Experience of a

WWI Soldier
By: Kathy Guerra, Amanda Hefner, and Carrie Gillespie

Europe Unit: Students will explore Europe’s culture, history, economic system, and government.

Grade Level: 6th grade

Objective: The students will be able to investigate life as a soldier in WWI through analyzing
primary sources and communicating with veterans, descendants of a WWI soldier,
and professional historians with a variety of communication tools, including the
Internet. They will demonstrate problem-based learning, constructivism, and critical
thinking skills through a variety of activities.
Materials:
 Personal letters of Joseph McNamara, Capt. 111th Field Signal Battalion,
36th Division
 Historical photos of Joseph McNamara (Archival – Loaned by A. Hefner)
 History and Timeline of the 36th Division
 Historical Items Trunk – Loaned by the Texas Military Forces Museum,
Austin, TX
 Pamphlet (archival) given to soldiers after return from WWI
 Oral Histories of Joseph McNamara, by living descending
 Texas Military Forces Museum archives concerning WWI and 36th Division.
 Miltary.com WWI pages

Technology Applications:
 Email Curator & Archivist of TMFM with questions
 Post and Reply to WWI or Veterans forums on Military.com
 Research online for 36th Division history for timeline
 Create web pages on topic.
 Miltary.com WWI pages

Internet Research Sites:

Texas Military Forces Museum - http://www.kwanah.com/txmilmus/tnghist20.htm
The Story of the American Expeditionary Forces -
http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/history.htm
Texas National Guard History -
http://ranger95.crosswinds.net/divisions/divisions_35_thru_39.html
WWI Aircraft Fighters - http://www.ww1fighters.com/
WWI Glossary of Terminology - http://horace.ls.net/~newriver/ww1/ww1gloss.htm
Army Awards and Decorations - http://www.usarotc.com/awards.htm
WWI Web Sites List - http://www.worldwar1.com/links.htm

Internet Discussion Groups:

Trenches on the Web Forum -
http://groups.msn.com/TrenchesontheWebWWIDiscussionForum
Texas Military History Forum -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Texas_Military_History/
The World At War I Forum - http://pub65.ezboard.com/ftheworldatwar70879frm2
 ACTIVITIES CURRICULUM
CONNECTION
1. Timeline & Map-2 Days Social Studies:
Students will examine history of the 36th Division in WWI through the 6.4A;
Internet, develop a timeline (using Inspiration Software) of the 6.1B; 6.2A&B;
Division’s experiences, and route their movement throughout the war 6.21A,B,&C
on a map.
Technology:
6.A,B,&C;
Flow Chart10.D

2. Train Porter Conflict-1 Day Social Studies:

Students will examine a letter to Capt. Joseph McNamara from the 6.21 A,D&E;
International and Great Northern Railway explaining the events of his 6.15D; 619.A;
troops assaulting two black train porters. Considering the time 6.23A,B
period after the Civil War and before Civil Rights movement, students
will discuss in a group the actions they would have taken if they were
in the situation. Also, discuss how society would have perceived the
incident in 1918 and compare it to social perceptions in 1864 and
2002.

3. Research and Communication-3-4 Days Social Studies:

Students will connect the timeline they developed to personal letters 6.13A,B;614A&B
which contain the experiences of Joseph McNamara, Capt. 111th 6.21A,B,C,D&E
Field Signal Battalion, 36th Division. In groups, students will be 6.22B,C,D,&E
responsible for their own learning through the research of Joseph
McNamara’s letters and the communication with his family Technology:
descendents and 36th Division historians. To accompany their 3.A&C;
research, they will post informed questions to the Military.com WWI 8.D;10A&D;
forum and check for updates in order to collect all necessary 6.A,B,&C;
information to create a product.

4. Historical Artifact Enrichment- 1 Day Social Studies:

Students will participate in an enrichment activity, exploring the 6.1B; 6.20A&C;
contents and artifacts of a WWI footlocker. They will associate these
items with the events and people they have learned about. This
includes a thoughtful discussion, which compares equipment and
uniforms from the early 1900’s to the new technology & equipment
and uniforms soldiers use today.

5. Exploring Past and Present- 2 Days Social Studies:

Using the events, artifacts, letters, equipment, and military 6.1B; 6.20A&C;
assignments of Capt. Joseph McNamara, students will correlate the
daily life of a soldier serving our country today. Through Internet Technology:
research, they may collect images, stories and personal accounts of 6.A,B,C; 8.D
soldiers from each time period.
 6. Homecoming & Flanders Fields – 2 days
From various media resources, students will learn about the epic
poem, “Flanders Fields,” and consider the homecoming letters of
McNamara, then develop their own vision of a “homecoming” from
service to their homeland.

Evaluation: Multimedia Presentation-5 Days (1 Day to present)

Students will be evaluated on the completion of a multimedia presentation with
proper documentation including the following;

 Timeline and map specific to the 36th Division’s travels and events during
WWI.
 Applying research from letters and online communication with historians
or through the military.com forum to their multimedia presentation about
the life as a soldier in WWI.
 Demonstration of problem solving skills by analyzing the Train Porter
conflict, considering the time period, social norm, and military status of
Capt. McNamara, developing their own resolution with supportive
reasoning.
 Comparison and contrast of life and experiences as a WWI soldier with
that of a present day soldier. This includes family, relationships,
technological advancements, and hardships of fighting a war.
GRADING RUBRIC:
ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION
Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Self Score
Score
1 2 3 4
Timeline Not organized, Some organization, Organized, events Good organization,
events make events jumps are somewhat events are logically
Organization sense. around, start and jumpy. ordered, sharp
end are unclear. sense of beginning
and end.

Route No routes provided 1-2 routes mapped. 3-4 routes mapped. 5+ routes mapped.
on the map.
Movements On
Map
Train Porter Cannot work well Works with others, Works well with Works well with
with others in most but has difficulty others, takes part in others, assumes a
Conflict - situations. Cannot sharing decisions most decisions and clear role and
Communication share decisions or and responsibilities. contributes fair related
s in Groups responsibilities. share to group. responsibilities,
motivates others to
do their best.

Train Porter No interpretation of Conceives few Some interpretation Excellent

conflict based on ideas through of the conflict Interpretation of the
Conflict - different time perspectives of the through the use of conflict by using
Perceptions periods time periods. insight into the various points of
different time view and insight
period, reflects on into the different
some differences. time periods and
applying some
current events to
reflect on
differences.
Research No primary Use of 1-2 primary Use of 3 primary Use of 4+ primary
sources. and secondary and secondary and secondary
sources. sources. sources.

WWI Forum One post with no 2-3 posts with clear 4-5 posts with clear 5+ posts with clear
clear purpose. purpose. purpose. purpose.
Questions
Historical Unable to make Details for Some details are Supporting details
comparison, no comparison are non-supporting for for comparison,
Artifacts commentary, no somewhat sketchy, comparison, some meets standard
Comparison connection. minimal commentary, some plus additional
commentary, connection. insight.
minimal Connections were
connection. made regarding the
artifacts.
Exploring Past No collection. Collection of 1-2 Collection of 3-4 Collection of 4+
images stories, or images, stories, or images, stories, or
and Present personal accounts. personal accounts. personal accounts.

< 21 = Beginning 22-26 = 27-29 = 30-32 = Exemplary

Developing Accomplished
(You could get a traditional score by multiplying by 3 and adding 4 points.)
 MULTIMEDIA PROJECT
Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Self Score
Score
1 2 3 4
Multimedia Includes 5 cards or Includes 10 cards Includes at least 15 Includes at least 15
less, few graphics or less, fewer than cards, at least 3 cards, at least 5
Presentation - from outside 3 graphics from graphics from more graphics from
Technical sources, few outside sources, outside sources, at outside sources, 5
animations and fewer than 3 least 3 animations or more animations
advanced features. animations and few and some and several
advanced features, advanced features advanced features.
such as such as video.
audio/video.

Multimedia None of the four 1 area addressed. 2-3 areas All areas
areas addressed. addressed. addressed.
Presentation -
Actual Content
Multimedia Includes little Includes some Includes essential Covers topic
essential essential information with completely and in
Presentation - information. information with most sources depth. Includes
Topic Coverage. few citations and properly cited. properly cited
few facts. Includes enough sources and
elaboration to give complete
audience an information.
understanding of Encourages
topic. audience to desire
more information.

MULTIMEDIA PROJECT CONTENT DETAIL

Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Self Score
Score
1 2 3 4
Timeline - 36th No events specified 5-10 events 10-15 events on 15+ events on
specified on timeline and timeline and
Division events timeline and corresponding to corresponding to
and Capt. Joseph corresponding to dates of letters dates of letters
McNamara letters dates of letters

Research No sources 1-2 sources, one 3-4 sources, a few 5+ sources, many
primary source primary sources primary sources
used used.
Resolution - No evidence of 1-2 reasons, but 3 reasons, but 3 or more reasons,
considering not supporting support is shaky with demonstrated
Train Porter resolution resolution support
Conflict
Compare/Contra No comparison or Topics mentioned, 1-2 Comparison 3 or more
contrast but no comparison and contrasts Comparison and
st - or contrast shown. shown between contrasts shown
1.) Equipment, WWI and Modern between WWI and
uniforms, or other Modern Day
items, and the life
of soldiers then
and now
2.) Soldier life,
relationships,
hardships
 ORAL PRESENTATION
Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Self Score
Score
1 2 3 4
Oral Great difficulty Some difficulty Communicates Communicates
communicating communicating ideas with proper ideas with
Communication ideas. Poor voice ideas due to voice voice projection, enthusiasm, proper
of Presentation projection, projection, annunciation, voice projection,
annunciation, little annunciation, lack adequate annunciation,
preparation or of preparation, or preparation and appropriate
incomplete work. incomplete work. delivery. language, and clear
delivery.

(The oral presentation may be a stand alone grade. If you would like a traditional grade,
multiply by 25.)