Title: Australia to WWI

Unit Outline / Unit duration
Australia’s involvement in World War I has been regarded by many as a defining event in our
history. Students will examine the experiences of soldiers at Gallipoli and develop an
understanding of the Anzac tradition through an analysis of the Anzac legend. Students have
the opportunity to consider how the tensions of war created social and political divisions
within Australia. / 10 weeks (approx. 15 lessons)
Big ideas/key concepts / Why does this learning matter?
The key concepts I want students to learn are that:
· WWI was a significant event in Australia’s history
· The Anzac legend
· How Australia was involved
· Why Australia was involved
· The effect of war / The learning matters because:
·  Understanding the causes, reasons and outcomes of WWI helps students to better understand the world we live in today.
Place in scope & sequence/Building the field / Target outcomes
. / A student:
5.2 assesses the impact of international events and relationships on Australia’s history
5.4 sequences major historical events to show an understanding of continuity, change and causation
5.5 identifies, comprehends and evaluates historical sources
5.6 uses sources appropriately in an historical inquiry
5.7 explains different contexts, perspectives and interpretations of the past
5.10 selects and uses appropriate oral, written and other forms, including ICT, to communicate effectively about the past for different audiences.
ICT target areas / Assessment / Resources
·  Research and search engines
·  Use of Powerpoint / ·  Propaganda poster and explanation
·  Half yearly exam / ·  Historyzone 2
·  Retroactive 2
·  Computers
·  Australians at War videos
·  Brothers in Arms video
·  Worksheets
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Evidence of Learning / Resources / Quality Teaching / Reg/
Date
·  Australia as a member of the British Empire and Australia’s regional context
·  Australia’s involvement in World War One / ·  Describe Australia’s relationship with Britain in 1914
·  Explain the reasons for Australia’s involvement in World War One / Lesson 1
Please note: If ANZAC Day takes place at about the same time as the beginning of this topic, ensure this is mentioned in terms of why it is important that we learn about and remember the events surrounding Australia’s involvement in WWI.
·  Briefly review primary and secondary sources (what they are, examples, etc).
KWL Chart – On a sheet of butchers paper, divide into three columns as below:
What we know / What we want to know / What have we learned
Brainstorm what students already know about WWI, and discuss what they would like to know. Throughout the term, add to the middle column as necessary, and complete the last column each lesson to show what has been learned throughout the topic.
Read through the information on pages 32-35 of Historyzone 2.
Mindmap – Why did Australia become involved in WWI in 1914? (Using the information that has just been read above)
Put each of the propaganda posters (attached) where everyone in the class can see them. Have students read and think about these posters and complete the following questions:
1.  Would these posters encourage you to enlist to fight in WWI? Why/why not?
2.  What kinds of feelings are these posters intended to get people to feel? Would they have been effective in getting people from that time to enlist in the army?
Homework: Create your own propaganda poster to encourage people to enlist to fight in WWI. / Prior knowledge of primary and secondary sources
Class participation
Responses to questions
Completion of homework task / Historyzone 2
Butchers paper
Propaganda posters / Quality Learning Environment Significance
¨  Deep knowledge
¨  Higher-order thinking
¨  Explicit quality criteria
¨  Social support S1 Background knowledge S4 Inclusivity
¨  Deep understanding
¨  Metalanguage QLE2 Engagement QLE5 Students’ self-regulation S2 Cultural knowledge S5 Connectedness
¨  Problematic knowledge
¨  Substantive communication
¨  High expectations
¨  Engagement
¨  Students’ self-regulation
¨  Student direction
¨  Knowledge integration
¨  Background knowledge
¨  Inclusivity
¨  Connectedness
¨  Cultural knowledge
¨  Narrative
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Evidence of Learning / Resources / Quality Teaching / Reg/
Date
·  the Gallipoli campaign / · describe the experiences of Australians in the
Gallipoli campaign using a variety of
sources, including a database or website / Lesson 2
You’ll need to book a computer room for this lesson.
Go to website http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/1landing/
Ask students to go to this website, and provide them with handout for this lesson.
Students will be required to answer the questions on the handout in their History books, but they must glue the handout into their books. Students may work in pairs to complete the handout.
Extension activity
Write the following task on the board for students who complete the handout
Thousands of Australians make the journey every year to visit Gallipoli to commemorate the sacrifices made by Anzac soldiers, many of whom died as a result of the Gallipoli campaign.
Imagine you work for a tour company who organises trips to Gallipoli for Australian tourists. Using Microsoft Publisher or Microsoft Word and the “Visiting” section of the website used earlier in the lesson, complete a tourist brochure for Australian tourists visiting Gallipoli. It should include:
· A map of the area
· A detailed description of things to see and do
· A description of the main locations and their significance (eg Anzac Cove, The Nek, Lone Pine, etc). / Written responses to research task / Computer room
Handout (with questions) / ¨  Deep knowledge
¨  Higher-order thinking
¨  Explicit quality criteria
¨  Social support S1 Background knowledge S4 Inclusivity
¨  Deep understanding
¨  Metalanguage QLE2 Engagement QLE5 Students’ self-regulation S2 Cultural knowledge S5 Connectedness
¨  Problematic knowledge
¨  Substantive communication
¨  High expectations
¨  Engagement
¨  Students’ self-regulation
¨  Student direction
¨  Knowledge integration
¨  Background knowledge
¨  Inclusivity
¨  Connectedness
¨  Cultural knowledge
¨  Narrative
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Evidence of Learning / Resources / Quality Teaching / Reg/
Date
·  the Gallipoli campaign / · describe the experiences of Australians in the
Gallipoli campaign using a variety of
sources, including a database or website / Lesson 3
View the video “Gallipoli: Brothers in Arms” and have students complete the quiz in relation to this documentary (approx 1 hours duration).
Once viewing is completed, have students peer mark the quiz they have just completed. Teacher should record these marks for future reference.
Empathy Task
(write the following on the board for students to copy into their books)
Imagine you are one of young brothers featured in the documentary, and you are writing a letter home to your family. Based on what you have just seen, compose a letter (like the letters written in the documentary) telling your family about what you have done and seen while you have been fighting in Gallipoli.
It should be ½ to 1 page long.
Note: If students are having trouble composing their letters brainstorm the kinds of things that might be included in such a letter (eg how the soldier is feeling, what the living conditions are like, etc). It is recommended to complete the brainstorm first with lower-ability classes.
Homework: Complete the empathy task / Correct responses to quiz questions / TV/VCR
Video of documentary
Quiz handout / ¨  Deep knowledge
¨  Higher-order thinking
¨  Explicit quality criteria
¨  Social support S1 Background knowledge S4 Inclusivity
¨  Deep understanding
¨  Metalanguage QLE2 Engagement QLE5 Students’ self-regulation S2 Cultural knowledge S5 Connectedness
¨  Problematic knowledge
¨  Substantive communication
¨  High expectations
¨  Engagement
¨  Students’ self-regulation
¨  Student direction
¨  Knowledge integration
¨  Background knowledge
¨  Inclusivity
¨  Connectedness
¨  Cultural knowledge
¨  Narrative
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Evidence of Learning / Resources / Quality Teaching / Reg/
Date
·  Australia’s involvement in World War I / · identify the places where Australians fought in World War I / Lesson 4
Heading: The Western Front
(Notes for the board): The AIF served in Egypt, Palestine, the Gallipoli Peninsula and the Western Front. After the Gallipoli campaign, the Australian infantry divisions went on to fight some of the worst battles of the war, in France and in Flanders (Belgium). Between 1916 and late 1918, 295 000 Australian soldiers served in this area of the Western Front. The Battle of the Somme in France in 1916 and the Battle of Passchendaele in Flanders in 1917 are the two battles which most represent the needless slaughter of young Australian men on the World War I battlefields.
.2
Put up the map of the Western Front for students to see, and point out the numerous places Australian soldiers fought.
Explain that before looking further at the Western Front, we must examine the conditions in which soldiers were fighting.
Handout the trench diagram for students to put into their books.
Read through Source A and the section on trench warfare on page 48 of Historyzone 2.
Give each student a primary source to read.
Have students read out loud to the class each of the sources (from A to G).
Have students answer the following questions:
1.  Read Source A (from the textbook). How accurate is this description of trench warfare when compared to your other primary source?
2.  Why would such an image of trench warfare be portrayed in a British book in 1917? / Student participation and discussion / Trench diagram handout
A3 map of the Western front
Historyzone 2
Trench warfare primary sources handout
Trench warfare images / ¨  Deep knowledge
¨  Higher-order thinking
¨  Explicit quality criteria
¨  Social support S1 Background knowledge S4 Inclusivity
¨  Deep understanding
¨  Metalanguage QLE2 Engagement QLE5 Students’ self-regulation S2 Cultural knowledge S5 Connectedness
¨  Problematic knowledge
¨  Substantive communication
¨  High expectations
¨  Engagement
¨  Students’ self-regulation
¨  Student direction
¨  Knowledge integration
¨  Background knowledge
¨  Inclusivity
¨  Connectedness
¨  Cultural knowledge
¨  Narrative
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Evidence of Learning / Resources / Quality Teaching / Reg/
Date
·  Australia’s involvement in World War I / · identify the places where Australians fought in World War I / Lesson 5
Brief review of trench warfare from previous lesson.
Students to read through the information on pages 48-49 of Historyzone 2. This may be done as a class (ask students to volunteer to read) or silently.
Students to answer Questions 1 to 4 (in Understanding the text) on page 49. Go through the answers with the class.
Students to read through the information and examine the sources on pages 50-51. This may be done as a class (ask students to volunteer to read) or silently.
Students to answer Questions 5 to 7 (in Understanding the text) on page 51. Go through the answers with the class.
Extension/homework (optional):
Complete the worksheet. / Responses to questions in Historyzone 2
Participation in discussion / Historyzone 2
A3 map of the Western Front
The Somme and Flanders worksheet (optional) / ¨  Deep knowledge
¨  Higher-order thinking
¨  Explicit quality criteria
¨  Social support S1 Background knowledge S4 Inclusivity
¨  Deep understanding
¨  Metalanguage QLE2 Engagement QLE5 Students’ self-regulation S2 Cultural knowledge S5 Connectedness
¨  Problematic knowledge
¨  Substantive communication
¨  High expectations
¨  Engagement
¨  Students’ self-regulation
¨  Student direction
¨  Knowledge integration
¨  Background knowledge
¨  Inclusivity
¨  Connectedness
¨  Cultural knowledge
¨  Narrative
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Evidence of Learning / Resources / Quality Teaching / Reg/
Date
·  Australia’s involvement in World War I
·  the conscription issue in WWI / · identify the places where Australians fought in World War I
· explain how and why the conscription debate
divided Australian society / Lesson 6
Explain to the class that even though Gallipoli is the most famous battle that Australians fought in during WWI, many more Australians fought and died on the Western Front than at Gallipoli.
Advise students that they will be given a quiz at the end of the video to complete in relation to the content that they will be viewing.
Also advise students that the documentary is a few years old, and none of the veterans interviewed are alive today (that no Australian WWI veterans are alive at all today).
View video (approx 50 mins).
At the conclusion of the video, handout quiz for students to complete (should take them approx 15-20 mins).
Collect for marking. / Prior knowledge of Western Front from previous lessons
Responses in quiz / TV/Video
“Australians at War” episode 3
Handout/quiz / ¨  Deep knowledge
¨  Higher-order thinking
¨  Explicit quality criteria
¨  Social support S1 Background knowledge S4 Inclusivity
¨  Deep understanding
¨  Metalanguage QLE2 Engagement QLE5 Students’ self-regulation S2 Cultural knowledge S5 Connectedness
¨  Problematic knowledge
¨  Substantive communication
¨  High expectations
¨  Engagement
¨  Students’ self-regulation
¨  Student direction
¨  Knowledge integration
¨  Background knowledge
¨  Inclusivity
¨  Connectedness
¨  Cultural knowledge
¨  Narrative
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Evidence of Learning / Resources / Quality Teaching / Reg/
Date
·  Australia’s involvement in World War I / · identify the places where Australians fought in World War I / Lesson 7 & 8
Provide students with a range of textbooks (incl. Historyzone 2, Retroactive 2, Australia Since 1901, and other books from the library) and provide them with the following information:
Working in pairs, you are to pick 4 locations that Australians fought on the Western Front during WWI. The locations are:
· Fromelles
· The Somme
· Pozières
· Mouquet Farm
· Bullecourt
· Amiens / · Ypres (or Ieper)
· Messines
· Menin Road
· Polygon Wood
· Passchendaele