The Western Front in WW1
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain that war on the Western Front was fought largely in trenches, and by men from across the British Empire.
Key learning points
- Lord Kitchener quickly began to recruit more soldiers in Britain as he anticipated a long, drawn out war.
- The troops who volunteered to fight found themselves fighting a war of attrition from the trenches.
- The attempt to break the stalemate during the 1916 Battle of the Somme caused large loss of life for little gain.
- The British and French troops fought alongside the British Indian Army on the Western Front.
- Over 1.5 million Indian troops fought for Britain in the war.
Keywords
War of attrition - a war of attrition is a conflict in which each side tries to wear the other down by inflicting maximum casualties
Stalemate - a stalemate is a situation in which further progress by opposing sides seems impossible
Conscription - conscription is the process of forcing people to join the armed forces
Trenches - long, narrow ditches which soldiers dug to protect themselves during the war against enemy attacks
Western Front - a 400-mile long strip of land through France and Belgium were the largest battles of WW1 were fought
Common misconception
The British army went into the war confidently, with a large number of troops.
The British army had no more than 700 000 men in August 1914, they would need to use mass recruitment and colonial armies.
Teacher tip
In introducing the Indian troops into the lesson, emphasise that India was one of several British colonies who contributed to the war effort.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which one of these countries did Germany assume would remain neutral if Germany launched its Schlieffen Plan?
Q2.Match each key word to the correct definition.
the process of forcing people to join the armed forces
a conflict in which each side tries to wear the other down
long narrow ditches which soldiers dug to protect themselves
when further progress by opposing sides seems impossible
Q3.Which one of the following countries had planned to use the Schlieffen Plan in the event of a European war?
Q4.Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into the order in which they happened
Q5.Which two of the following conditions best describes why a country would introduce conscription?
Q6.Which three of the following are examples of the impact war can have on civilians?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When was conscription introduced for British men?
Q2.Complete this sentence by filling in the missing name. The name of the battle in which German troops first used chlorine gas was the Second Battle of __________.
Q3.Which British colony had 1.5 million soldiers ready for war in 1914?
Q4.What is the three-word term used to describe a conflict in which each side tries to wear the other down by inflicting maximum casualties?
Q5.Which three are examples of the steps Lord Kitchener took to recruit as many men as possible?
Q6.Which one of the following best explains why new tactics were used in the Battle of the Somme in 1916?
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: The Western Front in WW1, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: The Western Front in WW1, 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.