Lesson Plan:

WWI Weapons: 2 stay, 2 stray

Modern History 112

Unit 2: War and Violence

Section 2: Nationalism and Negotiation: Lesson #13

By: Brandon Belyea

Hook/Intro
A short video by Simple History about weapons in WWI will be shown to give a brief
overview of the technology used in WWI.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0t4afIEw0M

Explanation of 2 stay, 2 stray: Students will be split into groups of 4 and given a short
article on a weapon from WWI. You will be given 15 minutes to learn about the weapon
given to you and create a poster to teach the other groups as they rotate to your station.
When it comes time to rotate 2 people from the group will rotate to the next station to
learn about the new weapon. Be sure to bring notebooks and take notes. The other 2
people from the group will stay to teach the groups that come to their station. When all
groups have circulated, the 2 students that strayed from their original group will now teach
the other 2 about the weapons other groups had.

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

This lesson will be spent learning about 7 specific weapons that were innovative during the First
World War. These weapons are as follows: machine gun, bolt-action rifle, flame thrower, trench
mortars, poison gas, tanks, and airplanes. Learning about these technologies will give students
the information needed to understand the extend the First World War had on the world. It will
show the possibility of total war and explain how it was possible that this war was so
destructive. This will be accomplished by a student teaching student method, 2 stay, 2
stray.
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
1. 3.1.1 Know, understand and be able to express examples of power relationships and
rivalries between European nations, as causes of the First World War (1860s to 1914).
2. 3.2.2 Analyze the ingredients of power potential.
3. 4.1.1 Know and understand that mechanized/industrialized warfare led to an increased
level of destruction.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Students will be able to explain the role of technology in WWI.
2. Students will critically analyze how these weapons changed the way war was fought.

MATERIALS NEEDED
Simple History Video
7 articles on the weapons of WWI.
7 sheets of chart paper.
Markers.
Students will need notebooks.

VERIFICATION
Through focusing on innovative technologies of WWI, students will understand this point in
history as a key turning point. They will also determine several weapons that changed the way
wars were fought forever. This will display the importance of mobilization, technology, and
automation to war. The students will also learn the extent to which these technologies changed
the world and created the ability for 4 years of total war.

ACTIVITY
Students ill be participating in a 2 stay 2 stray activity. They will be split into 7 groups
and 7 different articles will be given out focusing on different weapons of the First
World War. All groups will be responsible for learning about their weapon and creating a
display about it on the Bristol board provided. Once this is completed, students will
circulate to another station and be taught about that weapon. While 2 students
circulate, 2 will stay at their station in to teach the other 6 groups about their weapon.
When all stations have been circulated the 2 straying students will go back to their
original group and teach the 2 students that stayed about the other 6 weapons they
learned about.
Conclusion (to be continued next class)
Recap of what has been covered today and where it will be taking us in the next lesson on
working and living conditions. The next lesson will begin where we left off on this one.