Florence Nightingale KS1 History - The Complete Series (6 lessons)

Lesson 1: Who was Florence Nightingale? 

Florence Nightingale (1820–1910) was a pioneering nurse, social reformer and statistician who revolutionised healthcare during the 19th century. Known as the ‘Lady with the Lamp,’ she became famous for her tireless work during the Crimean War, where she improved the unsanitary conditions in military hospitals, drastically reducing death rates. Her efforts transformed nursing into a respected profession, and she established the first scientifically-based nursing school at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London. 

The first lesson in this pack will introduce your KS1 class to this remarkable woman by giving them an overview of her early life during the slideshow for the teaching input, including exploring a timeline to establish when she lived. Children will identify that she lived ‘beyond living memory’ during the Victorian period, gaining a helpful overview of what life was like for women like Florence at the time. 

During their independent activities, children can then consolidate their knowledge and understanding by sorting provided True and False Statements, or asking and answering questions in a fun class game of Teach Me, Tell Me. 

Portrait of Florence Nightingale.

Lesson 2: Florence Nightingale's Journey to Scutari

In 1853, the Crimean War (a conflict between Russia and an alliance of Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire and Sardinia) broke out over control of territories. Wounded British soldiers were sent to hospitals in Turkey, where they faced terrible conditions. Florence Nightingale travelled to the hospital in Scutari (modern-day Istanbul) in 1854 with a team of nurses and was faced with the challenges of overcrowding, poor sanitation and limited medical supplies, which led to high death rates among the soldiers.

After recapping key events in Florence Nightingale’s life so far, the included slideshow will help children learn about her journey to Scutari and explore what conditions were like when she arrived. During their independent learning time, children will then have the chance to imagine that they are Florence, and recount her experiences through letters or role-play. There is a Postcard Template, Letter Template, Information Sheet, Prompt Cards and Interview Questions sheet to support them in these activities.

Lesson 3: Florence Nightingale and Scutari Hospital

When Florence Nightingale arrived at Scutari hospital during the Crimean War, she transformed the appalling conditions that were causing high death rates among wounded British soldiers. She and her team of nurses introduced basic hygiene measures, such as handwashing, cleaning wards and improving ventilation, which dramatically reduced infection and mortality. She also organised proper nursing care, ensured patients received adequate food and kept detailed records to identify and address health issues systematically. Nightingale’s dedication not only saved countless lives and it was during this period that she was given the nickname, the 'Lady with the Lamp’.

After going through this information as a class during the included slideshow presentation, this lesson then challenges your KS1 children to compare what the hospital in Scutari was like before and after Florence’s intervention, using a variety of worksheets and Statement Cards to support adaptive teaching. In the alternative activity provided, children can also put themselves in the shoes of the wounded soldiers to describe the changes Florence made to the hospital and their treatment. A Sentence Starters sheet is provided as a helpful prompt for this activity.

Lesson 4: Florence Nightingale’s Achievements

Florence Nightingale’s achievements revolutionised healthcare and established nursing as a respected profession. As well as her groundbreaking work in the hospital in Scutair, she also founded the first scientifically-based nursing school at St. Thomas’ Hospital, training generations of nurses and improving global healthcare standards. Her contributions earned her numerous accolades, including becoming the first woman awarded the Order of Merit, leaving an enduring legacy in public health and nursing.

The Lesson 4 teaching-input slideshow for this scheme of work encourages children to explore the work Florence Nightingale continued to do after her return from the Crimea to improve nursing, and the various ways in which she was recognised for this. In their independent activities, children will explain what sources and other information can tell us about Florence and her achievements, using Source Sheet A or B (depending on ability) and the corresponding worksheets to record their learning. Alternatively, your class is challenged to work in groups to create a presentation about her achievements and the impact she has had on modern-day nursing. A Presentation Challenge Card is included to support children in this activity.

Lesson 5: Ordering and Summarising Events in Florence Nightingale's Life

Now that your KS1 class has an understanding of who Florence Nightingale was and what she achieved throughout her remarkable life, they are challenged to order the events of her life chronologically. They will start by defining what the word ‘chronological’ means. Then, together as a class using the teaching-input slideshow, they will recap on the main events in the life of Florence Nightingale, and discuss which events happened before and after others.

Using this knowledge in their independent activities, children can order a provided set of Event Cards and use them to tell the story of Florence Nightingale's life. Alternatively, they can use the handy template to create a mini book detailing the main events of her life.

Lesson 6: A Comparison of Modern and Victorian Medical Care

Victorian medical care was vastly different from modern-day medical practices, with limited understanding of hygiene, sanitation and disease prevention. Hospitals in the Victorian era were often unsanitary, overcrowded, and lacked proper equipment, leading to high mortality rates from infections and diseases. In contrast, modern medical care is founded on scientific advancements such as germ theory and antibiotics. Today’s hospitals are equipped with cutting-edge technology, sterile environments and specialised healthcare professionals.

The final slideshow presentation in this series gives your class the chance to explore the differences between medical practices in the Victorian era compared to today, differences that were driven by individuals like Florence Nightingale. They will establish contrasts between different aspects of medical care, including hospital wards, operating theatres, and apothecaries/pharmacists.

During their independent learning activities, they can use the provided Picture Cards and worksheets to explore and record the similarities and differences they can identify, or alternatively children can read and sort a set of statements into a prepared Venn diagram, according to whether they refer to Victorian medical care, modern-day medical care, or both.

Florence Nightingale Knowledge Organiser

This Year 2 History Knowledge Organiser has been created to complement our History ‘Significant Individuals’ strand. It is designed to support your children’s understanding of key vocabulary linked to this scheme of work. Enquiry questions have been included to encourage your children to think deeply about this topic.