A lesson demonstrating how the selection, hierarchisation and omission of information influence the interpretation of historical events relating to the Second World War and the post-war period. Participants work with a larger set of facts, from which they select key elements and construct their own ‘pictures of the era’. The material includes ready-made instructions for the teacher, a detailed lesson plan and supporting materials for individual and group work.
Methods and forms of work: information selection · hierarchisation · poster work · comparison of narratives · mini-simulation of defending a position · metacognitive reflection
Materials and teaching aids:
- Appendix 1 – a set of 25 facts relating to the years 1945–50
- A3 sheets
- markers
Lesson plan
- Five key facts
- Hand the pupils a list of 25 facts about the post-war period.
- Explain that their task is to select the five most important facts which, in their opinion, best describe this period.
- Emphasise that they are working individually, without consulting others. Make it clear that they should rely on their own judgement of the importance of each piece of information.
- Once the task is complete, ask the whole class: ‘Did anyone find it difficult to make a choice? Why?’
- Briefly discuss the pupils’ initial reflections on the selection criteria.
2. Comparing choices in pairs
- Ask the pupils to pair up.
- Ask them to compare their choices and discuss the reasons why they selected those particular facts.
- Ask guiding questions:
- ‘Why did you choose this particular bit of information?’
- ‘Were you guided by its political, social or emotional significance?’
- ‘Did you deliberately leave anything out?’
- During the discussion, write down the categories that emerge on the board, e.g. ‘repression’, ‘reconstruction’, ‘stabilisation’, ‘trauma’.
3. Map of meanings
- Divide the class into groups of three or four.
- Ask each group to prepare a poster with the heading: ‘The post-war period was above all …’
- Explain the rules:
- the group must use exactly five selected facts,
- they must rank them from one to five, and
- should justify the order they have chosen.
- Encourage the pupils to discuss the significance and importance of each bit of information.
4. Poster presentation
- Ask each group to present their poster.
- Draw attention to the diversity of images of the era presented.
Frequently used terms include:
– a period of reconstruction and stabilisation
– a period of repression and restrictions
– a period of social transformation
– the period of a new political order
- After the presentations, initiate a discussion by asking questions:
- ‘Did anyone use false information?’
- ‘Are the images presented contradictory?’
- ‘Do the differences stem from the facts themselves or from the choices made?’
5. ‘What has been omitted?’
- Ask each group to analyse a poster prepared by another group.
- Ask them to identify three facts from the list of 25 that have been omitted.
- Then ask them to consider how the picture of the post-war period would change if these were added.
- Discuss with the students the important role that omitting information plays in constructing a narrative.
6. Adding an emotional statement
- Ask the groups to add one evaluative sentence to their poster, e.g.:
- ‘It was a time of injustice.’
- ‘It was a time of reconstruction and hope.’
- Then discuss with the class:
- ‘How has the tone of the message changed?’
- ‘Does emotion make the message more powerful?’
- Write the following diagram on the board:
selection → hierarchisation → omission → emotionalisation
7. ‘Defending the narrative’ – mini-simulation
- Select a group to present their narrative.
- Assign the role of the critical side to another group.
- Encourage them to ask questions, e.g.:
- ‘Why did you omit …?’
- ‘Is this a complete picture?’
- ‘Could it be considered one-sided?’
- Facilitate a brief exchange of dialogue.
- To conclude show that the way facts are selected, prioritised and interpreted influences the creation of different historical narratives.