Utah Women’s Involvement in WWI: 7th and 8th grades

World War I (1914-1918) was a pivotal moment in American history, marking the country’s transition onto the world stage as a major power. Utah, though geographically removed from the Eastern centers of American political power, played a significant role in the war effort, particularly through the contributions of its women. The involvement of Utah women in World War I is a testament to their resourcefulness, patriotism, and the early stirrings of a broader movement for women’s rights and recognition in the United States.

Even before the United States officially entered the war in 1917, Utah women were active in preparedness efforts. They participated in the Red Cross and other organizations, knitting socks and sweaters for soldiers, rolling bandages, and conducting various drives to support both local and international relief efforts. The spirit of volunteerism was strong, and many women joined organizations like the American Red Cross and the National League for Woman’s Service. These organizations provided platforms for Utah women to contribute significantly to the war effort, from organizing community support services to engaging in more direct forms of assistance for the troops overseas.

A smaller, but no less significant, number of Utah women served overseas in various capacities. Some worked as nurses in the Army Nurse Corps and the Red Cross, facing the harsh realities of war firsthand as they cared for wounded soldiers in Europe. Others took on roles such as telephone operators, known as “Hello Girls,” and served as translators, clerks, and in other administrative positions. These women were pioneers, navigating the challenges of working in male-dominated military environments and in many cases, close to the front lines.

The involvement of Utah women in World War I had a lasting impact on the state and the nation. Their service challenged traditional gender roles and contributed to the changing perceptions of women’s capabilities and rights. The war years, with their demands for women to take on new roles and responsibilities, helped to accelerate the women’s suffrage movement. Utah women, having already gained the right to vote in 1870 (a right reaffirmed in 1896 when Utah became a state), were ahead of the national curve and used their political and organizational experience to contribute to the broader suffrage efforts and other social reforms.

The contributions of Utah women to the World War I effort were multifaceted, ranging from local community organization and support to active service overseas. These efforts not only provided crucial support to the war but also helped to forge a new path for women in Utah and across the nation. The legacy of these women is a reminder of the critical role they played in a transformative period of American history, challenging societal norms and laying the groundwork for future generations of women to build upon.

UT Studies Standard 3.2: Students will use primary sources and/or oral histories to analyze the impact of a national/global event such as World War I, the Spanish flu epidemic, the Great Depression, World War II, and Japanese American internment on an individual or community in Utah. (history)

UT Studies Standard 3.3: Students will describe the effects of events, movements, and innovations on Utah’s economic development, such as the organized labor movement, farming and industrial improvements, the World Wars, and the Great Depression. (economics)

• Students will be able to read and understand informational text and primary source material.
• Students will be able to use historical reasoning to place historical events in context. 
• Students will be able to understand the diverse roles Utah women played in WWI and how these roles impacted societal views and norms. 
• Students will be able to analyze the impact of the war on women’s rights and social justice.
• Students will be able to connect historical context to present day through the examination of women’s contributions to their communities.

• How did the war change societal views on women’s roles?
• How did these changes impact the women’s suffrage movement?
• What challenges did these women face?

Lesson Plan: Day 1 – Introduction and Jigsaw Activity 

• Introduction (5-10 minutes): Using the Powerpoint, briefly introduce World War I, emphasizing the United States’ involvement and its impact, particularly on women in Utah.
• Divide the class into 4 groups 
• Reading and Discussion (20 minutes): Have the students get into their respective groups and read their assigned section from the WWI Storymap (on the powerpoint).  
  • 1. Women on the Front Lines
  • 2. Women on the Home Front
  • 3. Women at Work
  • 4. Women in Protest
• Have the students in their groups respond to questions from their assignment about their assigned section. 
• Count the students in each group off with numbers 1-4 (like a jigsaw activity) and repeat until each student has a number. Then have their students get into their assigned groups. 
• Presentation in new groups (20-25 minutes): Students will then get into their new groups and teach the others about their assigned section, highlighting key points and their understanding of the impact of WWI on women’s roles and rights. Students will fill out the rest of their worksheets based on others’ presentations.

Lesson Plan: Day 2 – Which WWI Utahn are you?

• Have students take Which WWI Utah woman are you? Quiz (5-10 minutes).
• Research and Writing (30 minutes): students will use the results of their quiz to research a woman or group of women (e.g., Maud Fitch, Gertrude Stevens Lancaster, “Female Yeomen,” Women’s Peace Party in Utah, Silent Sentinels, Zitkála-Šá) and conduct further research on their contributions during WWI.

Create a poster (20 minutes): Based on their research, students will create a poster with a brief report about their woman/group, detailing their contributions, and how they might have influenced or been influenced by societal changes of the time. Students can include drawings/pictures as well.

1. Participation in group discussions and presentations.
2. The quality and depth of research in the written report.
3. The understanding and insights shown in the reflection piece.

Extensions:

1. Gallery Walk and Reflection: You can extend the lesson by having the students participate in a gallery walk looking at other students’ posters and writing down some facts/contributions each woman/group made during the war. Students can write a short reflection on how the roles and contributions of women in WWI inspire them or give them a new perspective on community involvement/social justice today.
2. Congressional Medal Campaign: Have 7th grade students participate the Hutchings Museum Institute here.

Adaptations:

1. For elementary students, instead of doing more research, have the students use the bios on different women in the war and design a quarter for the woman/group of their choice. Students can showcase this as a gallery walk as well. The quarter should highlight this woman/group’s contributions to WWI with a written sentence or two about their contributions at the bottom of the page.