The aim of this lesson is to assess how far the First World War changed people’s lives in Germany between 1914 and 1918 and whether these changes were mainly positive or negative.
Students begin by exploring the impact of the First World War on German society, investigating the major changes that took place during the war. They consider how the pressures of total war affected different aspects of everyday life and evaluate whether these changes improved or worsened people’s lives.
Students examine a range of evidence to investigate the political, economic and social impact of the war. For example, the Kaiser was forced to share more of his power, which could be seen as a positive development for those who wanted greater political representation. However, students also explore the increasingly serious problems faced by ordinary Germans, including food shortages caused by the Allied naval blockade.
Using supplied worksheets and historical evidence, students sort and box up their findings, helping them organise their knowledge into clear arguments. They then use this evidence to tackle a timed GCSE question, developing their ability to select relevant evidence and reach a supported judgement.
The lesson encourages students to recognise that the impact of war was not entirely positive or negative. Instead, they must weigh up different changes and decide which had the greatest impact on people’s lives in Germany.
An enquiry question is introduced at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end, allowing students to track their progress and develop a clear historical judgement about the impact of the First World War.
Included in this lesson:
Fully editable PowerPoint
Political, economic and social changes
Allied naval blockade and food shortages
Historical evidence and worksheets
Evidence sorting and box-up activity
GCSE question practice with model answer provided and scaffolding
Retrieval practice
Differentiated materials
Suggested teaching strategies
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Great to have revision during the lesson that can be immediately discussed with the students. Thank you
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