Teaching World War I in the 21st Century 1 | Page 14

TEACHER, WHAT’S
A HUN?
AN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE ON TEACHING
WORLD WAR I
Matthew D. Elms, Singapore American School, Singapore

As the 100th anniversary of World War I approaches,

War, by Sheila Keenan. For students more interested

of its horrors. Given all that background noise, how can

Morpurgo, and of course the classic All Quiet on the

news stories, television features, and museum displays

will be cobbled together with a variety of materials and
memorials from around the world to remind viewers

teachers find a fresh approach to teaching a 100-yearold topic, a long-ago war that tends to be forgotten

compared to a more recent global conflict, World War II?
Secondary students are drawn to studying World War
II because the people, events, and locations all seem

so extraordinary. What’s more, a number of books on

World War II have recently been published, including

The Boy in The Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne, Bomb:
Dangerous Weapon, by Steven Sheinkin, and The Book
The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most

Thief, by Marcus Zusak. But most students arrive in the
classroom with little knowledge of or interest in the
complex issues surrounding World War I.

A great place to start is to have a variety of books
on World War I available for students in English

and Social Studies classrooms, including narrative

non-fiction titles such as Truce: The Day the Soldiers
Stopped Fighting, by Jim Murphy, The War to End All

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Wars: World War I, by Russell Freedman, and Dogs of
Essays & Resources

in historical fiction, try The Foreshadowing, by Marcus
Sedgwick, Kirby Larson’s Hattie Big Sky, My Brother’s
Shadow, by Monika Schröder, War Horse, by Michael

Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque. There are also

a few recent books designed to entice reluctant readers,
such as Archie’s War Scrapbook, by Marcia Williams,

and Where Poppies Grow: A World War I Companion, by
Linda Granfield.

Instead of having the whole class read the same book,
teachers might ask students to select one based on
their interest and reading level. Instructors should

read each book on the list prior to recommending, to

check for age-appropriate content and readability, and

assure they can speak confidently about all the options.
Small book groups of three to four students may allow
students to access the texts at their reading level.

No matter which books they select, students will need
historical background information to support their
reading. Note that any information provided in the

classroom should be straightforward and direct; limited
text, accompanied by appealing visuals, often proves to
be the most compelling format. Focus on the causes of