World War I Centennial Commemoration Curriculum

The Center of Military History proudly presents a standards aligned digital curriculum commemorating the World War I Centennial.

WWI

Each lesson consists of:

  1. Standards aligned Lesson Plan for 9-12th grade educators
  2. Digital Presentation
  3. Three Engagement Activities for interactive use with the digital presentation
  4. The Military Lens: An extension project with accompanying presentation slides
  5. Lesson Quiz

Lesson 1:

Introduction to President Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson Portrait
Woodrow Wilson Image Source:
Library of Congress
Downloads Plan Presentation

Lesson 1 Downloads

Lesson Plan [PDF 47KB] Presentation [PDF 9.8MB] Extension Project [PDF 362KB] Lesson Quiz [PDF 60KB] Download the entire lesson 1 curriculum [PDF 10.3MB]

Lesson 2:

Naval Warfare and the Lusitania

Painting of Lusitania Sinking
RMS Lusitania Image Source:
German Federal Archive
Downloads Plan Presentation

Lesson 2 Downloads

Lesson Plan [PDF 48KB] Presentation [PDF 18.7MB] Extension Project [PDF 362KB] Lesson Quiz [PDF 59KB] Download the entire lesson 2 curriculum [ZIP 20.7MB]

Lesson 3:

The Interception of the Zimmermann Telegram

The Zimmermann Telegram
The Zimmermann Telegram:
National Archives
Downloads Plan Presentation

Lesson 3 Downloads

Lesson Plan [PDF 47KB] Presentation [PDF 9.8MB] Extension Project [PDF 362KB] Lesson Quiz [PDF 64.3KB] Audio Recording of the Zimmerman Telegraph
(format MP3 488KB - Duration 1:09 min)
Download the entire lesson 3 curriculum [ZIP 24MB]

Lesson 4:

Declaration of War

president Woodrow Wilson addressing Congress
Photograph of president Woodrow Wilson addressing Congress to declare war on Germany
Library of Congress
Downloads Plan Presentation

Lesson 4 Downloads

Lesson Plan [PDF 46.5KB] Presentation [PDF 17.5MB] Extension Project[PDF 1.31MB] Lesson Quiz [PDF 75.6KB] Download the entire lesson 3 curriculum [ZIP 19.3MB]

Lesson 4:

The Nation at War

Historic American Newspapers. April 1917
Historic American Newspapers. April 1917
Library of Congress
Downloads Plan Presentation

Lesson 5 Downloads

Lesson Plan [PDF 46KB] Presentation [PDF 10.8MB] Extension Project [PDF 876KB] Lesson Quiz [PDF 75.6KB] Download the entire lesson 5 curriculum [ZIP 14.2MB]

Lesson 6:

Out of the Trenches to Peace After War

Gas masks for man and horse
Gas masks for man and horse demonstrated by American soldier, circa 1917-18.
National Archives
Downloads Plan Presentation

Lesson 6 Downloads

Lesson Plan [PDF 48KB] Presentation [PDF 10.8MB] Extension Project [PDF 1.8MB] Lesson Quiz [PDF 55KB] Download the entire lesson 6 curriculum [ZIP 27.6MB]

Lesson 7:

The Paris Peace Conference, Treaty of Versailles & League of Nations

The war of the nations: portfolio in rotogravure etchings
The war of the nations: portfolio in rotogravure etchings - compiled from the Mid-week pictorial.
Library of Congress
Downloads Plan Presentation

Lesson 7 Downloads

Lesson Plan [PDF 52.7KB] Presentation [PDF 39.5MB] Extension Project [PDF 1.8MB] Lesson Quiz [PDF 53.5KB] Download the entire lesson 7 curriculum [ZIP 67.5MB]

Bonus Lesson

World War I: Medicine and War

A collection of presentations by noted historians, clinicians, and experts in the field of World War I presented by the Army Medical Department Museum Foundation and the Society for the History of Navy Medicine with the support of the Army Medical Department Center of History and Heritage and financial support from the Society for Military History.

Additional Resources

World War I: Medicine and War

A collection of presentations by noted historians, clinicians, and experts in the field of World War I presented by the Army Medical Department Museum Foundation and the Society for the History of Navy Medicine with the support of the Army Medical Department Center of History and Heritage and financial support from the Society for Military History.

  • PDF cover

    Battle Participation of Organizations of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, Belgium and Italy 1917-1918

    A compiled register of campaign participation for Army units for World War I, showing where and when each unit fought.

    Download PDF [12MB]

  • PDF cover

    Combat Service of Organizations of the United States Army in the World War

    A compiled register by sector and date of U.S. Army units serving in World War I.

    Download PDF [8.6MB]

  • PDF cover

    Composition of National Guard Divisions and Disposition of Former National Guard Units 1916

    A listing of National Guard units showing their pre-war state origins.

    Download PDF [3MB]

  • PDF cover

    Report on Mobilization of the Organized Militia and National Guard of the United States 1916

    A list of all National Guard units mobilized for service on the Mexican border prior to U.S. entrance into World War I.

    Download PDF [21.3MB]

  • PDF cover

    Sector Activities American Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front and Italy 1917-1918

    A list of the geographic combat areas for each officially named Army campaign.

    Download PDF [1.3MB]

  • PDF cover

    Service of Major Organizations of U.S. Army Outside Continental Limits of the U.S. During the World War

    Geographic combat area activities for U.S. Army units containing 20,000 troops or more.

    Download PDF [3.5MB]

  • PDF cover

    U.S. Official Pictures of the World War

    A pictorial history of the American Expeditionary Forces.

    Download PDF [732.5MB]

  • U.S. Army Center of Military History Presents

    "The Great War"| Video Series

    This series details America's involvement in the war from the causes that led to the United States entering the war through the final battles and aftermath of the peace treaty.

    • Episode 1 - Peace Without Victory

      Episode 2 - Building An Army

      Episode 3 - Joining the Fight

      Episode 4 - Turning the Tide

      Episode 5 - Coalition Warfare

      Great War

      More episodes coming soon...

    Who They Were: Sharing the Story of Your Local World War I Generation

    The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and National History Day® have launched Who They Were, an activity that engages students in commemorative activities and connects them to their local WWI story. Students use the Activity Toolkit (link below) to create a short presentation about their community’s World War I generation, which they can share at a WWI event in their school or community. Participants can also upload their work to the online Who They Were map, and explore what other classes or groups from around the country have discovered.

    These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the U.S. Army of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. The U.S. Army bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.