starter activity

This is a government photo of life in the trenches. Watch the short film clip and make a note of all the things that were different according to soldiers who fought in them. Why are the two views different?

Click to begin

What was life What was life really like in the really like in the

trenches?trenches?To find out about conditions To find out about conditions in the trenches and why the in the trenches and why the

government thought government thought censorshipcensorship was necessary was necessary

Aims

Study this cross-section for Study this cross-section for 2 mins.2 mins.

What can you remember?What can you remember?

How were portrayals of life in the trenches back home and the reality of

fighting different?

Exposure to the elements

Mud & water

Trench foot

Debilitating Injuries

Read the sources your teacher gives Read the sources your teacher gives you and answer these questions:you and answer these questions: How similar is the description of a How similar is the description of a

trench in source 1 to the previous trench in source 1 to the previous diagram?diagram?

Read sources 2-4. Which source Read sources 2-4. Which source provides the most vivid and accurate provides the most vivid and accurate account of trench warfare?account of trench warfare?

Your taskYour task

PlenaryPlenary

Go onto the BBC history website and Go onto the BBC history website and have a go at the interactive task which have a go at the interactive task which your teacher shows you. The aim is to your teacher shows you. The aim is to plan an attack on your enemy’s plan an attack on your enemy’s trenches using the weapons and trenches using the weapons and soldiers available to you. You need to soldiers available to you. You need to take into account any hazards you may take into account any hazards you may face caused for example, by the face caused for example, by the weather or the strength of your weather or the strength of your opponents.opponents.

Letters home. Letters home. What did soldiers What did soldiers

write about in their write about in their letters home?letters home?

Life in the trenchesLife in the trenches

CensorshipCensorship

Your taskYour task

Imagine you a re a British soldier Imagine you a re a British soldier writing home to a loved one back in writing home to a loved one back in ‘‘BlightyBlighty’. Write about the following ’. Write about the following things:things: Daily workDaily work HealthHealth FoodFood Living conditionsLiving conditions

Success criteriaSuccess criteria

Satisfactory Satisfactory letterletter

Good letterGood letter OutstandingOutstanding

Mentions Mentions some not all some not all of the of the following: following: daily work, daily work, health, food, health, food, living living conditionsconditions

Mentions all Mentions all of the key of the key categories, categories, but some in but some in more detail more detail than othersthan others

Mentions all Mentions all four factors, four factors, but also but also draws on draws on other other evidence, e.g. evidence, e.g. from the from the video clip. video clip. Writes in the Writes in the appropriate appropriate register.register.

Follow-up taskFollow-up task

Email your letter to a partner, who is Email your letter to a partner, who is a a censorcensor for the British government. for the British government. Highlight in blue any information Highlight in blue any information you would not allow to be sent. This you would not allow to be sent. This was called ‘was called ‘blue pencilling’ blue pencilling’ Insert Insert a comment box explaining why you a comment box explaining why you have blue-pencilled certain sections.have blue-pencilled certain sections.