In this fascinating lesson pupils learn how photographers avoided the censors they saw in KQ5 and how the government used certain images of the Blitz as propaganda, even though they didn’t happen as they appear. Pupils develop the capacity to be sceptical about how images might be used to persuade – a skill for life.
Learning objectives
- Pupils are able to explain what we mean by words: propaganda, iconic, morale, censorship, and staged.
- They can analyse photographs or newsreel films from early 1940s to spot signs of propaganda
- They can explain why propaganda was so important in wartime
- They can explain why censorship was so important in wartime and how it was avoided
- They can explain why the photograph was so important and believed even though it was later found to be faked
Step 1
Pupils are shown slide 2 from the KQ6 PowerPoint presentation – an iconic photograph of the Blitz from October 1940
Do they think the government would have allowed this image to be published?
Now click the next slide (slide 3) to add detail deliberately obscured in slide 2. Do pupils want to change their mind?
They are then asked if they believe what they
