EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES – ABC DOCU-DRAMA THE WAR THAT CHANGED US
© Commonwealth of Australia 2015
This work is copyright. Permission is given by the Commonwealth for this
publication to be copied royalty free within Australia solely for educational purposes.
Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be
reproduced for commercial purposes.
To the best of DVA’s knowledge, copyright permission has been obtained for any
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for educational purposes. The Commonwealth shall not be responsible for any
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[email protected].
Published by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Canberra.
Unless otherwise specified, all images and written sources used in these activities
are from The War that Changed Us © Electric Pictures. The inquiry learning
materials were written by Merrillee Chignell, Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
For enquiries about reproduction or other uses of this publication, contact:
Commemorations Branch
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
GPO Box 9998
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Tel: (02) 6289 1111
Website: www.anzacportal.dva.gov.au
Email: [email protected]
November 2015
P03035
Educational activities to support The War that Changed Us
Introduction
These educational activities, aligned to the Australian Curriculum: History at Year 9, are designed to encourage
students to engage with the ABC docu-drama The War that Changed Us (2014) and the rich historical sources it
incorporates. The War that Changed Us is an ABC TV series of four 60-minute episodes that explore the lives of six
individuals who experienced the First World War from their role on either the battlefields or the home front.
Overview
This educational resource has eight investigations, each exploring concepts of time, continuity, change and the
impact of the First World War.
INTRODUCTORY INVESTIGATION:
Did the First World War change Australia?
Students demonstrate their knowledge of Australia’s political, economic and social environments in 1914, then
confirm or challenge their understandings at the completion of viewing the series.
INVESTIGATION 1:
How did different citizens of Australia respond to, experience and
participate in, the First World War?
Students focus their attention on following and understanding the experiences of one of the individuals in the series
through a number of inquiry questions, to develop a profile of their individual’s attitudes and experiences.
INVESTIGATION 2:
How do the views of historians add to our perspectives and
understandings of the First World War?
Students focus their attention on following and understanding any two of the nine historians. They identify each
historian’s perspective and what analysis and information historians add about the individual citizen selected across
the four episodes of the series.
INVESTIGATION 3:
What can we learn from primary sources?
What perspectives do they provide to us as historians?
Do they tell the whole story?
Students focus on the quotes taken from primary sources from each of the characters across the four episodes, to
investigate the strengths and weaknesses of primary and secondary sources.
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INVESTIGATION 4:
What were some of the reasons for enlistment in the First World War?
What were some of the reasons given by those who did not enlist?
Students use the information in the first episode, Answering the Call 1914–1915, to investigate the many reasons
for enlistment in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Students also identify the reasons why some chose not to enlist.
INVESTIGATION 5:
What roles did different Australians play in the First World War?
Students identify the roles of the six key individuals and analyse these and their importance on either the battle front
or home front.
INVESTIGATION 6:
How and why did the conscription debate divide Australian opinion?
Students analyse the views of the six key individuals to develop the arguments for and against conscription.
INVESTIGATION 7:
How did the progress of the First World War influence and change the views of
Australians by 1918?
Students explore the changing views of the six key individuals in The War that Changed Us to consider how public
opinion was influenced as the First World War continued.
INVESTIGATION 8:
From having viewed the series The War that Changed Us, what is your personal
reflection on the six key individuals?
Students reflect on the stories of the six key individuals in the series and provide their own interpretation of those
individual’s experiences of wartime.
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Australian Curriculum
This classroom resource has been developed with specific reference to the content descriptions for Year 9 students
in the Australian Curriculum: History, where a depth study of World War I is required. The Historical Knowledge and
Understanding, and Historical Skills, relevant to these educational activities are listed below.
Year 9 History
Depth study: World War I
Historical Knowledge and Understanding:
Historical Skills:
• An overview of the causes of World War I
and the reasons why men enlisted to fight in
the war
• The places where Australians fought and
the nature of warfare during World War I,
including the Gallipoli campaign
• The commemoration of World War I, including
debates about the nature and significance of
the Anzac legend
• Use chronological sequencing to demonstrate the
relationship between events and developments in
different periods and places
• Use historical terms and concepts
• Identify the origin, purpose and context of primary and
secondary sources
• Process and synthesise information from a range of
sources for use as evidence in an historical argument
• Evaluate the reliability and usefulness of primary and
secondary sources
• Identify and analyse the perspectives of people from the
past
• Identify and analyse different historical interpretations
(including their own)
• Develop texts, particularly descriptions and discussions
that use evidence from a range of sources that are
referenced
• Select and use a range of communication forms (oral,
graphic, written) and digital technologies
The learning content and activities in this resource also allow for the development of the following general
capabilities: Literacy, Critical and creative thinking and Personal and Social Capability. Furthermore, the material can
be easily adapted for use with other levels and curriculum areas, particularly English, Drama and Media Studies or
Film Making.
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Using the resource
The ABC docu-drama The War that Changed Us is a four part series of 60-minute episodes that provide six
contrasting stories of individuals and their experiences of, and attitudes to, the First World War. The stories are built
around evidence from primary sources, including diaries, letters, journals or writings by the individuals at the time.
Historical film footage is also offers vision of Australia at the time, and nine historians add their interpretations of the
primary and secondary sources to provide valuable critique and understandings. Because each activity is discrete in
nature, teachers are able to adapt each investigation to suit their own purposes and students’ needs.
Disclaimer
This resource encourages students to explore and interpret a range of historical sources. The Department of
Veterans’ Affairs cannot be assumed to agree with or endorse any content or opinions expressed in websites or
other publications quoted or referred to in this resource. Teachers are advised to view the series prior to using it as a
classroom resource.
Teachers are further advised to use due diligence according to their personal and school philosophies when using
sources from any collection that may include language or values considered inappropriate today or content that
could prove distressing to students. Some images of war, of death and dying are recurring and could be distressing
to students.
Below: Prime Minister Billy Hughes addresses a crowd at a pro-conscription meeting in Sydney, 1916. (Australian War Memorial (AWM) A03376)
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ABC DOCU-DRAMA – THE WAR THAT CHANGED US
© Department of Veterans’ Affairs 2014
INTRODUCTORY INVESTIGATION: Did the First World War change Australia?
Students bring their knowledge of Australia’s political, economic and social environments in 1914, then can
revisit their knowledge at the completion of the series to highlight their new understanding of Australia during
the First World War.
Activity
Why do you think the title of the series is The War that Changed Us?
What was Australia like in 1914–1918? With your own general knowledge fill in any information you know about
Australian society at the time of war’s outbreak.
Political leadership
The economy
Roles of women in
society
Roles of men in
society
Influence of media
Methods of
communication
Grief in society
Military training and
forces
Life in the city
Life in the country
Social values
Development of
technology
After you have viewed the four episodes use a different colour pen to add new information you have learnt about
Australia. Now make a statement about the relevance of the title of the series – The War that Changed Us. Do you
agree or disagree with the choice of the title?
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INVESTIGATION 1: How did different citizens of Australia respond to, experience
and participate in, the First World War?
Students focus their attention on following and understanding the experiences of one of the individuals in the series
through a number of inquiry questions, to develop a profile of their attitudes and experiences.
Activity – Character Case Study
Choose one of the six key individuals from the list below and watch each episode of The War that Changed Us noting
any significant information that helps you to understand the individual’s motivations, skills, experience and attitudes
to war displayed across the course of the four episodes. You will be provided with some key questions to answer and
should note any interesting new information about the individual.
Archie Barwick
AIF soldier
Pompey Elliott
AIF Battalion commander
Kathryn McNaughton
Australian Army Service Nurse
Vida Goldstein
Editor of Woman Voter newspaper
Tom Barker
Unionist and Industrial Workers
of the World spokesman
Eva Hughes
Woman’s advocate and peace
activist supporting the British Empire
You will be able to develop an understanding of their experiences through the following questions:
• What was the individual’s role during wartime?
• What did they contribute to the war effort?
• Were they on the battlefields or on the home front?
• What was their wartime experience?
• What was their educational background, training, profession or trade?
• What was their cultural background?
• What was their attitude to war?
• Did their attitude to war change? If so, how and why?
Use the following spreadsheet to take notes about your character during your viewing of each episode.
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Character Study
EPISODE ONE
Answering the Call
1914–1915
EPISODE TWO
Coming Together
1915–1916
What do you find out
about the individual?
What do they do?
What is their attitude
to the war?
What do the
historians think about
this person?
What do you think
about this person?
What question would
you ask them?
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Character Study
EPISODE THREE
Coming Apart
1916–1917
EPISODE FOUR
Coming Home
1917–1918
What do you find out
about the individual?
What do they do?
What is their attitude
to the war?
What do the
historians think about
this person?
What do you think
about this person?
What question would
you ask them?
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ABC DOCU-DRAMA – THE WAR THAT CHANGED US
© Department of Veterans’ Affairs 2014
INVESTIGATION 2: How do the views of historians add to our perspective and
understanding of the First World War?
Students focus their attention on following and understanding any two of the nine historians. They identify each
historian’s perspective and what analysis and information they add about the individual across the four episodes of
the series.
Activity
Choose two of the historians who are featured in the series The War that Changed Us to analyse what their views
and knowledge add to your understandings of the person.
Dr Janet Butler
Historian, La Trobe University
Professor Bill Gammage
Historian, Australian
National University
Dr Marina Larrson
Author and Historian
Dr Ross McMullin
Author and Historian
Professor Bruce Scates
Historian, Monash University
Dr Jeff Sparrow
Historian
Prof Peter Stanley
Historian, UNSW Canberra
Dr Clare Wright
Historian, La Trobe University
Dr Bart Ziino
Historian; Deakin University
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Name of the historian
Name of the individual they
comment upon
What perspective does the
historian give?
What primary sources did the
historian use?
Is it a good historical source?
Justify your answer.
Is the historian’s opinion valid?
Is their opinion biased? Why or
why not?
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ABC DOCU-DRAMA – THE WAR THAT CHANGED US
© Department of Veterans’ Affairs 2014
INVESTIGATION 3: What can we learn from primary sources?
What perspectives do they provide to us as historians?
Do they tell the whole story?
Students focus on the quotes taken from primary sources from each of the individuals across the four episodes, to
investigate the strengths and weaknesses of primary and secondary sources.
Activity
The series The War that Changed Us is based on the real-life stories
of six Australians and provides a window into their lives during the
period of 1914–1918. Their characters are developed using actors
playing their roles and their stories are told through the evidence
found in primary and secondary source documents. For each
individual these sources vary. Use the table below to analyse the value
of different primary and secondary sources referred to in the series.
Left: Archie Barwick in uniform and Right: the actor
playing Archie in The War that Changed Us.
Source
Letters
Diaries
Newspaper articles
Who created it?
Who is it intended for?
What perspective does
it give?
Is this perspective the
truth?
Is this perspective
biased?
Why or why not?
Is it a good historical
source?
Why or why not?
Where else should
you look for additional
information?
Discuss and compare the historical value of each of these sources. How accurately do they convey the attitudes of
individuals?
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INVESTIGATION 4: What were some of the reasons for
enlistment in the First World War?
What were some of the reasons given
by those who did not enlist?
Students use the information in the Episode 1, Answering the Call 1914–1915, to
investigate the many reasons for enlistment in the First AIF. Students also identify
the reasons why some chose not to enlist.
Activity
From the introduction to the characters and from the information provided
in Episode 1, list in each box a reason why different individuals chose, or
chose not, to enlist.
Right: An example of a First World War recruitment poster (DH Souter, It’s nice in the surf but what
about the men in the trenches? [c. 1915, chromolithograph on paper, 76.2 x 51.4 cm, AWM ARTV00141])
Reasons for enlisting
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Reasons for not enlisting
ABC DOCU-DRAMA – THE WAR THAT CHANGED US
© Department of Veterans’ Affairs 2014
INVESTIGATION 5: What roles did different Australians play in the First World War?
Students identify the roles of the six key individuals and analyse the role they played and its importance to them on
either the battle front or home front.
Activity
List the names of the individuals in the series and the role they played on the battle front or home front. Identify how
important this role was to this person and why.
BATTLE FRONT
Who
Role
Importance
HOME FRONT
Who
Role
Importance
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Tom Barker addresses a crowd in Sydney.
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ABC DOCU-DRAMA – THE WAR THAT CHANGED US
© Department of Veterans’ Affairs 2014
INVESTIGATION 6: How and why did the conscription debate
divide Australian opinion?
Students analyse the views of the six key individuals to develop the arguments for and against conscription.
Activity
View Episodes 3 and 4 of The War that Changed Us to identify the views of the six individuals towards conscription.
Archie Barwick
Pompey Elliott
Kathryn McNaughton
Vida Goldstein
Tom Barker
Eva Hughes
Archie, his brother Len and another soldier warm themselves by a fire as snow falls on the Western Front.
What political figure
is mentioned in these
episodes in relation to
the conscription debate
and plebiscites?
What were his views?
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INVESTIGATION 7: How did the progress of the First World War influence and
change the views of Australians by 1918?
Students explore the changing views of the six key individuals in The War that Changed Us to consider how public
opinion was influenced as the First World War continued.
Activity
After viewing each episode, use the graph below to plot your individual’s positive or negative attitude towards
participation in the First World War. Justify each response with a sentence. Compare your rating with other students’
ratings for the other five individuals. Do you think the attitude of many Australians changed over the course of the
four years of the war from 1914 to 1918? Did the attitudes change more or less on the battle front or on the home
front? Explain your answers.
Individual:
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© Department of Veterans’ Affairs 2014
Positive
Neutral
Negative
ATTITUDE TOWARDS & SUPPORT FOR THE WAR
EPISODE 1
1914–1915
EPISODE 2
1915–1916
EPISODE 3
1916–1917
EPISODE 4
1917–1918
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INVESTIGATION 8: From having viewed the series The War that Changed Us
what is your personal reflection on the lives of the six key
individuals?
Students reflect on the stories of the six key individuals and provide their own interpretations of these individuals’
experiences of wartime.
Activity 1 – Personal Reflection
From the individual case study in Investigation 1, what is your opinion of that individual’s role, experiences and
attitudes to war? How do you think the individual was changed by war? How do you think it may have impacted on
their life? How do you think it affected their family? If they had survived to the age of 80 years how might they have
reflected on the First World War?
Activity 2 – Personal Interpretation
If you could be the actor for one of the individuals in the series, who would you be and why? Develop a short
soliloquy that shows this individual’s attitude to war in 1918. Rehearse and present this to the class and discuss why
you included the statements and opinions that you performed.
The cast of The War that Changed Us. Back row: Pompey Elliott, Kit McNaughton, Archie Barwick.
Front row: Vida Goldstein, Tom Barker, Eva Hughes.
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