Many of us use a curriculum to teach history; but using
literature to teach history can be a great teaching tool. I am continuing this
history literature series with some of the best books to teach about World War
One. Using literature to teach history illuminates the time period, helps
integrate the history curriculum, and enriches social studies. With my love for
literature and history, it only makes sense to combine the two, so I have
gathered some of my favorite books that teach about World War One in high
school.
The Clever Teens’ Guide to World War One by Felix
Rhodes covers all the major facts and events giving you a clear and
straightforward overview: from the pre-war tensions, the assassination that
sparked the war to its bloody conclusion four years later. Read about the huge
battles on the Western Front, the Eastern Front, the war at sea and in the air,
and the war in Africa and the middle East.
The War to End All Wars: World War I by Russell
Freedman illuminates for readers the complex and rarely discussed subject of
World War I. The tangled relationships and alliances of many nations, the
introduction of modern weaponry, and top-level military decisions that resulted
in thousands upon thousands of casualties all contributed to the “great war” which
people hoped and believed would be the only conflict of its kind. The author
shows the ways in which the seeds of a second world war were sown in the first.
There are numerous photographs that give the often disturbing subject matter a
moving visual counterpart.
World War One: 1914-1918 by Alan Cowsill brings
history to life as we see the war through the eyes of the young conscripted
servicemen on all sides of the conflict. Introducing the advent of tanks,
airplanes, air raids, submarines and gas attacks, we take a close look at the
first modern war. From the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in
Sarajevo to the Treaty of Versailles we see for ourselves what life was like in
the trenches, on the home front, at sea and in the air.
Daily Life During World War I by Neil M. Heyman
brings to life the military and civilian experiences of ordinary people on both
sides of the war. This engagingly written narrative focuses on the real details
of living in wartime: how men were recruited and trained, the equipment they
used, what they ate, trench warfare as a way of life, and the phenomenon of
combat. The life of seamen and the novel experience of the first airmen provide
contrast to the life of the soldier in the trenches. Also described are the
medical systems for treating casualties, the life of a prisoner of war, and the
experience of military nurses and the first women in uniform. This book also
details how life on the home front changed in myriad ways, including the
education of schoolchildren, the fevered prosperity of a wartime economy, and
the change in woman’s traditional roles from homemaker to essential laborer.
These are only a few of my favorite books that teach about
World War One, there are so many more out there! Feel free to share in the
comments what you consider the best book to teach about World War One in high
school.
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