First World War Writing
Learning Questions:
Can I identify the writer’s point of view in a text?
Can I use this perspective in my own writing?
Stick the poem in your book and highlight anything which tells you
about the PERSPECTIVE of Wilfred Owen.
Can I identify the writer’s point of view in a text?
Can I use this perspective in my own writing?
These are definitions for some confusing, difficult or complicated words/phrases in the
text. Use them to annotate your poem – you need to find which words/phrases they
define. (Clue: They’re in the order you find them in the poem)
• Walking with their knees knocking together
• Thick mud
• Fireworks that you send up in the sky usually to show you are lost, but
used here to light up a battle field at night to see the enemy’s position
• Covered in blood
• Unable to walk/run/do it’s job anymore – usually to describe an animal
• Tiredness
• Bombs or grenades
• Climax/panic
• Flapping or bobbing around
• Highly corrosive gas that burns human skin and lungs
• Suffocating
• Jumping around in pain
• Destroyed lungs that are full of fluid that the man chokes on
• Dying for your country is sweet and honourable
Can I identify the writer’s point of view in a text?
Can I use this perspective in my own writing?
What was the First World War like?
Create a word bank.
Watch the following clip and write down all of the
words that come into your head about the soldiers’
experience in the trenches during the war.
Birdsong From 2:30
Share our words
First World War Writing
Can I communicate a perspective in my own writing?
Can I select vocabulary to have an impact on the reader and serve my
purpose?
Come up with as many words as you can to describe
what you saw and how you think the soldiers felt.
Birdsong
Can I communicate a perspective in my own writing?
Can I select vocabulary to have an impact on the reader and serve my purpose?
Which words have you found?
Can I communicate a perspective in my own writing?
Can I select vocabulary to have an impact on the reader and serve my purpose?
Whose perspective are you writing from?
WHAT are you writing?
How will this have an impact on your writing?
I am writing from the perspective of…
They would be feeling… because…
I am writing…. Which means I will…
Can I communicate a perspective in my own writing?
Can I select vocabulary to have an impact on the reader and serve my purpose?
WRITING TASK: Write a diary entry or a letter either
before or after the attack.
- You must communicate your perspective clearly.
- You must carefully choose your vocabulary
- It should be over half a page.
Can I communicate a perspective in my own writing?
Can I select vocabulary to have an impact on the reader and serve my purpose?
Swap your writing. In RED pen:
- Write underneath the person’s writing to explain
what perspective of war you think they
communicated in their writing.
- Underline all vocabulary which has been carefully
chosen.