Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Year 9 Date: 25/02/2026
Subject: History
Lesson Topic: 1.6 What caused the First World War?
Learning Objective/s:
  • Identify the long‑term structural causes of World War I (militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism, economic rivalry).
  • Explain the immediate triggers such as the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the July Crisis.
  • Analyse how long‑term and short‑term factors interacted to turn a regional dispute into a global war.
  • Evaluate the role of mobilisation plans and diplomatic failures in accelerating the outbreak.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • PowerPoint slides with cause diagrams and alliance map
  • Printed handout summarising long‑term and immediate causes
  • 1914 world map for a class alliance‑placement activity
  • Sticky notes for student responses
  • Exit‑ticket slips
 Introduction:
Begin with a striking image of the 1914 alliance web and ask, “What might happen if one link snaps?” Prompt students to recall prior knowledge of nationalism and imperialism, then outline today’s success criteria: identify causes, explain their interaction, and evaluate their impact.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5'): Students write on sticky notes one event they think sparked WWI; share briefly.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Present long‑term causes with PowerPoint, highlighting militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism, and economic rivalry.
  3. Interactive map activity (10'): Using the 1914 world map, groups place alliance symbols and discuss how the system could spread conflict.
  4. Short‑term causes video (5'): Short clip on the assassination and July Crisis.
  5. Guided analysis (10'): Whole‑class discussion linking immediate triggers to the underlying causes; teacher models a cause‑interaction diagram.
  6. Check for understanding (5'): Quick quiz on Kahoot or exit‑ticket question: “Which factor most limited diplomatic flexibility?”
Conclusion:
Recap the chain of causes, emphasizing how long‑term tensions set the stage for the July Crisis to ignite a world war. Students complete an exit ticket summarising the most critical cause in one sentence. Assign homework: read a primary source excerpt from a 1914 newspaper and write a brief reflection on how public opinion reflected the underlying tensions.