Learning Activity

Life in the Trenches: World War I Interactive Adventure

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science
Social Studies

Grade(s)

6

Overview

Students will explore what life was like in the trenches on the Western Front for World War I soldiers in this interactive online activity. They will have to make choices about how they will handle different situations they are presented with. They have to make a series of decisions as they learn about the hardships these soldiers faced. Certain choices will lead to survival, others will not. They will see types of food, entertainment, and conditions of this horrific war as they navigate through the interactive site.

This activity was created as a result of the DLCS COS Resource Development Summit.

Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 6

DLCS18.6.R5

Locate and curate information from digital sources to answer research questions.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.6.R5

Vocabulary

  • curate

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to find valid sources to answer a given research topic.
  • how to cite sources.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • locate valid digital resources to answer given research questions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • a great deal of information is available, so it is important to validate the information and to cite the source of the information.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 6

SS10.6.3

Identify causes and consequences of World War I and reasons for the United States’ entry into the war.

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.6.3

Vocabulary

  • WWI
  • Lusitania
  • Zimmerman Note
  • alliances
  • militarism
  • imperialism
  • nationalism
  • modern warfare
  • isolationism
  • Treaty of Versailles
  • League of Nations
  • Red Scare

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The causes and consequences of U.S. involvement in WWI (sinking of the Lusitania, the Zimmerman Note, Alliance System, Militarism, Imperialism, and Nationalism).
  • The roles of military and civilians played in WWI.
    • Important people involved in WWI (Woodrow Wilson, Archduke Franz Ferdinand).
  • The impact of technological advances of WWI on modern warfare (machine guns, tanks, submarines, airplanes, poison gas, and gas masks).
  • How to locate countries involved in WWI on a map and boundary changes that occurred after WWI.
  • The factors contributing to isolationism in the United States after WWI (Treaty of Versailles debate, Red Scare, League of Nations).
  • Strategic locations of military bases in Alabama.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Locate places on a map.
  • Read and interpret primary source documents.
  • Cite evidence to support historical events.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There were many reasons for United States entry and involvement in World War I and there were causes and consequences of this involvement.

Phase

After/Explain/Elaborate
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

The student will:

Analyze technological advances in warfare during WWI while navigating through an interactive real-world game.

Describe military roles and duties of WWI soldiers through an online interactive role-playing game. 

 

Activity Details

This learning activity is best if used after studying the major historical events of WWI.

Steps:

  1. The teacher will provide all students with access to internet and sound enabled devices- Chromebooks, PCs, laptops, tablets.
  2. The teacher will instruct the students that they will be playing an interactive real-world simulation game about "life in the trenches" of WWI. 
  3. The teacher will explain that students will be given a variety of choices as they navigate through many different situations that these soldiers would have been faced with.
  4. The teacher will remind the students that they must read carefully the different scenarios and make decisions based on the information they have learned from studying WWI. It is important that they pay attention to the details in the information presented and do not rush through the choices.
  5. The teacher will explain that rushed or uninformed choices can result in devastating outcomes.
  6. The teacher will share the link to the site Over the Top with all students. 
  7. The teacher will make sure all students have accessed the site and project the opening page onto a screen for everyone to see.
  8. The teacher will go through the opening pages as everyone clicks on Begin Your Adventure and joins.
  9. Explain that they can put in a false name if they do not feel comfortable sharing their real information. They can also leave the city blank.
  10. Allow students the rest of the period to listen to and interact with this site.
  11. When a student has completed the entire site, they will fill out their exit slip to give to the teacher.

 

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Upon completion of the interactive adventure, students will need to write an exit slip. Students need to submit the following on their slips:

The exit slip will tell whether their character survived and describe one type of weapon or attack he encountered that was created with a technological advancement made during the war.

The exit slip will give an example of one of the duties or jobs or roles that their "soldier" was asked to perform during their interactive adventure and then describe what that role was like.

Variation Tips

If there are not enough devices, students could pair up.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

The teacher will need to have the link shared with the students in either a classroom management system such as Google Classroom or having the students type in the link in the address bar. The teacher will need to make sure all students have access to an internet enabled device. It would also be helpful for students to have headphones if they are playing alone. 

Digital Tools / Resources

Over the Top Canadian War Museum Interactive Site
https://www.warmuseum.ca/overthetop/

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

julierhodes
ALSDE LOGO

This site may contain links to other websites or content belonging to or originating from third parties or links to websites and features in banners or other advertising. Such external links are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness by us. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OFFERED BY THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES LINKED THROUGH THIS SITE.
Alabama Learning Exchange © 2002-2023 by Alabama State Department of Education is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Design by Adaptive Theme