WWI Night (Sophomores)


View videos from WWI Museum Night March 12, 2020

Driving Question:

How can you create a sense of mystery to intrigue people to learn more about WWI?  How can a World War I museum of remembrance capture the causes and consequences of WWI and explain to the public why it matters?  

Project Overview:

Every March, rain or shine, Da Vinci’s sophomore class bands together to present a cohesive, school-wide presentation on World War One. Classrooms on campus are turned into battlefields, hospital rooms and homefronts, with students playing roles from wounded soldier to distraught widow. For these few hours, Da Vinci is not a high school campus - it’s a living museum showcase of one of history’s most famous conflicts. 
World War One Night is the public culmination of weeks of hard work. Sophomores read and discuss ​All Quiet On The Western Front ​to absorb a first-hand account of what it was like to serve on the front lines. They analyze primary documents, including letters and original propaganda from the 1910s, to understand the culture of the era and get a glimpse into individual lives. Groups even explore the hidden meaning in the lyrics of popular songs from the time. The first of Da Vinci’s annual night projects, World War One Night is the perfect way to show off the level of creativity, dedication and passion apparent in even the youngest of DV’s high school students through a presentation as complex as it is all-encompassing. 

Student Quote:

“Despite having half an hour to set everything up, we still beat everyone,” says Caerwyn Henderson. “The most interesting part was getting to see everyone’s final projects on the actual night. Our topic was women on the homefront, and our team was able to pull off a really cool final product.”