Teaching World War I in the 21st Century 1 | Page 54

• As students enter, display the following prompt: Describe the experience of putting your hand in cold
water. Students can write a response in their notebooks or share orally.

• Next uncover the water and have the students come forward and briefly put one hand in the water. Have
paper towels on hand for students.

• Ask them if experiencing the cold water firsthand better prepared them to respond to the prompt. Discuss.

Student responses should indicate that firsthand experiences better prepare them to respond to the prompt.

• Explain that they will be working in groups to analyze poems written by World War I soldiers. The students will
use the poems to determine what physical and psychological or emotional conditions the soldiers experienced
and how the soldiers responded. Divide the students into groups and distribute all materials. Students should
work with their groups to analyze the poems and complete the Graphic Organizer for the remainder of class.

• Students should reconvene with their groups and complete the Graphic Organizer if necessary.

Day 2 Procedure:

• Discuss student responses to the Graphic Organizer as a class.

• If time allows, read “Rendezvous with Death” or “Dulce et Decorum Est” with the class. Compare the topics and
tone of these poems with those published in Stars and Stripes.

• Answer questions regarding the culminating activities sheet and assign a due date.

• Students will present projects to the class. Each student will fill out an exit card that completes the following

Presentation Day:

statement. “ _________ project was my favorite because ____________, __________, and _____________.” The teacher can
tally the cards and recognize the students with the best projects.

Assessment Materials:

The culminating activities for this lesson are designed to give students a wide range of choices in expressing their
understanding from the lesson. The attached rubric gives some general guidelines for assessing the projects.

• Students can search for other poems that reflect themes or tones similar to those analyzed in class. Go to

Methods for Extension:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/sgphtml/sashtml/sashome.html and search using the term “Army poets.”

• Have students read a current issue of Stars and Stripes (http://www.stripes.com/). Students should look for

articles or features that express themes similar to those in the poems. Students should hypothesize reasons for
the similarities or differences.

• Examine works of art created by World War I soldiers and compare the themes with those of the poems. Archives New

Zealand has an outstanding collection of digitized World War I art. It can be accessed at http://warart.archives.govt.nz/.

• For younger, English language learners or students that read below grade level, omit the “Crosses” poem and

Adaptations:

read and discuss “If I Were a Cootie” as a whole class activity before dividing into groups.

• Provide students with a list of terms that might be used in the Graphic Organizer such as sarcastic, ironic,
frightened, etc. to stimulate group discussion.

Scan for additional resources (including
links to the documents and materials) or
visit http://www.nhd.org/WWI.htm.

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Lesson Plans & Activities