Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
World War One Missing Words: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 9
- ForYear 9
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
World War One Missing Words is a free printable history worksheet for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14), in Key Stage 3. Students read a paragraph about the First World War, fill the gaps and recall the key dates, places and terms. It is a useful activity as Remembrance Day nears. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to the student and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Students read a paragraph about the First World War that has words missing. They fill each gap with the right date, place or term, using a word box to help, and there are lines for writing. The task rewards careful reading, because the words around each gap point to the answer. Once the paragraph is complete, students talk about why the war is remembered.
How to get the most from a gap fill
Read the whole paragraph first
Before writing anything, read the paragraph from start to finish. It gives the overall story, and that makes each gap easier to work out.
Use the clues around the gap
Look at the words just before and after each gap. They often show whether a date, a place or a term is needed.
Check the meaning, not only the fit
A word can fit the gap and still be wrong. Read the sentence back with your choice in it and ask if it makes historical sense.
Finish by talking
When the gaps are filled, discuss why the war is remembered. A spoken reason is a good step towards a written explanation.
Why the First World War is remembered
Every November, people across the UK take part in Remembrance. Many wear red poppies in the weeks beforehand, and ceremonies take place at war memorials in towns and villages. Remembrance began after the First World War, as a way to honour the people who served and those who died. It now also remembers people affected by later conflicts.
Key Stage 3 history asks students to know what happened and also why it matters. Dates, places and terms give a framework to hang ideas on. A missing words task checks that this framework is secure. It also trains students to read closely and to use context, which are useful skills when they study sources and write longer answers in history.
Remembrance facts
- Many people in the UK wear a red poppy in the weeks before Remembrance Sunday.
- Remembrance Sunday takes place in November each year.
- Many British towns and villages have a war memorial, often with names carved into it.
- A silence is kept at Remembrance events so that people can think and remember.
- Historians learn about the past from sources such as letters, diaries, photographs and official records.
Skills and curriculum link
- Recall of key facts
- Reading carefully
- Using context clues
- Historical vocabulary
- Remembrance
Ideas to help with history recall
- ChronologyEvents happen in an order. Putting them in sequence helps students see how one thing led to another.
- Cause and consequenceHistorians ask why something happened and what followed. A short paragraph often hides both ideas.
- SourcesLetters, photographs and memorials all tell us about the past. Asking who made a source and why is a useful habit.
- RemembrancePeople remember the past in different ways, such as poppies, memorials and a silence. Each one has a purpose.
Key words
- RemembranceThinking about and honouring people who served or died in war.
- MemorialA statue, plaque or building that helps people remember someone or something.
- SourceSomething from the past, such as a letter or photograph, that gives evidence about what happened.
- ChronologyThe order in which events happened.
- CauseA reason why something happened.
- Context clueA hint in the words around a gap that helps you choose the right word.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the student. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the paragraph together all the way through before anyone fills in a gap.
- Fill the gaps, using the word box and the clues in the sentences. Talk about each choice as you go.
- Check against the answers on page 2. Ask, "What made you choose that word?" Then discuss why the war is remembered.
- Come back another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence, and you can cover the word box the second time.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Read the paragraph aloud and say the missing word first, so the student hears how the sentence should sound. Then give the first letter of each word. Work on one gap at a time and praise the thinking, not only the answer.
To stretch confident children
Ask students to explain how the war started and why it grew from one event into a world war. They can speak their answer or write it on paper. Encourage them to use the words they have just practised.
Make it a game
Cover the word box and try the paragraph again from memory. Or work in pairs. One student reads the paragraph aloud and says "blank" at each gap, and the other tries to name the missing word.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA student picks a word that fits the sentence but does not make historical sense.
Try thisRead the sentence aloud with the word in place. Ask, "Is that true?" Then look at the clues around the gap again.
Watch forA student fills the gaps quickly without reading the whole paragraph.
Try thisRead the full paragraph together first. The overall story usually points to the right choices.
Watch forA student spells a place or term in a way that is close but not right.
Try thisLook at the word box for the correct spelling. Cover it, write the word from memory, then check it.
Talk about it
- Why do you think people still remember the First World War today?
- Which gap was easiest, and which clue helped you most?
- Which word on the sheet was new to you? How would you explain it to a friend?
- How do poppies and war memorials help people remember?
- What would a letter from someone living through this time tell us that a textbook cannot?
- Does anyone in our family have a story linked to the war or to Remembrance?
Take it off the page
Timeline strip
Draw a long strip of paper and mark the main events from the paragraph in order. Add a short label to each one.
Local memorial visit
With an adult, visit a war memorial near you. Read the inscription and talk about why it was put there.
Family stories
Ask an older relative what they know about Remembrance or the First World War. Write down three things they tell you.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your teenager for the first read, then let them take the lead. You do not need to be a history expert. Ask them to explain their choices, and use page 2 to check together.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary near Remembrance Day, as a homework task or as cover work. The stretch idea on page 2 stretches confident students, while the help ideas support those who need them.
Home educators
Use it alongside books, documentaries and a visit to a local memorial. Students can repeat it later for revision, and it works for brothers and sisters too.
Where this fits in history learning
Earlier in Key Stage 3, students practise putting events in order and learn how to ask questions about sources. Those habits make a gap fill like this easier, because they know how to read for clues.
Later, students are asked for longer explanations of causes and consequences, and to judge how reliable a source is. Secure recall of dates, places and terms gives them a firm base for that work.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is World War One Missing Words for?
It is written for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14), in Key Stage 3. It can also be used for revision with older students, or as a gentle recall task with confident younger ones.
- What will students practise?
Students recall the key dates, places and terms of the First World War. They also practise reading carefully and using context clues, and they think about why the war is remembered.
- Does it include answers?
Yes. Page 2 is for the grown up and has the answers, along with notes on how to use the sheet, help for students who find it hard, and a stretch idea.
- What if it feels too hard?
Read the paragraph aloud and say the missing word first. You can also give the first letter of each word. Work through one gap at a time and talk about the clues.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or for revision a few weeks later.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and it fits well near Remembrance Day.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. You only need a pencil, so it is also a good screen free activity.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.