Take your class back in time to explore the lives and achievements of some of the people who we now consider to be ‘British history heroes’.

This scheme of work is also part of a Topic Bundle. Perfect if you are teaching 'Achievers and Inventors' as a cross-curricular topic.

Your class will explore the impact that the following people have had on our modern-day world: William Wilberforce, Elizabeth Fry, Lord Shaftesbury, Mary Seacole, Emmeline Pankhurst and Winston Churchill. They will be encouraged to review evidence and give their own opinions of these people and their work.

With lesson plans, informative slides, activity ideas, differentiated worksheets and much more, these Year 3 and 4 history lessons contain everything you need to teach your children about some of the most famous British heroes.

You may also be interested in our World War Two History lesson pack for lower KS2.

William Wilberforce

In this first lesson, children discuss their definitions of a hero. They are then introduced to William Wilberforce, and explore how he became involved in the campaign to abolish the slave trade. Children find out what the slave trade involved, and how and why Wilberforce and his supporters tried to stop it. In their independent work, children create posters, leaflets and speeches to support Wilberforce’s campaign. In the alternative activity, children hold a debate over the question; should slavery be abolished?

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Elizabeth Fry

Children first learn about the effects of the Industrial Revolution on the population of, and crime levels in, towns and cities, and find out what prisons were like during this time. They are then introduced to Elizabeth Fry, and learn how her charity work led to the improved treatment of prisoners. In their independent activities, children further explore the causes and effects of Elizabeth’s actions. Alternatively, they are challenged to create a re-enactment of Elizabeth’s visit to Newgate Prison.

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Lord Shaftesbury

Children find out about the working conditions of Victorian children who were employed in the coal mines, in factories, and as chimney sweeps. They learn about Lord Shaftesbury’s role in trying to improve these conditions, and look at three important laws that he helped to pass. They also learn about ragged schools, and Lord Shaftesbury’s beliefs about, and involvement in, them. In their independent activities, children are encouraged to explore how different people may have felt about the passing of these laws at the time. In the alternative activity, children create a presentation using evidence packs about the working conditions of children in the mines.

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Mary Seacole

In this Mary Seacole KS2 lesson, your class will find out about the life and achievements of this remarkable British-Jamaican woman who aided the British Army during the Crimean War.

Children will discover how she became proficient at making and using natural remedies to help cholera sufferers, and how she funded her own passage to Turkey to give aid to those fighting in the Crimean War after being rejected as a volunteer by the British War Office. Activities include completing a timeline of Mary Seacole's life, or writing a speech explaining what Mary Seacole's achievements were, and why she should never be forgotten.

This Mary Seacole KS2 lesson pack includes a detailed plan, an informative slide show, differentiated activity ideas and printable resources - everything you need for a successful lesson!

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Emmeline Pankhurst

This lesson begins with children learning about the role of women in the 19th century. They find out how women began to speak out against their inequality with men, and in particular, how they wanted the right to vote. As a class, they explore and discuss the work of Emmeline Pankhurst and the WSPU, as well as looking at the role of women during the First World War. In their independent activities, children look in more detail at the different viewpoints of people at the time. In the alternative activity, children compare the actions of the WSPU and the actions of women during the war, and decide which had the most influence on women winning the vote.

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Winston Churchill

Children first find out about the life of Winston Churchill before he became Prime Minister. They are encouraged to discuss his actions and how he might have been feeling at various points in his life. Children then look at Churchill’s actions during the Second World War, and find out how victory was finally achieved in 1945. In their independent activities, they arrange Churchill’s life events in chronological order, and infer his feelings for each event. Alternatively, children look at parts of Churchill’s famous speeches, and use question prompts to discuss them.

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Who is the Greatest of Them All?

In this final lesson, children review the information they have learnt about the British history heroes from the previous lessons, and then explore which one of them they think is the ‘greatest’ in terms of the significance of the changes they made that impact on our lives today. In their independent work, children then create posters, leaflets or presentations to inform and persuade others that their chosen ‘hero’ is the greatest. Alternatively, children are briefly introduced to six more British history heroes, and choose one to research in more depth.

View Lesson 7