Key Stage 1 Beyond Living Memory: Commemorating History
National Days

Why do countries have special national days of celebration? Learn about the history behind important national days such as Canada Day, National day of Poland, Indian Republic Day, Peru Day and whether they celebrate unification or independence. Design a celebratory Google doodle for the national day of the country of your choice.

Session 1 Canada Day

Objectives

History

  • Learn about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries.

Geography

  • Name and locate the world’s 7 continents and 5 oceans.
  • Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify countries, continents and oceans.

Art and Design

  • Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.
  • Use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share ideas, experiences and imagination.
  • Learn about the work of a range of artists, craftmakers and designers, making links to own work.

English

  • Participate in discussion about and explain and discuss their understanding of information books and other material.

Lesson Planning

Canada Day, 1st July: Children will research Canada finding out more about the location, geography, culture, flora and fauna of the country.

Teaching Outcomes
To locate focus country on world map, name continent and adjacent countries/oceans and to learn about how that nation commemorates their National Day.
To show their learning about focus nation’s commemoration of National Day through creating and making products which reflect traditions and traditional customs.
To research focus country and present information to contribute to class information wall.

Children will:

  • Locate Canada on world map and name appropriate continent and oceans.
  • Research to find out about Canada in general and when, how and why Canada Day is commemorated.
  • Use some of the customs and traditions of Canada to produce own work.
  • Eat a traditional Canadian foodstuff.

You Will Need

  • World map or globe or atlas
  • Information books about Canada such as Canada Day by Molly Aloian
  • Materials for beaver hand puppet, ice hockey game, maple leaf collage, dream catcher and Inukshuk art
  • Ingredients for fluffy Canadian pancakes and maple syrup to serve

Session 2 Poland: National Independence Day

Objectives

History

  • Learn about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries.

Geography

  • Name and locate the world’s 7 continents and 5 oceans.
  • Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify countries, continents and oceans.

Art and Design

  • Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.
  • Use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share ideas, experiences and imagination.
  • Learn about the work of a range of artists, craftmakers and designers, making links to own work.

English

  • Participate in discussion about and explain and discuss their understanding of information books and other material.

Lesson Planning

Poland: National Independence Day, 11th November: Children will research Poland finding out more about the location, geography, culture flora and fauna of the country.

Teaching Outcomes
To locate focus country on world map, name continent and adjacent countries/oceans and to learn about how that nation commemorates their National Day.
To show their learning about focus nation’s commemoration of National Day through creating and making products which reflect traditions and traditional customs.
To research focus country and present information to contribute to class information wall.

Children will:

  • Locate Poland on world map and name appropriate continent/seas and surrounding countries.
  • Research to find out about Poland in general and when, how and why National Independence Day is commemorated.
  • Use something of the customs and traditions to produce own work.
  • Eat a traditional Polish foodstuff.

You Will Need

  • World map or globe or atlas
  • Information books about Poland
  • Materials for white eagle shield
  • Playdough and plastic animals
  • Ingredients for rogaliki
  • Paper for wycinanki

Session 3 India: National Days

Objectives

History

  • Learn about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries.

Geography

  • Name and locate the world’s 7 continents and 5 oceans.
  • Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify countries, continents and oceans.

Art and Design

  • Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.
  • Use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share ideas, experiences and imagination.
  • Learn about the work of a range of artists, craftmakers and designers, making links to own work.

English

  • Participate in discussion about and explain and discuss their understanding of information books and other material.

Lesson Planning

India: Republic Day, 26th January and Independence Day, 15th August: Children will research India finding out more about the location, geography, culture flora and fauna of the country.

Teaching Outcomes
To locate focus country on world map, name continent and adjacent countries/oceans and to learn about how that nation commemorates their National Day.
To show their learning about focus nation’s commemoration of National Day through creating and making products which reflect traditions and traditional customs.
To research focus country and present information to contribute to class information wall.

Children will:

  • Locate India on world map and name appropriate continent and oceans and surrounding countries.
  • Research to find out about India in general and when, how and why the National Days are commemorated.
  • Use something of the customs and traditions to produce own work.
  • Eat a traditional Indian foodstuff.

You Will Need

  • World map or globe or atlas
  • Information books about India such as Festivals of the world INDIA by Franklin Watts
  • Materials for coffee filter peacock, tiger mask, hockey game, collage flag and air show
  • Ingredients for besan ladoo

Weblinks

Information and pictures about India from ngkids.co.uk

National symbols of India from mapsofindia.com

Coffee filter Peacock and lotus flower craft from artsycraftsymom.com

India flag collage using lentils, rice and kidney beans from puttisworld.blogspot.co.uk

Air show collage from artsycraftsymom.com

Tiger mask from disposable plate from kidplaydo.blogspot.co.uk

Besan Ladoo recipe from bbc.co.uk/cbeebies

Surprise dance on aeroplane to celebrate India republic Day from YouTube

Republic Day parade ifrom republicday.nic.in

Session 4 Peru Fiestas Patrias

Objectives

History

  • Learn about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries.

Geography

  • Name and locate the world’s 7 continents and 5 oceans.
  • Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify countries, continents and oceans.

Art and Design

  • Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.
  • Use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share ideas, experiences and imagination.
  • Learn about the work of a range of artists, craftmakers and designers, making links to own work.

English

  • Participate in discussion about and explain and discuss their understanding of information books and other material.

Lesson Planning

Peru: Fiestas Patrias, 28th and 29th July: Children will research Peru finding out more about the location, geography, culture flora and fauna of the country.

Teaching Outcomes
To locate focus country on world map, name continent and adjacent countries/oceans and to learn about how that nation commemorates their National Day.
To show their learning about focus nation’s commemoration of National Day through creating and making products which reflect traditions and traditional customs.
To research focus country and present information to contribute to class information wall.

Children will:

  • Locate Peru on world map and name appropriate continent and oceans and surrounding countries.
  • Research to find out about Peru in general and when, how and why Fiestas Patrias is commemorated.
  • Use something of the customs and traditions to produce own work.
  • Enjoy a traditional Peruvian treat.

You Will Need

  • World map or globe or atlas
  • Information books about Peru such as Enrique’s Day by Sara Andrea Fajardo
  • Materials to make football, Inca masks, weavings
  • A1 sheets sugar paper and wax crayons to make ponchos
  • Selection of percussion instruments to include cajons or resources to make sturdy boxes
  • Up and Down the Andes: A Peruvian Festival Tale by Krebs and Fronty

Session 5 Google Doodle

Objectives

Art

  • Use research from S1-S4 to create a ‘Google doodle’ for one chosen country.

English

  • Be able to explain why they have selected the images they have used to represent that country.

Lesson Planning

Using research completed in previous sessions children will create a Google doodle to represent their chosen country on the commemoration of their National Day.

Teaching Outcomes
Chn consider the research of the 4 focus countries including all information on class working wall, the resulting art and craft products reflecting traditions and traditional customs and select images to represent one focus country on the commemoration of their National Day.

Children Will:

  • Use research from session 1 to session 4 to create a ‘Google doodle’ for one chosen country
  • Be able to explain why they have selected the images they have used to represent that country

You Will Need

  • Information collected in previous sessions
  • Display of art and craft products
  • Photos of food and drink eaten in pervious sessions
  • Art materials: colouring pencils and pens, small white boards, pens and erasers