Following his earlier talk with students on the subject of the 1917 October Revolution, Professor Orlando Figes of Birkbeck University answered questions from students at the International School of Toulouse on the topic of Lenin’s rule of Russia 1918-1924. Over the course of 45 minutes he answered a wide range of questions that the class had formulated in…
Month: October 2014
Remembrance Day: Memorials
Memorials “Almost every village, town and city in Europe has a memorial to a war which affected its community. In this activity you will consider the purpose of such memorials, research one in depth and contrast it with others from around the world using this PowerPoint Template” Part of a comprehensive set of Remembrance materials…
Remembrance Day: Peace Charities: Which should our school support?
Peace Charities: Which should our school support? This exercise involves students researching a range of different charities, debating their respective merits and deciding which should be the ‘official’ charity that the school should support this year. Could be a particularly good student council project / assembly (e.g. student council presents a range; students vote in…
Remembrance Day: Current Conflicts
Current Conflicts “Remembrance Day commemorates not just past wars, but also current ones too. In this activity you will research a current conflict, produce a one-slide summary using a PowerPoint template, and then compare it to others in order to reflect on the most common causes of warfare” (there is a research template available) Part…
Remembrance Day: Statistics and Infographics
Statistics and Infographics “One death is a tragedy, a million deaths is just a statistic” said Josef Stalin. In this exercise we will familiarize ourselves with some of the key statistics relating to World War One, and consider creative ways in which we can present those statistics to make them more meaningful. Part of a…
Remembrance Day: Songs of War and Peace
Songs of War and Peace “In this activity we will research a whole range of war-related songs, divided between different members of the class. The outcome will be a compilation of what we consider to be the 10 best songs overall” Part of a comprehensive set of Remembrance materials for every single year group.
Remembrance Day: Paintings of WW1
Paintings of WW1 Why do governments employ war artists? What makes a great work of art? What is the difference between art and propaganda? Students consider a range of different paintings, compare and contrast findings. My own selection of paintings can be used instead if you prefer: The Hero (Grosz) | Harvest of Battle, Hospital,…
Remembrance Day: War Poetry
War Poetry “Your teacher will allocate the poems between the members of the class. Use the poem you have been allocated to answer these questions: (a) What is the best word to describe the tone of this poem? (b) How does the poet make you feel this way? (c) How reliable is your source as…
Remembrance Day: Film of WW1: All Quiet on the Western Front
Film of WW1: All Quiet on the Western Front This exercise focuses on the German experience of World War One through the famous novel-turned-film. Students comprehend the final 30 minutes of the film then consider the techniques used in the film to get across its ‘peace’ message. Part of a comprehensive set of Remembrance materials…
Remembrance Day: Oral Testimonies
Oral Testimonies “The scale of warfare often leaves us numbed to its human impact. In the words of Stalin, “One death is a tragedy. A million deaths is just a statistic”. In this activity you will learn about the impact of war upon just one individual by using an online audio-visual archive of interviews with…
Remembrance Day: Propaganda Posters
Propaganda Posters Print off these 10 posters. Create a Venn diagram with them with the three circles representing: 1. Attempts to mobilise women 2. Attempts to recruit men 3. Attempts to generate anti-German feeling. Find other examples to add to the diagram if you have time. Part of a comprehensive set of materials designed…
Remembrance Day: Debating the Issues: The De Bono Method
Debating the Issues: The De Bono Method Starting with a teacher’s introductory PowerPoint, “The teacher will take the role of someone with a ‘Green Hat’. They will choose (or ask the class to vote on) one of a range of ‘Discussion Points’ and each person in the class will be given a number between 2-5…
Remembrance Day: Consequences of War
Consequences of War A stand-alone worksheet version of an activity available on the web in which students compare the results of a large range of wars to compare, contrast and conclude regarding the most likely effects of a war for modern society. Part of a comprehensive set of materials designed for every year group to…
Remembrance Day: Red Poppy, White Poppy, both or neither?
For Year 12/13. The Nature of Remembrance: The White Poppy / Red Poppy Debate “Although Remembrance Day is an established day on the international calendar, there remains a great deal of debate about what exactly we should “Remember”. People who wear the Red Poppy have one opinion, and those who wear the White Poppy have…
Remembrance Day: Shot at Dawn
For Year 13 students. An activity based around first-hand accounts relating to soldiers ‘shot at dawn’ for cowardice during World War One. Discussion points and real debate possibilities relating to this thorny subject. There is also an extension task available based on information available on this website. Part of a comprehensive set of Remembrance materials…
Remembrance Day: Introductory Assembly
The Introductory Assembly This assembly outlines how every single year group in the school will be provided with a different task relating to Remembrance. The assembly focuses on conflicts taking place around the world to provide contemporary relevance every signly year. It can be adapted using this Wikipedia Page of current conflicts for the most…
