WWI Education Resources for Teachers

The information given here is intended to provide helpful pointers for teachers looking for resources for personal experiences of the First World War, the 1914-1918 Home Front, the meaning of “Remembrance”, planning for Remembrance Day assemblies and projects, and preparing for visits to see the battlefields of the Western Front.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has produced a wide variety of free online and downloadable documents, presentations and advice for teachers with relation to the subject of the study of the First World War, visits to the military cemeteries in the care of this organization and the theme of “Remembrance”. Ideas for assemblies to commemorate Remembrance Day, aspects of commemorating those who have died in battle and free publications, DVDs and CDs available to schools from the Commission are included in a comprehensive section on the CWGC website devoted to education resources.

Main features of the CWGC's education section include:

The Learning Zone

Information and easy to use guide on cross-curricular resources provided by the CWGC. This includes guidance on Keystage levels, subjects, assemblies, CD and DVD, printed materials and an interactive website about footballers who served in the First World War.

Respect!

A micro-site within the CWGC website to help you get the most out of a school visit to a military cemetery. It offers advice on planning a tour, ideas for the visit and feedback on how successful school trips to the cemeteries can be.

Passing of the WW1 Generation

On 11^th November 2009 a ceremony was held at Westminster Abbey to mark the passing of the WW1 generation. A number of free online resources for primary schools and secondary schools were made available in this section of the CWGC website, together with a selection of useful links for teachers to commemorate Remembrance Day and ideas of how to get involved with Remembrance Day and other commemorative events.
CWGC and Imperial War Museum Teaching Resources

The CWGC and the Imperial War Museum work together to produce resources in the form of historical notes and teaching activities for teachers to use.

For details about the CWGC and its education services visit the Learning Zone on the CWGC website at:

Website: www.cwgc.org

Durham County Record Office: The Learning Zone

Durham County Record Office offers an education service to teachers and students including visits to the Record Office, outreach visits to schools, resource packs from Keystage 1 to 5 and web units.

Telephone: Educational Archivist on 0191-383 4210

Website: nd.durham.gov.uk

The Great War Society: Living History

The Great War Society is a non profit making organisation. It is a society based in the UK. It was founded in 1984 to provide an opportunity for practical research into the uniforms, weapons, equipment, training and everyday tasks of Great War soldiers, both of the Allied and Central powers.

Website: www.thegreatwarsociety.com

Guards Regimental Museum, London

The Guards Museum is very keen to encourage school visits and help with education resources for teachers and young people. For more information visit the website at:

Website: www.theguardsmuseum.com/Schools-Education

Imperial War Museum Duxford: Learning

The Imperial War Museum Duxford provides a learning programme suitable for all ages. This includes workshops, illustrated talks, tours, handling sessions, role-play, talking with veterans and Special Days. These activities can be joined by organized group visits or informal self-directed tours on a visit to the museum.

Information on resources for teachers and educational visits to the museum is available at the Imperial War Museum Duxford website:

Website: Learning at www.duxford.iwm.org.uk

Imperial War Museum London: Learning

The Education Department at the Imperial War Museum London (IWM) offers group visits, events, teaching programmes and film showings. In addition, there is a range of learning resources available to buy from the museum shop including education packs and books.

“Their Past — Your Future”

Resources are available to teachers and students through the museum's online resource entitled “Their Past — Your Future”. This includes six types of learning resource, these being: historical notes, personal stories, teaching activities, source enquiries, source packs and itneraries.

Website: Learning at www.iwm.org.uk.

Khaki Devil: Living History

The founders of Khaki Devil, Taff Gillingham and Kev Smith, are both collectors of uniforms and equipment, providing historical advice for film and television.

In addition, for those groups with a very limited budget they have also established a service specifically aimed at schools, amateur dramatic societies and community theatre. For details see AmDram & School Productions on the Khaki Devil website.

Email: Contact Taff or Kevin at khakidevil@taffmail.demon.co.uk

Telephone: + 44 (0) 1473 712 723

Fax: + 44 (0) 1473 716 363

Website: www.khakidevil.co.uk

National Army Museum, London

The Education Department offers talks, taught sessions and workshops by its team of teachers and museum educators. For details of how to plan and book a visit be found at the National Army Museum website.

Website: Education at the National Army Museum

National Maritime Museum, London

The museum caters for group visits, guided tours and UK school groups. Information for schools and teachers, adult learning, families, community development, students and tutors can be found on the museum website at:

Website: National Maritime Museum: Group & School Visits

Royal Air Force Museum Hendon, London

Information about educational activities for individual visitors and groups of children at all levels is available from the museum website at:

Website: Royal Air Force Museum Hendon Access & Learning

Spartacus Educational

Spartacus Educational is an online active learning resource produced by John Simkin, BA, MA, MPhil.

The encyclopaedia of the First World War on the Spartacus Educational website is created in sections, these being: Chronology, Outbreak of War, Allied Armed Forces, Central Powers, Important Battles, Technology, Political Leaders, British Home Front, Military Leaders, Trench War, The Soldiers and Major Offensives.

First World War Poetry Digital Archive

The website also includes the First World War Poetry Digital Archive. This is an online repository of more than 7,000 items for teaching, learning and research. They include text, images, audio and video.

For more information about the Digital Archive and its contents and this comprehensive resource visit the website.

Website: Encyclopaedia of the First World War at Spartacus Educational

The National Archives, Kew, London

The National Archives at Kew brings history to life with a variety of resources both online and as taught sessions. A range of records held at the archive can be accessed for different periods in history from medieval to the present day. The First World War is covered within “Early 20th Century 1901-1918”. Themes for this period include: Liberal reforms, suffragettes and the First World War.

Resources are available for teachers and for students, with advice on how to visit the archive and use the resources, activities, Key Stage related topics and news bulletins. For information visit the Education section of the National Archives website at:

Website: The National Archives: Education

The Royal British Legion

The Royal British Legion produces a learning pack to help and advise teachers and leaders of young people's organizations on how to introduce themes related to “ Remembrance” to young people. The pack supports learning in the National Curriculum from Key Stages 1 to 4. Posters are available and the pack can be downloaded.

There is also information about the scheme called Postcards to Veterans and advice on planning a battlefield tour.

For further information to to the Remembrance: Schools and Young People section of the Royal British Legion website at:

Website: Remembrance: Schools and Young People

The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset

The Tank Museum in Dorset is an established centre for learning with activities supporting the National Curriculum. The museum offers services for individuals and groups wanting to learn about the subjects of warfare, history and the Royal Armoured Corps regiments. For information about the services for teachers, schools, students in higher education and access to the archive resources go to The Tank Museum website at:

Website: Learning & Research at The Tank Museum

United Kingdom National Inventory of War Memorials (UKNIWM)

This project is supported by the Imperial War Museum (London). It is a project to list and locate over 60,000 war memorials in the United Kingdom.

A database of names featured on the United Kingdom war memorials, which was started in conjuction with the Channel 4 programme “Lost Generation”, is currently unavailable to browse. It is currently being retrieved and will then be available as an integral part of this whole project.

For further information about how to use the UKNIWM as a resource now, and how it plans to develop material for use by teachers once the database of names is available, you are welcome to contact the project through the website at:

Website: www.ukniwm.org.uk