Designing a War Memorial
Creative responses and research projects
A creative-and-research project in which students design a memorial to a chosen event from the website and explain the choices behind it.
Suggested age
12–16
Duration
2 × 50 minutes
Type
Project
Conflict / period
General
Subjects
Art & Design, History, Citizenship
Content note
Memorials deal with loss. Allow students to approach the brief in their own way.
Overview
A creative-and-research project in which students design a memorial to a chosen event from the website and explain the choices behind it.
Learning objectives
- Research a chosen event from the website.
- Design a memorial that responds to that event.
- Justify the design choices in a short written rationale.
Materials required
- Drawing materials or design software
- Research notes from the chosen story
- Card or modelling materials (optional)
Historical context
Memorials are not only stones; they are arguments made in shape and material. A war memorial says: this mattered, and it mattered in this way. Some are grand and abstract; some are small and specific. Good memorial design begins with a real understanding of the event being remembered, not with a chosen style.
Reading material
A memorial is a question as much as an answer. What do we want people to feel when they stand in front of it? A wall of names remembers individuals. An empty chair remembers absence. A figure with a rifle remembers action. Before you design, you must decide what, exactly, you are asking people to remember — and what you are quietly asking them to think about.
Student worksheet (preview)
Stage 1 — Choose. Pick one event from the website. Write its title and date.
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Stage 2 — Research. Note three facts and one question the event raises for you.
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Stage 3 — Design. Sketch your memorial. Label the materials, the shape and the words (if any).
Stage 4 — Rationale. In 150 words, explain why your memorial looks the way it does and what you want a visitor to feel.
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Discussion questions
- Why does shape matter in a memorial?
- Can a memorial remember ordinary people rather than leaders?
- Is it possible for a memorial to ask a question rather than give a message?
Extension task
Build a small scale model of the memorial from card or clay and present it to the class.
Support prompts
- Choose an event you genuinely want to think about.
- Ask: what do I want a visitor to feel here?
- A shape can carry a feeling before any words are read.
Sources and credits
- 10secondwarstories.base44.app
- Imperial War Museum — war memorials
- UK War Memorials Trust
Produced by 10 Second War Stories.