The Great Fire of London

Year 2 HistoryThe Great Fire of London4 pages

About this worksheet

The Great Fire of London is the subject of this Year 2 history sheet, set out in five sections. Pupils begin in Pudding Lane with three gap-fill questions on the year, the bakery and the wooden houses. They tick three reasons the fire spread, then answer two questions on Samuel Pepys and his diary. A table asks them to name the leather bucket and the fire hook. Last, they sort four features into London before and after 1666. An answer key covers all eight questions. It is written for KS1 history in the England National Curriculum.

Remix for free

The Great Fire of London: The Great Fire of London - page 1

The Great Fire of London: The Great Fire of London - page 2

The Great Fire of London: The Great Fire of London - page 3

The Great Fire of London: The Great Fire of London - page 4

Curriculum objectives covered

Events beyond living memory

“Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally [for example, the Great Fire of London, the first aeroplane flight or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries]”

All eight questions are about the fire of 1666, and question 5 shows how we know about it through Pepys's diary.

What's inside this worksheet

1. Where Did the Fire Begin?

A picture of a bakery on Pudding Lane and a word bank of 1666, Pudding Lane, bakery and wood for three gap-fill questions.

2. Why Did the Fire Spread So Fast?

Five statements, and pupils tick the three true reasons. Heavy rain and fire engines with sirens are the wrong ones.

3. Samuel Pepys and His Diary

Pupils choose between colour photographs and a diary as the way historians know about the fire, then name one thing Pepys buried in his garden.

4. Fighting the Fire

A two-row table. Pupils read what each tool did and write leather bucket or fire hook.

5. London Rebuilt: Before and After

Pupils sort wood, brick and stone, narrow streets and wider streets into a before and after table.

How teachers use it

Sources lesson

Use question 5 to start a talk about how we know things from the past without photographs.

Bucket chain

Before Section 4, pass a bucket along a line of pupils to show how slow it was to carry water from the Thames.

Local walk

After question 8, look at brick buildings near school and talk about why London was rebuilt in brick and stone.

More Year 2 History worksheets

Explorers: Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong Transport Through History

Get started today

Create your own lesson plans, worksheets, and classroom activities in minutes using our AI-powered tools.

Try Chalkie for free