The impact of WW1 on the British Homefront
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the ways in which life changed across Britain for different people during the war.
Key learning points
- WWI had a significant impact on life in Britain.
- The government took control of key industries such as railways, shipping and coal mining.
- Large numbers of men in Britain volunteered to fight in the war before conscription was introduced in 1916.
- Calls for Irish independence were delayed by the outbreak of war.
- A large number of women entered the workforce to replace the men that had gone to fight in the war.
Keywords
Partition - when a country is divided into at least two smaller states/countries
Rationing - governments can introduce rationing to allow people to have a fixed amount of something - usually food or other goods
Censorship - censorship is when a government or organisation prevents the sharing of information or ideas that are considered 'unsuitable'
Home Rule - Home Rule is when a country is given some independence, usually in the form of their own government
Munitions - munitions are military weapons or equipment needed for military weapons
Common misconception
The war had very little impact on Ireland.
Irish calls for independence were delayed by the outbreak of war, and then further delayed in 1918.
Teacher tip
In explaining Ireland's journey to independence, emphasise that although the pace was slowed by the war, the change was still significant and has lasting impacts that can be seen today!
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following countries was the last to declare war in the 'July Crisis' of 1914?
Q2.Match each key word to the correct definition
Q3.What was introduced in Britain in 1916 to recruit more British men into the army?
Q4.Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into the order in which they happened.
Q5.Which of these statements best describes the position of Ireland by 1914?
Q6.Which of these statements best describes the position of women in Britain by 1914?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When did the British Parliament vote to allow Ireland Home Rule?
Q2.What was the name of the law that gave the British government the power to control most aspects of peoples' lives?
Q3.Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into the order in which they happened.
Q4.Which one of these statements best explains why life in Britain was known as the 'Home Front'?
Q5.Which two of the following statements best describes the impact of the war on women in Britain?
Q6.Which one of these statements best describes the impact of the war on Ireland?
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: The impact of WW1 on the British Homefront, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: The impact of WW1 on the British Homefront, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the World War One: how 'total' was it for people in the British Empire? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.