Trench+warfare

Usha's comments in Blue.

Your name: Andrea Paolucci

**Initial Reading and Assessment of Textbook Treatment of the Topic**

Name of Gr. 10 Textbook examined: Canada: A Nation Unfolding

Name of more "scholarly" source examined: Ed. Andy Simpson. Hot Blood and Cold Steel: Life and Death in the Trenches of the First World War

__Your Initial Thoughts:__ Please provide a **brief** (5-10 sentences) initial assessment of the textbook's treatment of the subject. We have not developed any particular criteria by which to assess the textbook so this is really simply you initial reactions, feelings, questions about what you have read. Thanks! About two pages were devoted to trench warfare in World War One, enough to give a good sense of what the trenches were, how they were used and the conditions the soldiers endured living and fighting in them. Of course there is not room to go into great detail, but the chapter covers the reasons why trench warfare was developed, war strategies used, and assessment of their effectiveness. It describes the conditions in the trenches, including water, lice and rats, constant enemy bombardment and the consequences this had for the soldiers, such as trench foot, shell shock and even death. The section does not cover the military hierarchy and the better living conditions men holding higher positions would have enjoyed. The chapter gives the impression all men were living in the same conditions in the trenches. There are no alternative perspectives presented, however the nature of trench warfare itself, being more factual than political in nature, perhaps warrants this. Thanks for your comments, Andrea. You raise an interesting issue about differing conditions or alternative perspectives. I'm not sure I've ever seen that addressed. I feel like teachers use the description of trench warfare as a "hook" to get kids interested and "shock" kids a bit. I think there is certainly room for nurturing some historical thinking but I'm not sure we take advantage of that opportunity. You might want to take a quick look at the curriculum before you proceed to see whether there is any requirement to teach trench warfare at all, whether it is referred to as an example of some bigger issue, etc.

**Lesson Plan Prelimaries**

 * Course: Canadian History Since WWI (CHC2S) **
 * Grade 10 Academic **
 * Trench Warfare **

This is a 2 X 75 minute lesson. This lesson will serve to prepare the students for the summative assessment task by introducing them to critical thinking skills required to analyze and critique political events. They will learn the criteria for a political cartoon, one of which will be part of the summative task. The content will include Canada’s involvement in World War One and in particular soldiers experiences of trench warfare.
 * Context and Overview **

Life in the trenches taught soldiers that the reality of war was not as glorious as the propaganda of the time made it out to be.
 * Key Learning **

Students will practice critiquing political events and issues and will learn criteria for a political cartoon, skills which will be required when they create their own political cartoons in the SA task.
 * Skills used for Summative Assessment Task **


 * Curriculum Expectations **

· Communities: Local, National and Global -Analyse the impact of external forces and events on Canada and its policies since 1914 -Assess Canada’s participation in war and contributions to peacekeeping and security 1-The Impact of External Forces on Canada -Assess the influence of Great Britain on Canada’s participation in war (e.g. WW1) 2-Canada’s Participation in War, Peach and Security -Describe Canada’s and Canadians’ contributions to the war effort overseas during WWI
 * Overall Expectations: **
 * Specific Expectations: **

· Methods of Historical Inquiry and Communication -Interpret and analyse information gathered through research, employing concepts and approaches appropriate to historical inquiry 1-Research -Gather information on Canadian history from a variety of sources -Distinguish between primary and secondary sources of information -Evaluate the credibility of sources -Organize and record information gathered through research 2-Interpretation and Analysis -Distinguish between fact, opinion, and inference in texts and visuals found in primary and secondary sources
 * Overall Expectations: **
 * Specific Expectations: **

Design a political cartoon critiquing the war propaganda of the time (perhaps a satire on a propaganda poster) and/or the official treatment of enlistment by officials (media, Prime Ministers etc.)
 * Critical Challenge **

Criteria of a good political cartoon may include; -To critique or to make a point about an event, issue, person or group -To make us think about our society, culture -To make a political statement -To give a visual of an editorial -To persuade you
 * Criteria for Judgement **

Students should already have an understanding of the causes of World War One and why Canada is involved in it.
 * Background Knowledge Required **

Perspective Taking – Grid “Perspectives of The War” (See Appendix 1)
 * Thinking Strategies **

-Evidence and Interpretation -Perspective Taking
 * Dimensions of Historical Thinking **

Inquiring Mind: Does not take everything at face value – is inclined to inquired into matters and to explore unanswered questions.
 * Habit of Mind **

Critique
 * Critical Thinking Vocabulary **

-Analyze the advertisement (Appendix 1) -WWI propaganda (Appendix 2) -Look at some primary documents (PM Sir Robert Borden’s address re: Canada’s entry into the war and CBC “Legend and Propaganda” (5:00 mins) (Appendix 3)  -Perspective-taking grid (Appendix 4)
 * Agenda **
 * Class One **

-Political Cartoons (Appendix 5) -Trench Warfare (pictures, virtual tour, letter from soldier) (Appendix 6) -Perspective-taking grid -Critical Task: Design your own political cartoon
 * Class Two **

Classroom set up: desks in groups of 4-6
 * Preparation **

For overhead (projector or acetate) -advertisements -WWI propaganda -political cartoons -visuals for Trench Warfare lecture (pictures, virtual tour of trenches)

Handouts (one for each student) -primary document -perspective taking grid -Criteria for ‘evidence and interpretation’ -Criteria for ‘perspective taking’ -Criteria for political cartoons