WWI – Operation Ouch!

It has been over 100 years since the start of World War One (WWI). This series of eight primary lesson plans support a CBBC 'Operation Ouch! WWI Special' film, which looks at the impact of WWI.

Learning objectives

Learners will:

• gain an understanding of the history of WWI
• compare and contrast the past and present
• express their thoughts and feelings
• apply their learning to physical and emotional health and wellbeing.

Resource overview

The session plans include a variety of classroom activities and discussion ideas all linked to the film.

Each 40-minute lesson is linked to a specific area of the primary curriculum for 7–11 year olds.

• Lesson 1: Film and French

Watch the “Operation Ouch! WWI Special” film and learn more about the origin of some common English words and phrases.

• Lesson 2: History

See how far prosthetic limbs have come since WWI and write a letter to the Unknown Soldier statue on Paddington Station.

• Lesson 3: PSHE

Think about what it means to improvise and how first aid techniques have developed in the last 100 years.

• Lesson 4: Physical Education (PE)

Develop skills of working with others and demonstrating tactics within competition whilst learning about infection of wounds during WWI.

• Lesson 5: English and Literacy

Use poetry to explore the physical and emotional impact of WWI on soldiers.

• Lesson 6: Science

Experiment with the science of sounds and understand how explosions in WWI damaged soldiers’ hearing.

• Lesson 7: Maths

Do quick mental calculations and start to understand the vast numbers of people affected by different events during WWI.

• Lesson 8: Art

Make your own poppies to remember the soldiers who died during WWI.

Film: Operation Ouch! World War 1 Special

Watch the film here.

Password: Ouch

Credits

This resource was written by Helen Brooking and based on a concept by P J White. It was published in 2014. Operation Ouch! is produced by Maverick Television Ltd for CBBC.

The photo shows WWI British Red Cross volunteers (© British Red Cross).