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Year 9

World War One: propaganda and trench warfare

I can explain why propaganda about World War One was so effective, and understand the differences between this wartime propaganda and the realities of trench warfare.

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Year 9

World War One: propaganda and trench warfare

I can explain why propaganda about World War One was so effective, and understand the differences between this wartime propaganda and the realities of trench warfare.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Wartime propaganda was used to encourage recruitment and persuade the population that war was necessary.
  2. Wartime propaganda promoted the idea that fighting would bring glory upon soldiers.
  3. Much of World War One was fought in trenches.
  4. Conditions in trenches were appalling: the mud, rats, shelling, gore and inactivity traumatised many soldiers.
  5. Much war literature attempts to evoke conditions in the trenches.

Keywords

  • Propaganda - communication which is designed to influence its audience; the information is often misleading

  • Trench warfare - a type of war fought on land; deep ditches are dug and occupied by each warring side

  • Wilfred Owen - a British soldier and poet (1893-1918) best known for his poems about World War One

  • Symbolise - when something is used to represent something else; trench warfare has come to symbolise World War One

  • No man's land - the area of land between enemy trenches; a dangerous place where soldiers were often killed

Common misconception

Trench warfare was fighting characterised by intense and constant action.

Trench warfare was characterised by intense periods of action, but also long periods of inaction which could be demoralising, boring and harrowing.


To help you plan your year 9 english lesson on: World War One: propaganda and trench warfare, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Consider that this lesson is about context, rather than detailed language analysis. Consider how long you wish to analyse and explore the selection of poems in each learning cycle: what is crucial, and what can pupils ignore for now.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

You need access to a copy of the story ‘Propping Up the Line’ by Ian Beck from the 2014 Orchard Books collection ‘Stories of World War One’ edited by Tom Bradman.

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision required

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In the opening of Ian Beck's short story, 'Propping Up The Line', how does Beck describe the trench in France, which is where much of the short story is set?
warm
Correct answer: muddy
Correct answer: cold
Correct answer: gory
Correct answer: dark
Q2.
What are the dates for World War One?
1910-1914
1914-1916
Correct answer: 1914-1918
1918-1939
1939-1945
Q3.
The first line of Ian Beck's short story, 'Propping Up The Line', sees Beck describe the main character, Alfred "sat cold and drowsily slumped against the wall".
Correct Answer: trench
Q4.
What is the focus of Ian Beck's short story, 'Propping Up The Line'?
Beck's grandparents' experiences of life in Britain during the war.
Beck's own experiences of war.
The glory and excitement of World War One, especially in the trenches.
Correct answer: Beck's grandfather's experience of war, particularly being gassed.
Q5.
When looking at literature about World War One, why might we often come across the name Wilfred Owen?
Owen is a famous historian who writes about World War One.
Correct answer: Owen wrote a lot of poetry about World War One which we still read today.
Owen was a celebrated general in World War One, and wrote about his experiences.
Owen helped the government in generating support for World War One.
Owen was Prime Minister during World War One and led Britain through the war.
Q6.
When looking at the literature of World War One, we might often come across the poetry of Wilfred Owen. Owen stated that he wrote to " " people about the horrors of war
Correct Answer: warn

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Much of World War One was fought in , deep ditches dug in the ground and occupied by opposing armies.
Correct Answer: trenches
Q2.
What is true of many of the trenches of World War One?
Correct answer: They were filled with rats and lice.
The British government warned soldiers about them via propaganda.
Correct answer: They were exposed to the weather.
They were horrific, but soldiers only spent one or two days there at a time.
Correct answer: The mud is often considered as harrowing as the enemy fire.
Q3.
is the term used for communication which is designed to influence its audience; this information can often be misleading.
Correct Answer: Propaganda
Q4.
During World War One, the British government used propaganda. What did it hope to achieve through its use of propaganda?
to prepare people for the horrors of war
to ensure people were accurately informed about the nature of war
Correct answer: to encourage people to sign up to fight in the war
Correct answer: o portray war as exciting and full of glory
to ensure people knew what soldiers were experiencing in the trenches
Q5.
Jessie Pope wrote a poem in 1915 to encourage people to sign up to the British Armed Forces. The poem is designed to make war seem exciting by comparing war to a "..."
Correct Answer: game
Q6.
Wilfred Owen wrote a poem called 'Exposure' detailing the realities of the trenches, particularly the agony of waiting for an attack. He repeats the line, "But happens."
Correct Answer: nothing