Here you will find lesson plans and other education resources created by the National WWI Museum and Memorial.
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Animals of the Great WarThe Impact of Animals During WWIK - 5, 6 - 8Animals played a large role during the conflict known as the Great War. From traditional warfare animals such as horses and dogs to exotic animals such as lions, monkeys, and bears, animals of all types were important to both the war effort and to the morale of the troops on the front lines. In this lesson, elementary and middle school students will examine the use of different animals in various aspects of war. Students will then create their own museum exhibit based on the contributions of one particular animal.Download PDF, Download Accompanying PowerPoint |
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Breaking News: June 28, 1914Austrian Heir and His Wife Murdered in Bosnian CapitalK - 5, 6 - 8, 9 - 12, OtherThis handout from the National World War I Museum and Memorial, written in the style of a breaking news alert, explains the events of June 28, 1914, when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated.Download PDF, View Online |
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CHANGING TECHNOLOGY, CHANGING TACTICSHow technology changed the way WWI was fought6 - 8, 9 - 12Why 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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CREATING WWI PERSONAS AND WRITING POSTCARDS FROM THE FRONTUnderstanding the Human Experience of WWI Through Correspondence9 - 12In this collaborative lesson, students will utilize their understanding of the history of WWI and the impact it had on individual young men and women in the war by creating personas of individuals from that time and corresponding with a peer, writing postcards from the front.Download PDF |
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CSI Holy LandWWI in the Middle East: Analyzing Primary Source Documents9 - 12How was the Middle East connected to the origins of WWI? What did war in the Middle East look like? How was the peace process different for the Middle East than it was for European nations? This lesson helps students develop their reading, writing and analytical skills, while also learning more about World War I and the modern Middle East. Students read primary accounts (diaries and newspaper accounts), analyze visual images (photographs and drawings), conduct research and create a documentary or news program.Download PDF, Download Accompanying Articles |
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Dangers of the Printed WordMedia and the Armenian Massacres9 - 12This upper high school lesson looks at the Armenian massacres as a launching point for 20th century genocides. The primary focus of the project is to delve into the role the media plays in chronicling and sharing the events of the Armenian massacres as well as the impact it has on the outcome of the massacres and the reaction of the international community.Download PDF |
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DisloyaltyCivil Liberties in America During World War I9 - 12, OtherPresident Woodrow Wilson created the Committee on Public Information (CPI) to mold Americans into “one white-hot mass” of war patriotism. Congress also passed the Espionage Act (1917) and the Sedition Act (1918) to curb wartime dissent. These methods of garnering support for the war allowed for suppression of civil liberties. This lesson plan encourages students to look critically at these acts and decide for themselves when is it acceptable to limit American civil rights.Download PDF, Download Documents (zip), Download Accompanying PowerPoint |
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Document Based QuestionGerman-Americans in WWI: Facing Challenges at Home9 - 12What challenges did German-Americans face after the United States entered World War I? Students will analyze primary source documents, including propaganda posters, letters, and legislation, to understand the attitudes and challenges faced by the German-American community, and how they responded.Download PDF |
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Document Based QuestionUnited States Enters WWI: Weighing the Decision to Enter the War9 - 12The United States’ decision to declare war on Germany in 1917 was not made lightly. While many citizens supported the declaration of war, there were many that stood opposed. These primary sources represent arguments made by both sides of the issue as the nation wrestled with a decision that would forever change the United States’ role in global affairs.Download PDF |
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Document Based QuestionPeace Talks and Self-Determination9 - 12In his Fourteen Points proposal, President Woodrow Wilson advocated for self-determination and the interests of the populations of colonial territories, but who exactly did Wilson intended to receive rights of self-determination? Students are asked to evaluate an historian’s arguments with review of related primary documents, highlighting the experience of post-WWI colonies.Download PDF |
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Economics of WarA Study in Finance and Patriotism9 - 12War bonds are a financial concept that have been around since the Civil War. The bonds, whose campaigns were often patriotic in nature, were readily used to decrease financial burdens in conflicts from WWI to the Vietnam War, and briefly in support of anti-terrorism. Using Liberty Loan bonds of WWI as a point of study, students can use this lesson plan to create connections to financial obligations the United States government faced in Iraq and Afghanistan.Download PDF, Download Accompanying PowerPoint |
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Lessons of Liberty: PatriotismAnalyze WWI Propaganda Posters6 - 8, 9 - 12This lesson plan asks students to examine their understanding of "patriotism" by analyzing over 60 primary source propaganda posters that called America to action during World War I.Download PDF |
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Lest the Ages ForgetNational Veterans Day ProjectK - 5, 6 - 8, 9 - 12Lest the Ages Forget provides teachers with a unique opportunity to educate K-12 students using primary sources and to enhance their historical thinking.Download PDF |
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Letters HomeLetters Inspired by Investigating WWI PhotosK - 5, 6 - 8In this lesson, students research primary source photographs from World War I, to create a "letter home" to describe the scene, all while answering the following questions: "What can we learn about World War I from photographs?"; "How can research into a soldier’s family history help us understand the wider impact of World War I?"; and "How can close examination of a photo help us understand a different time period?"Download PDF |
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LIMITS OF MODERN SCIENCEVideo and Discussion Questions9 - 12, OtherAdvances in medicine have prevented the recurrence of another global Influenza outbreak on the scale of a century ago, yet weaknesses to new viruses remain. In his lecture “Influenza’s Threat: Then and Now,” Dr. Powel H. Kazanjian, Professor and Chief, Division of Infection Diseases at University of Michigan Medical Center, explored past and present preparedness for pandemics. Though a lecture from 2018, it draws timely parallels between the COVID-19 outbreak and the Influenza pandemic of 100 years before - watch the video on YouTube, then answer the provided discussion questions.Download Lesson |