
"Great thoughts, everyone! Now, let’s talk about why this fire happened. I would like you to think for a moment about what might have caused it. Can anyone share their ideas? Remember to raise your hand if you want to speak."
[Facilitate the discussion, guiding students with questions like:]
"What do you think the people were doing that might have started the fire?"
"Was the city built in a way that could make it easier for the fire to spread?"
"Why do you think it was so hard to stop the fire once it started?"
"Fantastic discussion, class! Now, I have some special cards for each of you. These cards will help you remember what we talked about. When I hand them out, I want you to write down a few things about the Great Fire of London. You can include things like what caused the fire, what happened during the fire, or any important people you learned about. Let’s get started!"
[Distribute the printable cards to each student.]
"Now that you have your cards, let’s talk about some important people and events related to the Great Fire of London. One key figure we must mention is Samuel Pepys. He was a person who wrote a diary and saw the fire happen. Let’s look at this timeline poster I have here."
[Use the timeline poster to highlight key events and figures.]
"Can anyone tell me what they think Samuel Pepys might have written in his diary? How do you think he felt watching the fire?"
"Great questions! Now it’s your turn to use the information we discussed. Take a few minutes to fill out your cards. Remember to be creative! Use your markers and coloured pencils to make your cards colourful and interesting. Write down anything you remember about the causes, important people like Samuel Pepys, or what happened during the Great Fire."
[Allow students 5 minutes to fill in their cards.]
"Okay, everyone, time is up! I will now come around to collect your cards. If you want, you can raise your hand and share something you wrote with the class. Remember, this is just to see how much you’ve learned, so don't worry if you made mistakes."
[Randomly check or collect the cards.]
"Fantastic work today, everyone! We have learned so much about the Great Fire of London. Can anyone tell me one thing they learned that they found interesting?"
[Allow for sharing.]
"To wrap up, remember what we talked about: the causes of the fire, important people like Samuel Pepys, and the big impact it had on London. For your homework, I want you to take your cards home and share what you learned with a family member. Ask them to sign your card when you finish your discussion. Thank you for being such great historians today!"
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What year did the Great Fire of London occur? | |
| Can you name one cause of the Great Fire of London? | |
| Who was Samuel Pepys and why is he important to the history of the Great Fire? | |
| What impact did the Great Fire of London have on the city? | |
| How did the construction of buildings in London contribute to the spread of the fire? | |
| What were some challenges faced by people trying to stop the fire? | |
| Can you name any important events that happened during the Great Fire? | |
| How do you think the people felt while witnessing the Great Fire of London? | |
| What were some of the methods used to extinguish the fire? | |
| Why is it essential to study events like the Great Fire of London in history? |