New
New
Year 6

The Home Front in WWI

I can describe the way in which local British communities were affected by WWI.

New
New
Year 6

The Home Front in WWI

I can describe the way in which local British communities were affected by WWI.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. While men were sent to the front, the war also had an impact on those who stayed behind.
  2. The First World War was the first total war: the activities of both soldiers and civilians contributed to it.
  3. There were shortages of food, more so in the cities, where it was harder for people to grow their own food.
  4. Women had to work in the fields and the factories to replace the men who had left for the front.
  5. This led to a big change in the way that women were treated and helped some women win the vote in 1918.

Keywords

  • Home Front - civilians contributed to the war effort at home in Britain, and this became known as 'the Home Front'

  • Shortage - a shortage is when there is not enough of something, for example, there were food shortages in WWI

  • Factories - factories are large buildings in which different goods are made

  • Vote - a vote gives people a choice as to who they want to represent them in the government

Common misconception

The war was only fought by soldiers and won on battlefields.

Civilians at home did much work to support the war effort and this was known as 'the Home Front'.

Find out what was happening in your local area for women on the Home Front to provide examples of the types of roles women played during the conflict.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of upsetting 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).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
The Victoria Cross was awarded for acts of extreme courage.
Correct answer: True
False
Q2.
How were soldiers rewarded for their contribution to WWI?
leave from the front
Correct answer: medals
more money
Q3.
Prestigious means very important and highly respected.
Correct answer: True
False
Q4.
Where is Noel Chavasse remembered as a local hero?
London and Liverpool
Cambridge and Ipswich
Manchester and Oxford
Correct answer: Oxford and Liverpool
Oxford and London
Q5.
Match the correct date to the event in the life of Noel Chavasse.
Correct Answer:1884,born

born

Correct Answer:1908,competed in the Olympic Games

competed in the Olympic Games

Correct Answer:1916,awarded first Victoria Cross

awarded first Victoria Cross

Correct Answer:1917,awarded second Victoria Cross

awarded second Victoria Cross

Correct Answer:1918,died

died

Q6.
Captain Noel Chavasse is remembered on a special memorial .
Correct Answer: coin

6 Questions

Q1.
How did civilians contribute to the home front in WWI?
Correct answer: working in the police
Correct answer: working as land girls
Correct answer: working as vicars
Correct answer: working in factories
fighting in battles
Q2.
During WWI, there was a serious food on the home front.
Correct Answer: shortage
Q3.
The Women's Army played an important role in providing more food for Britain.
Correct Answer: land , Land
Q4.
Why was working in munitions factories dangerous?
Workers were based underground.
There was no water to drink.
Correct answer: Workers had to handle explosives.
The factory buildings were poorly built.
Correct answer: There were lots of fumes in the factories.
Q5.
Who did the new law in 1918 give the right to vote to?
All women
Correct answer: Women who were married to someone who owned property
Women who had a job
Correct answer: Women who owned a property
Correct answer: Men over the age of 21
Q6.
Choose the correct option below to complete the statement: 'Before the First World War the Suffragists and Suffragettes had __________ in their attempts to win women the vote.'
Correct answer: failed
succeeded

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