World War II Unit Plan

WWII Unit Plan

Alex Sears

WESTERN
UNION

RECEIVED FEBRUARY 22ND, 1942

Mr. Sears 10th Grade U.S. History Students,

Hello!

Mr. Sears has asked me to inform you of the important material your class will be covering over
the next few weeks - WWII! More specifically, the unit will emphasize the origins of the war,
the course of the war, and how the war impacted American citizens and the American
society. You will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of these through enjoyable
activities such as creating your own propaganda posters, writing a Letter to Home/Diary Entry
from the perspective of an American impacted by WWII, mapping assignments, and a unit
exam. You will also bring the outside community into the classroom by discussing the war with
someone who lived through it, such as a grandparent or neighbor.

By the end of this exciting unit, you will find yourself enriched with new knowledge and
understandings of events, people, and concepts, such as internment, the Atomic Bomb, and my
all-time favorite - island hopping!

Well students, I must now return to work. I have just received word of suspicious activity from a
Japanese fleet near our position. Enjoy the unit and settle for nothing less than your best!

From the U.S.S. Tennessee,

General Douglas McArthur

Minnesota Social Studies Standard:

I. U.S. History. M. The Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945. The Student will
understand the origins of World War II, the course of the war, and the impact of the war on
American Society. 1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the international background of
World War II and the debates over American involvement in the conflict. 2. Students will
demonstrate knowledge of key leaders and events of World War II and how the Allies
prevailed. 3. Students will describe the impact of the war on people such as women, African
Americans and Japanese Americans.

Essential Question:

Why did the United States of America enter WWII and how did the course of the war impact
America and its citizens?

The students will:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the international background of World War II and the debates
over American involvement in the conflict.
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of key leaders and events of World War II and how
the Allies prevailed.
3. Describe the impact of the war on people such as women, African Americans and
Japanese Americans.
4. Examine and analyze home-front strategies, such as propaganda, the United States used
to fund the war.

Evaluation: The students will:

1. Complete a multiple choice and essay question unit exam on the international background
of World War II and the debates over American involvement, key leaders and events
which influenced the outcome of WWII and how the allies prevailed, and the impact
minorities and women had on the War.
2. Examine and analyze WWII propaganda posters in groups and demonstrate
understanding of propaganda techniques by creating their own poster.
3. Write a "Letter to Home" from the perspective of a woman, or person of minority whose
role in society is drastically changing in society, or an interned Japanese - American, to
demonstrate the impact of the course of war and the effect on the various groups of
people.
4. Complete mapping activities to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the course
of the war in Europe and the Pacific and how these locations were impacted.

Day to Day Outline:

Day 1
Students will:

1. Become more familiar with various concepts such as Isolationism, Communism,

Fascism, Nazism, Nationalism, and Democracy.
 2. Students will develop greater understandings of how post WWI tensions throughout
Europe contributed to the onset of WWII.

Academic Language: Democracy, Communism, Isolationism, Fascism, Nazism, Nationalism

Students will view a slide lecture on post WWI tensions in Europe and how they had potential to
spark future problems and fill out a graphic organizer on the PPT provided by the
teacher. Students will view a pre-WWII map of Europe in the year 1938.
Students will fill out a K-W-L on concepts like Isolationism, Communism, Democracy, Fascism,
Nazism and Nationalism. Students will take a turn writing what they think one of the terms
means on the whiteboard. Class discussion of the concepts will then be facilitated by the teacher
as students continue to fill out their K-W-L.
Students will turn in one paragraph on the significance of post WWI tensions in Europe and how
they may have had implications for a future world was as a ticket out of class.

Day 2
Students will

1. Become familiar with the event(s) which started WWII and how it progressed over the
next two years and which nations became involved.
2. Compare and contrast a 1940 map of Europe to the 1938 map viewed the previous day
3. Discuss and compare and contrast the idea of isolationism and staying neutral vs. the pro-
involvement movements which shook American society

Academic Language: Compare, contrast, neutrality, Isolationism, Axis, Allies

Students will begin class by reading a short article about the goals of Axis nations and early
movement. Students will then view the WWII Youtube introduction video found at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcxI9fGWYxE. Students will listen to short lecture on Axis
movements in contrast to U.S. isolationism. Following this, students will examine a map of
Europe in 1940 in comparison to the one viewed the previous day of Europe in 1938. Students
will point out differences in boundaries and spheres of influence.
Students will take part in a graded class discussion/debate regarding post WWI international
tensions and U.S. neutrality and isolationism vs. involvement in the war.
Students will complete a vocabulary worksheet as homework due the following day.

Day 3
Students will:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the implications of isolationism on U.S.

economy.
2. Apply knowledge of Axis and Allied movements through a mapping activity

Academic Language: Implications, economy

Students will turn in their homework assignment. As a warm up activity, students will write a
paragraph or two explaining the implications isolationism had on U.S. economy and state
whether they would enter the war or not if they were in FDR's shoes.
Students will view a slide lecture detailing specific battles in Europe prior to U.S. involvement.
Students will complete a mapping exercise where they will label Axis and Allied countries and
movements through 1941 and neutral countries. Class will end with the teacher giving a brief
lecture on the situation with Japan in the Pacific, as well as introducing a homework assignment
which will be due on Day 10. Students will ask/interview a grandparent, neighbor, family friend,
etc. who was alive during WWII about what they experienced and what they
remember. Students will write up a one page summary about their discussion with this person
and reflect on what they learned from doing this assignment. This assignment puts the students
out into the community and provides them with an additional way to learn outside of the
classroom.

Day 4
Students will:

1. Develop knowledge and understandings of why the United States finally entered the war.
2. Develop an understanding of the mobilization of the U.S. economy.

Academic language: Mobilization, economy

Class will start with students viewing a scene from the movie Pearl Harbor. Following this,
students will take part in a discussion covering all the reasons why the U.S. entered war. At the
end of the discussion, students will write ways in which the U.S. could have prepared for war on
the whiteboard. Following this, the teacher will deliver a slide lecture on the mobilization of the
U.S. economy and how the U.S. raised an army. Students will take notes on a note guide/sheet
provided by the teacher. Students will be given a homework assignment in which they will find
and read an article about the conditions for U.S. soldiers who fought in either Europe or the
Pacific.

Day 5
Students will:

1. Share what they learned from the articles they read from the homework assignment.
2. Develop an understanding of civilian roles on the home front, including women and
minorities.

Academic Language: Perspective, minority, economy

Students will share what they read with other students in groups of 4 or 5. The groups will then
fill out a venn diagram comparing and contrasting the wars in the Pacific and Europe.
Students will then be introduced to the Letter to Home/Diary Entry assignment. For the
assignment, students will take the perspective of a woman, or minority member whose role in
American society is drastically changing, or a Japanese-American whose is interned, and write a
letter to home or diary entry about what they are experiencing. They may write about what they
see, how they feel, their emotions, their physical health, level of pride, etc. Students will work
on this throughout the rest of the unit and be expected to work on it at home as well.
Students will then view a lecture with a PowerPoint focusing on civilians on the home front like
women and minorities and take notes with a graphic organizer of their choice.
Day 6
Students will:

1. Develop an understanding of propaganda and examine WWII propaganda posters.

2. Create a WWII propaganda poster.

Academic Language: Propaganda

Students will view a brief PPT mixed with lecture on propaganda and the techniques used in
propaganda. In a "problem solving group work" activity, students will examine several WWII
propaganda posters. They will analyze the posters in their groups and come to conclusions about
the propaganda technique used in each poster and the targeted audience of the posters. Groups
will present their finding to the class. Each student will then create their own propaganda poster,
using at least one technique and targeting a specific audience. Posters will be hung around the
classroom at the end of class.

Day 7
Students will:

1. Develop an understanding of life as a Japanese-American during WWII including those

that were interned.
2. Continue to work on their Letter to Home/Diary Entry.

Academic Language: Internment

Students will be split into two groups. The room will be rearranged. The students in the two
groups will be placed in two very tight, cramped spaces along two walls of the room. They will
leave all of their belongings behind at their desk except for a piece of paper and a writing
utensil. They will be boxed in by a boundary that will be created by desks. Seated on the floor
in these spaces, the students will listen to a few narratives of interned Japanese Americans which
will be read aloud by the teacher. Students will then view a slide lecture on internment camps
and how Japanese-Americans were impacted by the war. When finished, students will go back
to their desks and reflect in a paragraph about how they felt throughout class and how it relates to
what Japanese-Americans may have experienced. Students will turn this in to the teacher at the
end of class. In the remaining class time, students can work on their Letter to Home/Diary Entry.

Day 8
Students will:

1. Develop knowledge of specific WWII battles.

2. Develop an understanding of the way the war was fought in both Europe and the Pacific.

Academic Language: Island Hopping, D-Day, compare, contrast

Students will view clips from the movies Saving Private Ryan and Midway. Following this,
students will be put into pairs and the class will go to the library. Students will fill out a graphic
organizer that compares and contrasts the styles of fighting and warfare used in Europe
compared to the Pacific. Students will turn this in, then come back to class for a brief
PowerPoint lecture which will touch on significant battles, such as the Battle of Stalingrad and
the Invasion of Normandy. Students will get a sense the war is beginning to turn in the Allies
favor.

Day 9
Students will:

1. Become familiar with the Holocaust and view images of the Holocaust.
2. Develop an understanding of how victory was finally reached in Europe.
3. Continue to work on their Letter to Home/Diary Entry.

Academic Language: Holocaust, Genocide

Class will begin with the teacher reading aloud selections of Anne Frank's Diary. Students will
listen and draw pictures representing what they hear to help process the material. Students will
form small groups and share their drawing and reflect on the readings. Following this, students
will view a PowerPoint slideshow mixed with lecture with images of the Holocaust. Students
will take notes with a note sheet or graphic organizer. Students will then be given the rest of the
class time to work on their Letters to Home/Diary Entry.

Day 10
Students will:

1. Develop an understanding of the end of the war in Europe and V - E Day.

2. Discuss the end of the war in Japan and also discuss the Atomic Bomb.
3. Critically think about the use of the Atomic Bomb.

Academic Language: Atomic Bomb, V-E Day

Students will view a Powerpoint Lecture on the end of the war in Europe. They will take notes
with a guided note sheet or graphic organizer. Following this, students will watch a short
Youtube video clip on the Atomic Bomb found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l5jI4iO4-
g&feature=related. The students will then take part in a discussion facilitated by the teacher
regarding the dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The teacher will ask
challenging questions during the discussion to get the students to critically think. Students will
then write up a short paragraph about their initial thoughts of the use of the Atomic
Bomb. Students will be informed of their homework for the night which will be to choose a side
on the controversial issue of dropping the Atomic Bomb on Japan and research it to defend that
stance during an Atomic Bomb debate the next day.

Day 11
Students will:

1. Debate the dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and defend their
stance.
2. Reflect on the debate

Academic Language: Debate, Atomic Bomb

Students will come to class with support for their stance on the Atomic Bomb. The two sides
will be split and a debate will commence, facilitated by the teacher. The teacher will write
important pieces of support/statements for each side on the white board. If the debate slows, the
teacher can ask thought provoking questions to spark the debate back up such as: Was it the U.S.
only option? Did the U.S. properly test the Atomic Bomb?
Following the debate, students will write a reflection paragraph on the debate and whether or not
they have changed their initial opinions on the issue of the Atomic Bomb. Students will turn this
in to the teacher as they leave class.

Day 12
Students will:

1. Read their letters to home to other classmates in small groups.

2. Review for the unit test.

Students will come to class with their Letter to Home/Diary Entry. Students will be split into
groups of 4 or 5 and be matched as best as possible with students who wrote from different
perspectives than their own. The students will each read their letter or diary entry, and discuss
them all as a group when each student has read. Students will then turn their assignment in. For
the rest of class, students will be split into two teams to play a review game for the unit test.

Day 13
Students will:

1. Take the unit exam.

Students will take the unit exam. If there is time left after class, students will take part in a
discussion focused on how the results of WWII left the Cold War looming in the future

4.

I. U.S. History. M. The Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945. The Student will
understand the origins of World War II, the course of the war, and the impact of the war on
American Society. 1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the international background of
World War II and the debates over American involvement in the conflict. 2. Students will
demonstrate knowledge of key leaders and events of World War II and how the Allies
prevailed. 3. Students will describe the impact of the war on people such as women, African
Americans and Japanese Americans.

Students will meet the standards and benchmarks in the unit through the summative evaluations
selected for the unit as well as the various activities and assessments. Students will meet the
benchmark of demonstrating knowledge of the international background of World War II and the
debates over American Involvement in the conflict through the unit exam, as well as the graded
debate concerning the Atomic Bomb. Students will meet the benchmark of demonstrating
knowledge of key leaders and events of World War II and how the allies prevailed through the
unit exam as well as the mapping exercises. Students will meet the benchmark of describing the
impact of the war on people such as women, African Americans and Japanese Americans
through the Letter to Home/Diary Entry. (See the Evaluation portion from the day to day outline
as well as the following differentiation spreadsheet).

Objective Content Process Product Used in Unit

During the class
lectures, students will
It will be helpful Lower level
be given the choice of Students will be
for students to learners will be
certain note taking lectured about
know this content graded on the
templates, such as note this over the first
as it will help frequency they
Demonstrate sheets vs. graphic few days of the
them understand speak in the
knowledge of organizers. Students unit, and will
events discussed discussion and
the have the choice to use also have slight
throughout the share their ideas,
international whichever best fits knowledge from
rest of the while higher level
background of their learning style. In the previous
unit. Advanced students will be
World War II addition, students will unit. A graded
learners may be graded on how
and the debates have access to audio discussion on the
able to critically well they critically
over American recordings of the content will
think about this think and make
Involvement in lectures on the course occur on day 2
much more and connections about
the conflict. website, which they and all students
make connections the material and
can listen to multiple will be required
to what they will share that with the
times and at their own to contribute to
learn throughout class to contribute
pace. This will benefit the discussion.
the unit. to the discussion.
the ELL and lower
level learners.
Each student will ELL and lower
need to know the level students will
important events be given additional
When completing
and figures that instructions on Students will
vocabulary
influenced the mapping complete
assignments, students
course and techniques and mapping
Demonstrate will have the multiple
outcome of the skills. In addition, exercises as well
knowledge of options on how to
war. Gifted students will spend as vocabulary
key leaders and process the meanings
students will be time in mixed worksheets a few
events of World of words and concepts,
able to easily ability small times throughout
War II and how such as using the
interpret the groups to complete the unit. Certain
the Allies words in a sentence,
significance of the mapping lectures and class
prevailed. drawing a picture or
these figures and exercises, where discussion will
symbol, finding a
events, and be advanced learners also focus on
picture in a magazine
able to connect can help explain this.
of the internet, etc.
them to past concepts and
historical events describe events
and World Wars. and movements.
Describe the It is critical each During the times/days Higher level Students will be
impact of the student can students are given to students will be introduced to the
war on people describe in their work on their required to include Letter to
such as women, own words the assignment, ELL and a bibliography Home/Diary
African impact the war lower lever learners with a certain Entry assignment
Americans and had on these will work in support number of primary on day 5, and
Japanese certain groups of groups with the sources in which will work time
Americans. people. Gifted teacher, Para, or other they for this
students will be support staff to discuss analyzed. Lower assignment on
able to describe what has been taught level students and selected days
the impacts in in class about to the ELL will not have throughout the
much more detail topic, notes they have to include primary unit.
with greater taken, how to source analysis.
understanding in effectively write their
their Letter to thoughts and opinions
Home/Diary in the assignment, and
Entry assignment. breaking down any
further reading which
will aid in completing
the
assignment. Advanced
learners will not need
differentiation for this
stage.
All students will
become familiar Lower level
with propaganda learners and ELL
techniques and will be graded on
how the United When examining the their incorporation
States used propaganda posters, of 1 propaganda
On day 6,
propaganda students will be placed technique into
Examine and students will
posters to help aid into mixed ability their poster, and
analyze home- create their own
the war groups. Advanced how it relates to
front strategies, propaganda
effort. When learners will help WWII. Advanced
such as poster to show
creating their lower level learners learners will be
propaganda, the their
posters, advanced and ELL to understand urged to
United States interpretation of
leaners will have the concepts and point incorporate
used to help propaganda
the opportunity to out details in the multiple
fund the war. techniques and
be cleverer and posters such as who propaganda
messages.
show deeper the message or poster techniques into
thinking and is aimed at. their posters, as
interpretation in well as target
their created multiple audience
messages and groups.
slogans.
6.

Additional attention will be given to academic language through the vocabulary

exercises. As explained in the differentiation spreadsheet, the vocabulary worksheets will
promote comprehension and processing as they allow students to draw pictures or symbols, or
use the word in sentences. In situations where vocabulary worksheets will not be used to address
academic language, the teacher will spend an a short amount of time explaining the term
showing pictures, symbols, or the word in context to address the academic language.

Spiral Curriculum

An extensive amount of modern day research on the teaching of history in secondary

schools presents the benefits of incorporating more challenging activities to promote higher level
thinking habits in students. Part of this may require history teachers to stray away from the
traditional practices of teaching just the facts and heavy concentration on lecturing and instead
teach through interactive, dynamic, and engaging instructional methods that constantly require
students to think with an open mind and connect events of the past to today. One way teachers
can do this is through a "Spiral Curriculum". According to Bring Learning Alive!, the spiral
curriculum is an educational technique in which teachers show and enable students to discover
knowledge for themselves and develop understandings and make connections based on that
learned knowledge. If done correctly, students will move from elementary cognitive skills such
as basic recall, observation and identification to higher levels of cognition such as interpretation,
application, analysis, and synthesis.

The WWII unit reflects the spiral curriculum because it builds a basic knowledge set for
students, and allows them to spiral to higher levels of cognition through numerous activities over
the course of the unit. Students gain basic knowledge through class lectures and note
taking. Students then comprehend and understand the significance of the basic information
through class discussions, which are also spiraled by the teacher starting with basic questions and
moving toward more complex questions that require critical thinking. One part of the unit where
students apply their understandings and knowledge is in the design of maps and mapping
exercises. This application helps them understand and perceive the course of the war through
certain years. As the unit progresses it continues to spiral to increased complexity as students
analyze and synthesize through activities and assignments such as the Letter to Home/Diary
Entry and the Atomic Bomb debate. Completing these assignments will require them to use all
levels of the spiral curriculum, from the recalling basic knowledge, to applying their
understandings, and analyzing personal narratives and credible sources. The summative
evaluation will be in the form of a unit exam, which will be constructed with Killoran approved
multiple choice questions, and challenging, thought provoking essay questions (see #8
attachments).

The spiral curriculum is beneficial to the students learning for several reasons. First,
when instruction follows a spiral curriculum template, it makes learning both enjoyable and
worthwhile to the student. Students will respond and grow academically better from engaging,
dynamic activities to learn through instead of lecture, memorization, and reading verbatim from
a textbook. The knowledge and understandings students gain from a spiraled curriculum will
also most likely stay with them for long periods of time. The spiral curriculum will challenge
students to think in new ways, as well as build lifelong learning habits.

8. Multiple Choice Questions:

1. During World War II, women and minorities made economic gains mainly because
1. They fought on the frontlines
2. New labor laws increased the minimum wage
3. A shortage of labor created by men fighting the war opened opportunities for
these groups in traditional workplaces.
4. Better education opportunities allowed them to obtain prestigious degrees.
5. Following WWII, the United States was better able to adjust their economy than
their allies because
1. They had more goods to sell
2. They were much more interested in trade
3. They obtained a vast majority of resources from countries that surrendered
to them
4. They suffered no widespread destruction on their home soil
5. Which group of events is in the correct chronological order?
A. V-E Day, Dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Japan, Attack on Pearl
Harbor, Normandy Invasion (D-Day)

B. Normandy Invasion (D-Day), Dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Japan, Attack on Pearl
Harbor, V-E Day

C. Attack on Pearl Harbor, Normandy Invasion (D-Day), V-E Day, Dropping of the Atomic
Bomb on Japan

D. Attack on Pearl Harbor, Dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Japan, Normandy Invasion (D-
Day), V-E Day

1. At the beginning of WWII, a great focus of national debate was on whether the United
States should continue or end the policy of
1. Containment
2. Imperialism
3. Isolationism
4. Democracy

Essay Question:
Elaborate on the issues surrounding the United States decision to use the Atomic Bomb. Discuss
the motives of using the bomb as well as why it was controversial. Do you feel the United States
made the best choice? Explain.

*I chose this essay question because it relates to the standard and benchmarks in the unit and
challenges the students to think critically about the issue. To answer the question, students will
need to have basic knowledge of the event, but also a deeper understanding and their own
interpretation of why the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb. Students can answer the question by
comparing and contrasting viewpoints on whether to drop the bomb or not, and then express their
own opinion of the controversial issue. This is an excellent essay question because it reflects the
spiral curriculum as students demonstrate basic knowledge and recall as well as deeper, complex
understandings and their own analysis and thoughts. The question is also structured so that it
will allow for students to be able to answer it in several different ways.