world war 2 homework ideas

30+ of the Best World War II Homeschool Resources

World War 2 resources are plentiful. But which ones are worth using? This list of ideas for middle & high school will enhance your study, especially for topics beyond D-Day & Pearl Harbor .

We adored Story of the World. ADORED it. (Still do, in fact. We often reference it for a quick overview or refresher on a topic.) One of my few homeschool regrets is taking so long to try it out because I heard some bad reviews. I don’t have many regrets, but that is one of them. BUT.

(There’s always a but.)

Sometimes, we wanted to dive deeper into a topic than she does, particularly when we were studying American history. We did just that when we studied the Revolutionary War & the Civil War. When we studied World War 1 , we did a long pause. My public schools mostly glanced right over the topic & I was excited to dig into it. And sometimes, I wanted to add more alternative views than what could possibly be included in a curriculum.

Pausing the regular book & diving into a topic for a few weeks has been our solution. We get to keep the curriculum we love AND benefit from diving into a topic. On a personal level, I enjoy them myself because it gives me a chance to learn quite a bit more than I already knew.

I divide up our in-depth units into general themes. We may stay on the same theme for a few days until everything is completed, or we may cycle through them so we are doing something new each day.

The themes I used for this unit study included:

• So it begins (conditions that led us back into another world war)
• War in Africa

London Blitz

• Day-to-Day Life: On the American Homefront
• And So It Ends (atomic bomb, peace treaties, Nuremberg Trials)

Creating a World War 2 Unit Study

Creating a homeschool unit study doesn’t have to be intimidating. We’re lucky to live in a time when we have so many free resources readily available. Creating a unit study that is customized to your own family’s interests is my favorite thing about them.

• When I create a new unit, my first step is to decide how long we will do it. And then I add at least one more week on — it always takes us longer than I expected!
• Next, I decide if we want to do brief overviews of several topics or a deep dive into just a couple of them. There isn’t a right answer; both serve their purpose. The first time we studied World War 2, I chose to do an overview. My kiddos were in 2nd-7th grade & had some knowledge, but we hadn’t studied it in a structured way. I wanted to lay a foundation of basic knowledge on which they could then add layers of knowledge.
• Next up, narrow down your topics. For our first go-round, my themes were So It Begins (conditions that led us back into a world war), War in Africa, London Blitz, On the American Homefront, Propaganda, And So It Ends (atomic bomb, peace treaties, Nuremberg Trials).
• Next, what weeks are you going to do it? What else is going on that week? How long will you do it each day? It’s really easy to make your unit study plans — and then realize they aren’t going to work for the time you have to do it!
• Finally, it’s time to have fun. What kinds of resources are your favorite? We love videos, so I like to add those every day. I don’t enjoy reading out loud, so I schedule no more than 30 minutes of that. (We’re in the car quite a bit, so listening to audiobooks & podcasts is an option for us.) Does your family enjoy creating art? Are you science-minded? Keep all of that in mind as you start locating resources.

The Road to World War 2

• The Century: Over the Edge (Covering 1936-1941 leading to our entrance into the war.)
• What Happened to the Man Who Defied Hitler? (The story behind the man in the viral picture.)
• 1936 Olympics
• The Nazi Olympics
• Causes of World War 2
• How Europe Went to War in 1939  (Europe’s Lead-up to the war.)
• The Road to Pearl Harbor (Amazon Prime, 16 episodes, a bit dry, so we watched bits & pieces)

Other World War 2 Resources

• Timeline cards depicting the major events of the Second World War
• Various WW2 printables & lesson aids  (search for WW2)
• Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms
• World War II Database (images, photos, locations, equipment, etc)
• Albert Einsteins’s Miracle Year
• Albert Einstein & the Age of Extremism

Museums & Historical Sites about the Second World War

Museum websites are one of my first stops when I’m searching for primary sources, activity ideas, virtual tours, lesson plans, etc. Their educational sections are often far more helpful than Google! I’ve also found eager help when I’ve reached out to educational coordinators for many museums.

• Britain’s Imperial War Museums  
• The National WW II Museum
• United States Air Force WW 2 Gallery
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center
• Verzetsmuseum (Dutch Resistance Museum)
• Museum of the Great Patriotic War
• Royal Military Museum (Belgium)
• Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site (video tour)

Books about World War 2

Teaching about horrific events, including World War 2, in an age-appropriate way is often a challenge. Can your youngest handle the same details that your oldest did? What images are too graphic? How do you teach the serious impact without overwhelming your kiddos?

While we’re a big documentary family, when it comes to young kids, I always introduced heavy topics via books. I liked to start with gentle books that were focused on the time period, skirted around the issue, or focused on the helpers. (For example, books like Twenty & Ten, The Grand Mosque of Paris, and Rosie the Riveter: The Legacy of an American Icon.)

World War 2 Chapter Books for Grades 4-6

• What was Pearl Harbor?
• Twenty & Ten (A sweet, short story of French children & Jewish children. The audiobook is well done.)
• What was the bombing of Hiroshima?
• Woeful Second World War by Horrible Histories (or the video version )

Historical Fiction for Middle Schoolers

• The War That Saved My Life
• The Winged Watchman
• A Faraway Island
• Green Glass Sea (Story of the Manhattan Project)
• Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
• Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor

World War 2 Graphic Novels

• Sophie Scholl: Daring Activist of World War II
• They Called Us Enemy
• The Courageous Six Triple Eight: The All-Black Female Battalion of World War II
• Displacement
• We Hereby Refuse

Memoirs & Biographies

• The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

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Junior Scholastic  Teaching Kits

Teacher-approved stories, resources, and worksheets, courtesy of  junior scholastic , the middle school social studies classroom magazine..

The History and Heroes of World War II

An overview of World War II: why the U.S. got involved, what citizens did to fight back, and how people worldwide were affected

Featured Teaching Kits

Teacher-approved stories, resources, and worksheets for teaching about World War II in your classroom, courtesy of  Junior Scholastic , the middle school Social Studies classroom magazine

The Attack on Pearl Harbor

This American History play tells the story of the shocking 1941 attack on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii. Accounts from real soldiers help bring this infamous day to life for your students.

Meet the Navajo Code Talkers

During World War II, information could be just as important as weapons. Learn how a group of young Navajo men helped win the war in the Pacific by creating an unbreakable code for the United States military.

Life in the Japanese Internment Camps

While the U.S. military fought overseas, a different battle was happening on American soil, as more than 110,000 Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps. This American History play tells their story in dramatic detail.

Adolfo Kaminsky, A Hero of the Holocaust

Not all the heroes of World War II were soldiers. Find out how a shy Jewish teenager in France risked his life to help thousands of victims escape the Nazis by forging documents.

Want to see more from Junior Scholastic magazine?

Famous quotes from World War II

“Danger gathers upon our path. We cannot afford—we have no right—to look back. We must look forward.”

— British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, December 1936

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”

— Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a 1941 speech asking Congress to declare war

“It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”

— Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

“Today the guns are silent. A great tragedy has ended. A great victory has been won.”

— U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, supreme commander of the Allied Powers, after Japan’s formal surrender in September 1945

Key Figures  

Four world war ii figures who made an impact.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Roosevelt, who served as U.S. president from 1933-1945, tried to avoid U.S. involvement in World War II but changed course after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He partnered with Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China to defeat Germany and its allies.

Born in 1929, Frank was 13 years old when she and her Jewish family were forced into hiding in the Netherlands to avoid Nazi persecution. They were discovered two years later and sent to concentration camps, where Frank died. After the war, her father published her diary, which has been read by millions of people.

Adolf Hitler

Hitler ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945 and led the Nazi Party. He sought to reestablish Germany as a leading power in Europe by seizing land from other countries and eliminating European Jews. Hitler killed himself on April 30, 1945, after realizing he faced certain defeat.

Winston Churchill

As prime minister of Great Britain during World War II, Churchill gave powerful speeches and famously resisted tyranny. He is largely credited with Britain’s decision to ally with the United States and the Soviet Union--a strategy that helped end the war.

Supplemental resources that link to external websites about World War II

World War II Photos

The National Archives' collection of more than 200 World War II photographs, organized by topic

The History Channel: World War II

Film footage, interactives, and articles related to the war

World War II Artifacts

An interactive history of World War II told through artifacts and images

Terms and definitions that pertain to World War II

anti-Semitism

discrimination against Jews

concentration camp

a prison or place of forced labor; often a general term that includes death camps specifically designed by the Nazis as mass killing centers during World War II

a part of a city in which members of a minority race or group live, usually in poor conditions

the mass slaughter of millions of Jews and other people by the Nazis during World War II

internment camp

a place where enemies or suspected enemies are held

a member of a political party, led by Adolf Hitler from 1920 to 1945, that was dedicated to German dominance of Europe and the destruction of Jews

Explore Other Topics

Discover other free social studies topics and middle school teaching resources.

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From Commander-in-Chief to Chief-of-State, the President has many critical roles.

The United States Constitution

Ancient Civilizations

An overview of humanity’s first large societies: how they formed, who ruled them, and how they influenced the world today.

The Civil Rights Movement

Women’s History: The Struggle for Equality

Learn about important women throughout history—including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth—and the progress that’s been made in the fight for gender equality.  

Real Teens of History

These inspiring teens fought for what they believed in—and made history in the process.

Social Studies Debate Kit

Teaching the art of debating—and how to write an effective argument essay—can help students master critical-thinking and communication skills.

Mastering Media Literacy and Digital Literacy

In an increasingly digital world, being able to navigate technology skillfully and evaluate online resources for accuracy and trustworthiness is crucial.

Teaching map skills can build students’ geography knowledge—and enhance their understanding of the world in which they live.

Middle School Civics

An overview of civics: what it means to be a good citizen, how democracy works, and why staying informed and engaged matters—even as kids.

The Civil War and Reconstruction

Use these features and supporting resources to give students deeper as well as broader knowledge of these key periods in U.S. history.

Immigration

The U.S. is a nation of immigrants, built by people who left their homes to seek new lives and opportunities. However, Americans' feelings about immigrants are mixed.

Empower Your Students  to Explore Their World

Discover Junior Scholastic Magazine for Grades 6–8

narvikk/Getty Images (Plane); Illustration by Dave Seeley (Pearl Harbor); Bettmann/Getty Images (code talkers); Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images (internment camp); Courtesy Sarah Kaminsky (forging materials); Hulton Archive/Getty Images (FDR); Anne Frank Fonds Basel/Getty Images (Anne Frank); Bettmann/Getty Images (Adolf Hitler); Fox Photos/Getty Images (Winston Churchill)

worldhistoryhomework.com

World History Homework: All You Need to Know

World War II Homework Help

An important piece of information to note in any World War 2 Homework for kids is the motive behind the war.

After World War 1, Germany was banned from having armed forces and their land size was massively reduced due to their major involvement in the war.

In 1933, the German people voted for Adolf Hitler from a political party called the National Socialist or the Nazis. He promised to make his country great again and claim land from other countries. It was like a journey likened to world conquest.

On 1st September 1939, the German forces attacked Poland with about 1.25 million soldiers. On the 3rd of September, 1939, the then prime minister of Great Britain, Neville Chamberlain, declared war on Germany. Countries like France also joined the war against Germany after Adolf Hitler refused to stop his invasion of the Polish.

Homework about World War 2 should always inform the teacher that it remains the deadliest war in history. It involved about 61 countries and 1.6 billion people which was about ¾ of the world’s population. Approximately 50 million people died during the war and about three times that number got injured.

Homework World War 2: Axis and Allies

These are the two fronts of the war Axis and Allies. The Germans, Japanese, and Italians had committed war-related crimes before World War 2. Japan invaded China in 1931, Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935, and Germany wanted to rule everyone else. These three were called the Axis front.

On the other hand, Great Britain, France, China, and later Soviet Union were called the Allied forces.

Evacuation during World War Two Primary Homework Help

The major movement of people from danger to safety was done during the war by the British troops or on British soil.

The first major evacuation called operation “pied piper” was done by the British two days before the declaration of war on 1st September 1939. Most vulnerable British were moved away from the cities to the countryside or places considered safer.

Between June 13 to June 18, 1940, a second evacuation was done on British soil and a little above 100,000 children were evacuated. By September that same year, children who returned or were not initially evacuated were re-evacuated.

From June 1944 till the end of the war, approximately 1 million children, women, disabled, and elderly were evacuated from the city of London. However, after the war, many evacuees had settled into the countrysides and rural areas. Some, on the other hand, returned to a fresh start in the cities.

World History Homework: What Battle was the Turning Point in the War?

The Battle of Stalingrad was the turning point of World War 2. Hitler stabbed the Soviet Union in the back and attacked them in 1941 after a profitable pact for both sides in the war. The Soviets had no choice but to join forces with the Allies.

The battle took place in Stalingrad, and about 2 million soldiers died on both sides. It is the largest single battle of any known war.

Map of Europe – World War II homework

© Encyclopedia Britannica

The map above as drawn by Encyclopedia Britannica was drawn to show the major battles, neutral parties, allied forces, and axis powers.

The ending of the War and Other Casualties

The Germans surrendered few days after the death of their leader Adolf Hitler and a siege of the Soviet Union on the German troops. The allies then divided Germany’s land size among themselves, punished the Nazi leader and the Japanese prime minister.

Casualties recorded in the war include the holocaust, pearl harbor bombing, Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing.

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World War 2 (WW2) History Lessons, Worksheets & Resources

Browse our online library of world war 2 (ww2) history lessons and resources. aimed at students 11-14 years old (ks3) & 14-16 year old (gcse). great for home study or to use within the classroom environment., featured resources.

Looking to save time and find the most popular and useful resources on School History? Take a look at the featured resources below.

KS3, GCSE & A-Level Resources

Are you teaching students aged 11 to 16? If so, you can save a lot of time with our specific World War Two modules below.

All Resources

Sqa higher: part h: appeasement and the road to war, to 1939.

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Information about World War 2

© Copyright Mandy Barrow 2013

I teach computers at The Granville School and St. John's Primary School in Sevenoaks Kent.

Follow me on Twitter @mbarrow

World War 2 Teaching Ideas

• October 15, 2021

This post is written by history specialist Anne.

Whether you are studying the Second World War as a history topic, or are looking for some resources to extend your work on Remembrance Day , take a look at our new World War 2 resources. Our Second World War lesson presentations include lots of factual information, photographs and offer a real insight into what happened and the effect on people’s lives during the war. Explore our World War 2 teaching ideas today! 

Battle of Britain KS2 teaching resources

Our Battle of Britain KS2 lesson presentation takes you and your children through the key events of the Battle of Britain. Learn about Hitler’s first plans for an invasion of Britain named ‘Operation Sealion’, the battle in the air between German and RAF planes, and how a new British radar system ultimately led to Hitler’s first defeat of the Second World War.

Allied Forces KS2 teaching resources

British Allies from all over the Commonwealth and the world joined forces to stop and defeat the Nazis. On the other side, the Nazis joined together with Italy and Japan to form the Axis.

Explore some of the key events involving the Allies through the text, illustrations and photographs in our Allies KS2 lesson presentation . Find out about the events of Dunkirk, the D-day landings, the role of the Soviet Army, and the atomic bombs which were dropped on Japan at the end of the war.

The Home Front KS2 teaching resources

If you want to investigate how the Second World War affected the lives of ordinary people, then this Home Front KS2 lesson presentation is perfect. It illustrates how everyone in Britain contributed to the war effort and had to change their daily lives. Women took on men’s roles and worked in hospitals treating the injured, children were evacuated from their homes, whilst regular air raids and rationing affected the everyday lives of the British people.

The Holocaust KS2 teaching resources

The Holocaust was a horrific event that occured during the Second World War. Though not suitable for study by younger children, it is important that older children have an understanding of the way the Nazis discriminated against some groups of people. 

We have created a thoughtful and sensitive Holocaust KS2 lesson presentation  on the Holocaust for use with older KS2 children. The presentation refers to the concentration camps, Anne Frank and her family, and the rules that the Jewish people had to follow. It also explains how some people were freed and how we remember all the victims today. As with all of our presentations, it is editable so it can be adapted to the needs and sensitivities of your own children and we strongly advise that you read through all of the text before using with your class.

Explore the rest of our World War 2 resources  here.

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• World War 2

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World War 2 Day Ideas

The ideas below were contributed by teachers from all around the world when I was planning a World War 2 day with my Year 5 class. Thanks to everyone who helped.

• Pupils create identity cards before the day.
• Dressing up, of course.
• Writing postcards home.
• Make luggage labels.
• Listening to the ‘wireless’ (old broadcasts may be available on Youtube).
• Recreating the famous broadcast – podcasting throughout the day.
• Watching British Pathe news clips.
• Siren alerts – (fire alarms) children have to get under the table or into an air raid shelter.
• Make a video recording of what to do in the blackout.
• Inviting in community members who were evacuated to be interviewed – these can then be written up by children and shared on a school website and blog – also useful for archiving podcasting interviews.
• Children to research what happened in the local area during the War, e.g. photos of buildings that survived and why.
• Science – investigating what materials are best seen in a blackout (or not seen).
• I really love the idea of radio broadcasts.  Audacity  is a great tool for recording and creating it.
• Give children names which were common during the period.
• Carry out radio broadcasts and news reports on both the Battle of Britain and VE Day.
• Invite members of the British Legion in and recreate a street party! They are really helpful and like coming in and sharing their stories – we have linked it to what is going on now, as well as the country now celebrates a Veterans Day for all who served in June each year.
• DT activity – using recipes from Home front books. Lots are available online, and children can cook these!
• As part of the shelters topic, they had to ‘design’ what they thought would be the ‘best’ shelter using given materials.
• What about talking to someone on the other side of the pond? Maybe a Skype/IM event where you talk with another class about WWII?
• DT/Maths – design and make a gas mask box.
• Watch an episode of Dad’s Army or extracts from other videos (e.g. Goodnight Mr Tom, Carrie’s War, videos from BBC class clips, etc.).
• Role-play interviews with characters from the period.
• Use  Crazy Talk with a photo of Winston Churchill. The pupils would love to see his lips moving.
• How about writing in role – in a shelter – freeze framing and then thought talking to follow? They could be shown a photo of children / family in the shelter and try to express how the people feel.
• Think about being evacuated and taking a suitcase of your favourite items. What would you put in it? Bring some of them into school to discuss. Children bring a small bag with their favourite items in it.
• Learning simple first aid – like how to make a sling or put somebody in the recovery position. It would be an important skill in times of war. Maybe invite St John’s Ambulance or the Red Cross?
• You could write ‘found’ poetry where children look at poems written by others about war and collect words and phrases from them and then create their own poetry by selecting and rearranging – this could be linked to freeze-framing.
• Make a book quiz using a word cloud tool. Copy and paste extracts from books for people to guess the book…. This could be done with war extracts.
• What about sticking tape across the windows of classrooms to stop them from shattering if a bomb were to explode? You could also try blacking some out, too.
• What are they going to eat on the day? Can you get dried eggs nowadays? They should also see suet – there is a whole history of food here.
• Think about ‘voice’ and the cooks of the day – was it Margureite Patten. It’s great to do a comparison with Jamie Oliver in terms of how formality etc, has changed. Could you write instructions in the style of both?
• Design WW2 campaign posters and slogans. Have a look at this site for lots of lesson ideas about using the campaign posters –  https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/wwii-posters/
• Make Anderson shelters in DT. Use Go Control, and they will build procedures to control their shelters – e.g. the lookout sees the planes coming, then air-raid siren sounds, light comes on in shelter etc. After a  preset time, the all-clear siren goes etc…
• Sing WW2 songs. What about learning actions as well – think, “Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run”.
• Watch WW2 dramas… Spywatch is fantastic.
• Suitcase activity – what would they pack if they were being evacuated? What does the content of a particular case tell us about its owner?
• Get the children to bring in a cereal box, design a suitcase and then put things that an evacuee would have in the suitcase (suggested by Katie Warriner).
• Photograph the day using 21st-century technology, then use editing software to make B&W / sepia and add effects to make it look like old photos.
• I am sure there is lots of map work – is it possible to find ‘old’ maps online?
• Use a tool like Google Docs for collaboration on the day. Have a document up on the computer, and throughout the day, messages are sent to the pupils, e.g. is there anyone out there? My house is under attack, etc. This could also be used to communicate between different classes… and share experiences of the day. If all classes are doing WW2 day, then each can be given a different role and therefore respond differently to the messages. Home guard, RAF, Land army, etc.
• How about a virtual telegraph STOP? They could send each other telegram-type messages STOP. Makes children be aware of full stops STOP.
• Overlap with English dept – The Machine Gunners is a brilliant novel aimed at young teenagers.
• What about a short drama about feelings, saying goodbye to Mum as you’re packed off on the train to the countryside? How does it feel as you leave the station/arrive at your destination?
• Could you do some dancing? Find out about dancing from the period and try it out for yourself!
• …and following on, what about some WW2 music? You could get students to write extra verses / analyse the mood / message of different songs.
• It would be a good idea to develop the unit by COMPARING the experience in the UK with that of civilians in Russia (Leningrad) and Germany (Dresden) – otherwise, it gets a bit “Anglocentric”…
• Art – how about some dramatic ‘going over the top’ paintings?
• The day itself could be interspersed with “events” that can be presented to the students via radio broadcasts from Chamberlain (declaration of war) through Churchill (“Fight them on the beaches” etc) through to 1945; for each, the students could keep their own “war diary” so that as well as getting the empathetical skills, they are also developing their chronological understanding of the main events. Lord Haw-Haw’s broadcasts could be used too, all the way up to VE day (“we may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing”, etc).
• ‘In the Mood’ – get the children to imagine they are playing instruments – and join together to form an orchestra with a band leader. Learn the Lambeth Walk and Jitterbug – Pathe News have great clips of both these dances. Why not teach the children how to waltz? There must be some parents out there who would come in for an afternoon.
• A simple timeline always keeps things in perspective. I like to use research groups to look at different aspects of the same subject, and each group adds to the same timeline using online tools.
• Could you ask parents to come in at the end or beginning of the day to ‘choose’ their evacuees to take home with them? We did this in school and it was good fun!

Do you have any more suggestions? Please add them to the comments below.

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WW2 Art (KS2) Fun Facts And Activities

Image © freepik, under a Creative Commons license.

The Second World War lasted from 1939 to 1945 and is one of the most important historical events your child will learn about at school

Primary school children in KS2 (Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6) will learn about the period in various different lessons, not just history. It could also crop up in design and technology, maths, geography, English, physical education and art lessons.

This fascinating subject is a great way to combine your child's creative side with history . So, we've come up with lots of WW2 art ideas to bring the powerful events of the period to life, and to help you to provide brilliant homework help on the topic.

What Is Interesting About World War 2 Art?

British artists produced more than 6,000 pieces of war-related artworks. These were often influenced by their own first hand experiences, as, during the war, these artists were forced out of the comfort of their studios to don military uniforms, with some even experiencing life on the front line.

These powerful experiences influenced their work, which was often produced in very difficult circumstances - if shells were flying then artists would inevitably have to put their sketchbooks down!

Children will also be taught about WW2 artists' intent. Much of the artwork produced during the Second World War was actually propaganda - this is art that was produced with the aim of spreading a message, often for political gain.

One of the most famous propaganda posters read "Better pot luck with Churchill today than humble pie with Hitler tomorrow. Don't waste food!"

and was designed to ensure people stuck to their food rations. During the war, there were shortages in food due to various factors including a lack of people able to work on farms and German blockades stopping imports of food.

Another theme of WW2 art, particularly common in Blitz art, was the use of the silhouette . Artists found that a black silhouette really stood out against a bright background, such as the Blitz bombings, and the end result is often very powerful and striking pieces of art.

Homework Help World War 2: WW2 Artists

Established in 1939, The War Artists Advisory Committee (WAAC) was made up of the country's most talented artists. Each artist was tasked to create propaganda imagery, but the committee understood that their talents should not be limited by the creation of mass-produced posters.

They were keen to preserve the talents of the artists for the future and knew that their artwork would be a historical record of the atrocities faced at home and abroad, for years to come.

In total, more than 300 artists were commissioned by the WAAC, including the likes of Henry Moore, Graham Sutherland and Paul Nash.

After the war had ended, one third of the artworks were given to the Imperial War Museum while the rest were distributed to museums across Britain and the Commonwealth.

World War 2 Art Ideas

Art is a great way of teaching and exploring the World War 2 topic with children. Why don't you try out these World War 2 craft ideas to continue your child's KS2 learning?

Image © Pikwizard

Create Propaganda Posters:

Firstly, decide with your child which campaign you want to recreate (perhaps rationing or morale would be a good place to start).

Next, come up with slogans to include on your poster. This is a great way to practice your child's creative language skills and use of figurative language tools such as alliteration. Try to encourage them to keep the slogans short and simple, to make them as catchy as possible.

Then decide where the slogans should appear on your WW2 posters, and the type of imagery you want to use alongside them. Ask your child to think about the tone of the World War 2 slogans and how this should be reflected in the images on the posters.

Think about the use of colour. The pictures should stand out but not detract from the important messages in the slogans.

Go ahead and draw, colour in and paint your posters. Make sure your child takes them into school once dry to show their masterpieces to their teacher. We have no doubt that they will be really proud of these World War 2 school projects done at home!  

Experiment With The Use Of Silhouettes:

Silhouettes were widely used by artists in WW2 and this technique might seem a bit technical at first. But don't fret if you're worried about teaching this, as it's a lot easier than it sounds.

To begin, encourage your child to paint with solid bright colours onto a sheet of paper. In order to keep it WW2 themed, we suggest using oranges and reds to create a replica of the famous examples of Blitz art.

Using a black piece of paper or card, draw the outline of a building or buildings that you want to use and carefully cut it out to create the silhouette.

Once the painted background is dry, stick the silhouette on top to complete your replica Blitz artwork!

Image © Racool_studio, under a Creative Commons license.

Create A Bomb Shelter:

If you're struggling to come up with WW2 craft ideas, how about creating your own bomb shelter? This activity would probably be best for older children in KS2 (Year 5 and Year 6 pupils will love this), and we think it's a great way to introduce models to primary school children.

Essentially, your shelter should be made of card or other materials and then painted accordingly - it could be painted silver to represent a metal colour, or you could use other materials to camouflage it, as shelters were often kept hidden from view during the war.

Get creative and build your shelter using whichever materials you have to hand and, when it is complete, you could ask your child to make sure it passes the following tests:

1. Can a Lego man (or one of your child's favourite toys) sit inside?

2. Can a heavy-ish weight (like a bag of sugar) sit on the top of it?

3. Can it survive being drenched? Make sure it's waterproof!  

Focus On One Of The Famous Artists:

Start a research project with your child on a WW2 artist of your choice. For example, you could look at Henry Moore's Tube shelter drawings and try to recreate them yourselves in the same style.

Exploring these important artworks can inspire an inquisitive mind in children, it might even inspire a trip to see some WW2 art in real life at a museum or gallery.

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Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism

Becky Gamester-Newton Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism

A countryside lover at heart, Becky grew up in the Yorkshire Dales and now resides in West Sussex with her family. She has been living in London for more than 10 years, where she pursued her journalism career before relocating to the countryside in 2019. In her free time, she enjoys watching live sports and drinking tea while being entertained by her chatty toddler and middle-aged cat. She has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Central Lancashire.

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