October
World War 1
Apprentice
What I would like for you to get out of your Apprentice studies, is an understanding of the causes of World War 1, the countries and people involved, the toll that it took on the world, and how the world changed because of it.
Read/Study
1-Watch the videos in the following sections on the Khan Academy Website:
• Beginning of World War 1 (6 videos)
• Blockades and American Entry (3 videos)
• Western and Eastern Fronts of World War 1 (6 videos)
Altogether, the videos take about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
2-Print a Pre-World War 1 map of Europe and label the countries. Color the Central Powers yellow and the Allied Powers green.
Print the Post World War 1 map of Europe and color and label the countries. Notice the differences from before the war.
Know/Understand
Choose one of the following inspirements to do:
• Create a photo essay (slideshow) that shows the horrific and ugly truth of war. In pictures from the time and your own narration, show the class how the war affected soldier and citizen alike.
• Do a presentation on how industrialization played a role in the start of World War 1 and how advanced weaponry like submarines, tanks, airplanes, toxic gas, and the machine gun changed the face of warfare.
• Choose one of the following major battles from World War 1 and give a brief description to the class about the details of the battle.
• Battle of Verdun
• Battle of the Somme
• Battle at the Marne
• Battle of Ypres
• Battle of Cambrai
• If you have an ancestor that fought in or was affected by World War 1, tell us about their experiences.
Become/Serve
Journal for 20 minutes about what you think about World War 1? Was it necessary? Was it justifiable? Did it accomplish anything important? Is there ever any good reason to go to war? If so, what is it? Here are some references to consider:
Alma 43:9-15
Here is what the general Authorities were saying in conference shortly after the U.S. entered WW1:
"It is not right for us to engage in the shedding of human blood, for vengeance or retaliation. But when the Lord commands or inspires his servants to counsel the sons and daughters of Israel to lend their aid in the work of righteous warfare, that is different. … We are to arise in our might and in our strength and go forth to victory; not with a desire to shed blood, not with the desire to destroy our fellow creatures, but in self defense and because we do want to maintain and hand down to our posterity those sacred principles of liberty that have been revealed from on high” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1917, 21). Read full excerpt here.
Journeyman
Read/Study
Reading for Journeyman will depend on the inspirement you choose. So, I've included the selected readings with the inspirements in the Know/Understand section.
Know/Understand
Choose one of the following inspirements to do:
• Watch the following video on Wilson's Fourteen Points. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/history/euro-hist/ww1-aftermath/v/woodrow-wilson-s-fourteen-points This is a speech he delivered to Congress in January 1918, explaining the very idealistic set of demands that he would bring to the table while negotiating the Treaty of Versailles. Come prepared to summarize what Wilson's 14 points were and whether you think his idealistic view of foreign policy is possible to obtain.
• Watch the following video on the Treaty of Versailles and its impact on Germany: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/history/euro-hist/ww1-aftermath/v/paris-peace-conference-and-treaty-of-versailles Come prepared to share with the class how the treaty affected Germany and how it helped set the stage for World War 2.
• In March of 1918 the Spanish Flu began its sweeping destruction in the United States. It would become the most deadly virus the world has ever known. (The AIDS virus killed 25 million people in its first 25 years. The Spanish Flu killed 25 million people in its first 25 weeks!) Create a graphic that demonstrates the sheer number of deaths caused by the flu and the number of deaths caused by the war to help us put those numbers in perspective.
Become/Serve
Find reputable article about a current event going on in the world that concerns the U.S. and a foreign country. Some options could be about illegal immigration from Mexico or the war going on in Iraq. Read about the issue and what, if anything, is being done. Do you agree or disagree with the actions the U.S. is taking? If you were the President, what would you do differently? Research ways that you, as a citizen, can voice your ideas about foreign policy and do one of them.
Master
Read/Study
1- Read All Quiet on the Western Front (As you read, please highlight "hot spots" in the text, stuff that sticks out to you, that makes you stop and think, or that is powerfully or eloquently written. So, when you come to the discussion, you will be prepared to share what you learned).
Know/Understand
Choose 1 of the following inspirements to do:
• Read the following poems: In Flanders Fields by John McCrae, and The Hand that Signed the Paper by Dylan Thomas
Choose one of the poems and respond to it in some way, for example, you could paint a scene described in the poem, or write a story around the poem, you could journal your thoughts or pen an essay about ideas that the poem sparked in you. You could write your own poem or memorize it and deliver it powerfully to the class.
• (You could do this as a group project) Watch the 4 videos in the section called "World War 1 Shapes the Middle East". Do a presentation for the class, explaining the Zionist movement, and the affect of the Balfour Declaration and the Sykes-Picot agreement had on the Middle East. How are the political ramifications of these things still causing problems today? This video may be helpful as well: http://www.glennbeck.com/2014/09/18/this-100-year-old-agreement-tells-you-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-isil-end-game/
• I know, when someone asks you to write an essay, you probably groan, however, this is actually one of my favorite things to do! It's either because I'm a glutton for punishment, or because even though it's hard, I learn a TON through doing it. This is a skill you will need to develop in order to clarify your ideas and persuade others to go along with those ideas. It's also great practice for college. Check the "Tools" tab for more info on how to write an interpretive essay. If you would like to email your essay to me for feedback, I would love to read it and help you become a better writer!
Write an interpretive essay about All Quiet on the Western Front. You can choose one of the following topics or choose your own.
• Think about the concept of enemies in war. Whom do Paul and his friends regard as their enemies?
• Why do Paul and men of his age group fear the end of the war as much as they fear the war itself?
• What are the main themes of All Quiet on the Western Front?
• According to the text, how does war empower petty, power-hungry men? Think especially about Himmelstoss. How do the other characters cope with their forced subordination?
• In what ways does the novel critique the romantic rhetoric of war, honor, and patriotism? How might this critique extend to nineteenth-century ideas of nationalism? Think especially about the soldiers’ reaction to Kantorek’s letter.
• What is Paul like as a character? Has the brutality of war completely stripped away his humanity, or does he retain vestiges of his old self?
• Discuss how the goals of the novel, as stated by the epigraph or suggested by the text, affect the work’s form and style. Does Remarque compromise his realistic style in order to deliver a message? Is Kantorek too one-dimensional a character?
Become/Serve
Visit a Veterans' home and bring some small gifts or letters of appreciation to some of the residents for their service to our country. Journal about your experience.
