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Teacher Resources

Reading a Battlefield Map: D-Day

Understanding historical evidence

A source-analysis lesson that teaches students to read a map of the 6 June 1944 Normandy landings, locating beaches, forces and the logic of the plan.

Suggested age

13–16

Duration

40 minutes

Type

Source analysis

Conflict / period

World War II

Subjects

History, Geography

Content note

Includes discussion of casualties. Frame the lesson around the decisions of commanders, not the suffering of individuals.

Overview

A source-analysis lesson that teaches students to read a map of the 6 June 1944 Normandy landings, locating beaches, forces and the logic of the plan.

Learning objectives

Identify the five D-Day landing beaches on a map.
Explain why the Allies chose Normandy.
Connect the map evidence to the wider Allied strategy.

Materials required

Printed D-Day maps (one per pair)
Worksheet
Ruler and coloured pencils

Historical context

On 6 June 1944 the Allies landed on five beaches in Normandy, France, code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. The beaches were assigned to American, British and Canadian forces. The landings opened the second front in Europe and began the liberation of Western Europe.

Reading material

A battlefield map is a source like any other: it was made for a purpose. The D-Day planning map shows where each force was to land, the direction of attack, and the inland objectives. Reading it carefully tells you not just what happened, but what the planners intended.

Student worksheet (preview)

Part A — Locate Label the five beaches on your map: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword. Part B — Connect 1. Which two beaches were assigned to American forces? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Which beach was furthest east? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Why were the beaches spread across such a long stretch of coast? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part C — Infer 4. What does the map tell you about where the Germans expected an attack? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Discussion questions

Why was the choice of Normandy a surprise to the Germans?
Why did the Allies need more than one beach?
What risks does a wide landing spread create?

Extension task

Compare the D-Day map with a map of the 1943 Sicily landings and note one similarity in approach.

Support prompts

Find the compass arrow first.
Match the beach names to the coloured sectors.
One arrow = one planned movement.

Sources and credits

10 Second War Stories, D-Day coverage
Imperial War Museum — D-Day maps
The National Archives, UK

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