Unit Plan World War II Ian Kennedy

Analyze Learners  This unit is aimed at children in eleventh grade according to West Virginia standards. This is not an honors class or special need class; it is just a regular eleventh grade class.

WV Content Standards and State Objectives  SS analyze and evaluate the major causes, events, personalities and effects of World War II.  SS explain and assess the economic, social and political transformation of the United States since World War II.  SS analyze and explain United States and world foreign policy since World War II.  SS describe the development and impact of the United States’ labor movement.  SS investigate concerns, issues and conflicts related to universal human rights (e.g., Holocaust, diversity, tolerance, genocide).  SS read and interpret maps, graphs, charts, cartoons and timelines.  SS identify and locate the places significant to each period of study.  SS transform primary data into maps, graphs and charts.

Performance Objectives  To help my students explain significant causes of World War II  To have my students be able to identify major decisions the United States government made during World War II and considers alternative courses of action.  To have my students explain how the spread of Nazism and Fascism prior to and during World War II affected people, societies, and cultures.  To have my students engage each other in discussion that deeply examines whether the United States should have dropped the atomic bomb.

Materials Needed Pen Pen Pencils Pencils Paper Paper Poster Board Poster Board Internet Internet Worksheets Worksheets Maps Maps Glue Glue Colored Pencils/Crayons Colored Pencils/Crayons VCR and TV VCR and TV Hitler/Mussolini and FDR/Pearl Harbor Video Hitler/Mussolini and FDR/Pearl Harbor Video Textbook Textbook

Utilize Media and Materials  Day One: As the students enter the classroom, I will pass out a blank map of Europe and Asia. I will ask then tell the students to look at the map I have pulled down (a map of Europe and Asia during World War II) and label each country. After the students have labeled each country, I will ask them if they knew who the Allies of the war were and who the Axis powers were. After this I will have them color in the allied nations blue and the axis nations red. We will then begin to talk about the major players in World War II: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia (we will save the US for a different day). We will not get into this lesson too much but we will continue it tomorrow. As the students enter the classroom, I will pass out a blank map of Europe and Asia. I will ask then tell the students to look at the map I have pulled down (a map of Europe and Asia during World War II) and label each country. After the students have labeled each country, I will ask them if they knew who the Allies of the war were and who the Axis powers were. After this I will have them color in the allied nations blue and the axis nations red. We will then begin to talk about the major players in World War II: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia (we will save the US for a different day). We will not get into this lesson too much but we will continue it tomorrow.

 Day Two: Today’s lesson will focus primarily on Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. I will start to talk about Nazism and Fascism. I will list key factors and beliefs for each party. I will explain what a dictator is. I will then show a small video on the lives of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, mainly focusing on their early lives and how they came to power. I will later have the kids search on the internet about their beliefs going to the Biography.com sites I have listed. Today’s lesson will focus primarily on Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. I will start to talk about Nazism and Fascism. I will list key factors and beliefs for each party. I will explain what a dictator is. I will then show a small video on the lives of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, mainly focusing on their early lives and how they came to power. I will later have the kids search on the internet about their beliefs going to the Biography.com sites I have listed.

 Day Three: Today, class will meet in the Computer Lab to search about Hitler and Mussolini. I want the class to realize Hitler’s nazi socialist beliefs and anti-Semitic ways and Mussolini’s belief in fascist rule. Not only will they go to the biography.com sites they will go to the “Nazi Germany, c : Hitler, Nazism and Nazis Beliefs” site and the slideshow site about Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin. As long as the children have a basic knowledge of Stalin and a good knowledge on Hitler and Mussolini, we will leave the lab and go back to the classroom to discuss what they learned. I will call on a few students to give me what they learned, as they talk about their findings I will write their results on the board for the children who did not get great answers. We will then discuss why the war started and how it could have possibly been stopped. We will touch on the Holocaust as well; we will not stay here for long being it is a very touchy subject. Today, class will meet in the Computer Lab to search about Hitler and Mussolini. I want the class to realize Hitler’s nazi socialist beliefs and anti-Semitic ways and Mussolini’s belief in fascist rule. Not only will they go to the biography.com sites they will go to the “Nazi Germany, c : Hitler, Nazism and Nazis Beliefs” site and the slideshow site about Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin. As long as the children have a basic knowledge of Stalin and a good knowledge on Hitler and Mussolini, we will leave the lab and go back to the classroom to discuss what they learned. I will call on a few students to give me what they learned, as they talk about their findings I will write their results on the board for the children who did not get great answers. We will then discuss why the war started and how it could have possibly been stopped. We will touch on the Holocaust as well; we will not stay here for long being it is a very touchy subject.

 Day Four: Now it is time to talk about the Allied powers with focus on Winston Churchill and Britain. I will pass out a worksheet that corresponds with the chapter on the British involvement in World War II. I will then pair of the students and have them work on this assignment, I will go around the room and make sure the students are getting the facts down and also to make sure one kid is not doing all the work. After this I will have one person from each group come up to the board and find their answers. Now it is time to talk about the Allied powers with focus on Winston Churchill and Britain. I will pass out a worksheet that corresponds with the chapter on the British involvement in World War II. I will then pair of the students and have them work on this assignment, I will go around the room and make sure the students are getting the facts down and also to make sure one kid is not doing all the work. After this I will have one person from each group come up to the board and find their answers.

 Day Five: Day five will be devoted to the United States with a main focus on industrialization, the great depression, women in the workplace, and FDR. I will put in a video from that highlights key points from the Great Depression till FDR’s presidency. As the video ends I will ask each student to give me on key fact that they learned from the video. Day five will be devoted to the United States with a main focus on industrialization, the great depression, women in the workplace, and FDR. I will put in a video from that highlights key points from the Great Depression till FDR’s presidency. As the video ends I will ask each student to give me on key fact that they learned from the video.

 Day Six: Day Six will be devoted to FDR and his presidency; we will once again journey to the computer lab to find information about this president. Once this information is gathered we will return to the classroom where I will lecture some on his life and presidency, I will try to have the students be involved in this as well, throwing in key facts such as the Alphabet soup reforms or the fireside chats. Day Six will be devoted to FDR and his presidency; we will once again journey to the computer lab to find information about this president. Once this information is gathered we will return to the classroom where I will lecture some on his life and presidency, I will try to have the students be involved in this as well, throwing in key facts such as the Alphabet soup reforms or the fireside chats.

 Day Seven: Day seven will be committed to the Japan and the Pearl Harbor attacks; I will lecture on this event for a short while and then show a video from the actual bombings. I will show this video to open the students’ eyes up to what really took place. I will then talk about the US response to Pearl Harbor: entering the war, Japanese-American internment, the Manhattan Project; and the atomic bombs. Day seven will be committed to the Japan and the Pearl Harbor attacks; I will lecture on this event for a short while and then show a video from the actual bombings. I will show this video to open the students’ eyes up to what really took place. I will then talk about the US response to Pearl Harbor: entering the war, Japanese-American internment, the Manhattan Project; and the atomic bombs.

 Day Eight: Day eight will be the wrapping up of my lesson. I will go around the classroom and have each student give me two key facts they learned about World War II. I will then lead an open forum discussion to what the children think could have been done better to avoid such conflict, I will also have them discuss whether or not we should have bombed Japan. Day eight will be the wrapping up of my lesson. I will go around the classroom and have each student give me two key facts they learned about World War II. I will then lead an open forum discussion to what the children think could have been done better to avoid such conflict, I will also have them discuss whether or not we should have bombed Japan.

Require Learner Participation  I plan to keep my students involved and active by mixing the lessons up between lecture, videos, computer lab time, group work, and class discussion. I believe these different ways of learning will touch each student at one point or another and help them absorb the key facts of World War II, the people, and the events.

Evaluate and Revise  At the end of Day 8, I will once again give the children a blank map. I will have them label: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Japan. I will then once again have them link the Allies together and the Axis together. This time without help from another map or each other, I would like to see if they remember where each place is. This will be graded but the point value will be low. I will also take notice as to who contributes to the discussions held on the 8th day. I will not look down upon wrong answers, if the students try their best and defend their point of views; this is all I can ask. If a student is way off, I will guide them toward the right path.