Conditions requiring medical treatment on the Western Front
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the range of conditions which required medical treatment on the Western Front.
Key learning points
- The trench environment led many soldiers to suffer from both physical and mental health conditions.
- Bullets and shrapnel were responsible for most wounds.
- Bullet and shrapnel wounds led to a high risk of infection for soldiers.
- Gas attacks were used on the Western Front.
- Gas attacks accounted for a small percentage of overall British deaths.
Keywords
Shrapnel - small, sharp pieces of metal that fly through the air when a bomb explodes
Wound - an injury, especially one that is made by a bullet or sharp object
Common misconception
Poisonous gas was amongst the deadliest weapons used against British soldiers during WWI.
Gas attacks accounted for only 1% of deaths amongst British soldiers during WWI.
Teacher tip
Tell pupils the painting from the Task C was produced by an artist (John Singer Sergeant) who worked for the British government, but did not fight in WWI himself. Have pupils debate whether they think this would affect the reliability of the source for a historian studying gas attacks.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1. is the process of moving people from a dangerous place to somewhere safer.
Q2.During which battle was a hospital set up in underground tunnels?
Q3.Chlorine gas was used against British forces for the first time at which battle?
Q4.What was No Man's Land?
Q5.In muddy conditions, how many stretcher bearers were needed to evacuate a wounded soldier?
Q6.Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Small, sharp pieces of metal that fly through the air when a bomb explodes are known as .
Q2.How many British soldiers were killed by gas attacks during WWI?
Q3.Match each medical condition to the common symptoms it caused.
swelling in the first stage and gangrene in the advanced stage
flu-like symptoms such as severe headaches
tiredness, uncontrollable shaking and psychological distress
Q4.What protective measures were introduced on the British sector of the Western Front in 1915?
Q5.Why did trench fever remain common, despite the introduction of delousing stations for British soldiers?
Q6.Starting with the one that affected the most, sort the following conditions according to how many British soldiers became victims of it during WWI.
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Conditions requiring medical treatment on the Western Front, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Conditions requiring medical treatment on the Western Front, 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 4 history lessons from the The British sector of the Western Front, 1914–18 unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.