The First World War - Armenian Genocide

This lesson covers the Armenian Genocide during World War I, examining the events between 1915 and 1917. Students will explore the definition of genocide, the causes and key figures involved, and the consequences for the Armenian population. Activities include watching a video summary, guided reading with key fact identification, and analysing historical documents to understand the motives and means behind the genocide. The lesson concludes with a writing task using the PEEKA structure to summarise the events.

Lesson Content and Activities:

Introduction:

Brief overview of the Ottoman Empire during WWI.
Definition of genocide using the UN’s Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
What Happened:

Discuss the timeline and key events of the Armenian Genocide.
Identify the role of Talaat Pasha and the Temporary Law of Deportation.
Video Activity:

Watch a video summarising the Armenian Genocide.
Write a short summary covering causes, events, and consequences.
Guided Reading:

Complete a guided reading activity with provided text.
Subtitle each paragraph.
Write down three key facts.
Highlight and define any unknown words.
Document Analysis:

Read and summarise historical documents (e.g., manifestos, reports, photographs).
Complete a table showing how each document provides evidence of the genocide.
Writing Task:

Use the PEEKA structure to write paragraphs explaining the causes, events, and consequences of the genocide.
Incorporate evidence from the video and documents analysed.
Resources:

Video link
Guided reading text
Historical documents (Manifestos, reports, photographs)
PEEKA planning sheet
Writing prompts and sentence stems
Taken from a series of over 30 First World War lessons made by Wolsey Academy. They provide a thorough foundation of knowledge in this vital period of 20th Century History and each lesson looks to focus on a range of historical skills and exam techniques to equip students with knowledge and transferable research, analysis and study skills.

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