1. A World War II Webquest : Click to enlist For grades 9-12

2. Table of contents Title page Introduction The essential question Objectives Process Extrapolate Conclusions Evaluate resources Teacher’s Page

3. Introduction Most Americans have seen “Saving Private Ryan”, but how much do most people really know about World War 2 and its’ effects? Historians agree the Second World War is among the most significant events in modern history. A working knowledge of the War is essential to understanding our world of today, and to explore this idea, we will consider one of the great turning points of the War, and how it might have ended differently. ContentsObjectives Questions Introduction 2

4. On June 6, 1944, the combined armies of the United States, England, and Canada, reinforced by Belgian, Polish, and Free French forces, stormed the beaches of Normandy, France as part of the largest amphibious invasion in history- Operation Overlord. This was the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe, and the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Adolf Hitler. Most Americans know this simply as D-Day. Our question then, is this : Introduction 2 Contents Questions

5. What would have happened if the D- Day invasion had failed? Would Germany have won the war? Would Russia have conquered all of Europe?Would Russia have conquered all of Europe? Would the atomic bomb have been used on Germany or the USSR?Would the atomic bomb have been used on Germany or the USSR? Would the Allies have sued for peace? What would the world be like today? The Essential Question: Contents Objectives Introduction

6. Objectives: Should understand how dangerous and uncertain the invasion was, and how it could have ended very differently. Should understand what happened as a result of the invasion’s success. Should understand the relevance of WWII to their world today. When this Quest is complete, the student(s): Contents Questions Introduction

7. Your task will be to assume the role of an historian writing a brief history of the world since 1944, in a world where the D- Day invasion had failed. Use the provided resources to research the state of the war in 1944, what happened on D-Day, and what would have happened differently if it had failed. Your world would be a different place-how different? resources Process 1 ContentsQuestionsProcess 2

8. Construct a series of linked PowerPoint slides or linked Web pages showing theoretical timelines and a project conclusion. Include an introduction and brief overview of the historical timeline as it actually happened. This will provide the context and knowledge base on which to base predictions about how the post-war world could have otherwise developed. Contents Questions Process 3

9. The following pages should present timelines and projected major events for the alternate histories that you have developed. A great deal of detail is not necessary-it’s more important to see general trends. Use a different page to lay out each likely possibility, and include maps and pictures when appropriate. ContentsQuestionsProcess 4

10. There are no wrong answers, so be daring! Don’t be afraid to speculate! Speculation based on fact is the core of the exercise. Just make it as logical and plausible as you can, and, for your conclusion, highlight the differences between our world today and the alternate worlds you have created that might have been. If working in a group, all students should read all process steps, then each group member develop their own unique scenario. Contents Questions ObjectivesExtrapolate

11. Scenario one: Could Germany Have won the war? If Germany had repulsed the invasion, it would not have been possible for the Allies to try again till the next year, during which time Germany could have thrown all of her strength against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front, mass-produced and deployed the jets and ballistic missiles it had developed, and secured its position as the master of Europe. QuestionsContentsObjectives

12. Scenario Two: Would the soviet union have conquered all of Europe? The Presence of American, British, French, and Canadian Armies in Western Germany is the only thing that kept the Red Army from taking all of Europe once they had conquered Berlin. If D-Day had failed, there would have been no one to stop them. Questions ContentsObjectives

13. Scenario three: would the atomic bomb have been used against germany or the ussr? With the failure of the D-Day invasion and no other options on the Western Front, the US could have been forced to use the atomic bomb to prevent a German or Soviet victory. Questions ContentsObjectives

14. Scenario four: Would the Allies have Sued for Peace? If Germany had repelled the D-Day invasion and then forced the USSR into a separate peace, the Allies may have been forced to accept a stable Nazi empire in Europe. QuestionsContentsObjectives

15. Extrapolate: What would the world be like today? A European Nazi empire, armed with jet fighters and V-2 missiles, allowed to rebuild and strengthen, would have completed the Holocaust in Europe and threatened the entire world. Soviet conquest of all of Europe would have isolated the US, and exchanged Nazi tyranny for Communist tyranny. A nuclear strike on Germany could have led to war with the USSR as well as untold death and environmental destruction. There are countless other possibilities- what do YOU think? QuestionsContentsObjectives Conclusions

16. conclusions The range of possible outcomes is endless, from no significant difference to total nuclear war. Ballistic missiles, nuclear weapons, jets, the UN, the space program, and the Cold War are all part of the legacy of World War 2, along with countless other elements of today’s world. How does the war affect you today? How would it affect you if it had turned out differently? Summarize your position with a clear thesis statement and supporting facts. ContentsObjectivesIntroductionExtrapolate

17. resources World War II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Contents Battle of Normandy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia WikiAnswers - What if Germany had won World War 2 BBC NEWS | UK | What if D-Day had failed? Armchair General Magazine: Interactive Military History Cold War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia WWII Maps, Stats, Timelines “How to Create a Hypertext Organizer”, http://www.techlearningtools.com/P2_PowerPoint.doc Overview of World War 2 Overview of D-Day Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Extrapolate Maps, Statistics, and extras Presentation Technology

18. Pass in Review: The Evaluation Rubric Contents Topic PoorFairGoodExcellent 1234 Score Undefined, poorly presented, irrelevant, inappropriate. Conceptually sound, flawed execution Clearly stated, appropriate and relevant Topic is engaging and inspiring Lesson Objectives Lesson objectives undefined Objectives are vague, or not measurable. Objectives are defined and achievable Objectives provoke interest, and make their importance plain Essential Question Question missing or irrelevant Question present, but closed and requires no critical thinking Question is clear, relevant, and requires critical thought Question is compelling and a challenge Process Steps absent Unclear or inefficient Focused and productive inspired creation of new processes Rubric 2Conclusion

19. Pass in Review 2: The Evaluation Rubric Back to Contents PoorFairGoodExcellent 1234 Rubric 1 Score Evaluation Rubric not included Present, but criteria is unclear Criteria appropriate and comprehensive Includes student feedback Resources None provided Inadequate number or quality Plentiful and appropriate Inspires hunt for new resources Spelling 4+ spelling errors 3-4 spelling errors1-2 spelling errors No spelling errors Grammar 4+ grammatical errors 3-4 grammatical errors 1-2 grammatical errors No grammatical errors Conclusions Absent or irrelevant Unsupported or incomplete Are supported and logically defensible Are a synthesis of acquired knowledge and critical thought Presentation disorganized and ineffective Unclear relationship between data and conclusions Data is clear and supported Applies knowledge in new ways Feedback Rubric 3

20. FairGoodExcellentScore 1 234 Pass in Review 3: The Evaluation Rubric ContentsRubric 1Rubric 2 Poor Student understands the danger and uncertainty of D- Day Student understands the relevance of WW2 to the world today Student understands what happened on D- Day, and possible alternatives

21. Teacher’s Resource Page 1 This assignment is geared toward the History student, grades 9-12. It can be found on the Internet at http://toseeclearly.pbwiki.com.http://toseeclearly.pbwiki.com The password to edit the page is “Webquest”. In the interests of making the most efficient use of the students’ time, all resources have been vetted for accuracy and appropriateness. Teachers should review both the standard and expanded versions to determine what is best for their unique students. It may be desirable or necessary to modify or revise this lesson to fit specific circumstances. Suggested revisions include: Eliminating the presentation software aspect of the Quest in technology-limited classes and allowing students to work on paper, so that the student at least gains the benefit of the historical exercise. Adapting the Quest to the advanced needs of AP students by demanding higher levels of detail, stricter standards of logic, and longer-ranged predictions. Also, for AP or advanced students, it is recommended that the quest be given in it’s basic form, while less-advanced students may benefit from the use of the additional material in the expanded version. Adapting the Quest by translating it into whatever language is called for. ContentsTeacher’s Resources Page 2

22. Teacher’s Resource Page 2 The role of the all African-American 332nd Fighter Group, the famed “Tuskegee Airmen”, who played such a critical role in helping overcome official racism in the US Armed Forces and integrating the Services after the War. The cultural conditions that made it possible for so many former Nazis to find refuge in South America after the War. The likely results of German occupation of the Middle East and Caspian Sea oil fields, both on the overall military situation and on the peoples and cultures of the region. The war between Japan and China. The effects of the War on the British and French colonial empires, particularly in Africa, India, the Middle East, and Indochina. The effects of the Cold War that produced the War on Terror. Shaping the Quest by focusing on specific types of predictions, such as possible political, technological, military, or cultural trends. The scenarios in the expanded version may be helpful in this instance. Some cultural aspects that can be introduced include the following: ContentsTeacher’s Resource Page 3Teacher’s Page 1

23. Teacher’s Resource Page 3 While none of these were direct factors in D-Day, they were factors that contributed to its success, or parts of its legacy, and are avenues of research that would be very informative to the student who would benefit by a revised lesson. The results of submitting this Webqest to checklist analysis indicate it scores very well in critical thought categories, having clear objectives while still being student-centered and demanding a high degree of analysis and context. It also scores well in effective instruction, uses pop culture as a starting point, and draws a line directly to the present world. This makes it relevant, provides opportunity for emotional involvement, and should help make this Quest a very useful instructional tool. It includes a wiki page where students and teachers alike are free to reflect and leave feedback. Thank you for your interest, and I hope you like the Quest! Ron Arbisi ContentsTeacher’s Page 1Teacher’s Page 2Title Page