 starter activity Study the images on your table. Which would the Ministry of Information approve and which would be censored?  Can you come up with captions for the positive images that might appear in a newspaper or magazine? Key words: MoI, censorship

How did the British keep up their spirits during the Blitz? To assess what would be published and what would be censored during WWII To be able to explain how the MoI helped to boost the country’s morale  Learning objectives

 Your task Read the extract from ‘War on the Home Front’ and explain why it was important to keep up the morale of the British people. Read the extract from ‘War on the Home Front’ and explain why it was important to keep up the morale of the British people. What was the MoI and what challenges did it face? What was the MoI and what challenges did it face? Give some examples of MoI successes Give some examples of MoI successes  Which would be the most effective media for boosting morale: posters, films, cartoons, other?  Which would be the most effective media for boosting morale: posters, films, cartoons, other?

Keeping up morale Keep up people’s spirits Keep up people’s spirits Maintain support for the government and the military effort Maintain support for the government and the military effort Avoid civil disturbances Avoid civil disturbances  Can you come up with your own motivational poster for WWII?

Ministry of Information Functions – monitoring and reporting on morale Functions – monitoring and reporting on morale Commissioning work to lift morale or communicate vital information Commissioning work to lift morale or communicate vital information  Explain the message behind this Kenneth Bird cartoon

MoI successes Poster campaigns – esp. Kenneth Bird’s ‘Careless Talk’ series Poster campaigns – esp. Kenneth Bird’s ‘Careless Talk’ series Mass observation campaign Mass observation campaign War artists – John Piper War artists – John Piper Poets – John Betjeman Poets – John Betjeman Films – Henry V Films – Henry V  Find out the names of other successful propaganda films of WWII

 Extension task Investigate the work of Brendan Bracken and MoI. Can you find more examples of famous artists or examples of their work, which helped boost Britain’s morale during WWII? Investigate the work of Brendan Bracken and MoI. Can you find more examples of famous artists or examples of their work, which helped boost Britain’s morale during WWII? Brendan Bracken, chief of the MoI

Picture Post – what sort of features do you think this weekly magazine would include?

 Your task Work in pairs to produce a Picture Post magazine with features relating to life on the Home Front. Work in pairs to produce a Picture Post magazine with features relating to life on the Home Front. Your magazine must contain 3 items of news / images that would not be passed by the censor. Try to be as devious as you can to get them published without being detected!!!! Your magazine must contain 3 items of news / images that would not be passed by the censor. Try to be as devious as you can to get them published without being detected!!!!

Satisfactory Getting better Wow factor! Covers fewer than five of the points on the task sheet Uses limited factual information Limited attempt to convey the information in the style of Picture Post Covers at least 5 of the points on the task Good use of factual information, though still some space for more and occasional anachronisms Set out and written like Picture Post Covers more than 5 points Detailed use of factual information which consistently relates to the date of the magazine Excellent use of ICT so it looks and feels like a Picture Post magazine

 Homework Finish your magazine by the deadline given to you by your teacher. Finish your magazine by the deadline given to you by your teacher.

Plenary Plenary MoI? MoI? Challenges they faced? Challenges they faced? Successes? Successes?  Tips on how to succeed in this task? Pitfalls?  Tips on how to succeed in this task? Pitfalls?