Contextualization

The First World War was a milestone in history, a global event that altered the political geography of the world and triggered a series of technological, political, and social changes.

The conflict began in 1914 and extended until 1918, involving most nations of the world, including all major powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Central Powers. The war was marked by its extreme brutality and high fatalities, becoming one of the deadliest conflicts in history.

The First World War was fundamentally caused by geopolitical tensions, economic and racial conflicts. The war was also characterized by the use of new technologies and military strategies, such as trenches and submarine warfare.

Importance of the First World War

The First World War was a cataclysmic event that shaped the 20th century and beyond. It altered the balance of power in the world, led to the decline of imperialism, and the rise of nationalism. This global conflict also marked the beginning of radical changes in political ideologies, military technology, and the way war is conducted.

The war also profoundly affected society and culture, leading to radical changes in art, literature, and philosophy. Furthermore, the war exposed inequalities in society and paved the way for many social movements, including the women's rights movement and labor movements.

Students are invited to explore the various aspects of the First World War and understand its significance in historical context. To do so, the following resources are recommended:

• The book "The First World War: a brief history" by Marc Ferro, which provides a concise and comprehensive view of the conflict.

• The documentary series "The Great War", available on Youtube, which dedicated one episode to each week of the war, providing a detailed view of the events.

• The BBC website on the First World War (www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/), which offers a wealth of articles, images, and videos about the conflict.

• The book "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque, which is a war literature masterpiece and provides a glimpse into the life of soldiers on the battlefield.

Practical Activity

Title: Rebuilding the First World War

Project Objective

This project aims to deepen the understanding of the First World War, providing a comprehensive overview of its main events, figures, technologies, and geopolitical contexts. The work will be done in groups of 3 to 5 students and should be developed over four weeks.

Detailed Project Description

The project involves the creation of an interactive digital documentary, combining components of history, geography, art, and technology.

Stage 1: Research and Topic Division

Groups should divide the following topics among themselves:

• Causes of the War
• Military Technology
• Portrait of Life in the Trenches
• Notable Figures of the War
• Consequences and Global Impact

Each student is responsible for a subtopic, and together, they will explore the connectivity of their respective topics.

Stage 2: Material Construction

Each group must collect and synthesize information about the assigned topics, using a variety of sources such as history books, documentaries, period photographs, letters, and newspapers.

Stage 3: Creation of the Interactive Documentary

Using digital tools like Adobe Spark or Canva, groups will then build an interactive documentary. The documentary, besides being narrative, should have interactive elements such as images and videos.

Stage 4: Presentation and Debate

Groups will make a 15-minute presentation of their documentary to the class. After each presentation, the class will engage in a 10-minute debate on the content presented.

Stage 5: Writing the Report

After the presentation, each group must produce a detailed report of the project, following the structure: Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography used.

Necessary Materials

• Books on the First World War
• Internet access for research
• Video creation tools like Adobe Spark or Canva

Step by Step

1. Formation of groups and division of topics to be researched.
2. Extensive research and collection of information and visual materials on the assigned topics.
3. Creation of the script and storyboards for the interactive documentary.
4. Production of the documentary using the chosen tool.
5. Presentation of the documentary to the class and participation in the debate.
6. Writing the report on the project, elaborating on the introduction, development, conclusions, and bibliography used.

Project Deliverables

At the end of the project, each group must deliver the Interactive Documentary and the Written Report. The documentary should be a visual and narrative representation of the researched topics, exploring the interconnections between them.

The written report should detail the methodology used for research and the creation of the documentary, including the challenges encountered and how they were overcome. The report should follow the following topics:

1. Introduction: Contextualization of the theme, its relevance, and the project's objective.
2. Development: Explanation of the theory behind the central theme of the project, detailed explanation of the activity, indication of the methodology used, and presentation and discussion of the results obtained.
3. Conclusion: Recap of the main points, explanation of the learnings obtained, and conclusions drawn about the project.
4. Bibliography: Indication of the sources used for the project, such as books, websites, videos, etc.

By the end of this project, students will have enhanced their skills in historical research, critical analysis, teamwork, digital skills, and communication.