First World War resources

Commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War and discover a unique approach to teaching it

We’re really excited to be working with 14-18 NOW, the UK’s official arts programme for the First World War centenary on their project to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War. They’ve developed some fantastic, free resources to help you and your students explore this century-old conflict from a new perspective. You can discover these great resources for History, English and PSHE below.

They Shall Not Grow Old

Peter Jackson, best known for directing The Lord of the Rings trilogy, has created a new film using original footage from Imperial War Museums’ extensive archive, much of it previously unseen, alongside BBC and IWM interviews with servicemen who fought in the conflict. Footage has been colourised, converted to 3D and transformed with modern production techniques to present never before seen detail.

The learning resources

Inspired by Peter Jackson’s film, the 14-18 NOW Learning Team has developed a number of exciting cross-curricular educational resources to engage pupils in the human experience of war and provide a unique perspective on the conflict. Aimed at 11- to 14-year-olds, these free resources are available for History, English and PSHE below.

Resources

We’ve already shared the 14-18 Now Resources with a few schools. You can see the impact they had with students and teachers in the videos below

They Shall Not Grow Old - First World War Teaching Resource in Schools TES

Blog

‘I thought World War One was only in black and white’ - Vivid colours bring the First World War to a new generation

For students who live in a digital world filled with three-dimensional and high-definition imagery, the grainy pictures from the Great War created a barrier. One teacher explains how Peter Jackson’s footage has helped an old topic resonate with a new audience in the classroom

Nathan Keeble•13 Sep 2018

Teaching friendship through conflict: unseen footage sheds new light on the Great War

Having taught the First World War regularly as part of his school’s history curriculum, Aaron Oliva was looking for a new way to help students engage with the topic. Through unseen footage used by Peter Jackson, he was able to highlight the importance of friendship amongst the fighting

Aaron Oliva•13 Sep 2018

Resolution and the First World War: changing 100-year-old perceptions

Despite being on opposing sides, the British and German soldiers had more in common than you’d think. New footage of opposition forces sharing a joke or a cigarette helped Caitlin Morrison teach her class about the First World War and helped them challenge their perceptions.

Caitlin Morrison•13 Sep 2018

‘Our school memorial contains the names of 600 former pupils; it’s easy to justify teaching the Great War’

For Chris Mackay and his school the First World War has a large local significance. By using stories from soldiers who once attended The Glasgow High School, he forged a connection between past events and his current class.

Chris Mackay•13 Sep 2018

Partners

Co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW and Imperial War Museums in association with the BBC. Produced by WingNut Films and Executive Produced by House Productions. Supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Special thanks to Matthew & Sian Westerman with additional support from The Taylor Family Foundation, The Moondance Foundation, Welsh Government, Scottish Government, the British Council, Tim & Sarah Bunting, Jacqueline & Richard Worswick and one anonymous donor.

For more information about 14-18 NOW, the free resource pack and to sign up for updates visit 1418NOW.org.uk