First World War - The Battle of the Somme (Teaching)

1) Videos/animations
i) http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/animations/wwone_map_somme/index_embed.shtml (Map animation of the Somme)
ii) http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/item/1835?CISOBOX=1&REC=1 Men marching to the front line June 1916
iii) http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/item/1261?CISOBOX=1&REC=1 (Evacuation of casualties)
iv) http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/item/1264?CISOBOX=1&REC=10 (Post battle destruction)
v) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tv5gBa9DQs (video of footage from the Somme)
vi) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8350364.stm (Andrew Marr remembers the Somme)

2) Interviews:
i) http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/item/1751?CISOBOX=1&REC=3

3) Photos
i) http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/item/1277?CISOBOX=1&REC=1 (troops advancing)
ii)http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/collections/item/3582?CISOBOX=1&REC=6 (Causality of the Somme)

4) Interactive Resources
i) http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/hq/wfront3_01.shtml (an interactive article on the Somme)

5) Useful Website Links
i) http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/mirror04_01.shtml (Contemporary newspaper headlines)
ii) http://www.iwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.2205 (Personal stories of soldiers who fought in the Battle of the Somme)
iii) http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/battle_somme.shtml (A brief overview of the events of the Somme)

6) Lesson/Activity Ideas:
i) http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/teacher/enquiry5.shtml
ii) Get students to read a variety if sources relating to the Somme and answer some questions
iii) Get students to analysis some different interpretations Haig and come to an overall conclusion.
iv) Lions led by Donkeys – Was the Somme doomed to fail from the start? Students could create a table that lists points for and against this statement. (Using source and knowledge from studies)
v) For those who need more help could use the BBC interactive article on the Somme that asks questions with multiple choice answers (Good foundation for writing an essay)
vi) Could run a class discussion with half arguing that the Somme was doomed to fail and the other arguing that is had a good chance of being successful
vii) Using some of the personal stories provided by the Imperial War Museum, get students to write a memoir of a soldier (made-up) who fought and survived the battle.
viii) Get students to look at headlines in newspapers of the time and discuss the contemporary reaction to the battle.
ix)Use animation map and get student to plot how much land was taken during the months of the battle. Get them to compare this gain to the losses experienced by the British army? Was it worth it?
x) Use the contemporary resources (videos, photos) and interviews in class and get students to think about what it would be like to be at the Somme.