DISCOVER SHARE REMEMBER bb c.co.uk/rememb ranc e
Schools Section
Introduction Written by John Sandham, history teacher, Devon
“In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. bb c.co.uk/rememb ranc e We are the dead…”
On 28 January 1918, Lieutenant-Colonel John McRae, succumbing to pneumonia and meningitis, joined those comrades he had been remembering in the above poem, ‘In Flanders Fields’.
When World War One ended in November 1918, the casualties stood at some 37 million and over 10 million were dead.
This ‘War to end all wars’ did not end wars; the years following 1918 have been littered with them, including the Second World War, where advances in the technology deployed in World War One meant the casualties far exceeded those of the First World War and brought millions of civilians into the death count.
The 90th anniversary of the Armistice takes place on 11 November. This will be an occasion for the world to remind itself of the futility of war, but also to remember those who lost their lives in WW1 and subsequent wars.
The BBC is launching the Remembrance campaign to commemorate those who served and to bring to life the nature of that time. This will inform us about WW1 and the personal stories of individuals who fought and often died in the war and the families they left behind who held onto their personal effects.
It will provide a rich variety of sources for study by teachers, pupils, and their families. It will enable us to connect with our ancestors – their joys and tribulations, loves and fears, hopes and despairs – in a direct way and pay them the tribute of showing that we have not forgotten their individual personalities and experiences and the ultimate sacrifices so many of them made on our behalf.
This will be achieved by a wide range of programmes, activities and events which will not only inform and fascinate the present generation but also involve them actively in researching and reflecting on the period and contributing to a lasting archive of artefacts, recollections and records which might otherwise be lost forever. The aim is to stretch across time and connect with the dead who, from a different generation, were nevertheless like us:
“We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.” DISCOVER SHARE REMEMBER bb c.co.uk/rememb ranc e
Activities Remembrance Website bbc.co.uk/remembrance is the focus of the campaign containing timelines, film footage, poetry, and poignant images where teachers can enrich their curricular practice and DISCOVER, SHARE AND REMEMBER.
• Find out how students can discover their World War One family and local history using links to a variety of research tools.
• Browse the many World War One stories already online. • Encourage your class to upload their family World War One stories, photos and artefacts to the Remembrance Wall.
• View listings of all related programming onbb BBCc.co.u televisionk/reme mbandra nc e radio througout November with sneak previews available. • Sign up to discover the story of a World War One soldier via your mobile to share with your class. • Find out about free BBC Remembrance events taking place across the UK during the weekend of 8–9 November.
Remembrance Wall This is a website for untold stories of soldiers who served in WW1, where people can upload memories, photographs of artefacts such as medals and written material such as letters, service records and diaries. A bank of soldier records will be available for those who search by region or by name and will remain as a permanent source of family information recorded before much of this is lost forever.
Local events The local events will offer active learning experience, allowing participants to experience for themselves what life was like during the war years, viewing programmes and archive footage, researching the role of family members and their locality and contributing to the online Remembrance Wall. This will make a worldwide event – often discussed in terms of nations, politicians and generals – both personal and local, and teachers and families are encouraged to visit to learn more about their family history and WW1.
Programmes There is a rich array of BBC programming on television and radio, including major national events live such as the Festival of Remembrance on 8 November from the Royal Albert Hall and coverage of the Cenotaph ceremony on 11 November led by the three serving men who survive – Henry Allingham, Harry Patch and Bill Stone.
BBC One’s My Family At War features the family war stories of personalities such as Eamonn Holmes, Kirsty Wark and Rolf Harris. The emphasis on individuals continues with the tragic story of Vera Brittain (narrated by Jo Brand), and Kwame Kwei-Armah’s examination of Walter Tull, successful footballer and the first black officer to lead British troops during the First World War, to be shown on BBC Four.
In BBC Two’s Timewatch, Michael Palin visits the battlegrounds of the Western Front to tell the personal stories of soldiers who died on the very last day of the war. Full details of all programmes can be found at bbc.co.uk/remembrance/season/programmes.shtml DISCOVER SHARE REMEMBER bb c.co.uk/rememb ranc e
World War One in the National Curriculum Many of the BBC activities will satisfy NC requirements in an exciting and emotionally involving way providing not only information – about causation, weaponry, campaigns, the nature of the fighting and impact – but also the opportunity to study through the experiences of individual men and women, some well-known, some from the local community or one’s own ancestors.
It is poignant to know soldiers were killed in Flanders from a poem; it is interesting and affecting to research and discover details about real individual soldiers who died; but the emotional connection will be greater still if you discover that your great-grandfather or great-uncle, for instance, was one of them.
The History Curriculum requires an understanding of the ideas,bb beliefs,c.co.uk/ attitudesrememb andranc e experiences of people in the past; the reasons for and results of historical events; how to find out about the events, people and changes studied from the evidence using ICT-based sources; how to collect, collate, and reflect on the evidence and present it to others.
The local history study in KS2 could involve an investigation of how the locality was affected by the Great War.
The revised KS3 curriculum requires a study of the changing nature of conflict and cooperation between countries and peoples and its impacts, including the nature and impact of the two world wars.
The GCSE History Curriculum in England and Wales includes a sub-topic on International Relations 1900–1939, including the Causes of World War One.
The Standard Grade History Curriculum in Scotland includes a sub-topic on the End of the Great War, including Trench Warfare.
The Citizenship Curriculum (Years 7–11 and Post-16) includes the topic ‘What are we remembering on Remembrance Day?’.
BBC Resources Where to go for more information and activities on the subject of World War One.
BBC Bitesize GCSE Revision: History Seondary revision resources covering the First World War topics: causes of WW1, Treaty of Versailles and the Home Front. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir1/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/britain/
BBC Bitesize Standard Grade Revision: History Secondary revision resources covering First World War topics: The Schlieffen Plan, Trench Warfare, End of the Great War and the Treaty of Versailles. http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/standard/history/1890_1920/index.shtml
BBC History Trail – Family History Expert tips on starting your records including military history. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/familyhistory/ DISCOVER SHARE REMEMBER bb c.co.uk/rememb ranc e
BBC History – World War One Features interactive movies, animations, features, articles and 3-D models. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/
BBC Learning Zone Broadband A library of audio-visual material drawn from the Learning Zone for use in schools and colleges including many clips from World War One. bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/
BBC Schools Online: World War One Free online resources aimed at KS3, GCSE & S3–4 pupils and teachers. Accompanying timeline and interactive elements would be useful for all. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/
bb c.co.uk/rememb ranc e Further Resources Please note the BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission CWGC provides a wide range of free and paid-for resources including Remember Me: Echoes from the Last Generation, suitable for primary and secondary students. www.cwgc.org
First World War – The War to end all wars Michael Duffy’s site gives a general overview of the First World War. It offers a collection of insightful feature articles, photos and footage, memoirs and diaries. http://www.firstworldwar.com/
Imperial War Museum Free online educational resources including People of the Great War: Shaping the Modern World for primary and secondary students.www.iwm.org.uk/90 www.iwm.org.uk/peopleofthegreatwarwww.iwm.org.uk/education
National Archives Learning Curve – The Great War Tells the story of the First World War through six different source-based investigations. It aims to show how WW1 developed and includes teachers’ notes. http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/greatwar
Oxford University – The First World War Poetry Digital Archive An online archive of First World War memorabilia, including letters, diaries, poems and stories. The free resource, aimed at schools and universities, launches on 11 November. http://www.thegreatwararchive.org/ http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/education
Royal British Legion Free education resources for 2008/09 comprising: teacher pack (available in English and Welsh) including poster set; CDRom and DVD covering Key Stages 1– 4 History, Citizenship and English. www.britishlegion.org.uk – Click on Schools section for more information