This database includes articles, lesson plans and primary sources from the National WWI Museum and Memorial and our partners around the world, presented in collaboration with the United States World War One Centennial Commission. Be sure to join the mailing list to get updated content and resources every other month.
Do you have resources that you want to share or have questions? Contact us at education@theworldwar.org.
Teaching Resource Database
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World War I PostersCreator: Library of CongressThis selection of more than 1900 posters created between 1914 and 1920 from the collections of the Library of Congress deal with many aspects of life overseas and on the homefront during the First World War.View Online |
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World War I Sheet MusicCreator: Library of CongressThousands of pieces of sheet music from the collections of the Library of Congress, with the greatest number coming from the years of the United States' active involvement in the First World War and the immediate postwar period.View Online |
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Western Front at the CinemaWorld War: Choices and ConsequencesCreator: Facing History and OurselvesThis short article about the 1916 British film Battle of the Somme looks at its effectiveness in stirring public sentiment during the war. From Facing History and Ourselves, this article is part of a larger collection of readings that look into how WWI affected people's attitudes towards war and the value of human life. Discussion questions are included for use in the classroom.Read Online |
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With One VoiceThe American Musical Experience of World War ICreator: National World War I Museum and MemorialIt is easy to forget music's power to sway public opinion. Examining popular music during World War I helps us understand the public's changing sentiments about the war effort from the pacifist song "I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier" to the rousing war anthem "Over There." This essay by Dr. Kristin Griffeath explores America's various responses to the war through music while also examining how music was used as a propaganda tool to encourage all Americans to do their bit for the war effort.Download PDF |
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Gertrude SteinJewish Women's Archive - EncyclopediaCreator: Jewish Women's ArchiveFrom the Jewish Women's Archive, this encyclopedia entry details the life of American writer and iconoclast Gertrude Stein. Stein and her lifelong companion Alice Toklas volunteered for the American Fund for French Wounded during the war, delivering hospital supplies throughout the south of France.Read Online |
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Flying YanksAmerican Airmen in World War ICreator: American Battle Monuments CommissionPilots battled air-to-air to gain control of the sky. While the United States did not officially enter the war until nearly three years after it began, the “Flying Yanks” of World War I were into the fight well before that.Explore Online |
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CHANGING TECHNOLOGY, CHANGING TACTICSHow technology changed the way WWI was foughtCreator: National World War I Museum and MemorialWhy is WWI considered the first “modern” war? In this lesson, high school students will consider the advancement in technology and, specifically, adaptations of trench warfare based on technological advances through discussion, primary sources and a hands-on activity.Download PDF |
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Technology in World War ICreator: MacArthur MemorialUsing primary sources, students will use this worksheet to think critically about changes in technology that brought tanks, planes, and submarines to the battlefield. Download PDF |
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The Air Raids That Shook Britain In The First World WarCreator: Imperial War MuseumsDuring the First World War, Britain came under attack from the air, putting civilians in the firing line for the very first time. This article from the Imperial War Museums looks at air raids, and how the public reacted.Read Online |
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9 Women Reveal The Dangers Of Working In A First World War Munitions FactorySound StoryCreator: Imperial War MuseumsFollowing a shortage of shells in 1915, the Ministry of Munitions was founded to control Britain's output of war material. A number of new initiatives were soon introduced, including an appeal to women to register for war service work. Thousands of women volunteered. This "sound story" from the Imperial War Museums uses audio clips from interviews with British women to tell the story of their lives as munitions workers in World War I.View Online |
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WWI Maker ActivityMaking MusicCreator: Virginia Cooperative Extension 4-HGeneral Pershing believed that military bands were a key element in maintaining the morale of his soldiers. In this maker activity from the Virginia Cooperative Extension 4-H, young students will learn the history of music in WWI and then create their own musical instruments in a hands-on activity.Making Music - Handout (PDF), The History Behind it, Army Bands (PDF), The Science Behind it, Music (PDF) |
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Canada and the First World WarCreator: Canadian War MuseumFrom the Canadian War Museum, explore Canada's contributions to WWI. This series of articles looks into the history and technology of the war, through articles and objects from the museum's collection. Lesson plans and other teaching resources are also available.Explore Online |
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Zeppelins - Majestic and Deadly Airships of WWICreator: The Great War YouTube ChannelBalloons were used in war as early as the American Civil War, but the invention of the dirigible, a steerable airship, opened up the possibilities of this new technology. The German Army and Navy initially used Zeppelins for reconnaissance, but soon deployed them on bombing runs against civilian and military targets. To learn more about the use of Zeppelins during World War I, check out this nine-minute video from the Great War YouTube Channel.Watch Online |
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WWI Aviation History TimelineA Chronology of World War I Aviation EventsCreator: United States World War One Centennial CommissionCreated by Brigadier General R. G. Head, USAF (Ret.), the WWI Aviation History Timeline hosted by the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission provides a wealth of information about aviation before and during the First World War. Including information from almost all combatant nations, this resource provide a deep dive into aviation history.View Online |
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The Two Lives of Eugene BullardAmerican Experience: The Great WarCreator: PBSEugene Bullard was one of many Americans who joined the Lafayette Escadrille, a French aerial squadron of mostly American volunteers; however, Bullard was the only African American. He served with distinction under the French flag, but was rejected from joining the American Air Service because of his race. This article written by Cori Brosnahan in conjunction with the PBS American Experience special The Great War explores the life of Eugene Bullard.Read Online |
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about this project
The United States World War One Centennial Commission and the National World War I Museum and Memorial are dedicated to educating the public about the causes, events and consequences of the conflict and we encourage the use of these resources to better understand the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community.
Assisting in this endeavor are:
