1. Lesson 1: WW1 and work
Learning objective: To understand the immediate impact of WW1 on the world of work.

2. Describe the people who do these jobs:
- Farmer - Builder - Teacher - Doctor - Nurse
- Factory worker
- Police officer or fire fighter
- Shop worker
- Stay at home to look after children
- Bus driver
Elicit that both women and men can do these jobs.
Who might have done these jobs in 1914?
Highlight that:
the workplace was dominated by men
Women could work in domestic service including as a teacher or nurse
Women were allowed to become doctors but not many did
Married women would not be expected to work
Richer women did not work
Some women worked in factories
Ask children why 1914 was an important year.
1914 – The First World War began on 4th August
1918 – The First World War ended on 11th November (note this is almost exactly 100 years ago)
It may also be useful to note that in November 1918 many women were given the right to vote.

3. Remembrance
Explain that because the First World War had such an enormous impact on the country, we remember all the people who contributed to the war effort on the 11th November every year. This is year is very special because it is 100 years since WW1 ended.
We remember the First World War generation in lots of different ways including by wearing a poppy (a symbol of peace), attending Remembrance services and observing a Two Minute Silence. These are all acts of remembrance.

4. The outbreak of WW1 https://www.bbc.com/education/clips/znj7pv4
NB. There are distressing images towards the end of the film. You may choose to end the video at 4 mins 41 secs.

5. Songs from 1914

6. Your King and Country Want You (1914)
Verse 1: We've watched you playing cricket And every kind of game At football, golf and polo, You men have made your name, But now your country calls you To play your part in war, And no matter what befalls you, We shall love you all the more, So come and join the forces As your fathers did before. Refrain (to be sung after each verse): Oh! we don't want to lose you but we think you ought to go For your King and your Country both need you so; We shall want you and miss you but with all our might and main We shall cheer you, thank you, kiss you When you come back again.
Listen to the song -
Read the lyrics.
Comprehension:
Any key vocab
- Polo – a game played on horseback
Befalls
Forces
Ought
Might and main (all our strength)
Who is the song talking to (‘you’)?
What is ‘your part in war’?
Whose point of view is the song written from (‘we’)?
Analysis
What do you think people might have felt when listening to this song?
Why do you think it was written?
Why might the song list games and not jobs?

7. Keep the Home Fires Burning (1914)
Verse 1
They were summoned from the hillside,
They were called in from the glen,
And the country found them ready
At the stirring call for men
Let no tears add to their hardships
As the soldiers pass along,
And although your heart is breaking,
Make it sing this cheery song:
Refrain
Keep the Home Fires Burning,
While your hearts are yearning.
Though your lads are far away
They dream of home.
There's a silver lining
Through the dark clouds shining,
Turn the dark cloud inside out
Till the boys come home.
Listen to the song -
Read the lyrics.
Comprehension:
Any key vocab
- summoned
glen
stirring
hardships
yearning
Who is the song talking about (‘they’)
What was the ‘stirring call for men’?
Who is the song talking to (‘your’)
Analysis
What would ‘home fires’ have been used for in 1914? Why do you think the writer chose this image?
What do you think people might have felt when listening to this song?
Why do you think it was written?

8. What might have changed when men went to fight in WW1?
- Farmer
- Builder
- Teacher
- Doctor
- Nurse
- Factory worker
- Police officer or fire fighter
- Shop worker
- Stay at home to look after children
- Bus driver
What might have happened to those jobs when the men went to war?
Elicit the enormity of the impact the war had on people’s daily lives.

9. Lesson 2: Women’s work
Learning objective: To understand the jobs women did during the First World War

10. Recap: jobs during WW1
- Which jobs needed to be done when the First World War started?
- What jobs did men do?
- What jobs did women do?
- Why was this different from before the war?
Ask pupils which jobs needed to be done when the First World War started. What jobs did men do? What jobs did women do? Why was this different from before the war?

11. Ask pupils to notice any jobs mentioned during the film that women were doing for the first time.

12. WAR GIRLS by Jessie Pope
'There's the girl who clips your ticket for the train, And the girl who speeds the lift from floor to floor, There's the girl who does a milk-round in the rain, And the girl who calls for orders at your door. Strong, sensible, and fit, They're out to show their grit, And tackle jobs with energy and knack. No longer caged and penned up, They're going to keep their end up 'Til the khaki soldier boys come marching back. There's the motor girl who drives a heavy van, There's the butcher girl who brings your joint of meat, There's the girl who calls 'All fares please!' like a man, And the girl who whistles taxi's up the street. Beneath each uniform Beats a heart that's soft and warm, Though of canny mother-wit they show no lack; But a solemn statement this is, They've no time for love and kisses Till the khaki soldier boys come marching back
As a class read the poem War Girls and ask pupils to identify all the jobs Pope lists.
Consider any jobs Pope hasn’t included in her poem. Can pupils write an additional verse to mention some of the other jobs? Challenge pupils to follow the rhyme scheme Pope has used.
Plenary: Ask pupils to share poems.

13. WAR GIRLS by Jessie Pope
'There's the girl who clips your ticket for the train, And the girl who speeds the lift from floor to floor, There's the girl who does a milk-round in the rain, And the girl who calls for orders at your door. Strong, sensible, and fit, They're out to show their grit, And tackle jobs with energy and knack. No longer caged and penned up, They're going to keep their end up 'Til the khaki soldier boys come marching back. There's the motor girl who drives a heavy van, There's the butcher girl who brings your joint of meat, There's the girl who calls 'All fares please!' like a man, And the girl who whistles taxi’s up the street. Beneath each uniform Beats a heart that's soft and warm, Though of canny mother-wit they show no lack; But a solemn statement this is, They've no time for love and kisses Till the khaki soldier boys come marching back
Jobs mentioned:
Train guards
Lift operator
Delivering milk
Postal worker
Delivery van driver
Butcher
Bus conductor
Bellhop in a hotel

14. Write another verse
Some of the other jobs women did during World War One include:
- Doctor or nurse treating soldiers in hospitals
- Building ships
- Farming
- Police officers
- Firefighters
Ask the class to write another verse to the poem to include some of the other jobs women did during World War One. These include:
Doctor or nurse treating soldiers in hospitals
Building ships
Farming
Police officers
Firefighters
Challenge pupils to use the same rhyme scheme as Pope.

15. Lesson 3: Female bus conductors
Learning objective: To understand the role of a bus conductor and what this role would mean to a woman.

16. Travelling by bus
At the start of WW1 in 1914 people were beginning to travel by bus.
Previously people would travel by train or horse and carriage.
Less wealthy people walked or rode bicycles.
Cars were very rare and expensive.

17. Horse-drawn bus

18. Buses used to transport soldiers
This film clip shows London buses being used to transport soldiers to France.
How safe does this look?

19. Bus conductor What was the role of a bus conductor?
Children to gather ideas through snowballing activity using resource sheets A & B.

20. What have we found out?
- What is the role of a bus conductor? - Can you describe a bus journey in 1914? - What else do you know?
Plenary discussion

21. Lesson 4: Florence Cordell
Learning objective: To research Florence Cordell and the role of female bus conductors in WW1.

22. Fact finding
- There will be six fact finding groups. - In your group you will be set a task to discover some facts to explain to the rest of the class. - In your group think how you will explain and show your findings. Make sure everyone is involved.

23. Ask each group to present their findings.

24. Lesson 5: Thank you
Learning objective: To write a letter thanking Florence Cordell for her contribution to the war effort

25. Thank you
- What can we thank Cordell for? - Why was it important that women took on the role of bus conductor? - Is there anything that has happened in our lives that might not have been possible without the work of Cordell?

26. For more ways to say thank you please see https://www. britishlegion