The experiences of nurses during the Second World War
I can describe how nursing saw great change during the Second World War.
The experiences of nurses during the Second World War
I can describe how nursing saw great change during the Second World War.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Nursing in the Second World War brought new people to Britain and helped new medical techniques to succeed.
- At the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead new plastic surgery techniques were trialled on badly injured soldiers.
- Sister Mary Meally ran the burns ward, where she looked after badly burnt airmen who were receiving treatment.
- Many West African and Caribbean women travelled to, and trained as nurses in Britain during World War II.
- These included Princess Ademola, daughter of the Alake of Abeokuta, an important king in Nigeria.
Keywords
Plastic surgery - surgery that involves the reconstruction or repair of the body is called plastic surgery
Nigeria - Nigeria is a country in West Africa and at the time of the Second World War was part of the British Empire
Common misconception
Pupils may think that nurses only did tasks like cleaning wards and providing meals.
Nurses did three years of training and had to pass exams in anatomy and physiology. They handled weapons on the front line and ran the hospitals caring for the injured in Britain.
To help you plan your year 6 history lesson on: The experiences of nurses during the Second World War, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 6 history lesson on: The experiences of nurses during the Second World War, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the Significant turning points: how did experiences differ during WWII? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
