Anzac Day - Classroom activities

Anzac Day, 25 April

Why Anzac Day?

April 25 marks the landings of New Zealand troops at Gallipoli in 1915. This campaign was a complete military disaster which culminated in an Allied retreat in December. Anzac Day does not therefore commemorate a military triumph and was a tragic waste of human life for all involved. Far more New Zealanders - over 12,000 - died on the Western Front than at Gallipoli, so why is it not Passchendaele or the Somme forever etched in the collective memory of the nation?

Ormond Burton, a First World War hero who subsequently became a leading pacifist, believed that 'somewhere between the landing at Anzac and the end of the battle of the Somme New Zealand very definitely became a nation'. Others have described events at Gallipoli as New Zealand's baptism of fire. Exploring the role of war in general and this campaign in particular is one way that Anzac Day can be incorporated into your teaching programme.

The First World War highlighted attitudes that many New Zealanders today might struggle to appreciate- 'fighting for King and Empire'. But other attributes - bravery, tenacity, practicality, ingenuity, 'mateship' - are all recognised as qualities that have helped New Zealand define itself as a nation.

For many who lost loved ones in war, such matters are of little significance and for them the day remains one of commemoration. For New Zealand, with a population of around one million in 1914, the First World War was a hugely traumatic event; 58,000 casualties out of a force of 100,000 equated to one in every three men aged between 20 and 40 being killed or wounded.

There has been a noticeable resurgence of interest in Anzac Day commemorations in recent years. A growing number of young New Zealanders are attending the various ceremonies that are a feature of this day. Some students in your classrooms will have relatives who fought at Gallipoli or in the other international conflicts of the 20th century in which New Zealand has participated. They may not be aware of this, or their knowledge might be confined to old photographs hanging on a wall, showing great-grandfathers or other relatives in uniform.

For others Anzac Day is no more than another holiday. Some students, especially recent immigrants to New Zealand, might have no family connection to these events at all. While the depth of knowledge and awareness may vary, the fact is that Anzac Day marks a very important episode in the history of New Zealand and its people.

Anzac Day is not just about the Anzacs

Anzac Day is not just our story. While 25 April gave birth to the Anzac tradition and formed the basis of the close ties with Australia that continue to this day, soldiers from many other countries also fought and died there. Repelling foreign invaders led to the emergence of modern Turkey. Consider the following statistics:

The Classroom and Anzac Day

The Classroom supports teachers and students in a number of curriculum levels in their study of Anzac Day. These activities and teaching ideas can be used as they are or be adapted to suit the particular needs of your classes. They have not been organised in year levels for this reason.

Getting started

How does Anzac Day fit into the curriculum?

Clearly a study of Anzac Day ties in with a good current events programme and is of general interest to students of history as it is a significant event in New Zealand history. If greater justification is required for devoting time to such a study consider the following options:

• Anzac Day as a significant 'current event'. Some of your students may have participated in activities on Anzac Day so it is a good way of incorporating their experiences into your teaching.
• In a level 4 social studies programme a study of Anzac Day could be incorporated into coverage of:
  • Time, Continuity and Change, which examines how the causes and effects of the Gallipoli campaign or war in general have shaped the lives of New Zealanders;
  • Culture and Heritage, which explores why and how individuals and groups pass on and sustain their culture and heritage, with regards to participation in the Gallipoli campaign or war in general.
• In a level 5 social studies programme a study of Anzac Day could be incorporated into coverage of:
  • Culture and Heritage by exploring how participation in the Gallipoli campaign or war in general developed and maintained a sense of cultural and national identity;
  • Place and environment by considering why particular places or environments such as Gallipoli or indeed a local war memorial are significant to people.
• Anzac Day has a lot of potential as a research topic in NCEA history as well as social studies, for instance:
  • its place in the emergence of a national identity (remember also that this event was of huge importance to the emergence of modern Turkey);
  • a wider examination of New Zealand's experiences in war;
  • a local study looking at the impact of Gallipoli and or war in general on local communities in New Zealand;
  • family histories associated with the impact of Gallipoli and or war in general.
• As an extension or part of an existing history topic e.g. in year 12
  • The Origins of World War I
  • The Growth of New Zealand Identity 1830-1980

Anzac Day Classroom activities

This is a bit of a 'pick and mix'. Some activities allow you to gauge your students' understanding or awareness of Anzac Day. You could find this out more simply with some straightforward questions, but it is important to know where to begin.

Online resources are essential in supporting these activities and represent an invaluable reference point for you and your students. We recommend that you spend some time familiarising yourself with the websites listed at the bottom of this page, particularly Anzac Day - A Guide for New Zealanders and the Anzac Day feature on NZHistory.net.nz