New
New
Year 6

Trench warfare on the Western Front

I can describe what conflict was like in World War One.

New
New
Year 6

Trench warfare on the Western Front

I can describe what conflict was like in World War One.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. World War One had many fronts; battles were fought on the Western Front, the Eastern Front, in Africa and in Asia.
  2. The Western Front saw the use of trench warfare where the conditions were terrible, and many people suffered.
  3. In some battles, like the Somme in 1917, mass attacks led to thousands of dead or wounded soldiers in a day.
  4. Many soldiers wrote letters or kept diaries to record their experiences.

Common misconception

Pupils may think trenches were dug like long, straight ditches.

Trenches were dug in a zig zag shape for better protection.

Keywords

  • Front - a front refers to the line where opposing armies meet in battle

  • Trench - a trench is a long, deep hole dug in the ground, where soldiers fought from, lived in and used to shelter from the enemy

  • 'No Man's Land' - the piece of land in between the defensive trenches of rival armies was called 'No Man's Land'

  • Morale - morale is a feeling of positivity about what is happening

It would be useful to investigate any letters sent by soldiers in your local area during World War One.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
WWI was fought between which years?
1814 - 1818
Correct answer: 1914 - 1918
1904 - 1908
2014 - 2018
Q2.
Why did so many countries become involved in WWI?
Correct answer: treaties
Correct answer: old agreements
they were neighbouring countries
some countries hadn't been at war for a long time
Q3.
Where did soldiers who fought with the British forces in WWI come from?
Correct answer: Pakistan
Correct answer: India
Correct answer: South Africa
Correct answer: Australia
Germany
Q4.
Which countries formed 'The Triple Alliance'?
Great Britain, France and Russia
Great Britain, Germany and Russia
Correct answer: Germany, Austria-Hungary and their allies
Austria-Hungary, France and Belgium
Russia, Germany and France
Q5.
Which countries formed 'The Triple Entente'?
Germany, Austria-Hungary and their allies
Austria-Hungary, France and Belgium
Germany, Great Britain and Russia
Russia, Germany and France
Correct answer: Great Britain, France and Russia
Q6.
Imperial soldiers were soldiers who were from countries in the...
Correct Answer: British Empire , Empire, british empire , empire

6 Questions

Q1.
Where were the major battle fronts in WWI?
Correct answer: Asia
Correct answer: Western Front
Correct answer: Africa
Correct answer: Eastern Front
Southern Front
Q2.
During WWI, many soldiers died on both sides.
Correct answer: True
False
Q3.
What things made life so hard for the soldiers living in trenches during WWI?
Correct answer: 'trench foot'
Correct answer: constantly being wet and dirty
Correct answer: trenches full of rats and lice
Correct answer: not knowing when the enemy would attack
no way to communicate with loved ones
Q4.
'Shell shock' is now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Correct answer: True
False
Q5.
What shape were the trenches dug in?
Correct Answer: zig-zag, zig-zag, a zig zag shape, zig zag, not in straight lines
Q6.
Match the keyword to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:front,a line where the opposing armies meet in battle

a line where the opposing armies meet in battle

Correct Answer:trench,a long, deep hole dug in the ground

a long, deep hole dug in the ground

Correct Answer:'No Man's Land',the piece of land between the defensive trenches

the piece of land between the defensive trenches

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