Learning experiences include:
Before your visit
A pre-visit powerpoint lesson for use at school (class teacher led)
This lesson introduces some key features of World War Two to children before their visit to Sacrewell including food rationing, digging for victory, compulsory subscription, the evacuee programme and the women’s land army. Discussing the slides will give an idea of what Sacrewell Farm was like during the war and how everyday life changed for people during the war years. Information in this lesson will support the interactive sessions at Sacrewell.
Each slide has a key question for teachers to use as discussion points with their class.
During your visit
Morning Workshops (approx. 10:30am-midday)
Workshop 1: How did war affect families, evacuees and land army girls at Sacrewell? (approx. 45 mins, outdoor based, Sacrewell staff led)
Your Sacrewell workshop leader will introduce the farm and guide the group on a discovery walk, highlighting some of the key areas of the farm during the war years. Discussions will centre around why the farm changed because of the war and how those changes can still be seen today. We also focus on why evacuees came to the countryside and how invaluable the women’s land army was at the time. Growing food was a national initiative and was integral to everyday wartime life. The group visit the market garden to dig, plant, water, weed or harvest vegetables, just as children during the war will have done.
Workshop 2: Wartime food and rationing (approx. 45 mins, indoor based, Sacrewell staff led)
Each child washes and chops seasonal vegetables (where possible from the Sacrewell garden) to make soup. While the soup cooks, the group examine an authentic ration book from a former farm resident before using weekly rations to weigh the ingredients for a wartime soda cake. The cake will be baked for the group during the afternoon to take back to school. The session ends with tasting the soup along with a slice of the National Loaf (wartime bread introduced by the government) and a daily ration of margarine.
Afternoon (Approx 12:45pm onwards)
Workshop 3 : History trail in the 1940’s mill house (approx. 30 mins, school staff led)
The group visit the ground floor of the mill house where the living room, kitchen and pantry are authentically styled on the wartime era. Children use trail sheets to discover objects, furniture and sounds that demonstrate how 1940’s people lived. School staff can use these in discussions comparing everyday life then with children’s own lives today.
OPTIONAL* Self-led orienteering style trail of the farm (approx. 45 mins, school staff led)
Sacrewell is home to farm animals vital to people during the war for meat, milk and eggs. Children use clues to work out which animals they are looking for as they explore the farm. As they discover each one, they use orienteering punches to mark their cards and say hello to our friendly animals along the way.
*This afternoon activity may be the perfect end to your day, combining exploring the farm with a fun learning experience. Schools are, however, welcome to use any of the Sacrewell visitor attractions during this self-led time.
For more information or to reserve your date please email learning@sacrewell.org.uk