Overview: Why Is the 1914-18 War Called the First World War?

Overview: Why is the 1914-18 war called the First World War?

Written for the Global Learning Programme Wales, these activities ask pupils why the Great War is now called the First World War, and investigate how global the conflict was. They commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917, and the death of the Welsh poet Hedd Wyn there. The main activity focuses on history, with development opportunities for PSE and literacy or Welsh.

GLP-W themes and outcomes

●  interdependence and globalisation

●  enquiry and critical thinking.

Curriculum links

History, Key Stage 2

●  Pupils will learn about a significant turning point in British history.

History, Key Stage 3

●  Pupils will learn about challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world (1901 to the present day, for example the First World War).

Resources

●  First World War activities and research

●  PowerPoint® of images for the activities

Development opportunities: history, literacy or Welsh and PSE

You could develop further work in history, and Curriculum Cymraeg, including by investigating:

●  one or more campaigns and comparing with the Western Front, for example using this BBC resource about German colonies and WW1 campaigns in Africa, or from the National Army Museum Empire and Commonwealth resources

●  the role of imperial troops in the First World War, for example using the Imperial War Museum site The Empire Called to Arms

●  the story of individual soldiers from the Empire, for example using the Memorial Gates Trust site

●  the Welsh contribution and the impact of the First World War, using the Wales at War site.

You could develop further work in literacy or Welsh, including by investigating

●  Hedd Wyn, his poetry and background, perhaps making comparisons with Anglo-Welsh and English war poets.

You could develop further work in PSE, for example by:

●  focusing onthe personal/human aspect ofconflict,and helping pupils to empathise with others,understand other’s perspectivesand develop mutual respect. For example, they could take a rights-based approach to help pupils think about how conflict can lead to denial of human rights.

●  Using the Great War as a real context for pupils tothink about and apply their conflict resolution skills, they could discuss and give their opinions on key questions such as:

o  What is conflict?

o  Why does conflict begin?

o  What does fighting/war achieve?

o  How can conflict be avoided/resolved?

●  Investigating and applying these principles in the 21st century, for example:

o  the‘Peace, conflict and security’GLP-W web page has links tolots of free downloadable resources at http://glpw.globaldimension.org.uk/pages/10889

o  The Wales for Peace website also has information about teaching activities, some bilingual: http://www.walesforpeace.org/wfp/learning-peaceschools.html and http://www.walesforpeace.org/wfp/learning.html

o  Wales for Peace's Remembering For Peace pack supports Key Stage 2 to 4 learners in understanding the impact of WWI and subsequent wars on people in Wales and beyond, available from Hwb: https://hwb.wales.gov.uk/resources/resource/3232dcf7-1089-4087-883e-f43067e4acfb/en

Critical thinking opportunities

●  explain, reason and think about evidence, for example the sources of information

●  looking for hidden meanings or perspectives, for example from groups unrepresented in a discussion or issue

●  express a point of view, understand that people have different points of view.