Trench LifeTrench Life

Plymstock History Department

Trench Life – Aims for the Trench Life – Aims for the lessonlesson

1) Identify 3-6 questions/key areas on1) Identify 3-6 questions/key areas onTrench Life that you want to research Trench Life that you want to research furtherfurther

2) Decide how the research on your chosen2) Decide how the research on your chosenareas of trench life will be presented areas of trench life will be presented (a(aProject, booklet, a ppt, an audio project or Project, booklet, a ppt, an audio project or model with guide book).model with guide book).

STARTER ACTIVITY – 10 STARTER ACTIVITY – 10 minutesminutes

When the Germans attacked in When the Germans attacked in Belgium, they quickly beat Belgium, they quickly beat the armies defending the the armies defending the borders and managed to get borders and managed to get into France very quickly. into France very quickly. The British and French The British and French Generals, uncertain about how Generals, uncertain about how to stop the German advance, to stop the German advance, decided to ‘dig in’ and decided to ‘dig in’ and ordered the construction of ordered the construction of the Trenches to act as a the Trenches to act as a barrier against the attack.barrier against the attack.

STARTER ACTIVITY – 10 STARTER ACTIVITY – 10 minutesminutes

In pairs, read the description of the trench In pairs, read the description of the trench system.system.

DrawDraw a a ‘birds eye’ view‘birds eye’ view of the trench system. of the trench system. You must You must show both German and British trenches show both German and British trenches an the land between them. an the land between them.

Next Next labellabel some of the some of the key featureskey features of the of the trenches. You might like to draw a separate trenches. You might like to draw a separate cross section of a trench to show how it cross section of a trench to show how it looked inside.looked inside.

(highlight key words in the text to make sure you (highlight key words in the text to make sure you

provide as many labels as possible.)provide as many labels as possible.)

Description of the Trench Description of the Trench SystemSystem

The Trenches that the British dug were usually made of three The Trenches that the British dug were usually made of three lines. The front line trenches were usually a metre wide at lines. The front line trenches were usually a metre wide at the bottom and two metres deep. Duck boards were placed on the the bottom and two metres deep. Duck boards were placed on the ground to act as drainage; men would walk on them to avoid the ground to act as drainage; men would walk on them to avoid the mud. On the side of the trench facing the enemy a ‘fire step’ mud. On the side of the trench facing the enemy a ‘fire step’ was cut into the wall. This was for soldiers to shoot from. was cut into the wall. This was for soldiers to shoot from. Sandbags were placed at the top of the trench. This would stop Sandbags were placed at the top of the trench. This would stop the trench caving in of a bomb went off nearby. It also the trench caving in of a bomb went off nearby. It also provided more protection from bullets. Ammunition shelves were provided more protection from bullets. Ammunition shelves were also cut into the side of the trench walls which faced no mans also cut into the side of the trench walls which faced no mans land (the land in between the two army’s trench systems). At land (the land in between the two army’s trench systems). At various points in the wall, dug outs were cut into the trenches various points in the wall, dug outs were cut into the trenches to provide shelter for sleeping/resting soldiers. In front of to provide shelter for sleeping/resting soldiers. In front of the trench barbed wire was rolled out. This was to stop the the trench barbed wire was rolled out. This was to stop the enemy able to charge at the trench.enemy able to charge at the trench.

Behind the front line were support trenches and then further Behind the front line were support trenches and then further back, reserve trenches. Linking the three lines was a series back, reserve trenches. Linking the three lines was a series of communication trenches. There were also ‘blind allies’ dug of communication trenches. There were also ‘blind allies’ dug to confuse the enemy in case of a successful attack. The whole to confuse the enemy in case of a successful attack. The whole of the trench system was made to zigzag so as to prevent the of the trench system was made to zigzag so as to prevent the enemy firing down the line of the trenches if they were enemy firing down the line of the trenches if they were captured. captured.

STARTER ACTIVITY – 10 STARTER ACTIVITY – 10 minutesminutes

In pairs, read the description of the trench In pairs, read the description of the trench system.system.

DrawDraw a a ‘birds eye’ view‘birds eye’ view of the trench system. of the trench system. You must You must show both German and British trenches show both German and British trenches an the land between them. an the land between them.

Next Next labellabel some of the some of the key featureskey features of the of the trenches. You might like to draw a separate trenches. You might like to draw a separate cross section of a trench to show how it cross section of a trench to show how it looked inside.looked inside.

(highlight key words in the text to make sure you (highlight key words in the text to make sure you

provide as many labels as possible.)provide as many labels as possible.)

Description of the Trench Description of the Trench SystemSystem

The Trenches that the British dug were usually made of The Trenches that the British dug were usually made of three three lineslines. The front line trenches were usually a metre wide at . The front line trenches were usually a metre wide at the bottom and two metres deep. the bottom and two metres deep. Duck boardsDuck boards were placed on the were placed on the ground to act as drainage; men would walk on them to avoid the ground to act as drainage; men would walk on them to avoid the mud. On the side of the trench facing the enemy a ‘mud. On the side of the trench facing the enemy a ‘fire step’fire step’ was cut into the wall. This was for soldiers to shoot from. was cut into the wall. This was for soldiers to shoot from. SandbagsSandbags were placed at the top of the trench. This would stop were placed at the top of the trench. This would stop the trench caving in of a bomb went off nearby. It also the trench caving in of a bomb went off nearby. It also provided more protection from bullets. provided more protection from bullets. Ammunition shelvesAmmunition shelves were were also cut into the side of the trench walls which faced also cut into the side of the trench walls which faced no mans no mans landland (the land in between the two army’s trench systems). At (the land in between the two army’s trench systems). At various points in the wall, various points in the wall, dug outsdug outs were cut into the trenches were cut into the trenches to provide shelter for sleeping/resting soldiers. In front of to provide shelter for sleeping/resting soldiers. In front of the trench the trench barbed wirebarbed wire was rolled out. This was to stop the was rolled out. This was to stop the enemy able to charge at the trench.enemy able to charge at the trench.

Behind the front line were Behind the front line were support trenchessupport trenches and then further and then further back, back, reserve trenchesreserve trenches. Linking the three lines was a series . Linking the three lines was a series of of communication trenchescommunication trenches. There were also ‘. There were also ‘blind alliesblind allies’ dug ’ dug to confuse the enemy in case of a successful attack. The whole to confuse the enemy in case of a successful attack. The whole of the trench system was made to of the trench system was made to zigzagzigzag so as to prevent the so as to prevent the enemy firing down the line of the trenches if they were enemy firing down the line of the trenches if they were captured. captured.

Birds eye view of the Trench Birds eye view of the Trench SystemSystem

Front Line

CommunicationTrench

Support Trench

Reserve Trench

No Man’s Land

Cross Section of a trench with Cross Section of a trench with key features labelled.key features labelled.

Ammunition shelf

Duck board

Dug Out

Fire Step

Barbed Wire

Sand BagsSand Bags

MAIN ACTIVITY - CarouselMAIN ACTIVITY - Carousel We remember:We remember:

10% of what we read10% of what we read 20% of what we hear20% of what we hear 30% of what we see30% of what we see 50% of what we see and hear50% of what we see and hear 70% of what we say70% of what we say 90% of what we simultaneously say and 90% of what we simultaneously say and do do

SO………….SO………….

MAIN ACTIVITY - CarouselMAIN ACTIVITY - Carousel In pairs, you will complete the In pairs, you will complete the following 4 activities:following 4 activities:

WORK STATION 1: Back to BackWORK STATION 1: Back to Back WORK STATION 2: Key ConceptsWORK STATION 2: Key Concepts WORK STATION 2: Broken piecesWORK STATION 2: Broken pieces WORK STATION 4: Making Sense of WORK STATION 4: Making Sense of it it

MAIN ACTIVITY - CarouselMAIN ACTIVITY - Carousel WORK STATION 1:‘Back to Back’WORK STATION 1:‘Back to Back’ Sit in pairs ‘back-to-back”. Sit in pairs ‘back-to-back”. Decide who is Decide who is AA and who is and who is BB. . A is given a visual material; which they A is given a visual material; which they hold close to their chest.hold close to their chest.

B is given a plain piece of paper and a B is given a plain piece of paper and a pencil.pencil.

A describes the visual to BA describes the visual to B, while B , while B draws draws itit, aiming to make a perfect replica which , aiming to make a perfect replica which is exact in size, shape and detail. is exact in size, shape and detail.

B can ask as many questions as they likeB can ask as many questions as they like. . When the time is up, students compare the When the time is up, students compare the drawn image to the originaldrawn image to the original..

MAIN ACTIVITY - CarouselMAIN ACTIVITY - Carousel

WORK STATION 2:‘Key Concepts’WORK STATION 2:‘Key Concepts’

Read the WWI poem below, written by Read the WWI poem below, written by Wilfred Owen, a WWI soldier. Wilfred Owen, a WWI soldier. Don’t Don’t worryworry of you find of you find some words some words difficult.difficult.

Try to identify Try to identify 15 of the most 15 of the most important wordsimportant words in this poem that in this poem that sums up this piece of writing. Write sums up this piece of writing. Write them inside the key.them inside the key.

MAIN ACTIVITY - CarouselMAIN ACTIVITY - Carousel

WORK STATION 3:’Broken Pieces’WORK STATION 3:’Broken Pieces’

Take the envelope which contains Take the envelope which contains several images that have been cut up. several images that have been cut up.

Try and put back together as many of Try and put back together as many of the pictures as you can.the pictures as you can.

(What do the images tell you about (What do the images tell you about trench life?)trench life?)

MAIN ACTIVITY - CarouselMAIN ACTIVITY - Carousel WORK STATION 4: ‘Making Sense of It’WORK STATION 4: ‘Making Sense of It’

Listen to a passage from the audio Listen to a passage from the audio book ‘Birdsong’, written by book ‘Birdsong’, written by Sebastian Faulkes. Sebastian Faulkes.

This is a challenging text This is a challenging text describing the British describing the British

attack of a German trench. attack of a German trench.

Record in the table, what Record in the table, what the main character ‘Stephen’ the main character ‘Stephen’ would have seen, heard and would have seen, heard and felt.felt.

Complete the Complete the carousel carousel

activitiesactivities

Plenary – ‘Diamond 9’sPlenary – ‘Diamond 9’s You should now have a good understanding of trench You should now have a good understanding of trench

life during WWI. In this final part of the lesson, life during WWI. In this final part of the lesson, you need to reflect on the 2 lesson aims:you need to reflect on the 2 lesson aims:

1) Identify 3-6 questions/key areas on1) Identify 3-6 questions/key areas onTrench Life that you want to research Trench Life that you want to research furtherfurther

2) Decide how the research on your chosen2) Decide how the research on your chosenareas of trench life will be presented areas of trench life will be presented (a Project, booklet, a ppt, an audio project or (a Project, booklet, a ppt, an audio project or 3D model with guide book).3D model with guide book).

Plenary – ‘Diamond 9’Plenary – ‘Diamond 9’ Look at the 9 Look at the 9 statements which might statements which might be important to the be important to the planning process. planning process.

In pairs, rank the In pairs, rank the statements in order of statements in order of significance through significance through the formation of a the formation of a diamond.diamond.

EXTENSION:EXTENSION: Look at the ‘Research Log’ Look at the ‘Research Log’

on the back page of your on the back page of your A3 sheet. Write in the top A3 sheet. Write in the top box the key topics that box the key topics that interest you.interest you.

1

2

5

3

4 6

87

9

least important

most important

Next lessonNext lesson You will have 3 lessons and 2 You will have 3 lessons and 2 home works to complete your home works to complete your research project on trench research project on trench Life.Life.

Deadline for handing in work = Deadline for handing in work = MONDAY 26MONDAY 26thth November November

(4 weeks today)(4 weeks today)