1. L1&2: Introduction to World War One
Agenda
Objective:
To introduce World War One.
To understand how World War One impacted and changed soldier’s daily lives, the meaning of war, and our understanding of reality itself through a close reading of war poetry.
Schedule:
Introduction to World War One
Poetry analysis in small groups
Discussion of poetry, war, and our essential questions.
Concluding Discussion
Homework
Imperialism Final Paper Due: Fri 1/10 OR Mon 1/13
World World One Writing Process Portfolio Writing Goals Due: Mon 1/3
Read “Technology and the Trenches” Due Mon 1/3

2. Introduction to New Unit
Unit Schedule
Writing Assignment

3. Why Study World War One? As you study World War
One you will want to think
about how the war marked
a turning point in the nature
and meaning of war, and in
so doing, changed how
many people thought about
reality and the world around them.
World War One is is important to study because it is the seminal moment in which many people shift from seeing to the world as an orderly, logical, and reasonable place to a place of uncertainty, ambiguity, and irrationality.

4. Task for Today… Today we want to begin to explore these issues.
To do that we will conduct a deep reading and analysis of two poems written during the war.
These poems (individually and as a pair) shed insight into three “levels” of questions you will want to think about this unit.

5. Three Essential Questions To Consider (Notice how they build on one another)
How do we understand reality and the world around us?
(Meta-Level)
What is the purpose/meaning of war?
(Macro-Level)
What was daily life like for a solider?
(Micro-Level)

6. Edgar Guest Born in England in 1881. Raised in the United States.
Worked at the newspaper, The Detroit Free Press, as a “verse columnist.”
In his early 30s when WWI began.
Never fought in World War One.
“Things that Make a Solider Great.”
(volunteer to read)

7. Wilfred Owen Born in England in 1893.
Worked as a private tutor in English and French.
Enlisted in the Royal Army in 1915.
Wrote poetry throughout the war.
Killed in action one week before the end of the war.
“Dulce et Decorum Est”
(volunteer to read)

8. Poetry Analysis Tasks
In your group you will read and analyze both “Things that Make a Solider Great” and “Dulce et Decorum Est.”
For both poems you will analyze the poetic devices used in order to understand the authors’ view of our three questions.
Poetic Devices
Symbolism
Imagery
Tone
Mood
Metaphor/Simile
Rhyme
Meter/Pacing
Alliteration/Consonance/Assonance
Allusion
Three essential questions:
What is daily life like for a solider?
What is the meaning of war?
How do we understand reality and the world around us?

9. Discussion
What is Guest’s understanding of our essential questions and how do his poetic devices reveal this?
What is Owen’s understanding of our essential questions and how do his poetic devices reveal this?
What explains the difference in their two views?

10. Guest “The Things that Make a Soldier Great”
Owen, “Dulce et Decorum Est”
Soldier’s Daily Life
Meaning/ Purpose of War
Understanding of Reality

11. Concluding Discussion
Guest and Owen do not merely represent two opposing views on our essential questions. Rather they represent how the answers to these questions evolved over the course of the war. What does that mean? What does that say about the nature and meaning of World War One?

12. Start of World War One End of World War One
Soldier’s Daily Life
Meaning/ Purpose of War
Understanding of Reality
Evolution in Understanding…

13. Reading Quiz!