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:
Primary Sources: Posters, Photographs, & Footage
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:
- Echoes of the Great War —American Experiences of World War I
- American Artists View the Great War —an online collection
- Posters of World War I —The Library of Congress’s collection of 1,900 war posters, primarily from the U.S.
- Primary Source Set —Maps, newspapers, and posters from the period
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
Tanks of WWI: Renault FT, French Schneider CA1 and More —Wartime 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.
