Life in the Trenches

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Curriculum Context

Subject: History
Key Stage: 2
Year: 6
Topic: World War I
UK National Curriculum Area: "Study of a significant turning point in British history, including post-1066 cases. Ideally, focusing on aspects that highlight Britain’s connections to the wider world, such as involvement in global conflicts."

This lesson builds on students’ existing understanding of World War I by delving into the structure and conditions of trench warfare. The session will encourage critical thinking, empathy, and collaborative skills, in line with the UK’s educational standards for Key Stage 2.

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of the 40-minute lesson, students will:

1. Describe the purpose and structure of trenches during World War I.
2. Understand the daily conditions soldiers faced in the trenches.
3. Recreate a visual representation of trenches (Allied powers focus) through small-scale designs using craft materials and small figurines.
4. Reflect on how trench conditions impacted the morale and health of soldiers.

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Resources Required

• Pictures and diagrams of trenches (laminated for groups).
• A large bowl of soil or sand (safe and clean for classroom use).
• 3D mini soldier toys (or simplified printed soldier cutouts if needed).
• Mini crafting tools (toothpicks for structures, small boxes, plastic cups).
• Small spray water bottle (to simulate trench mud).
• Students’ History notebooks for jotting observations.
• Pre-prepared fact cards on trench life for group reading.
• A whiteboard or flipchart for visual descriptions and key terms.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 Minutes)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge and introduce trench warfare.

• Begin by asking, “Can anyone explain why trenches became so important in World War I?” Write their responses on the board.
• Display a simple picture of trench systems and ask students to point out unique features (e.g., dugouts, barbed wire, traverses).
• Provide students with a short dramatic description: “Imagine waking up to the smell of damp earth, the sound of blaring shells, and feeling mud clinging to your boots. This was life in the trenches.”
• Explain today’s focus and goals: to understand how trenches were built and what they were like for soldiers on the Allied front.

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2. Group Activity: Building a Trench Diorama (15 Minutes)

Objective: Understand the physical structure and design of WWI trenches through hands-on interaction.

• Divide the class into five groups of five. Provide each group with resources: soil/sand, their tiny soldier figurines, craft materials like toothpicks or boxes.
• Assign each group the task of shaping a section of a trench. Assign specific roles (e.g., one digs the design, one creates a dugout, another works on the trench walls, etc.).
• During the activity, walk around and narrate as students create, e.g., “Soldiers had to dig these by hand, often in rainy, freezing weather.”
• Use the spray bottle between designs to demonstrate trench flooding and muddy floors (light spray, not enough to cause a mess!).
• Ask each group to explain why their chosen design would help protect soldiers or store supplies.

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3. Exploring Life in the Trenches (10 Minutes)

Objective: Develop empathy by imagining the lived experience of soldiers.

• Hand out laminated fact cards to each group summarising different aspects of trench life (e.g., rats, trench foot, food supply issues, shell shock). Each group gets a different focus area to present.
• Allow 5 minutes for groups to read and produce a short response. Prompt: “Summarise in a sentence—what do you think life in the trenches felt like, based on your topic?”
• Groups share their ideas. Write their main points as bullet points on the board.

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4. Reflection & Wrap-Up (10 Minutes)

Objective: Reinforce key concepts and evaluate students’ understanding.

• Divide the board into two columns: “Survival Techniques” vs. “Challenges Faced”. Ask students to mention examples from their trench-building activity and readings. Fill in the columns together as a class.
• Pose an open question: “Why do we think soldiers managed to keep their spirits up during trench warfare?” Facilitate a short discussion.
• Ask students to silently answer in their notebooks: “If you were in the trenches, what would be the hardest part for you and why?”

Plenary Assessment Discussion
Invite 2–3 volunteers to share their notebook responses. Explain that understanding the human experience of war helps us empathise with people from history.

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Extension or Homework Task (Optional)

Ask students to write a letter from the perspective of an Allied soldier in the trenches. They should include details from today’s activity, imagining they are writing to their family about daily life. Encourage them to use descriptive language to express emotion and setting.

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Differentiation

Support:

• Provide additional visuals or pre-drawn trench diagrams for students who need extra help understanding dimensions or concepts.
• Allow paired reading of fact cards for struggling readers.

Challenge:

• Encourage able students to consider connections between trench conditions and the broader outcomes of WWI (e.g., public opinion, long-term effects on soldiers).
• Ask capable students to design strategic improvements to their trench simulation to enhance safety for soldiers.

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Assessment Opportunities

Students will demonstrate understanding through:

• Contributions to group trench-building (collaboration and empathy toward soldiers’ struggles).
• Responses during the fact card group discussion.
• Notebook reflections showing their personal interpretation of trench life.

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This hands-on lesson combines tactile learning with historical empathy, making the challenges of trench life both tangible and relatable for Year 6 students.