Technology led to stalemate – could it end

it?

Lesson objectives:

1. To examine the weapons of World War 1

2. To examine on the fighting in the trenches.

Task 1

Look at the range of words below – I want you to write definitions of what they mean.

For example: Artillery – The large shells used by both sides to bombard and destroy enemy trenches before attack.

• Artillery.• No mans land.• Dugout.• Barbed Wire barricades.• Machine gun posts.• ‘Going over the top’.

Task 2• SPR – page 20 and 21. – developments in technology.

• You have read about new technology that came about as WW1 progressed.

• I want you to imagine that you are preparing a report for arms manufacturers and are assessing what inventions work and what do not.

• Consider each new weapon or invention and then complete the grid to assess the following:

1. How it is used.2. What it’s advantages are.3. What it’s disadvantages are.4. Give it a score, out of 10, for it’s ability to change the stalemate.

1=no impact and 10=massive impact.

Think carefully about how you evaluate each development or weapon.

Weapon or new

technology.

How did it work or how was it used?

What are it’s advantages? What are it’s disadvantages?

Score out of 10 for preventin

g the stalemat

e.

New weapons of war 1914-1918

Task 3:

• Using the information on new types of weaponry and technology think about which would have been most effective at ending the trench stalemate that had come about.

• Your answer needs to be at least 3 paragraphs long – ¾ of a page.

• Consider the following points in your answer:

1. Think about the trench stalemate and how it came about – why was it such a problem.

2. Think about how the new weapons and technology contributed to ending the stalemate.

3. Explain which methods you think were most important and why other methods or technologies were not so effective.

Plenary.

• Which of the weapons had the biggest impact?

• Which had the smallest impact?

• Why do you think it was so necessary develop new weapons?

• Black adder DVD – 24:30

• – 29:20 episode 6