Meaning in the Mud - WW1 Art and Literature

Big Wheel Theatre Company School Workshop

We can visit your school in: All UK Regions

Why book 'Meaning in the Mud - WW1 Art and Literature' with Big Wheel Theatre Company

The First World War poets created a moving and real account of their experience and are widely studied in schools. In this workshop we look at the way poets, artists, playwrights and novelists responded to the Great War.

Through our dramatisations of the poems and discussions of the art your students will discover how these works continue to influence present day writing and other art forms like cinema.

More widely we aim to show how these works changed the way we think about war itself, how it changed our attitudes to bereavement and post-traumatic stress, and our views about class and gender.

A note about suitability - for KS2 we suggest that this is workshop is more suited to Yr 5 and Yr 6.

Meaning in the Mud - WW1 Art and Literature photograph

school trip at Meaning in the Mud - WW1 Art and Literature

school groups Meaning in the Mud - WW1 Art and Literature

Teacher Checklist

Risk Assessments

What activities are available during this educational workshop?

Students are actively involved in this workshop through discussion and being part of our interactive dramatisations. Even though this is a rather serious subject we present it in a memorable, accessible and entertaining way.

In this workshop we will present dramatisations of poems by Siegfried Sassoon, Jessie Pope, Rupert Brooke, Wilfred Owen, and May Wedderburn Cannan.

We talk about propaganda and art and look at some of the paintings of CRW Nevinson and Paul Nash.

Students will analyse the different styles of poetry and art and how the response changed as the war progressed.

Which Curriculum Subjects do you cater for?

Curriculum topics available: Composition, Persuasive writing, Poetry.

We look at the poetry of the War poets Siegfried Sassoon, Rupert Brooke, Wilfred Owen, and the lesser known female poets Jessie Pope and May Wedderburn Cannan. We compare and contrast their works to show how the style and tone of their poetry changed as the war progressed. This workshop will be useful to any students studying the war poets.

Curriculum topics available: War Propaganda.

WW1 change how we think about war and peace forever. The poets and artists of the time created a new way of portraying the war experience. Their work gives us a very real and honest insight into what life was like at the front and at home. No study of the Great War can be complete without reference to the art and literature of the time.

What size groups do you cater for?

Our audience maximum for this workshop is 75 students.

People often ask for us to accommodate more but we find that when the audience is too big the overall learning experience for the students not as good. Our workshops are very interactive, students are encouraged to take part, speak out etc and it can become rather overwhelming when there are too many of them.

Do you offer access for visitors with disabilities?

Yes of course - we work in a flexible way that allows for the easy adaptation of our sessions to students of all abilities.

Do you cater for visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)?

We have extensive experience working with a range of different needs and abilities with ages ranging from Early Years through to KS4, including much work in SEN and PRU settings, and all our actors thrive on the variety of audiences that we encounter.

Anything else?

Running times

KS2 - 75 minutes

KS3 and KS4 - 90 minutes

Who are Big Wheel Theatre Company?

Big Wheel is a theatre in education company that has been delivering high quality creative and interactive workshops and events for young people in the UK and Europe. We have produced workshops that meet the curriculum in English Literature, MFL, History, STEM, Citizenship and more.

We pride ourselves on our approach to inclusivity, creating a warm, supportive atmosphere that means students feel encouraged to participate in this interactive environment. We always respect that some students will prefer simply to watch and make sure that they feel just as involved.

Big Wheel workshops are fun, entertaining and interactive, enabling us to easily explore themes, encourage thought and discussion, explain complex and sensitive topics, and deliver a powerful message. We approach our audiences with no preconceived ideas about them. We strive to ensure that every single member of our audience leaves feeling like they have been an active part of the workshop.