WWI: Tactics, Weapons and Battles

1. WWI: Tactics, Weapons and Battles Lesson starter Use the pictures to identify some of the key weapons used on the Western Front in the First World War.

2. We are learning to… • Describe the Use of technology in the First World War • Compare historical sources

3. I can… • Research new technology in WWI • Identify similarities & differences between historical sources & back them up with evidence

4. Background • Before WWI, Britain had won wars with heavy artillery and cavalry (soldiers on horseback) • New technology in WWI, such as the machine gun and poison gas, changed the course of war forever • Britain had to modernise their army quickly in 1914 in order to be able to compete with Germany • Why cavalry didnt work in WWI

5. The New Technology of War Use your Ipad to research the key weapons of WWI Create a presentation which contains detailed information about • The Machine Gun • Poison Gas & Gas Masks • Tanks • Aeroplanes • Zeppelins • Torpedoes You must ensure your information is detailed as you will be assessed on your knowledge of weapons in the next task. You may also wish to include the Lee Enfield rifle which every soldier had however this was not technically ‘new technology’

6. Reliable Websites • http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW1/weapons.htm • http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zs666sg • http://spartacus-educational.com/FWWweapons.htm • http://firstworldwar.com/weaponry/ • TIP – when searching for any weapon include the term ‘WWI’ or you may find information which is not relevant to our time period

7. Use the clues to identify the weapon, write it on your iPad screen and show the teacher when asked to do so. Who am I?

8. I am new to WWI. I need a crew of between 4-6 men to work me properly. I was the 2nd biggest killer of men in the war.

9. I am the only weapon who can ‘swim’. I helped make the USA join the war in 1917.

10. I first showed my face in 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. I am bulletproof, but very slow.

11. I cause a very slow and painful death. Soldiers fear me more than anything. I come in different forms.

12. My nickname is a ‘blimp’ You can see me in the sky. I was used less and less as the war went on.

13. I was new to WWI. I was good at spying on the enemy and locating their guns and command posts. As the war went on I got better at carrying guns & bombs.

14. Answers – Peer Assess • Machine Gun • Torpedo • Tank • Gas • Zeppelin • Aeroplane 6 = Green 3,4,5 = Amber 0-2 = Red

15. Task: Comparing Sources • On the next slides you will see sets of historical sources • Within these sources there will be at least three agreements or disagreements • Sometimes both sources will make the same point, or they might contradict each other • Your job is to write down all the agreements/ disagreements you notice.

16. 1 Source B The tank had it’s strong points but it’s speed held it back as a weapon – it could only move about 3-4 miles per hours. It could be unreliable too, getting stuck in the mud and breaking down when you needed it most. There were special tank regiments, and the men in them were all trained on how to run and maintain them. According to those men, inside a tank was like hell, with fumes and black smoke and total darkness. I’ll tell you one thing that was good though. The look on the German faces when they saw the big tanks coming towards them; they were petrified.

17. Peer Assess - answers • Agree – tanks were slow • Agree – tanks scared German opponents • Agree – tanks got stuck in the mud • Agree – tanks broke down • Agree – terrible conditions inside tanks for crew

18. Source E 2

19. Peer Assess - answers • Agree – ground was churned up by shells • Agree – no man’s land was a barren landscape • Agree – it was a struggle to get out the trenches • Agree – dangers of crossing no mans land

20. 3

21. Comparison Question Write UpUse set of sources 3 You should start with a list of the overall areas of agreement/ disagreement between the sources. Copy & Complete: Overall, Sources B and C generally agree on conditions in the trenches. They agree that… (list the areas of agreement )

22. Then you should work through each agreement & disagreement and explain • What they agree on • Quote to back up Copy and Complete for each agreement: Source B and Source agree that ______. Source B says “…” and Source C says “…”

23. Peer Assess - answers • Agree – Trenches were waterlogged • Agree – shells went off constantly • Agree – deep mud in trenches

24. We were learning to… • Describe the Use of technology in the First World War • Compare historical sources

25. Did I… • Research new technology in WWI • Identify similarities & differences between historical sources & back them up with evidence

26. First World War Battles Lesson starter: Write down all the advantages and disadvantages of; • The machine gun • The Tank Which was the better weapon? Justify your answer.

27. We are learning to… • Describe the events of Key Battles in WWI • Organise information from research

28. I can… • Create a fact file on the Battle of Loos • Create an Academic Poster on the Battle of the Somme

29. Background • Although the war lasted four years, within those years there were a number of battles or offensives • This was when one side planned a ‘big push’ in order to break the deadlock of trench warfare • Two key offensives of the British were those of Loos in 1915 and the Somme in 1916

30. Gathering Information • If we were learning about a battle, what sort of information would we want to find out? • Brainstorm your ideas with your group, coming up with a list of things a historian would be looking for.

31. Success Criteria • Now, your teacher will bring your ideas together as a class to draw up a success criteria for a FactFile on the Battle of Loos • Once the class have agreed on what you are looking for, you will have a set amount of time to research the Battle of Loos and produce a FactFile on the Battle

32. Presenting Historical Information 1:Loos 1915 Factfile Date From/To: Who was involved: Leader: Strategy: No of Troops: Weapons: Deaths & Casualties: Outcome: Any other Info:

33. Key Facts: Loos 1915 The Battle became known as ‘The Scottish Battle due to high numbers of Scots involved Five Scots won Victoria Crosses at the Battle for bravery Of 72 infantry battalions taking part in the first phase of the battle, half were Scottish. Of the 20,598 names of the dead on the memorial at Loos one-third are Scottish

34. The Battle of the Somme Investigation Watch the Documentary on the Battle of the Somme • You should take detailed notes on the events of the Battle of the Somme • You will use these notes to create an Academic poster on the Battle, so the more information you have the easier this will be

35. Presenting Historical Information 1:What is an Academic Poster? An academic poster is a way of displaying information you have found through research in an organised and attractive way • It divides information into clear sections • It contains graphs & diagrams to enhance the information • Use the template on the next page as a guide

36. The Battle of the Somme 1916 Introduction Tactics/ Strategy Personnel Weapons Results Conclusions

37. The Battle of the Somme 1916 Introduction Here you should provide an introduction to the Battle, i.e. when, where, why Tactics/ Strategy What did the British plan? Personnel Who were the soldiers? How many were involved? Who led them? Weapons What weapons were used? How successful were they? Results How successful was the Battle? What was gained? Deaths, casualties etc. Conclusion What have you learned? What is your view on the strategy, leadership etc.?

38. Guidelines for Academic posters • Headings should be clear and readable from around 2metres • 2-3 colours should make up the colour scheme and they should be relevant to the topic • Sections can contain text, graphs, diagrams or a combination • The poster should have at least one non-text source of information • Written information should be organised and concise e.g. bullet points, paragraphs, tables • Leave a border around the edge

39. Useful sites to help with your poster • http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/higherscottishhistory/impactofthegreatwar/scotsonthewesternfront/battleofloos.asp • http://www.bbc.co.uk/timelines/ztngxsg

40. What have I learned?Work clockwise, giving 5 points for each from memory. See how far you can go round in the time given.

41. We were learning to… • Describe the events of Key Battles in WWI • Organise information from research

42. Did I… • Create a fact file on the Battle of Loos • Create an Academic Poster on the Battle of the Somme