The First Great War: The Western Front

Life in the Trenches

Still under construction:  Last updated April 25, 2007

dlawrenc@gfalls.wednet.edu

Overview|Introduction|Task |Process|Resources|Evaluation|Conclusion

This WebQuest will give insight into the lives of the people who lived and experienced World War I.  The essential questions we must answer in the project are:

• Which factor(s) played the biggest role in causing the conflict resulting in WWI?  Each factor must be explicitly supported by evidence .

• What are four (or more) factors that helped cause the conflict?  At least one should address an economic factor, and you must be explicit in identifying the four factors.

• How did World War I affect the development of history and the people who lived through and after it? In your research and paper you must show examples of these.

The lesson is designed with high school World History students in mind.

Washington Essential Academic Learning Requirements standards for History addressed in this WebQuest are:   

• EALR 1. Examines and understands major ideas, eras, themes, developments, turning points, chronology, and cause-effect    relationships in history.   

• EALR 2. Understands the origin and impact of ideas and technological developments on history.  

You will work alone to accomplish one of the following projects::  all projects/presentations must be accompanied by an essay which shows and discusses, in detail, facts about persons, places, conditions, ideas, and events which you depict in your project.

• Create a "museum" exhibition model which shows uniforms, weaponry, diary entries, or any other artifacts that represent World War I.  There must be a minimum of 30 items in the exhibit, and each must be clearly labeled and identified in detail.  This could be done in the form of a PowerPoint presentation instead of a model.  The presentation, whether model or PowerPoint, must be accompanied by an essay which shows how the items were used in the war, who used them, and a background on the history and origin of each item.

• Assume the role of a person living in Europe or of an American soldier or medic serving in Europe during the war.  Write a 30-day diary depicting your life during the war.  Include photos of people, places and items that are important to this person and his/her role in the war.

• Assume the role of a loved-one in America who has a family member or spouse serving in some capacity in the war.  Write 10 letters to them.  The letters should tell of how the war overseas is affecting life in America.  They should also be written to lift the spirits of the reader (loved-one).  Each letter should also have a responsive letter from the person who is serving in the war. The war participant must also write 10 letters in response so that we see the conversation in the correspondence.  Make sure that anything you put in the letters is based on facts you can back up. Photographs might add an interesting aspect to this project.

• Choose two major battles of the war.  Using PowerPoint, Publisher, Word, or posters, show and write about how those battles impacted the countries involved in them.  Include information about which side had the advantage, who won each battle, and what the final outcome of the war was.  How was history influenced by the outcome?

• Choose one major world or military leader of World War I.  Using PowerPoint, Publisher, Word, or posters, show and write about how that person contributed to either the conflict itself or the resolution of the conflict.  How did he/she interact with other world leaders or with the military?

   

  Each of the above projects will require that you turn in a list of your resources except for the PowerPoint presentation. It should have the final slide as its bibliography slide.

Overview|Introduction|Task |Process|Resources|Evaluation|Conclusion /~~~~~~~~~~~~~/~/~~~~~~~~~~~~~/

Process

1. Step One. Research using a minimum of 5 internet resources and 5 books.

2. Step Two. Take notes on note cards and keep track of your books and internet sites in you journal.

3. Step Three. Organize your cards/notes into categories and topics you wish to address in your paper and create and outline.

4. Step Four. Using only your notes and outline, write your rough draft paper.

5. Step Five. Edit and reorganize your paper and create a final copy.  This must be a minimum of 5 double-spaced and typed pages.

6. Step Six. Create your visual effects for your presentation.  This could be hand-drawn, PowerPoint, collage, poster, model, or other medium that you get teacher's okay on.

7. Step Seven.  Rehearse your presentation at home so that you are comfortable making the presentation.  NOTE: no matter what form of visual you create, it CANNOT contain a "script" for you to read.  It may not be read from as your presentation.  You must memorize all the information that you intend to present to the class.

Keep in mind the essential question:  "How did World War I affect the development of history and the people who lived through and after it?"

Overview|Introduction|Task |Process|Resources|Evaluation|Conclusion

/~~~~~~~~~~~~~/~/~~~~~~~~~~~~~/

Resources

Be sure to check out all of the links and pictures. You will be able to find information to use with all of them.

What was it all about?

 

~~~~~~~~

Weaponry and Major Battles

                                                                               

~~~~~~~~

Letters of WWI

http://www.thewarpage.com/ww1ltr.html

~~~~~~~~

Soldiers

http://docsouth.unc.edu/wwi/hyams/menu.html

~~~~~~~~

Pilots

http://mgenlrchase.fortunecity.net/

 ~~~~~~~~

Medics and Nurses

http://www.ku.edu/carrie/specoll/medical/photos/med5.htm

~~~~~~~~

Military Leaders

http://www.duke.edu/~hgoemans/Leaders.htm

~~~~~~~~~

Major Players in the War

http://www.duke.edu/~hgoemans/Leaders.htm

~~~~~~~~~

Women in the War

http://www.pitt.edu/~pugachev/greatwar/Vera%20Brittain.jpg

~~~~~~~~

Flanders Field

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=history/firstwar/mccrae

In addition to the links above, you should also use reference books which are available in the library.  These may include Encyclopedias, biographies, or other reference books you find on your topic(s).

Overview|Introduction|Task |Process|Resources|Evaluation|Conclusion

/~~~~~~~~~~~~~/~/~~~~~~~~~~~~~/

Evaluation

Make your presentation to the class.   Each person will use the rubric below on other groups' presentations to compare information. Each student will then fill out a rubric for each presentation.  Finally, the class will discuss what has been learned.

World War 1 WebQuest: Presentation Rubric

Did the presentations help answer:  "How did World War I affect the development of history and the people who lived through and after it?"

(printer friendly version)

Names of presenters _____________________________________________________ Name of scorer______________________________

CATEGORY	Possible Points 90	Score explanation	Points given
Creative:  Uses pictures, sounds, and interesting facts to draw and keep class attention.	Up to 10
Factual - range of facts: Presented in a way that demonstrated knowledge of the subject.  Was able to answer questions to the satisfaction of the listeners.	Up to 30
How portrayed - presentation:  Draws the audience in.  Includes visual interest and sounds to maintain audience interest.  Was confident in the presentation.	Up to 30
Includes specific evidence: Was able to cite interesting details that added to the clarity of the information and the understanding on the part of the listener.	Up to 20
Use of materials:  Used the Power  effectively.  Went beyond the minimum to present an outstanding project.	Bonus: up to 4 points

Post-presentation Questions

(printer friendly version)

After all presentations have been made and discussed, you will write answers to theses questions:

1. What did you learn from your partner that you had not found?
2. What did you learn from other groups that your group did not find?
3. How was the United States finally convinced to enter World War I?
4. What are some major things that happened in Europe as a direct result of the war?
5.  How did World War I affect the United States?
6. Where is Flanders Field, and of what significance is it?
   

 

 

Overview|Introduction|Task |Process|Resources|Evaluation|Conclusion

/~~~~~~~~~~~~~/~/~~~~~~~~~~~~~/

Conclusion

(printer friendly version)

By researching individually and with a partner, then sharing information and ideas with a group, we have been able to present a comprehensive picture of those who lived different but relevant lives through World War I. Hopefully, this project has made you understand the hardships and lives of those who lived during this time.

Were you stimulated to find out more about any aspect of World War I than this assignment required?

How could you have presented your project in a different manner?  Would your outcome have been different?

Were you able to work cooperatively with your partner, share ideas, and come to a compromise when you did not agree entirely with each other?  How did you resolve your issues?

Did questions come up in your research, or in putting your information together, that made it easier or more difficult to put your project into its final form?

Did you reach a greater understanding of  how  World War I affected the development of history and the people who lived through and after it?

Overview|Introduction|Task |Process|Resources|Evaluation|Conclusion

/~~~~~~~~~~~~~/~/~~~~~~~~~~~~~/

Send questions to Mrs. Lawrence

~~/~/~~