War Poetry L/O To analyse how useful is war poetry in explaining what war was like? What three describing words would you choose to best describe the conditions in the trenches? Key words: Going over the top No man’s land Stalemate Shell shock

Siegfried Sassoon Sassoon enlisted in 1914 and served as a lieutenant. He fought on the Western Front, winning the Military Cross for exceptional bravery on the battlefield. Sassoon was wounded in 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and was sent home. He returned to France to fight but as the war dragged on he became opposed to it. In 1917, he made an official protest against the continuation of the war which, he argued, was unnecessary. 1)What can you remember about these two men? 2)Why do people write poetry? 3)Why do you think men like this wrote poetry during the war? 4)Did either of them survive the war? 5)Have you heard of them before? 1)What can you remember about these two men? 2)Why do people write poetry? 3)Why do you think men like this wrote poetry during the war? 4)Did either of them survive the war? 5)Have you heard of them before?

Who’s for the game, the biggest that’s played, The red crashing game of a fight? Who’ll grip and tackle the job unafraid? And who thinks he’d rather sit tight? Who’ll toe the line for the signal to ‘Go!’? Who’ll give his country a hand? Who wants a turn to himself in the show? And who wants a seat in the stand? For there’s only one course to pursue, Your country is up to her neck in a fight, And she’s looking and calling for you. Jessie Pope: Who’s for the Game? tube.com/watc h?v=Eca2kgR JPm4 As a class: read, analyse and underline the key parts of this poem. Does Jessie agree with war? How does this link to last lesson? THEN: IN YOUR BOOKS: The poem tells us … This suggests that …

Poems are not good for history because… Poems can be good for history because… Copy and Complete… Poems are interesting but why should we just listen to a few poets, how do they know what everyone went through? I agree it is important not to make a generalisation based on what the poets say, but they can often describe feelings and emotions better than other sources!

Wilfred Owen wrote a poem called Dulce et Decorum Est, which has become probably the best known poem on the First World War. What words stick with you? How does the poem make you feel? What does Owen think about war?

Activities: 1)IN PAIRS: Stick your copy of Dulce Et Decorum Est in the middle of an A3 page and draw pictures around the poem with the images that it provides you with 2)If you finish ask for another copy of a poem and do the same. 3) Last 15 mins of lesson: A level 6 skill! How useful is this poem to historians trying to find out about WW1? What does it tell us? What does it not tell us? SO… How useful is it? Explain clearly!

Homework: Due 15 th Wedneday Write a short poem about life in the trenches!

Resources required for this lesson Available on the PPT: Introduction to poems Reading of dulce et decorem est Other Sources: 1.Dulce Et Decorum Est poems 2.A3 paper 3.Glue 4.Colouring pencils