World War 1 (WWI) | Modern World History Teaching Resources

Dave Raymond covers World War 1 from its beginnings to the armistice in Lesson 17 of his Modernity World History curriculum. Please use these WWI resources to provide additional context for your homeschool students as they are studying this important period of world history.

BTW – there is an enormous amount of amazing WWI resources online. We’ve broken them down into specific areas, so click on the link or just scroll down to see them all.

Free WWI resources you will find below:

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Primary Sources: Posters, Photographs, & Footage

American wounded making way to first aid station in the Village of Marne during German attack by George Matthews Harding

World War I Centennial —The largest repository of American WWI records. Browse the National Archives’ photographs, documents, and much more.

WW1 – The Definitive Collection —From British Pathé online, an archive of WWI films

First World War —an extensive collection from the UK National Archives

British Art of the First World War
—A collection of paintings from the Imperial War Museum’s collection

20 Incredible Photographs —from the Imperial War Museum

World War I —The Library of Congress has a huge collection of WWI resources including:

Landscapes of the Western Front, 1914–1918 —A photographic collection documenting the devastation

Treaty of Versailles —Learn more about the end of the war in this article from the History Channel

World War I in Photos —A 10-part series in The Atlantic featuring amazing photographs. [Use caution: some photos depict the casualties of war.]

Interactive Media

Interactive WWI Timeline —From the National WWI Museum

A Global Guide to the First World War —Click through this interactive documentary hosted by news website The Guardian

Over the Top —an interactive choose-your-own adventure game created by the Canadian War Museum

Trench Warfare

Life in a Trench —Watch this documentary clip from the History Channel

Walk Through the Trenches and Go Over the Top —Scene from Paths of Glory (1950s film violence, not gory)

10 Things That Could Have Saved Your Lives in the Trenches —An online exhibit from the Imperial War Museum

Battles, Tanks, Ships, and Animals

What Happened During the Battle of the Somme —An online interactive exhibit from the British Imperial War Museum

Dave Raymond explains this crucial battle.

Tanks of WWI: Renault FT, French Schneider CA1 and MoreWartime footage of tanks

Gallipoli: Through the Soldier’s Lens —The photographic record of soldiers

Sunken WWI German Battleship —A 1924 film showing the raising of the SMS Hindenburg

The Forgotten Army of WWI: Tribute to Animals —Horses, dogs, camels, and…elephants?

The Faces & Voices of War

The Harlem Hellfighters —Do you know which American unit spent the most time in combat? Watch this documentary to learn more.

5 Inspirational Stories of Women in WWI —An interactive exhibit from the Imperial War Museum

Women at Work during World War I —A collection of photos showing the transformation of women’s lives

Leisure On The Western Front —Footage of French troops finding humor and joy

Made in the Trenches —A magazine-style book created in 1916 from the contributions of frontline British soldiers

French WWI Soldier’s Bedroom Frozen in Time —When one young soldier died, his family left his room untouched

Chelsea Pensioners on Their WWI Service —An interview of British veterans filmed in 1974

Stories of the War —A collection of online exhibits from the Imperial War Museum

Teddy Roosevelt Supports the War —A collection of footage

Dulce et Decorum Est’ —Christopher Eccleston reads Wilfred Owen’s famous poem

The Soldier Behind ‘In Flanders Fields’ —The story of John McCrae and his classic war poem

‘This one I feel like we brought home’ —In 2020, one Royal Newfoundland Regiment soldier’s remains were identified through family DNA, as reported by news site The Telegram

In pictures: The poppies at the Tower of London —A 2014 memorial to the British soldiers who died in WWI

Music of the War

Elgar’s Cello Concerto —Composed to commemorate those who died in the war: and performed by Jacqueline du Pré

Wartime Hits —Listen to two popular WWI songs (whole playlist available)

Songs from the War —A Spotify playlist

World War I Sheet Music —An enormous Library of Congress collection

Podcasts

WWI Galleries Podcast —Curated by the Imperial War Museum

Hardcore History —An hour-long conversation between Dan Carlin and British WWI Historian Peter Hart is free online. Carlin’s extensive podcast series on WWI, “Blueprint for Armageddon,” is available for purchase.

Books

Read our post 13 Great Books to Read While Studying World War 1.

Movies and Documentaries

Read our post 8 Films to Watch While Studying WW1.

The Lost Battalion (1919) —Starring actual WWI survivors, this is based on the experiences of soldiers in the American 77th Infantry Division during the Battle of the Argonne in WWI.

Learn more about WWI and the rest of Modern History in our story-driven series.

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