COURSE TITLE: Digital Archives
GRADE LEVEL: 4th grade
UNIT: Digital Archives World War I Posters from the Elisabeth Ball Collection
ABSTRACT:
In this unit the students will look at a wide variety of World War I posters that were used. The
students will look at what these posters said, and the pictures that they contained. The students
will look at the use of different words to get people to notice the posters. The students will look
at how these posters were used to gain momentum for the war effort. The students will create
their own World War I posters that they feel would be effective and write a short letter detailing
why they believe their poster would be effective. The students will also take a position either pro
war or anti war, the students will write a detailed paper that explains their position.
FOCUS QUESTION(S):
How were World War I posters used during the war?
What message were the posters meant to send?
How did the posters elicit support for the war effort?
How were the German’s represented in the posters?
Benchmarks
4.2.7
Roles of Citizens: Use a
variety of information
resources to take a position
or recommend a course of
action on a public issue
relating to Indiana's past or
present.
4.1.10
Growth and Development:
1900 to 1950. Describe the
participation of Indiana
citizens in World War I and
World War II.
INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES:
Assessment Tasks
1.The students will view
a wide variety of World
War I posters. The
students will make a list
of the things in the
poster that would draw
attention to them, and
the words used and
how the words would
help gain momentum
for the war effort. The
students will then take
the position of either
pro World War I or anti
World War I. The
students will write a
letter to someone
describing why they
feel that way. (4.2.7)
2. The students will
take the position of an
Indiana factory owner
that provided materials
to the Allies during the
war, the students will
write a few paragraphs
describing how they
helped during the war
effort and whether or
not they are for the war
or against the war,
because it took the
factory workers away
from creating profit for
the owner and instead
focused on creating
important items for the
war effort. (4.1.10)
(4.2.7)
Key Concepts
Allies
War
Axis
Subhuman
World War I Posters from the Elisabeth Ball
Collection. To access this collection visit
the digital archives section on Ball State
University’s library website.
The website www.worldwar-1.net/
Classroom Materials
LESSONS:
1. During this lesson the students will
view different World War I posters.
The students will examine these
posters and create a list of the things
in the poster that they feel would
draw attention to the poster. The
students will look at the events that
led up to the start of World War I,
and then the start of the United
States involvement. The students
will use this information to take a
side of either pro World War I or anti
World War I. The students will write
a letter to someone taking the either
pro or anti war stance.
2. The students will use their letters
written to have a class wide debate.
The students who took the same
stance on the war will get together to
develop their debate. After the
groups have had the chance to create
their debate the students will come
back as a group and have a class
wide debate. Either the teacher or an
outside source who will sit in during
the debates will decide which debate
was more convincing.
3. The students will once again
examine different World War I
posters that were used during the
war. The students will be creating
their own war posters that are similar
in design to the actual posters they
are looking at. The students will be
asked to share their war posters with
the class after everyone has finished.
These posters will be hung up in the
local library.
4. The students will pretend that they
are a factory owner during the time
of World War I. The students will
write a paper describing how their
factory is helping with the war effort.
The students will take a side for their
factory owner during the war of
either for or against helping with the
war effort. The pro war students will
focus on the fact that they are
helping the Allies to win the war
against the Axis powers. The anti
war students will focus on how by
providing materials to the war took
profit away from the factory owner.
There will be a brief debate on this
issue.
5. The students will look at the effect
that the World War I posters had on
the people who viewed them. The
students will see that many of the
posters portrayed the German
soldiers as animals and subhuman.
The students will be asked to write a
short paragraph on why they believe
these posters portrayed the other men
this way, and if they believe it was
right to do this.