Life On The Planet

Remembrance: Literature of The First World War

It's almost time to start our World War I studies. The Christmas break slithered past me and I'm now scrambling to catch up.  I've got the historical angle of the thing covered (books, videos,etc.), but children's literature on the topic is another story. Here are some titles to look up at the library tomorrow:

The Silver Donkey by Sonya Hartnett

The Letter Home by Tim Decker

Lord of the Nutcracker Men by Iain Lawrence

If anyone has read any of these and has an opinion, either pro or con, please let me know.

As always, when it comes to historical events (wars in particular), there is plenty of good literature out there for adults, but when it comes to children's literature, the pickings are slim.

Google led me to quite a few sites on poetry and prose from the First World War. I liked the BBC one the best. Lesson plans for teaching poetry of WWI can be found at EDSITEment, a website of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Remembering the ladies, there is a site that explores poetry on WWI that was written by women.

Finally, if you aren't looking for poetic genius but would like an insight into the Australian psyche (and what girl with an Australian, tea drinking friend wouldn't need that tutorial?), read Leslie Rub's Christmas Day on the Somme.  It gets the point across.

Anything I missed? Help me out and leave a comment. Thanks.

Christmas Truces

On December 24th, 1914, German soldiers in their trenches on the Western Front started decorating for Christmas. They used what they could find for decorations and lit candles, as well. When they started singing carols, the British forces opposing them began to sing. Silent Night, it seems, is universal.

Soon, gift exchanges began amongst the combatants. Football matches were organized, along with burials for the dead that littered the no-mans-land between the trenches. Apparently, at least one of the burials was attended by soldiers from each side. The truce lasted 24 hours in some places, up to a week in others. There was another truce the following Christmas and again during Easter of 1916, despite the determination of ranking military officials that they would not take place.

If things get a little hectic for you during the holidays, just think about those soldiers, British and German. If they could figure out a way to celebrate Christmas peacefully in the middle of a war-zone, I imagine we can figure out a way to muddle through it in the suburbs.

I'll be taking a Christmas break of sorts over the next few days. We're traveling to visit family and friends in Louisiana (I need to thaw out). Stay safe and warm over the holidays. I'll be back before you know it.

Merry Christmas, everyone, and a very Happy New Year.

War Is Brewing - World War I That Is

After returning from our Christmas festivities in Louisiana, we will be diving head first into the trenches of the First World War. I have been looking for supplemental information online, and have found a few links that I thought I would share.

World War I - Trenches On The Web

First World War

The Great War

World War One

They all look interesting, and I can wait to get digging. Into the websites, that is. I"ll leave the trenches for the kids.

If anyone has any good resources, please let me know!