World War Two Unit Plan

World War Two Unit Plan The following is a unit plan that I constructed for WW1. The plan highlights a day to day list of activities that supplies the students with a number of different learning stratagies. I also have created a chart that shows how I would differentiate for content, process and product. Finally I explain how this unit follows the idea of spiral curriculum in which the students will build knowledge and eventually apply that knowledge to different activities. WWI (10 th grade US History) Minnesota Social Studies Standard: Strand: US History K. The Emergence of Modern America, 1890-1930 Standard: The students will understand the causes and consequences of World War I. Essential Question: How did WWI impact the US and what consequences did it have on the world? The students will: 1. Students will analyze the causes of World War I and identify key people, major events and the war's impact on American foreign and domestic policy. 2. Students will understand the concept of nationalism and of sovereign political states and how sovereignty is impacted be international agreements Evaluation. The students will: Day 1. 1. Participate in a simulation in which they analyze the effects of alliance systems and how they can have an enormous impact on the world 2. Debate the idea of the United States joining the war using a number of different resources that will help them defend their side of the argument. 3. Complete a test (multiple choice and essay questions) on the different aspects of the war including both foreign and domestic influences, nationalism, alliances, and how these all connected during the outbreak of World War One. 1. Understand the European alliance system prior to WWI Academic Language: Alliance

Welcome students back and begin class by quickly reviewing previous content (5 min) Introduce theme on World War I Students will be split into groups and come up with a list of items they currently know about the First World War, what they do not understand about the war, and what they wish to learn about the war (10 min) Come back together as a class and discuss the students' lists (15 min) Ask the question: What is an alliance? How do the United States' alliances with different countries affect the world? Begin discussing the origins of the European alliance system prior to the war including the Triple alliance and the Triple Entente. (15 min) Students will analyze a map that highlights the different countries in Europe as well as the alliances that were found during the period. Map is found at the link below. Wrap up with introducing reading assignment for students and briefly summarize what content will be found in the reading. Read for tomorrow's class an article from BBC online referring to the alliance system. The article also provides a map for the students (http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/hq/causes2_01.shtml) (3 min) Day 2. Be introduced to a simulation regarding the alliance system. The alliance system will also be discussed again. Academic language: Alliance, nationalism, and militarism, sovereignty. Warm up: Begin class by asking students to write what they learned about in the reading (5 min) Review the reading and answer any questions students may have regarding it. Also, begin a discussion on the idea of nationalism. In what way do we celebrate nationalism in the United States today? How does this affect our views on different countries around the world? What does the idea of national sovereignty mean? How did this idea affect the outbreak of the war? (25 min) Introduce European Alliance system simulation and explain (10 min) Split class into small groups, each representing an unnamed country (5 min) Students will receive the information about their country and briefly prepare for the simulation, which will occur the next day. The countries given to the students will not be identified. (3 min)

Day 3. Conduct a simulation in regards to the European alliance system, nationalism, and militarism. Academic Language: Alliance, nationalism, militarism. Warm up: Revisit the ideas regarding today's simulation and ask students to sit with their groups (5 min) Begin simulation: Students will perform a European alliance system simulation. Students will be in small groups representing each of the European countries. Students will be provided with a description of their country including resources available and resources scarce, population demographics, military strengths and weaknesses and geographical pros and cons. Groups will negotiate with one another to create the strongest scenario for their country. Through the simulation, instructor will go around the room and view how each group is performing and assess as appropriate. (30 min) Finish up simulation and discuss the outcomes and how it relates to the content we have been discussing. Why might some countries alley themselves with specific powers? What factors lead you to alley your country with another? How does this relate to the outbreak of WWI? (10 min) Assign reading on European imperialism prior to the war and ask students to write down ideas regarding the topic for class tomorrow (5 min) Day 4. Understand the origins of the war and how it became a global conflict. Academic Language: Assassination, mobilization, Central and Allied powers. Warm up: Begin class be asking students to share ideas they learned from the reading and collect their responses (10 min) Discuss the reading and content (10 min) Watch video on the origins of the war and pass out hand out the goes along with the video (20 min) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7kp3vf1uka

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjlgoe1mnw0&feature=related). Information on the video includes nationalism, militarism, and assassination of Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand. Wrap up by discussing the video and answering any questions the students may have missed. Remind students that this information may be testable (10 min) Day 5. Recognize the American neutrality idea that America held at the beginning of the war. Students will also be introduced to a news magazine project in which they explain US foreign policy from the beginning of the war to the end. Academic Language: foreign policy, isolationism Warm up: Break students off into groups and ask them to create a list of events and ideas that have occurred so far in leading up to war. Students will then share these ideas in a class discussion (8 min) Lecture: the outbreak of war, assassination of Franz Ferdinand, alliances and America's neutrality policy and isolationism. (20 min) Introduce news magazine project: Students will create a news magazine. Students will include news articles, news analysis, features, editorials and political cartoons on US foreign policy from March 1913 to April 1917. The project will be due at the end of the unit and students will receive class time to work on the project. Handout the rubric so students can get a start on the project over the weekend. (10 min) Wrap up by discussing possible ideas for their news magazine and provide examples from previous classes. Also, the class will look at a political cartoon regarding the war and analyze it. Cartoon found at (http://rutlandhs.k12.vt.us/jpeterso/moreww1/tiedup.jpg) (10 min) Day 6. Recognize the arguments for and against the United States entering the war. Academic Language: Lusitanian, Zimmerman note Warm up: remind students of the project and have a brief discussion on America's neutrality policy (10 min) Lecture: US arguments for and against entering the war (20 min)

Introduce debate activity planned for Wednesday. Students will be split into two groups. One group is pro war and the other is anti war. After both groups have found arguments, a debate will occur. Tuesday will be spent on group work and Wednesday will be the day of the debate. Students will be graded on overall participation (10 min) Wrap up by splitting the two groups and have them begin discussing strategy (10 min) Day 7. Examine a number of different sources in order to come up with an argument for their side. Reminders: News magazine project due at the end of the unit, and debate for tomorrow. (5min) Students will go to the computer lab in the library and use the Internet, as well as their textbooks and other sources the library supplies, to compile the arguments for their sides. (40 min) Wrap up: Shut down computers and compile information Day 8. Actively participate in a debate regarding US involvement in the war. Reminders: project due to the end of the unit answer questions regarding the project (5 min) Warm up: get into debate groups and get prepared for the debate (5 min) Debate: start off with pro war (12 min) Anti war group gets their turn (12 min) Wrap up debate: make connections to our class debate and the actual debates going on at the time of the war in the United States. Assignment: answer the following short essay question: Knowing what you now know, if you were living in the US at this time, would you be a pro war or anti war advocate? Explain your reasoning. Include what some consequences would occur regarding your position. (14 min) Day 9. Analyze the reasons why the United States entered the war.

Academic Language: Zimmerman telegram, submarine warfare, war declaration, conflict Warm up: Review the various arguments for US involvement in the war, ask students to volunteer to share what they wrote in their short essay, collect essay (15 min) Lecture time: Begin with the question: What factors have led to conflicts between you and your peers? What are some reasons that the US has declared war on another country? US joins war following the Zimmermann telegram, Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare, President Wilson's response, US declares war on Germany on April 6, 1917. (20 min) Work Time: Students will analyze the differences in the neutrality policy up to the decision to go to war. They will then have the rest of the class period to work on their news magazine project. During this time, the instructor will hold individual meetings with students to discuss their project progress and any questions they may have. (13 min) Day 10. Discuss the factors that led to US involvement in the war. They will also be given the opportunity to work on their project. Warm up: Students will lead a discussion on the events leading up to the United States entering the war (10 min) The rest of the class time will be devoted to individual work in the computer lab on their news magazine project. During this time, the instructor will complete the individual meetings with students regarding their project progress. (35 min) Wrap up: Assign the chapter reading over the weekend from their textbooks on US involvement in the war both in Europe and on the home front. Also, students will be informed that the Unit test will be held a week from today. (3 min) Day 11. Analyze American involvement in the war both overseas and on the home front. Academic Language: Trench warfare, Selected Service Act, War interest board, National War Labor Board, Bonds. Reminders: test on Friday, projects due next Monday, handout test study guide. (3 min) Warm Up: Split students into groups to discuss reading and important topics involved in the chapter they were to have read for today. (10 min)

Lecture: American involvement, Selected Service Act, Americans on the home front, the economy (War Interests Board, National War Labor Board), shaping public opinion, civil liberties. Students will analyze the impact of the National Labor Board and how it affected the labor force during the war. Students will also be introduced to the idea of bonds and analyze how Liberty Bonds during the war provided billions of dollars to the allied forces. (30min) Students will be informed that they will have a guest speaker from the VFW. The speaker is a veteran from a foreign war and will discuss his or her experience. Have students come up with a list of questions for the speaker. Students will be asked to make connections from the Veteran's war and WWI. Day 12. Students will understand the differences between trench warfare and modern warfare. Academic Language: Trench warfare, selective service. Reminders: test, project, guest speaker (3 min) Warm up: Ask students to discuss what they learned yesterday. (10 min) Continued lecture from yesterday: Russian revolution (How did the Russian Revolution effect the Allied forces?) Trench warfare, sea warfare, selective service, Ending the war, American heroes (Alvin York, Eddie Rickenbacker), the war ends. (30 min) Assignment: explain the differences between trench warfare and modern warfare. How are they similar and how do the differ? (5 min) Day 13. Understand the events that led to the end of the war. Students will analyze the Treaty of Versailles and look at the problems it presented the losing countries. Students will also analyze Wilson's 14 points as well as the League of Nations. Academic Language: Sovereignty, nationalism, treaty. Reminders: test, project (3 min) Warm up: discuss the essay assignment as a class. What are similarities and differences between modern warfare and trench warfare seen during WWI. (10 min) Lecture: Treaty of Versailles, review Wilson's Fourteen Points, American foreign policy after the war (30 min). Ask the question: How might the Treaty of Versailles lead to future conflict? What are some institutions that resemble Wilson's League of Nations? How did the

treaty of Versailles affect the sovereignty of the countries that lost the war? Teacher will highlight the fact that Germany was forced to pay reparations for the war, were forced to demilitarize to an extent, etc. For tomorrow: put yourself in the shoes of a German citizen following the signing of the treaty. How has this affected your country and you personally? Write a two to three paragraph response. How might the entrance of the League of Nations affect US sovereignty? Write a response. This lecture/discussion essentially brings a close to the essential question. The short response highlights US involvement as well as the consequences the war had around the world. Assignment: Ask students to come up with a list of five questions to use on tomorrow's guest presentation. Response to question. Day 14. Students will actively participate in the presentation from the VFW veteran and ask the questions they have selected prior to the presentation. Teacher will collect the responses to the question presented yesterday. Day 15. Warm up: Students will quickly review their study guides before the test and hand them in prior to the exam. Reminder: projects due on Monday (3 min) Test: remainder of class (45 min) students will be presented with 25 multiple-choice questions and two essay questions. If students finish the test early, they will be asked to work quietly on their projects that are due on Monday. Day 16. Collect and share projects with the class (Students will be asked to briefly discuss their news magazine) (30 min) Hand back tests and study guides and answer any questions (10 min) Students will be asked to look back on what they wrote regarding what the know about the war, what they do not understand about the war, and what they wish to learn. (8 min) End Unit Minnesota Graduation standards and benchmarks met: This unit identifies the Minnesota graduation standards and benchmarks and meets the requirement of completion. The reason for this is due to the fact that the unit follows the standards as well as the benchmarks and the students are taught to each of these. Through a number of different approaches, the students will be able to understand all of the requirements

that are needed in order to meet the standards. The causes and the consequences of the war are highlighted throughout the unit, which is what the standard states. The Benchmarks are used in terms of student's understandings. Key people, major events and the war's impact on American foreign and domestic policy are all addressed through a number of different teaching strategies. The concept of nationalism and of sovereign political states and how sovereignty is impacted be international agreements is highlighted at the beginning and the end of the unit through lecture and as well as essay responses. Academic Language: There are a number of key words that are addressed throughout the unit. Each lesson is revolved around the understandings as well as the language that is addressed in the unit. Each word will be taught and the students will gain an understanding of each word due to the fact that they are essential to the lesson. If the students do not understand the academic language, the instructor will provide additional support. Also, students will be asked to use the language throughout their involvement in the different activities and the products that they will be producing throughout the unit. I-Chart Learning Objectives Understand issues and events that led to WWI Content Process Product Used in Unit All students will gain an understanding of how the war was started. Content includes the European alley system, a sense of nationalism, as well as the assignation of the Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand. Advanced students will be allowed to express their ideas through the allied simulation activity and will be able to draw their own conclusions as to how these ideas effected the world at this time period. During class lectures and discussions, the content will be covered in full. The teacher will also ask the students think about if they were leaders of one of the countries involved at this time and describe who and why they would alley themselves with. Students will also share the idea of how one event (assassination of Franz Ferdinand) can trigger a worldwide In a number of groups, students will be assigned a country. They will then simulate the idea of an allied system in which they decide which countries they would alley themselves with. Students will also gain an understanding of nationalism as they see their country as the ideal country. To begin the unit, the students will be introduced to the origins of the war through lecture, discussion, and the simulation activity. The group project should allow for the students to understand the alley system. Through lecture and discussion, students will understand that the assignation sparked a war between Austria- Hungary and Serbia and how the allied system contributed to a global conflict.

Understand US foreign policy before, during and after the war. Understand nationalism and how sovereignty is effected by international agreements Students will analyze the idea that the US was isolated from all of Europe, which allowed them to adopt the idea of neutrality at the beginning of the war. Students will understand why the US entered the war and analyze what factors led to the declaration of war. Students will analyze the idea of nationalism throughout the entire unit. The idea of nationalism is found all throughout the war as countries were looking to become more powerful. Also, students will analyze how the treaty of Versailles affected the sovereignty of the losing countries through the lens of conflict. The film shown will also help the students understand the origins of the war. Students will read about and be lectured on the reasons for US neutrality at the beginning of the war and analyze why the US eventually declared war. While discussing the decision to go to war, students will look at the debate of whether or not to go to war. They will do this through lecture and analyzing political cartoons. Students will also be involved in a simulated debate. Students will be lectured and will have discussions regarding the topic. Also, students will write Students will be involved in group work as well as guided discussions and finally, the simulated debate. The simulation will allow students to analyze both sides of the argument, an idea that will allow students to think critically about the same arguments that were made in the early 1900s. Also, throughout the unit, the students will be creating a news magazine that highlights US foreign policy prior to involvement and following the war. The students will grasp an understanding of US foreign policy through a number of different teaching strategies. Discussions will be held as well as lectures to enforce the main components. The group debate will also help students look at the arguments for and against war in Europe, an idea that follows foreign policy. Finally, throughout the unit, the students will create a news magazine that highlights US foreign policy before, during and after involvement in the Great War. a short paper in and the end of the unit. which they analyze discussions. Towards how the treaty of Versailles has affected German sovereignty the end of the unit, the students will create a short response to how through the eyes of a German citizen. Students will be introduced to the idea of nationalism throughout the unit through the simulation, lectures German sovereignty was affected by the Treaty of Versailles. Students will understand the idea of nationalism and sovereignty trough the simulation and their short essays towards

Spiral Curriculum Germany. The idea of teaching history has, for a long time, stressed the importance of memorization of key topics, events, and people. It has not been uncommon that lecture and note taking has been the overall product in order for students to gain an understanding of the important issues. Though it is true that lecture is an important aspect of teaching history, there are a number of different teaching strategies that can be used in order engage the students in analyzing a synthesizing the various topics in history. This is highlighted in the idea of spiral curriculum in which students learn concepts through a number of different steps. The idea allows for students to become involved in the content through self-discovery, which is guided through a number of different teaching strategies. Using these teaching strategies, the students are able to understand the content for themselves and will be able to apply it to a number of different ideas. The unit on World War One uses spiral curriculum due to the fact that it first introduces a number of key concepts that will be highlighted throughout the whole unit. As the unit progresses, the content builds upon these ideas through a number of different activities that allows the students to discover the content through critical thinking. The unit begins by the teacher asking the students to discuss what they already know about WWI. After the students have discussed what they already understand about the war, the teaching of the content begins. The first content that is covered in the unit begins by discussing the idea of the European alley system in which a number of countries allied themselves with others in order to gain raw materials and other products. It also calls for discussion on the idea of nationalism and sovereignty. In order to get this point across, the students will perform a simulation in which they are assigned a country and are forced to alley themselves with a number of separate countries. Hopefully the students begin to understand the idea of producing strategic alleys with others and will understand the idea of nationalism by thinking of their country's best interests. The unit then moves towards how the allied system led to a complete world war, sparked by the assignation of Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand. Hopefully the students will understand this idea and how nationalism and the allied system affected the war. The unit then analyzes the involvement of the United States by first looking at the idea of US isolationism and the idea of neutrality. The ideas of nationalism and sovereignty are highlighted again in terms of describing the different events that eventually led to US involvement in the war. There were, however, a number of arguments for and against US involvement. In order to analyze these arguments, the students will be involved in a simulated debate in which they are on the pro war or the anti war side. The students should gain an understanding of the different arguments that were going on at this time period through first hand inquiry. Also, in terms of understanding US foreign policy before, during and after the war, the students will be asked to create a news magazine that highlights US foreign policy through articles and political cartoons. It is my hope that, throughout the unit, the students will gain an understanding of this concept and are able to build up their news magazine. Students will also analyze the differences through trench warfare and how it differs from modern warfare. This idea will be discussed, but should gain more legitimacy when a quest speaker from the VFW comes to speak to the classroom. The guest will be a veteran from a foreign war and will discuss his or her experience in the war. The students should be able to make comparisons

to their experiences to those who were fighting in WWI. They should also be able to contrast the two ideas. I feel that the use of a guest speaker will allow the students to gain a better understanding of the content. Finally, the unit will move to the end of the war and the different aspects that followed this idea. The main concepts that will be discussed include the Treaty of Versailles, Wilson's 14 points, and the creation of the League of Nations. Students can turn back to the content described at the beginning of the unit in order to gain an understanding of what these ideas entailed. Students will analyze the Treaty of Versailles and how it affected sovereignty in Germany. They should understand that Germany was devastated by the outcome and lost a huge amount. Students will also analyze why congress rejected the idea of joining the League of Nations, an idea that was adopted in Wilson's 14 points. Students will find that congress felt that the US involvement in the League would, perhaps, affect US sovereignty due to the fact that they would be tied into foreign affairs through the League. This unit is organized in a way that allows the students to discover the content through first hand inquiry instead of simply memorizing key dates, issues and events. It allows students to think critically about different aspects of the war, an idea that should promote better comprehension of the content. Finally, the unit builds upon the content given at the beginning of the unit. Many new ideas are presented but are always brought back to the overall goal of the unit. This should allow the students have an overall understanding of all of the graduation standards and benchmarks. Questions for Unit Test 1. Wilson's Fourteen Points was: 1. A statement of post-war goals for establishing world peace. 2. A plan for the losing nations to pay off war reparations. 3. A military strategy for defeating the enemy nations. 4. A plan for the victories nations to divide conquered territories following the war. 1. What was the main reason for the United States to enter the war? 1. The main reason was due to the fact that the US wanted to supply aid to their allies. 2. The main reason was to maintain the freedom of the seas. 3. The main reason was that war efforts would help solidify the US as a world power. 4. The main reason was that they wanted to retaliate following the Zimmermann Telegraph.

1. At the beginning of the war, President Wilson and Congress followed the traditional foreign policy by: 1. Declaring US neutrality. 2. Sending troops to support US allies. 3. Declaring war against the aggressors. 4. Blocking trade with the countries involved in the war. 1. Why did congress reject the idea of joining the League of Nations? 1. They felt that it would interfere with US sovereignty. 2. Entrance to the League would ensure that the US would be involved in future conflicts. 3. It did not give the US an important role in world affairs. 4. They feared that it would interfere with the traditional foreign policy of the US, the idea of neutrality. Essay question: How did US involvement in WWI effect it's foreign policy going forward? Be specific and use supporting detail.