Life and sacrifice during World War I
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Introduction
Students explore what life was like for Australians during World War I, including the sacrifice made by soldiers in battle and civilians on the home front. They view the video ‘Four brothers lost in battle’ and analyse a range of sources to draw conclusions about how life was affected by the war and the experiences, thoughts and feelings of people at the time. This activity brings together a number of historical concepts, including historical empathy, sources and evidence.
Achievement standard
By the end of Year 9, students refer to key events and the actions of individuals and groups to explain patterns of change and continuity over time. They analyse the causes and effects of events and developments and make judgments about their importance. They explain the motives and actions of people at the time. Students explain the significance of these events and developments over the short and long term. They explain different interpretations of the past.
Students sequence events and developments within a chronological framework, with reference to periods of time and their duration. When researching, students develop different kinds of questions to frame a historical inquiry. They interpret, process, analyse and organise information from a range of primary and secondary sources and use it as evidence to answer inquiry questions. Students examine sources to compare different points of view. When evaluating these sources, they analyse origin and purpose, and draw conclusions about their usefulness. They develop their own interpretations about the past. Students develop texts, particularly explanations and discussions, incorporating historical interpretations. In developing these texts and organising and presenting their conclusions, they use historical terms and concepts, evidence identified in sources, and they reference these sources.
Content descriptions
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
The places where Australians fought and the nature of warfare during World War I, including the Gallipoli campaign (ACDSEH095).
The impact of World War I, with a particular emphasis on Australia including the changing role of women (ACDSEH096).
Historical Skills
Identify the origin, purpose and context of primary and secondary sources (ACHHS169).
Use Identify and analyse the perspectives of people from the past (ACHHS172).
Teacher resources
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Four brothers lost in battle
Student learning resources
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Four brothers lost in battle
Tax and welfare on the home front - Sources
Life on the home front (World War I)
Suggested activity sequence
This sequence is intended as a framework to be modified and adapted by teachers to suit the needs of a class group. If you assign this activity to a class, your students will be assigned all student resources on their 'My learning' page. You can also hand-pick the resources students are assigned by selecting individual resources when you add a work item to a class in 'My classes'.
Part A: The story of four brothers
- As a class, develop a Y-chart of what living in Australia during World War I might have looked like, sounded like and felt like.
- Play: Four brothers lost in battle. This video tells the story of the Watherston brothers who lost their lives in World War I.
- As they view the video, students complete part 1 of the Four brothers lost in battle worksheet.
- Students individually complete part 2 of the worksheet.
Part B: Source analysis
- Students:
- read Sources H – O
- complete the Life on the home front worksheet.
- Revisit the Y-chart students completed at the beginning of the activity and invite students to add to it.
- Conduct a class discussion on student findings. Possible discussion points include:
- Why do you think people on the home front sacrificed so much during the war?
- In the face of great tragedy, what benefits did the war bring to individuals or the community, if any?
This activity could be done in groups and then group findings shared with the class. Use a visual brainstorming technique such as an affinity diagram.
- Students to read Source P and each group discusses:
- The views of the creator.
- How the creator would feel about
- taxing people to fund the war effort
- asking people to make sacrifices to their lifestyles to further the war effort.
- How the view of the creator contrasts with the views of others expressed in the sources.
Choose a discussion strategy to promote collaboration and participation, such as talking cards.
- Conduct a class discussion on student findings.