Victoria Cross - Robert Hampton Gray dot to dot

Aim

To provide youth with a basic knowledge of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery a Canadian could receive during the Second World War.

Objectives

Youth should:

• develop a basic knowledge of the Victoria Cross.

Target audience

This activity is suitable for ages 5 to 7.

Sequence of events and anticipated time frame [30 minutes]

(This activity can be modified to fit available time.)

• Discussion [10 minutes]
• Victoria Cross - Robert Hampton Gray dot to dot [10 minutes]
• Wrap up discussion [10 minutes]

Materials

• Hampton Gray dot to dot activity sheet

Discussion

Ask your students what they know about the Second World War. Depending on the responses, highlight some key points and useful information for the activity:

• the Second World War was fought between 1939 and 1945. You may use a map to show them some countries where the fighting was the most intense in Europe, like Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. You could also show them the Pacific Ocean, Hong Kong and South East Asia, where Canadians also fought. Locate your home province on the map to point out how far Canadians had to travel during the war;
• a large number of Canadian men and women served in the Second World War (more than 1,000,000);
• war is dangerous and everybody had to overcome their fears to do their job;
• many Canadians received medals for their bravery during the war;
• the highest decoration for bravery a Canadian could receive during the war was called the Victoria Cross; 16 Canadians earned this important medal.

Victoria Cross - Robert Hampton Gray dot to dot

Distribute the Victoria Cross - Robert Hampton Gray dot to dot sheet and guide your students in completing the activity.

Wrap up discussion

Lead a wrap-up discussion about the activity. Ask your students to describe in their own words what the Victoria Cross represents. Youth could cut out the Victoria Cross from the activity sheet and display them in the classroom.