Civil society, life events & people

Preparation and Planning

To present this Assembly you will need a laptop or a computer to run the PowerPoint presentation, an overhead projector in order to show the slides and a CD player and classical music track to play whilst the students enter. Classical music tracks can also be downloaded from a number of websites including www.classicfm.co.uk. You may also find a flipchart and pen useful in order to write up the responses offered by students to your questions.

There is a poem at the end of the presentation that is to be read by a student. You might like to designate a student volunteer in advance and allow them to practice reading through the poem.

About the MOD Topic

Teacher Notes:

World War 1:
World War 1 was a global conflict between 1914 and 1918. It is thought to have led to the deaths of more than 9 million people both civilians and servicemen and is one of the most significant events of the 20th Century.

The principal struggle was between the 'Entente Powers', led by France, Russia, the UK, Italy and the USA and the 'Central Powers' led by the German, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires.

The War led to the disintegration of the German, Ottoman, Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires, began the demise of the British Empire and left France in ruins for many years.

World War 2:
World War 2 took place between 1939 and 1945 in varying arenas and was the most widespread war in history. It was an amalgam of two conflicts, one beginning in Asia in 1937 and the other in Europe in 1939 with the invasion of Poland.

The War split most of the world's nations into two parties: the Allies and the Axis. Countries involved mobilized more than 100 million military personnel.

Leading to the death of over 60 million people World War 2 was the deadliest conflict in human history. The all-encompassing nature of the War meant that fatalities were by no means exclusive to the military. Nearly two-thirds of those killed were civilians. The Holocaust alone lead to the death of 11 million civilians.

The Allied forces emerged victorious from the conflict.

Remembrance Day:
Remembrance Day is a day to commemorate the sacrifice of veterans and civilians in World War 1, World War 2, and other wars. It is observed on 11 November every year to recall the end of World War 1 on that date in 1918.

The observance is specifically dedicated to members of the Armed Forces who were killed during war, and was created by King George V of the United Kingdom on 7 November 1919.

Role of the Ministry of Defence (MOD):
The MOD is the Government department responsible for implementing UK defence policy. The MOD's main objective is to defend the United Kingdom and its interests. The MOD manages the Armed Forces, defence procurement, and contingency planning from central headquarters in Whitehall.

Role of the Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are one of the largest military powers in Europe and one of the most powerful and technologically advanced forces in the world. The Armed Forces comprise the Royal Navy (RN), the Army and the Royal Air Force (RAF). Queen Elizabeth II is their Commander in Chief and they are managed by the MOD. The Prime Minister holds de facto authority.

The main role of the British Armed Forces is to protect the UK and its overseas territories, looking after the UK's security interests and managing international peacekeeping. They regularly participate in coalition operations such as NATO.

Further Opportunities for Learning

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Student worksheet answers

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