Themes

This page is purely to provide ideas for class discussions and work.

Below you will see ideas on how to use each of these themes with your class, either as discussion groups or as a starting point in preparing an assembly or presentation.

Commemoration

The action or fact of commemorating a dead person or past event.

  • What does Commemoration mean? What is the difference between Remembrance and Commemoration?
  • Who are we commemorating on the SMAAA Memorials?
  • Why and how do we commemorate the war dead?
  • What other events do we commemorate? Birthdays, funerals anniversaries of events.
  • What does commemoration help us do? Keep in touch with events.
  • How does a commemoration help us celebrate?
  • National Arboretum, how does this commemorate the war dead?
  • How can we use the information on this website to “Commemorate”.
  • Commemoration of roles leading to us learning about individuals, e.g. nurses on war ships.

Peace

A state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended.

  • How did those who lived through WW1 experiences have their attitude to war changed?
  • What do we mean by “Peace”, “Patriotism” and “Pacifism”?
  • What was the impact of the war on the time of “Peace”?
  • How did the politicians negotiate “Peace”?
  • What happens in wars can affect Peaceful Nations now and their people’s aversion to war.
  • What does “Peace-Loving” mean and why did “peace-loving” individuals believe the war to be “just”?
  • What are the symbols of peace, white poppie, dove
  • Who were pacifists?
  • Who were Conscientious Objectors?
  • Why was the signed agreement at the end of the war called The Armistice?
  • Britain was seen as a peaceful place, even during WW1, why was this?
  • What is ‘Peace in our time’?
  • What do we mean by phases such as ‘keeping the peace’, ‘peace and quiet’, ‘peacemakers’?

Remembrance

The action of remembering the dead.

  • Why are poppies the symbol of Remembrance?
  • History of Remembrance Day (Armistice Day), 11am, 11.11.18.
  • Two minutes silence.
  • The Cenotaph and national remembrance.
  • Tomb of the unknown soldier.
  • The Last Post
  • John McCrae Poem ‘In Flanders Field’.
  • Moira Michael Poem ‘We shall keep the Faith’
  • Laurence Binyon Poem ‘For the Fallen’
  • Modern poppies for Remembrance Sunday, who makes them, where does the money go and when was the first ‘Poppy Day’. Insert Tower of London poppies
  • Chelsea Pensioners.
  • SMAAA memorials – when, where and why they were made.
  • Remembrance at SMAAA, Service and Procession.