Tuesday 8 November 2016

ARMISTICE DAY

Armistice Day is a day of remembrance, a day to honour those who died in World War I and World War II and other, subsequent wars. Which day is it? In Britain, Belgium, France, Serbia and New Zealand people wear poppies on this day. Do you know the reason why? There are parades and wreathes are laid a memorial cenotaphs in villages, towns and cities. A minute's silence is also observed to allow for reflection, but upon what? Watch the short centenary video below to find out more.


ACTIVITIES: Watch the video again and answer the questions. For a printable copy click here.

1.Answer these comprehension questions.

When was the First World War?
What happened in 2014?
Which day did the first world war end and what do we call this day now?
When is Remembrance Sunday in Britain?
Where did the poppies grow?
Who was Lieutenant Colonial John McCrae and what was he inspired to do?

2. Which of the following areas was World War I fought in?
  1. The South Atlantic
  2. The Middle East
  3. Australia
  4. China
  5. Turkey
  6. East Africa
  7. The United States
  8. The Alps
  9. The Carpathians
  10. Western Europe
  11. Great Britain
3. How Many? Match the numbers on the left to the facts on the right.

13                  soldiers fought in the war
71,497,467    died in Britain alone
888,246         major wars are in progress*
70,000+         smaller conflicts in progress*
Dozens          people have died as a result of these wars*

*Figures correct for 2014, when the video was produced.

4. Complete the following paragraph:

global, lives, November, observe, poppy, remember, silence, victims, War

The First World _____________  was the first truly ___________  war. At 11am on _____________ 11th 1918 the fighting stopped. This day is now an important day of remembrance where people from across the globe ___________ a minute's ____________ to reflect upon the ___________ of all wars. The __________ is a way to ___________ the people who gave their ___________ for the world we live in today.

5. Read the poem. How does it make you feel? What images do you get when you read it? Who narrates the poem?

IN FLANDERS FIELDS
By Dr John McCrae, 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch
; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.

6. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Do you or would you wear a poppy? Why/Why not?
Who are we remembering: soldiers or civilians?
Is there a similar celebration to Armistice Day in your country?
What happens on this day?
Do you think that war is better forgotten?
How do you feel when you see images of war in the media?
Which wars are being fought at the moment?
Many soldiers are referred to as Peace Keeping Forces, what do you think this means?
Do you watch war films? Why/Why not?

7. Click on the links below for a crossword and word search based on the red words from the worksheet, and a gap fill exercise based on the song 'I Vow to Thee, My Country'. This exercise is based on the acoustic version of the song by the singer from London, Elenya.




VOCABULARY
Armistice                  truce; when fighting stops because of an agreement
World War                a war which involves most of the continents
Poppies                     red wild flowers
Parade                       large number of people/vehicle walking in the same direction
Wreathes                   ring of flowers or plants
Memorial                  something created /done to honour people who have died
Cenotaph                  structure/building to remind us of the dead
Centenary                 hundred year anniversary
Silence                      quiet
row                           straight line
larks                          small birds that fly very high
quarrel                      argue 
foe                            enemy
throw the torch to     give responsibility to someone  

Many thanks to: Mr. Allsop for letting me use his video on my blog. He has loads more informative videos on his You Tube Channel 'Mr. Allsop History'. Subscribe and learn! And to Elenya, for her lovely version of 'I Vow To Thee, My Country'. She also has other great songs on her channel 'Elenya'. Subscribe and listen!