Teaching World War I can be challenging. Our World War I Interactive Notebook Unit is a twelve-lesson no-prep curriculum that you can use the very first day you purchase our materials. No World War I lessons to plan, comprehension questions to write, activities or quizzes to create, or vocabulary words to define. Simply open the book and start teaching!
Why Teaching World War I is Important
World War I is a complex topic that can be challenging for students to understand. It’s not tested on any standardized tests, so why teach World War I? The answer to that (for me as a teacher and history enthusiast) is that World War I is one of the most significant events in modern history. Often called “The Great War,” World War I reshaped nations, altered political boundaries, and set the stage for many of the global events that followed, including World War II. By studying World War I, students gain a deeper understanding of how historical events can have lasting effects on societies around the world.
World War I Topics that Students Want to Explore
When I was teaching, I was amazed at how many of my students enjoyed any topic that included war. They wanted to jump right in to World War I activities that involved tanks and fighter pilots. Still, it was important for me to provide balance and break complex content, like World War I, into focused topics to help students build a clear understanding of war and its impact.
We developed this World War I curriculum to offer students engaging World War I lessons and activities, while exploring key events that students actually wanted to learn about.
Some of the major World War I topics students investigate in our World War I Interactive Notebook Unit include –
- The causes of World War I, including militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism
- The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
- The Allied Powers and Central Powers
- Major battles and turning points of the war
- Trench warfare and daily life for soldiers
- New military technologies and weapons
- Life on the home front
- The United States’ entry into the war
- Important leaders and historical figures
- The Treaty of Versailles
- The consequences of World War I and its impact on future global events
As students examine these topics, they develop a deeper understanding of how World War I changed the course of history and influenced the modern world.
World War I Activities that Students Want to Complete
Of course, a unit filled only with informational text can quickly become overwhelming. That’s why we’ve included engaging World War I activities that help students interact with the content while building historical understanding.
Hands-on activities included in our World War I Interactive Notebook Unit include –
- creating interactive World War I pocket timelines comparing Europe and the United States at the time of Franz Ferdinand’s assassination.
- writing a persuasive letter to Emperor Franz Josef arguing against declaring war on Serbia.
- assembling an interactive Expert’s Journal highlighting major World War I battles.
- participating in a group discussion about the realities of trench warfare.
- exploring World War I weapons and write an essay comparing machine guns, tanks, and poisonous gases.
- creating a map of France, where many of the war’s most significant battles took place.
- assembling a Grid Puzzle featuring a map of Europe following World War I.
Teaching World War I Using Interactive Notebooks
If you’ve explored our other history resources, then you already know that I am a huge fan of Interactive Notebooks. Benefits of using Interactive Notebooks when teaching World War I include –
- emphasis on the importance of note-taking and teaching each student according to his or her learning style.
- enhanced comprehension, retention, and recall of complex World War I topics for all learning levels as students systematically organize as they learn, internalizing and personalizing the content being presented. This benefits high and low achieving students as well as students learning English.
- students interact with the text and decide on the meaning it holds for them. This improves test scores and final grades – one of the most positive aspects of Interactive Notebooks.
- by teaching students to take notes using Interactive Notebooks, teachers can use a variety of modalities to activate student learning and help students achieve academically.
And my Favorite Reason to use Interactive Notebooks –
- they pull students away from their computer screens and immerse them in history with hands-on, cut and paste learning projects (yes, even for older students) that they will actually remember!
You can read more about the benefits of Interactive Notebooks in this blog post – What is an Interactive Notebook–A Guide for Busy Teachers
What’s Included in Our World War I Interactive Notebook Unit
There are twelve lessons in our World War I Interactive Notebook Unit. Each lesson begins with an Interactive Vocabulary activity and rich, nonfiction informational text. There is no additional textbook needed when you purchase our World War I Unit – all of the content is included.
Lesson 1 – Franz Ferdinand
Lesson 2 – The July Crisis-the Beginning of World War I
Lesson 3 – Battles of 1914
Lesson 4 – Trench Warfare
Lesson 5 – Battles of 1915
Lesson 6 – Choosing Sides
Lesson 7 – America Enters World War I
Lesson 8 – World War I in the Air
Lesson 9 – World War I at Sea
Lesson 10 – World War I Weapons
Lesson 11 – Battles of 1918
Lesson 12 – The End of World War I
In addition, we’ve included a context-appropriate glossary, answer pages, and grading rubrics to make teaching World War I easier.
World War I Interactive Notebook Activities
Whether you’re introducing the causes of World War I, teaching about trench warfare, or helping students understand the Treaty of Versailles, our no-prep World War I Interactive Notebook Unit provides engaging lessons and activities that make this important period of history accessible and memorable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Teaching World War I
What is the grade level for teaching World War I?
Depending on the state you are in, World War I is usually taught to upper elementary students in grades 5-7. We’ve written this program at a 5th grade level and aligned it with the 5th Grade Common Core ELA standards.
What if my state doesn’t use Common Core?
Even if your state doesn’t use Common Core, you will still find World War I to be a comprehensive resource for Social Studies content; foundational reading skills; informational text reading, listening skills; writing skills – opinion pieces, expository paragraphs, and personal narratives.
How much time is needed for each World War I lesson?
We suggest, based on 50-minute blocks for Social Studies, taking a week to complete each of the 12 World War I lessons.
- Day 1 – Interactive Vocabulary activity + reading the lesson
- Day 2 – Reading Comprehension Questions, prepare patterns for Interactive Notebook activity OR complete outlines for Writing assignment
- Days 3-5 – complete lesson activities and take a Vocabulary Quiz (if applicable)
Of course, this schedule will vary if your Social Studies block is shorter or longer than 50 minutes or if you assign reading or activities for homework.
Will I need any other materials (besides the book) for teaching World War I?
Absolutely not! We have provided all of the content, activities, quizzes, glossaries, Interactive Notebook patterns, and writing outlines. Students will be asked to refer to the Internet, encyclopedia, or other library resources to complete the Interactive Pocket Timelines, Find the Fib game, and Interactive History Cube.
Ready to dive in? Check out the complete description of our World War I Interactive Notebook Unit
World War I is also part of our American History Bundle. Get all nine of our Interactive American History Notebook units for one low price.