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World War Two Unit

Target Group, Environment, and Assessment of Individual Differences: This is an 8th grade American History unit prepared for a rural Western New York school. Each lesson will be taught four times: 1st Period (19 students), 3rd Period (20 students), 4th Period (21 students), and 8th Period (17 students). All four classes contain a wide range of learners, however, 3rd period is explicitly designated as an inclusive class, and staffed by a special education teacher (Marcia Austin) and an aide (Jill Davis). Eight students in 3rd Period have testing modifications (extended time and questions read aloud). Although some receive assistance from Mrs. Davis, none require modified notes or homework. 4th Period is the most extroverted class, and 8th Period works most quickly.

Source and Purpose: This unit was designed collaboratively by Amy and me. It includes both new materials (such as the SMART Board presentation, video clips, outline guides, and quizzes) and modified materials from previous years (the note packet, homework packets, and test.) Although it covers all aspects of the war, it places special emphasis on the experiences of civilians on the American Home Front. It is longer than normal units because it is designed to prepare the students for their first formal research papers, which they will write at the end of the unit. (The extra time and details will give the students additional material to draw from when they write their papers.) The three research questions for the paper are:

I) Explain in detail the hardships on the Jews during the Holocaust. II) Explain in detail the hardships on Americans during World War II. III) Describe what the world has learned from the Holocaust and World War II.

The research project was collaboratively planned and implemented by the English/Language Arts and Social Studies departments. Students will study the research process and Question I in ELA, and the background to WWII and Question II in Social Studies. The purposes of this unit are to help the students empathize with what the people who lived during World War II experienced, to help the students connect the effects and lessons of World War II to current conditions and issues (such as the Arab-Israeli conflict), and to give the students experience writing research papers.

Standards: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum Point 10.1: Objectives:

1. To understand why World War II began and how it changed the lives of millions of people2. To be aware of the much different world left as a legacy of World War II3. To investigate key turning points in New York State and United States history and explain why these events or developments are significant

4. To understand the relative importance of United States domestic and foreign policies over time 5. To analyze the role played by the United States in international politics, past and present 6. To describe historic events through the eyes and experiences of those who were there

Content Outline:A. Origins of the war

1. The Versailles Treaty2. The Great Depression3. Rise of totalitarianism; expansionism and persecution4. The rearming of Germany5. Isolationism6. Failure of the League of Nations

B. Prewar alliances1. Axis powers2. Allied powers3. Role of the United States

C. Failure of peace1. Aggression by Germany in Europe, Italy in Europe and Africa, and Japan in Asia2. Appeasement; Chamberlain in Munich3. German attack on Poland;4. United States role to 1941—guarded isolation, aid to allies

D. The United States in World War II1. Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor2. A two-front war

a. Europe—Eisenhowerb. Pacific—MacArthur

E. New aspects of the war1. German blitzkrieg2. Aerial bombing3. New technology and its impact on people and the physical environment4. Atomic bomb—the Manhattan Project5. The Nazi Holocaust6. Concept of unconditional surrender

F. The home front1. Total mobilization of resources2. Rationing3. Role of women4. War bonds5. Internment to incarceration of Japanese-Americans

6. Limited progress toward economic, political, and social equality for black Americans, i.e., Roosevelt’s Executive Order 8802

G. End of the war1. Allied agreement—Yalta Conference2. Defeat of Germany3. Defeat of Japan

H. Impact of the war1. Entire countries were physically and demographically devastated—effects of physical and human geographic factors2. Millions of families suffered the loss of loved ones3. The Nazi Holocaust—Hitler’s “Final Solution”; worldwide horror; human rights violations4. United States response to the Holocaust: Fort Ontario; Oswego, New York5. The Nuremberg Trials6. Global impact; rise of nationalism in Africa and Asia7. Advent of the United Nations8. Advent of the nuclear age

Lesson Objectives: SWBAT explain how Hitler’s beliefs and policies were influenced by his childhood,

young adult life in Vienna, experiences in WWI, and failed 1923 Beer Hall Putsch (Students will be given opportunities to empathize with Hitler’s experiences and

perspectives.) SWBAT explain how the Nazis took over the German government and initiated the

Holocaust. SWBAT evaluate whether or not something like the Nazi takeover could happen in the

United States and explain their reasoning in a class discussion. SWBAT describe what life was like under the totalitarian regimes of Stalin, Mussolini,

and Hitler. SWBAT explain how the League of Nations failed to prevent Italian aggression in

Ethiopia. SWBAT analyze and explain the major themes of a Nazi propaganda film in a class

discussion. SWBAT describe what life was like in pre-WWII Japan. SWBAT compare and contrast the dictatorships of Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, and the

Japanese militarists on a chart. SWBAT identify the key policies that supported US neutrality during the Interwar

Period, and explain why neutrality was so important to Americans. SWBAT explain how Axis aggression and inaction from the international community led

to WWII.

SWBAT describe and explain the importance of the battles of Dunkirk, Britain, and Nanjing.

SWBAT explain how and why the United States took steps to support the Allies while officially remaining neutral.

SWBAT identify the major Axis and Allied powers on a map. SWBAT explain why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. SWBAT describe what the attack on Pearl Harbor was like. SWBAT describe the various measures the US Government used to control the economy

and public opinion during WWII. SWBAT describe the short-term and long-term effects WWII had on American men and

women. SWBAT describe how WWII affected American children. SWBAT explain both the positive and negative effects WWII had on African Americans. SWBAT correctly answer 80% of the questions on Quiz 2. SWBAT describe how Japanese-Americans were treated during WWII, and explain why

they were treated that way. SWBAT compare and contrast Japanese-American internment camps with Nazi

concentration camps. SWBAT explain how WWII affected all members of an American family (father, mother,

children) on a poster. SWBAT identify and describe the three generals (Patton, MacArthur, and Eisenhower)

responsible for leading the American war effort. SWBAT identify, locate (on a map), and explain the importance of the four turning points

of the war in Europe (El-Alamein, Stalingrad, Sicily, and D-Day.) SWBAT describe what soldiers experienced at Stalingrad and Normandy. SWBAT explain what “island hopping” is and why it was necessary. SWBAT identify, locate (on a map), and explain the importance of Pearl Harbor,

Midway, and Iwo Jima. SWBAT describe what soldiers involved in island hopping experienced. SWBAT correctly answer 80% of the questions on Quiz 3. SWBAT define the following terms: Manhattan Project, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Potsdam

Declaration. SWBAT evaluate Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan (on a secret

ballot) using evidence presented in class. SWBAT respond to and critique their classmates’ thoughts on the Harry Truman case in a

class discussion. SWBAT summarize the human and material cost of WWII, and describe what happened

to Germany, Japan, the United States, the Soviet Union, and the Jews. SWBAT explain the steps that were taken at the end of WWII to prevent another world

war, and evaluate the effectiveness of those measures. SWBAT answer the questions on their review sheets with 100% accuracy.

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of WWII in a class discussion and review game.

SWBAT correctly answer 85% of the questions on the WWII unit exam. Students will complete fifteen research notecards for their WWII research paper using

library resources. SWBAT explain why Jews, Christians, and Muslims all want to possess the city of

Jerusalem. SWBAT describe the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. SWBAT explain and evaluate the arguments of the Arabs and Israelis in a class debate. Students will demonstrate their understanding of WWII in the rough drafts of their

research papers.

March 10

Hitler’s Rise to Power

Holocaust Packet

March 11

Hitler’s Rise to Power

NoneMarch 14

Dictators

Outline 27.1

March 15

Dictators Continued

20 Vocab Cards

March 16* (no 3rd)

Dictators and American Neutrality

Outline 27.2

March 17

Beginning of WWII

Pearl Harbor Packet

March 18

Pearl Harbor

20 Vocab Cards

March 21

No School

March 22

Home Front

Outline 27.3

March 23*

Home Front

Home Front Packet

March 24 (no 3rd and 4th)

J-A Internment

Relocation Camps Packet

March 25

J-A Internment or Posters

None

March 28

War in Europe

Outline 27.4

March 29*

War in the Pacific

Outline 27.5

March 30

Atomic Bomb

Allied Victory Packet

March 31

Aftermath of WWII

DBQ

April 1

Review

Finish Review Sheet

April 2 (no 3rd or 4th)

Hollywood Squares

Study

April 3

TEST

Post WWII Packet

April 4

Library Research

April 5

Library Research

April 6

Library Research

15 Notecards Due, Outline due fter April break.

April 25

Arab-Israeli Conflict

Arab-Israeli Conflict Packet

April 26

Arab-Israeli Conflict Continued

April 27

Computer Lab

April 28

Computer Lab

Finish Rough Draft

Grade Level: 8th Date: March 10, 2011

Hitler’s Rise to Power: 1889-1933Objectives:

SWBAT explain how Hitler’s beliefs and policies were influenced by his childhood, young adult life in Vienna, experiences in WWI, and failed 1923 Beer Hall Putsch

(Students will be given opportunities to empathize with Hitler’s experiences and perspectives)

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum points 10.1.A.1-3

Materials: “Rise of Hitler” note packet and SMART Board presentation, Holocaust Packet and worksheet

Introduction: Students will consider the question “What do you know about Adolf Hitler” in a Think-Share discussion. At the end of the discussion, I will pass out the note packet.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Socratic lecture – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the board

o Key Points1. Hitler had a difficult childhood. His father constantly criticized him and

disapproved of his dream to become an artist. He despised authority and did poorly in school. Other children followed his lead, but noted his selfishness and lack of empathy.

2. After dropping out of school, Hitler became a freelance artist in Vienna. His aversion to outside authority prevented him from having a regular job. While in Vienna, he came into contact with both Jews and Anti-Semites.

3. During WWI, Hitler demonstrated fanatical devotion to Germany. He was devastated by Germany’s defeat, and eagerly subscribed to the “Stab in the Back” theory.

4. Hitler first encountered the Nazis while serving as a domestic spy for the military. He was attracted to their Anti-Semitic and anti-democratic ideology and soon became their primary spokesperson. The failure of his first attempt to take over Germany convinced him that the Nazis would have to dismantle the German republic from the inside, rather than overthrowing it from the outside.

5. Hatred of the Versailles Treaty, the Great Depression, and Hitler’s own speaking ability all played a role in the Nazis rise to power.

o Key Questions

1. It’s possible that Hitler’s paternal grandfather was Jewish. If so, what would that make Hitler, according to the Nazis?

2. Study the sample of Hitler’s artwork on the board. List some adjectives that describe it. What might this indicate about young Hitler’s view of the world? (I thought this was a very successful question. Students noted that the picture was dark, somewhat depressing, and devoid of people. A few connected the last observation to his previously noted lack of empathy for other people.)

3. Did Hitler start the Nazi Party?4. What was the title of the book Hitler wrote to explain his worldview?

Conclusion: Pause the story at an appropriate point and hand out the homework.

Homework: Read the “Holocaust Packet,” and answer the accompanying questions

Assessment: Students’ responses to questions asked during the lecture.

Reflection: The opening discussion probably could have been a Think-Pair-Share discussion, but

coming into this placement a lot of people advised me to avoid “unstructured” activities with Jr. High students whenever possible, so I decided to leave out the “pair” step. If I teach this lesson again, I will put it back in.

I think this lesson would have been easier to teach if I were a more compelling storyteller, or perhaps less nervous about teaching to a new group of students for the first time.


The Rise of Hitler: 1933-1945Objectives:

SWBAT explain how the Nazis took over the German government and initiated the Holocaust

SWBAT evaluate whether or not something like the Nazi takeover could happen in the United States and explain their reasoning in a class discussion.


Materials: “Rise of Hitler” note packet and SMART Board presentation

Introduction: Students will take out their homework and pass it forward.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Review – students will discuss the questions “what was Hitler’s childhood like,” “how

did Hitler become attracted to Anti-Semitism,” “how did Hitler become a Nazi,” “how did the failed Beer Hall Uprising change Hitler’s thinking,” and “how did the Great Depression help the Nazis rise to power.”

Socratic lecture – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the boardo Key Points

1. The Nazis attracted people with promises to fix the economy and get Germany out from under the treaty of Versailles

2. When the Nazis gained a majority in the Reichstag, they burned down the Reichstag building and blamed it on the Communists. This scared people and gave the Nazis a pretense for repressing opposition.

3. Nazi persecution of Jews began in 1935 with the passage of the Nuremburg Laws. Most of the world took little notice. Some Jews tried to leave, but were sent back by the countries they fled to.

4. Nazi persecution progressed from restrictive laws, to mob violence (like the Kristallnacht), to ghettos, to concentration camps, to death camps.

5. Ethnic cleansing is when you try to “get rid” of a group that is not like you. It can be based on concrete racial distinctions (color, physique) or abstract ethnic distinctions (nationality, religion, culture). (Students will brainstorm characteristics that have been targeted by ethnic cleansing).

o Key Questions1. Why would the Nazis burn down their own capitol building?2. How are secret police different from ordinary police?

3. How would you feel if you were forced to wear an identifying symbol, like the Star of David? (This was another good question. Students responded with a wide range of answers from ashamed, to angry, to proud.)

4. How would you feel if you were dragged out of your house and forced to scrub the streets while your neighbors watched? What would you do if you were someone in the crowd?

5. What is the difference between a concentration camp and a death camp?

Conclusion: T-S Discussion – Students will consider the following questions: Why do we study the rise of Hitler and the Nazis? Could someone like Hitler rise to power in the United States? Why or why not? How were conditions in the United States similar to conditions in Germany during the

Great Depression? How were they different?

Homework: None

Assessment: Students’ answers to questions asked during the lecture, students’ responses during the discussion. (Students’ homework will provide additional insight about their understanding of the ideas in the Holocaust Packet.)

Reflection: The pace of this lesson was very good The concluding discussion went well, but in the future I may print the questions on an exit

slip in order to assess what the quieter students are thinking.

Grade Level: 8th

Date: March 14, 2011

Background to WWII: Dictatorships and American Neutrality Part IObjectives:

SWBAT describe what life was like under the totalitarian regimes of Stalin, Mussolini, and Hitler

SWBAT explain how the League of Nations failed to prevent Italian aggression in Ethiopia


Materials: WWII Note Packet (pages 1-2) and SMART Board presentation (slides 1-3), Chapter 27 outline guide (homework)

Introduction: Instruct the students to write the homework assignment in their agendas


o Key Points1. Stalin’s totalitarian, paranoid rule had brutal effects on the Russian people.2. Fascism is a totalitarian government system built around militarism,

racism, and extreme nationalism.3. The League of Nations protested, but took no action to defend Ethiopia

from Italian aggression.4. The Nazis used resentment of the Treaty of Versailles, the Great

Depression, Hitler’s speaking ability, and racism to gain power and set up a totalitarian state in Europe?

o Key Questions1. What word do you see inside the word “totalitarian”? Based on that

observation, what do you think totalitarian means?2. Study the two pictures from Soviet Russia, what differences do you see

between them? (People have been erased.) What do you think Stalin was trying to accomplish by erasing those people?

3. Where is Ethiopia? Given the fact that the Italians had modern weapons, who do you think won when Italy invaded Ethiopia? What should the League of Nations have done about this?

4. Why was Hitler so determined to control young people through programs like the Hitler Youth?

Conclusion: Pause the discussion between points III.f and III.g. Close with question 4 above.

Homework: Outline 27.1

Assessment: Students’ responses during the discussion

Reflection: I would have preferred to get all the way through Hitler in this lesson, but I didn’t in any

of the four classes. I think I was still a little nervous. In the long-run, though, I don’t believe the slower pace will be a problem. That time can be made up elsewhere, and I think that some of the extra details we covered (ex. The peasants resisted Stalin’s collectivization efforts by destroying their tools and crops, Stalin responded by letting them starve to death) were effective illustrations that will help the students remember the key points more easily.


Background to WWII: Dictatorships and American Neutrality Part IIObjectives:

SWBAT analyze and explain the major themes of a Nazi propaganda film in a class discussion.

SWBAT describe what life was like in pre-WWII Japan. SWBAT compare and contrast the dictatorships of Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, and the

Japanese militarists on a chart.


Materials: WWII note packet (pages 1-2) and SMART Board presentation (slides 3-5), Triumph of the Will clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=GcFuHGHfYwE#t=2700s), vocab sheet (for homework)

Introduction: Students will pass their homework forward to be checked, write the new assignment in their agendas, and take out their note packets.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Review Discussion

o What does “totalitarianism” mean? What does “fascism” mean?o Who was the dictator of Russia? Italy?o How did the League of Nations respond to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia? Why?o Why was Hitler so determined to control the youth? What program did he use to

do so? Video activity – students will watch a 6 minute clip of Hitler’s speech to the youth from

Triumph of the Will (German propaganda film from the 1934 Nuremburg Rally) and reflect on the following questions:

o What sights and sounds caught your attention? (Possible answers include the large, organized crowds, the Swastikas, the uniforms, the monumental architecture, the grand music, the shouting etc.) What message were the Nazis trying to convey through this imagery? (Grandeur, discipline, unity, pride, order, stability.)

o Describe Hitler’s speaking style? Why might people be attracted to this style? Do you find Hitler’s speech convincing?

o What themes does Hitler emphasize? What does he ask his audience to do? Why is this request scary? (He emphasizes loyalty, obedience, and perseverance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=GcFuHGHfYwE#t=2700s

through suffering, he asks his audience of youths to be prepared to die for Germany.)

Socratic Lecture – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the board.o Key Points

1. Japan modernized economically in the late 1800s, but did not adopt democratic ideas.

2. The Japanese were taught to believe that their emperor was a god.3. Politically, the most powerful people in Japan were the emperor’s advisors

(military generals), not the emperor himself, because gods don’t concern themselves with human affairs.

o Key Questions1. What American sparked Japan’s switch from isolationism to

modernization in 1854? Critical thinking activity (T-P-S) – students will compare and contrast the four

dictatorships using the chart on page 3 of their note packets.o I considered going over the chart characteristic-by-characteristic, but instead went

country-by-country with all four classes.o During the share period, begin by asking for volunteers to suggest characteristics

that they believe apply to the country being considered. Ask for examples when appropriate (ex. What was the name of the German secret police? How did the Japanese brainwash children). When students stop volunteering, go through the remaining characteristics one-by-one and ask the students to say whether or not they believe it applies.

o The purpose of this activity is to illustrate the key commonalities (ex. media censorship, silencing critics) and subtle differences (ex. not all were racist or aggressive) between the four dictatorships.

Conclusion: If necessary, the activity can be completed next class. Pause it between two countries, not in the middle of a country. At the end of class, explain the format of the quiz (10 multiple choice questions, open outline.)

Homework: Make flash cards for vocab terms 1-20, quiz next class.

Assessment: Students’ responses during the discussion and activities.

Reflection: Students were reluctant to volunteer answers to the first video reflection question, but

some did have some insightful observations. The answers to the second question were good, but nobody got the third one. I didn’t post the questions beforehand, or make the students record their answers. Next time (Pearl Harbor lesson) I will do so.

The chart activity worked well.


Background to WWII: Dictatorships and American Neutrality Part IIIObjectives:

SWBAT identify the key policies that supported US neutrality during the Interwar Period, and explain why neutrality was so important to Americans.


Materials: WWII note packet (pages 2-3) and SMART Board presentation (slides 5-9), Quiz 1

Introduction: Students will take out their homework to be checked, write the new assignment in their agendas, and take out their note packets.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: If necessary, finish the critical thinking activity from the previous lesson. Socratic lecture – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the board

o Key Ideas1. Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt pursued less forceful, more cooperative

relations with the US’ Latin American neighbors.2. The Neutrality Acts were passed to help the United States avoid being

caught up in foreign wars, like WWI.3. Isolationists supported the Neutrality Acts.

o Key Questions1. Do you think Latin American countries favored or opposed Hoover and

FDR’s new policies? (This was an interesting question because the majority of students who responded pointed out that the policies would probably have received mixed approval. On one hand, Latin Americans may have appreciated their greater freedom from interference, but on the other, some may have missed the support and stability US troops provided. I followed-up by asking which of the two options they thought people would prefer?)

2. What was the Roosevelt Corollary and who created it?3. What group of people was behind the Neutrality Acts?4. Why were American so concerned about being drawn into foreign wars?

Review Activity: Keyword Matching – student volunteers will drag the vocabulary terms on the right side of slide 7 to the correct definitions on the left side.

Review Activity: Image Matching – student volunteers will drag and drop the four dictators’ names and pictures onto the appropriate countries.

Quiz – 10 multiple choice questions, students may use the outlines they completed for homework as a resource.

Conclusion: Students have the remainder of the period to complete the quiz. When they finish they can begin working on the homework.


Assessment: Students’ responses during the activities and lecture. Students’ quizzes.

Reflection: The review activity effectively helped assess the learning of quieter students. The students had plenty of time to take the quiz, and their scores were very good, despite

the fact that most people had very few details in their outlines. I suppose it’s sort of trivial, but combined the 8th period class missed fewer than 20

questions. I was impressed.


The Beginning of WWIIObjectives:

SWBAT explain how Axis aggression and inaction from the international community led to WWII.

SWBAT describe and explain the importance of the battles of Dunkirk, Britain, and Nanjing.

SWBAT explain how and why the United States took steps to support the Allies while officially remaining neutral.

SWBAT identify the major Axis and Allied powers on a map.

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum points 10.1.B-C, E.1-3

Materials: WWII note packet (page 3) and SMART Board presentation (slides 10-14), colored pencils, Pearl Harbor Packet (for homework).


Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Socratic Lecture – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the board

o Key Ideas1. Appeasement is giving in to an aggressor to avoid a fight. Britain and

France appeased Germany at the Munich Conference 2. WWII started when Germany invaded Poland, in violation of the Munich

Agreement.3. At the beginning of WWII, Germany occupied several surrounding

countries, including France. Allied armies narrowly escaped destruction at Dunkirk.

4. British civilians endured terrifying air raids during the Battle of Britain, but did not give up. In the end, the Germans decided to invade the Soviet Union instead.

5. At the beginning of WWII, most Americans favored the Allies, but wanted the US to remain neutral. However, the US still sent supplies to the Allies through the Cash and Carry Plan and Lend-Lease Act

6. Japanese aggression in China began in 1931, and culminated in the Rape of Nanjing

7. The US tried to use an oil/metal embargo to weaken the Japanese military while still avoiding war, but the embargo only made the Japanese more desperate.

o Key Questions1. Why did France and Britain choose to appease Hitler at the Munich

Conference? (What were they trying to avoid?)2. Was appeasement an effective strategy for avoiding war?3. What happened at Dunkirk? (this question will be review for students that

did their homework)4. What law prevented the US from openly supporting the Allies? (The

Neutrality Acts) What group of people wanted the US to remain neutral? (Isolationists)

5. Why was the Cash and Carry Plan replaced with the Lend-Lease Act? (the Allies ran out of cash and ships to carry supplies in)

6. How did the League of Nations respond to Japanese aggression in China?7. List some adjectives that describe the two pictures from the Rape of

Nanjing? How do you think Americans reacted to pictures like these when they were first published?

Map Activity – students will color in the Axis, occupied, and Allied European countries using colored pencils. (Note: this activity will be sandwiched by the lecture).

Conclusion: If necessary, the discussion about Japan can be carried over to the next lesson. But it will be best if the lesson ends by drawing an explicit link between the oil/metal embargo and the Japanese decision to launch a preemptive strike on Pearl Harbor.

Homework: Read the “Pearl Harbor Packet” and answer the accompanying questions

Assessment: Students’ responses during the lecture

Reflection: I realize that this lesson moves a lot more quickly than the previous lessons did, but that

is mainly because it consists of topics that are not emphasized in the 8th Grade curriculum (such as the Munich Conference and the Battle of Britain). Within the unit, it mainly functions as a bridge between the two surrounding lessons, and although I think it could be improved with activities, Amy and I decided that any additional time spent on it could be used more effectively elsewhere. I did my best to break up the lecture with humor and lots of questions, and used the activity to give the students a chance to do something besides listening, answering questions, and taking notes.

I experimented with the order of topics in this lesson. For some classes, I started in Japan and proceeded through the events chronologically, while for others I started in Europe

and proceeded through the events thematically. I think the thematic approach was more effective, and made more sense to the students, even though it involved a little bit of flipping back and forth in the note packet.

If time were available, I think a primary source activity (either small group or read-aloud) about the Blitz might be worthwhile, because that event affected children (albeit not American children) the students’ age, and can be described with vivid, memorable imagery.


Pearl HarborObjectives:

SWBAT explain why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor SWBAT describe what the attack on Pearl Harbor was like

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum point 10.1.D.1

Materials: WWII note packet (page 4) and SMART Board presentation (slides 15-17), Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack (National Geographic Video), vocab sheet (for homework).

Introduction: Students will take out their homework to be checked, write the new assignment in their agendas.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Review Activity: Keyword Matching – student volunteers will drag the vocabulary terms

on the right side of slide 15 to the correct definitions on the left side. Afterward, I will ask the student a follow-up question (ex. “did appeasement work?” “what happened to France after the evacuation of Dunkirk?” “who won the Battle of Britain?”). (When I actually taught this lesson, I opened up the follow-up questions to the entire class, but at the end of my placement some students complained about that format, because they felt like I always called on the same people. Therefore, in the future, I may ask the volunteer up front to choose the person who will answer the follow-up question. Alternatively, I could take Dr. Nichols’ suggestion and call on the students in a pattern, to turn the activity into a small game.)

Final review questions – how did the US try to stop Japanese aggression in Asia? (Answer: by placing an oil and metal embargo on Japan.) How did the Japanese respond? (Answer: by attacking Pearl Harbor.)

Lecture on Pearl Harbor – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the board. (This lecture will not be Socratic. Its purpose is to quickly go over the top half of page 4 before moving on.)

Documentary clips – students will watch three 2-8 minute clips from Pearl Harbor Legacy of Attack and answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper (In the future I would revise the note packet so that the questions appear inside it.)

o Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor? (Clip 1 – Because they wanted to take over the Dutch East Indies and Philippines, knew that the US would oppose them, and believed that their only chance of beating the Americans was by striking first and crippling the US Navy.)

o What were the main Japanese targets at Pearl Harbor? (Clip 2 – the airfields/planes and Battleship Row.)

o Name three battleships that were destroyed at Pearl Harbor. (Clip 2 – the Oklahoma, Utah, and Arizona.)

o How does the video describe the men who died at Pearl Harbor? (Clip 2 – as “kids” who died tragically without a chance of escape.)

o How was the second wave of the Japanese attack different from the first? (Clip 3 – American planes were able to take off and fight back by the time the second wave arrived.)

Go over the five questions as a class. (If time allowed, this would be a good T-P-S activity in the future.)

Lecture – finish the notes on page 4 (from “eighteen US ships hit” down). Question: the fact that only one member of Congress voted against the war shows that Pearl Harbor convinced even what group of people that war was necessary? (Isolationists)

Conclusion: Class discussion: Key questions – 1. How do you think Americans felt or responded when they heard the news about Pearl

Harbor?2. Pearl Harbor was a major turning point. Many people who were alive then can still

remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard about it. Can you remember anything similar happening in your lifetime? (For me the answer is 9/11, but most of the eighth graders are too young to remember that.)

Homework: Make flash cards for vocab terms 21-40.

Assessment: Students’ responses during the activities, especially the review activity. (I did not collect the students answers to the video questions, because I felt that the Pearl Harbor Packets they did for homework would tell me the same thing, but in the future I could collect those answers.)

Reflection: I really like Pearl Harbor Legacy of Attack, I think it uses archive footage well and

has a good balance of information and drama. It probably would have been a good idea to ask some of the students how they felt about it.

Third period had an assembly during Wednesday’s class, so I had to compress this lesson and the previous two into two days. I made up most of the time by cutting the Triumph of the Will activity from Tuesday’s lesson, shortening the clips from today’s lesson, and allowing less time for discussion.

I did not end up saying much about my own trip to Pearl Harbor, because I felt like the concluding discussion I used would be more relevant to the students’ lives.


US Home Front Part I – Men and WomenObjectives:

SWBAT describe the various measures the US Government used to control the economy and public opinion during WWII

SWBAT describe the short-term and long-term effects WWII had on American men and women

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum points 10.1.F.1-4

Materials: WWII note packet (pages 6-7) and SMART Board presentation (slides 19-25), notes from interviews with my grandparents and Mr. Cummings (D-Day veteran), ration book and stamps.

Introduction: Students will take out their homework to be checked, write the new assignment in their agendas, and take out their note packets. If necessary, the discussion about Pearl Harbor from the previous lesson can be concluded in the first few minutes of this class.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Socratic Lecture – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the board.

o Key Ideas:1. After Pearl Harbor, young men enlisted or drafted into the military. They

trained to serve in many different climates (ex. Mr. Cummings initially trained in the Eastern California desert, but when the Nazis retreated from North Africa he was sent to Virginia to train for the amphibious invasion of France.)

2. During the war the economic power of the government increased. The government told factories what to make, imposed rationing, raised taxes, sold liberty bonds, and encouraged people to conserve and grow their own food.

Show students sample ration book when explaining how rationing works.

3. Although women were not sent into battle, they could join the military and work behind the front lines, to free up more men for battle.

4. Women also supported the war by working in factories. This experience gave them better pay and working conditions (but not equality with male workers), as well as increased confidence in their abilities.

o Key Questions:

1. (Opener) Do you think the power of the government increased or decreased during WWII? Why?

2. What effect do you think WWII would have on the Great Depression? Why?

3. Why do you think women were able to get better pay and working conditions during the war?

4. What happened to all the women working in factories when the war ended? (In the short-term they were fired, but in the long-run they remained active outside the home.)

Propaganda analysis activity – students will examine three samples of US propaganda and answer the following questions:

o What policy is this piece of propaganda supporting?o What messages do the illustrations in this piece of propaganda send? (Note: this

question will assess students’ understanding of the samples implicit messages – for example, Sample 3 implies that the Nazis might take over America if people do not buy liberty bonds.)

Conclusion: Pause the discussion between the “Women” and “Children” sections in the note packet, and pick up at that point Wednesday.

Homework: Outline 27.3, quiz Wednesday.

Assessment: Students’ responses during the lecture and activity.

Reflection: I think this lesson would benefit from me talking less if I could find another way to

convey the information to the students. This would have been a good day to experiment with a jigsaw discussion based on three or four primary sources.

The propaganda activity didn’t work as well as I had hoped, but I would still use it again. It might work better as a review activity at the end of the unit.

In the future, I might try flip-flopping the propaganda activity with Friday’s poster activity.


US Home Front Part II – Children and African-AmericansObjectives:

SWBAT articulate key concepts from the previous lesson in a review game. SWBAT describe how WWII affected American children. SWBAT explain both the positive and negative effects WWII had on African Americans. SWBAT correctly answer 80% of the questions on Quiz 2.

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum points 10.1.F.1-4, 6.

Materials: WWII note packet (pages 7-8) and SMART Board presentation (slides 24-30), Hollywood Squares SMART Board presentation, notes from interviews with my grandparents and Mr. Cummings (D-Day veteran), Quiz 2, Home Front Packet (for homework), clip of I’ll Never Heil Again (the Three Stooges)

Introduction: Students will take out their homework to be checked, write the new assignment in their agendas.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Review Activity: Hollywood Squares – played like the Hollywood Squares TV show.

The eight outside squares are filled with pre-selected students from each class (I tried to fill them with a good mix of students who speak frequently and students who volunteer less frequently), and Amy is in the center square. Each “contestant” (the students who do not appear in squares) picks a square he or she wants to win for his or her team. I then ask the person in the square a review question, and the person will answer it. The contestant must then decide whether he or she agrees or disagrees with the answer given. If he or she agrees or disagrees correctly, his or her team wins the square. Each question should help me assess how well two different students understand the material from Tuesday. Here are the questions (If one team wins the first game quickly, a second game can be played):

o What did the government do to ensure that people only consumed their fair share of rations? (Ration stamps)

o Did the government begin drafting before or after Pearl Harbor? (Before)o What group of people made 40% of American produce at the height of the war?

(People who grew victory gardens)o How did WWII help end the Great Depression? (Demand for war supplies put

factories and people back to work)

o How did women’s lives change as a result of WWII? (All correct examples accepted)

o Name a job women did in the military during WWII? (All correct examples accepted)

o What government organization helped factories shift from making consumer goods to war supplies? (The War Production Board)

o What iconic fictional character was created by Norman Rockwell? (Rosie the Riveter)

o How did war bonds help both the government and the people who bought them? (The government got the money it needed for the war, and the people were paid back more money at the end of the war)

o Where were most WWII soldiers trained? (Trick question, they were trained all over the country in many different climates)

o Why was the location of the US Home Front an advantage? (It was safe from attack)

o How did the US support the Allies while it was still neutral? (Cash-and-Carry Plan, Lend-Lease Act)

Socratic Lecture – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the boardo Key Ideas:

1. Children contributed to the war effort by doing many of the same things that adults did (rationing, growing victory gardens, buying liberty bonds, collecting items to recycle).

For example, my grandmother’s parents recycled her bike, and she didn’t get another one until the war was over.

2. Many children, like my other grandmother, knew someone who was killed during the war.

3. Racism and discrimination continued to be problems during WWII.4. Philip Randolph’s threat of a march on Washington convinced FDR to end

hiring discrimination.5. Black members of the military, like the Tuskeegee Airmen, had to fight in

segregated units throughout the war.o Key Questions:

1. Brainstorm – how might children in the US be affected by WWII? (They made the same sacrifices as adults. Although they lived in fear of attack at times, they did not have to endure actual attacks like European children.)

2. Look at this picture of the 1963 March on Washington. Do you think FDR wanted something like this happening in the middle of WWII? Why or why not?

3. Was WWII’s impact on African Americans positive, negative, or mixed? Explain.

Quiz – 10 multiple choice questions. Students may use the outlines they completed for homework as a resource.

Conclusion: Students have the remainder of the period to complete the quiz. When they finish, they can begin working on their homework. If enough time remains after all students have finished the quiz, I will show them the Three Stooges clip.

Homework: Read the “Home Front Packet,” and answer the accompanying questions.

Assessment: Students’ responses during the activity and lecture, and students’ quizzes.

Reflection: There was a two-hour delay on Wednesday, so I cut the Hollywood Squares activity

down to a simple question-and-answer review that took less time to set up. First period was only about 15 minutes long, so for them I pushed the new stuff back to Thursday and skipped straight from the review activity to the quiz.

My story about Grandma’s parents selling her bike was especially effective. The students thought it was really funny, and it was always one of the first things they remembered afterward when I asked them how WWII affected children.

The students generally scored lower on this quiz than they did on the first. The questions missed most frequently were questions 1, 5, and 8, so I went back and reviewed those ones on Thursday and Friday.

Since there were so many low quiz scores, I offered the students a correction opportunity. For each question they missed, I asked them to write me a paragraph explaining why the answer they chose was incorrect, and why the correct answer is right. Many students stayed after Thursday’s class to hear the offer, but only a few students actually made the corrections.

One other interesting note from the quiz. A lot of students said they were fooled on question because one choice was “none of the above,” which in their previous experience was “always the answer.” Hopefully this quiz taught them that they need to read every question carefully, even when they think they know a shortcut to the answer.


US Home Front Part III – Japanese-AmericansObjectives:

SWBAT describe how Japanese-Americans were treated during WWII, and explain why they were treated that way.

SWBAT compare and contrast Japanese-American internment camps with Nazi concentration camps.

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum point 10.1.E.5

Materials: WWII note packet (pages 8-9) and SMART Board presentation (slides 31-37), “Japanese Internment Camps: A Personal Account” (http://www.uwec.edu/geography/ivogeler/w188/life.htm), “Letter to Clara Breed from Louise Ogawa, Poston, Arizona, November 30, 1942” (http://www.janm.org/collections/item/93.75.31Q/)


Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Socratic Lecture – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the board. This lecture

includes two primary source read-alouds.o Key Ideas:

1. The US Government sent Japanese-Americans to relocation camps because it was afraid that they would act as spies or saboteurs for Japan. This fear proved to be untrue. Most of the victims had spent their entire lives in America and were loyal to the US.

2. Japanese-Americans were relocated on short notice, and were forced to leave their friends, businesses, and possessions behind.

3. Conditions in the relocation camps were rough – minimally furnished structures, bad food, desert location, no shower curtains or toilet stall doors, and armed guards

4. Nevertheless, the victims were able to build functioning societies within the camps – there was enough food to stay healthy, work, medical services, sanitation services, schools, and entertainment

o Key Questions:1. Look at the map of the relocation camps. What part of the country were

Japanese-Americans moved out of? (The West Coast) Why do you think they were excluded from this area?

http://www.janm.org/collections/item/93.75.31Q/

http://www.uwec.edu/geography/ivogeler/w188/life.htm

2. Look at the pictures of Japanese-American families being relocated (slide 33). Do they look like threats?

3. Why did relocated Japanese-Americans sell their possessions for less than they were worth?

4. Look at the pictures of relocation camps (slide 34). Describe what you see. (One class caught me by surprise on this question by saying that the camps didn’t look so bad. They thought that the room in the lower left picture looked comfortable and well-furnished. I responded by asking them to infer how the quality of that room might compare to the quality of the homes the victims left behind.)

o Questions for “Japanese Internment Camps: A Personal Account” (students will write their answers on a separate piece of paper)

1. What kinds of people were sent to the relocation camps? (Whole families, with small children)

2. Describe the relocation camps:a. What were the rooms and buildings like?b. What was the food like?c. What was the furniture like?

3. What services were available in the camps?4. What was not allowed in the camps?5. Could people leave the camps?

o Questions for “Letter to Miss Breed” (again, students will write their answers on a separate piece of paper)

1. How did people in relocation camps feel about the homes they left behind?2. What are some things people in relocation camps did to try to make life

there as normal as possible?3. Why did some Japanese-Americans stay in the relocation camps after the

government gave them permission to leave? Venn Diagram Activity – student volunteers will complete the partially filled Venn

diagram on slide 35 by dragging and dropping the terms at the bottom into the appropriate sections. Afterward, I will ask the students come up with a one-sentence summary of how the two compare.

If time allows, I will show the students the quote by California Rep. Leyland Ford on slide 37 and ask them to explain and evaluate it.

Conclusion: Class discussion – 1) Was the government’s decision to relocate Japanese-Americans right or wrong? Explain why. 2) Even if you disagree with the government’s decision, can you sympathize with their feelings and concerns? Why or why not? 3) Can you think of a present-day parallel to Japanese-American Internment? (Do you think the racial profiling of Arab-Americans in airports is similar?)

Homework: Read the “Japanese Internment Packet” and answer the accompanying questions.

Assessment: Students’ responses during the lecture and activities. If students are not actively participating in the discussion I can also collect their answers to the primary source response questions.

Reflection: In the future, I need to explicitly say that “internment camps” and “relocation camps” are

the same thing. Although I didn’t realize it right away, I learned later that some students were confused by my use of the two terms.

For three of the classes, I had three student volunteers read the six italicized paragraphs of the first source. In the third period class, I asked Mrs. Austin to read all six. In all four classes I read the second source myself. I think that this approach somewhat effective, but didn’t have the impact that I hoped they would. Many students had trouble following the narrative and answering all the responses to the questions, because the answers came in quick succession. In the future I will definitely give the students copies of the sources to follow along in. I would also consider converting the read-aloud to a small group activity.

The students seemed to find the Venn diagram activity helpful, although it got fourth period asking a lot of tangential questions about what the concentration camps were like.

Toward the end, some of the fourth period students also started making some inappropriate/immature comments. (Ex. “I hear the showers were nicer at the concentration camps”)

I did not ask the third question in the concluding discussion because time was short and I didn’t want to introduce a new topic right at the end of the lesson. Nevertheless, I think the connection is compelling, and well worth consider if the students have enough background knowledge to discuss the issue.

In the future, I may have to decide which is more worthwhile, the primary source activity or the current events discussion, because one period is not enough time to both if both are to be done in the most effective way possible (as a small group activity and prefaced with some background information respectively).

My name is Reiko Oshima Komoto. I was born in San Lorenzo, California in 1932.

Regarding my internment years, my recollections of fifty-five years ago are fragmentary. It may be subconsciously on purpose: it was not a good experience.

The family consisted of Father, Mother, four boys, and three girls; and we lived in Oakland, California. Father and Mother were residents of California for twenty-one years at the time. Most of the children were attending school when the order to relocate all Japanese Americans from the West Coast was issued on March 1942. We were sent to Tanforan Race Track (an assembly center) in San Bruno, California with only what we could carry in clothing and personal possessions. All radios and cameras were confiscated. Furniture and household goods were stored in our next door neighbor's basement and never retrieved.

Our sleeping quarters consisted of two white washed horse stalls. All bathrooms, dining hall, and similar rooms were located in other buildings. School was held in the dining room with all grades and dining tables in place of desks. We stayed at Tanforan Race Track for probably about six months before we were sent by train (only a few seats were available) to Topaz, Utah. Topaz was located in the Sevier Desert, near the small town of Delta, Utah. As a consequence I missed the flowers, trees, and green plants that grew so abundantly in California. Can you imagine being thrilled to see a living, green tree?!

Topaz consisted of blocks; how many I don't recall, but the total number of people was approximately 8,300. Each block contained two rows of eight, tar-papered barracks, one-story, twenty by one hundred feet. An H-shaped building in the middle of the block that contained a laundry room, separate bathrooms for males and females. All shower and toilet stalls were without doors or curtains. Each block also had a separate building for meals. I remember waiting in line to receive our food and lots of organ meats (kidney, liver and heart) being served. Food on the most part was not good depending on the cook's culinary skills and groceries allotted. Our sleeping quarters consisted of two large rooms (approximately 20' x 25'); metal cots, and army blankets. There was a pot bellied stove for heating. I saw snow for the first time but don't remember it collecting on the ground for any length of time. I remember sand covering the room after storms (resembling miniature tornadoes).

One barrack for the whole camp was used as a store; another as a movie theater, and one as a library. The library was quite a distance from our block, but walking was the only alternative since cars were not allowed. The neighbor across the street somehow managed to make a pool with local fish swimming in it. How he obtained the cement and fish, I have no clue. Somehow I acquired a horned toad as a pet. I don't believe pets were allowed, though an elderly man was shot trying to retrieve his dog that got too close to the fence.

In the beginning, guards with questionable intelligence manned the towers around the fenced camp. However, even if one could escape there was no place to go in the desert, in Utah, on foot, with an Asian face. Eventually, the guards were gone but no one tried to escape. A person could legitimately leave the camp if a person relocated to any place but the West Coast.

Jobs in the camp paid from twelve (for women) to nineteen dollars per month. Your occupational status before being interned had no bearing on your pay. Medical doctors were paid nineteen dollars, while my Father received sixteen dollars for inspecting the camps bathrooms.

School was held in designated barracks. I learned formation marching, volleyball, and basketball, but I have no recollection of being taught the three R's; therefore, I have gaps in my formal education. One of my teachers had an eighth grade educational background. I have fond memories of one teacher who stressed initiative, and her parties were memorable. I'll always remember the punch she made from grape jam. All my teachers were Caucasian though I'm sure there must have been Japanese teachers with teaching degrees. The teachers at Tanforan Race Track were Japanese who were probably college students. Piano lessons were available but after several lessons I quit since I could not practice on a piano. Only a few pianos were available in the whole camp. A table wasn't a very acceptable substitute. I did have a few vocal lessons. I managed to win a talent contest and sang solos at church services while in camp. The one life-long activity I acquired in camp was the love of reading. Consequently, I became a voracious reader as a child and hope to renew that activity when I retire.

My oldest brother left camp to work in a factory in Cleveland, Ohio. My two sisters moved to St. Paul, Minnesota to work as maids in a private home. All my brothers eventually moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. The rest of us joined them when the camp was closed in 1945. Remarkably my oldest brother was able to purchase a home.

Out of camp, school was foreign in many ways, including the usual things a student encounters going from elementary to junior high school. I also had the difficulty of entering after the school year had already started, and I missed many of the subjects that should have been presented from 3rd to 6th grade. I was afraid someone would create a scene and hatefully call me a Jap!!!

I recall trying to walk on ice and hitting my head after a fall and falling down a few more times before arriving at school. I still have a scar on my head as a reminder. Adjustment to life outside the camp was difficult. I was afraid a great deal of the time. I didn't want to encounter incidents of prejudice. I became a timid and introverted person, which I've overcome as I've aged.

Hopefully, people will learn from this unfortunate episode in our history. People are people; judge them as individuals, not by race, color, or creed. No Japanese American was ever tried for espionage.

Written by Reiko Oshima Komoto in March 1997.

SOURCE: University of Wisconsin-Eau Clare http://www.uwec.edu/geography/ivogeler/w188/life.htm

http://www.uwec.edu/geography/ivogeler/w188/life.htm

November 30, 1942Dear Miss McNary,Since I didn't do any house moving in Santa Anita, I'm doing double duty here. I've moved again. This time I hope it will be permanent. My new address is now: Blk. 328-11-A/After 6 weeks of school life in camp has become similar to the life in San Diego. We now have a school paper. At the present there is a contest going on in submitting names for the school. The winning title will receive a year's subscription to Life Magazine.Friday, Nov. 27th, I enjoyed the movie, How Green Was My Valley. With it I saw a news reel about the sailors in training in San Diego. When I saw Balboa park and the Naval Training Station, I became too homesick for words. All the former San Diegans began to clap and hurrah as soon as they saw a glimpse of our hometown.I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving, even though the world is in such a turmoil. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The mess hall was beautifully decorated with artificial flowers. On the sides of each table was a vase of flowers and in the center was a spray of fresh fruits on fresh green leaves. We had turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mince pie, peas, potatoes, fruit salad and a choice of fresh fruits. The whole block consisting of 350 people sat before the beautifully decorated table, gave their thanks and ate together--recalling the happy moments of the past and hoping for a brighter future. It was a wonderful meal!! I never expected to have such a nice Thanksgiving dinner this year. This year there certainly was more things to be thankful for--at least for me there is.The boys who went out to work on the sugar beets in Colorado came home just in time to enjoy the Thanksgiving dinner with their families. All the boys who went out to work--Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming--are all back home now in good health. But there is still a few boys out working in Oregon. They transferred from Idaho to Oregon.A friend who returned from Colorado related the following incident to me. He said, while in town a few boys entered a restrauant to have a bite to eat. The first thing the waitress asked was "Are you Japs?" When they replied "yes" she turned her back on them and said they don't serve Japs. So they had to go to another restrauant to eat. Here is another incident which disgusted the boys. When the boys asked a policeman where a certain store was he replied--"I don't serve Japs." One of the boys became angry and remarked--"Alright be that way--what do you think we came out here for? We didn't come to be made fun of--we came to help out in this labor shortage." Then the policeman apologized and showed them to the store. This boy said he certainly was glad to return to camp where there is no unfriendliness. Of course, he knows and we all know that there are people all over the world who hate certain races and they just can't help it. But I am sure when this war is over there will be no ratical discrimination and we won't have to doubt for a minute the great principles of democracy.One discouraging thing which occurred here is the building of the fence. Now there is a fence all around this camp. I hope very soon this fence will be torn down.I always seem to rattle on and on about myself. Three pages is enough for me, I think. Pretty soon I will be writing an autobiography.I do hope you are just fine and I can just see you scurrying around the library without a moment of rest. How is everything? Please don't overwork yourself and please be careful of your health for these wintery days are so cold.Most sincerely,Louise OgawaPlease do write during your leisure time.SOURCE: Japanese-American National Museum (http://www.janm.org/collections/item/93.75.31Q/)

http://www.janm.org/collections/item/93.75.31Q/


US Home Front ReviewObjectives:

SWBAT explain how WWII affected all members of an American family (father, mother, children) on a poster.

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum points 10.1.E.1-6

Materials: WWII notes packet and SMART Board presentation (slide 18), poster paper, colored pencils, markers


Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Wrap-up anything that was not finished in the previous lessons Short Activity – open the SMART Board presentation up to the picture of the family.

Divide the students into three groups and assign each group a member of the family (Dad, Mom, or Kids.) Within a set time limit (5-10 minutes depending on what is available) each group must brainstorm as many ways the war affected their family member as possible. At the end of the time, each group will write their answers on the SMART Board. (Although I didn’t do it at the time, this activity could be made into a contest.)

Long Activity – Students must draw a picture of an American family, and explain how the war affected each member of that family. In addition, they must explain how the family’s race affected their experiences (ex. how were white families, African American families, and Japanese-American families treated differently.) Students may work individually, or in pairs.

Conclusion: Students have the whole period to work, but if people finish with time to spare, I will ask volunteer groups to show and explain their posters to the class.

Homework: None

Assessment: Students’ fact lists or posters

Reflection: Although I believe that the review we did today was worthwhile, my real objective for

this lesson was to create a skip-able buffer day in the schedule to make up for an

assembly 3rd and 4th periods on Thursday. As it turned out, I also ended up using it to make up for the time 1st period lost to the delay on Wednesday.

1st period started the short activity, but did not get beyond the introduction. 3rd period skipped this lesson entirely.

4th period did the entire short activity on Thursday when they got out of the assembly 20 minutes early. It was somewhat successful, but the students were predictably distracted, and if I were to do it again I would make the following changes:

o I would implement the “contest” idea that I didn’t think of until afterward.o I would divide the students into six groups instead of three (and have two groups

assigned to each family member), because in the big groups several students goofed off while one or two people did all the work.

o I would move the writing step from the SMART Board to the regular white board, because the SMART Board only allows one person to write on it at a time.

8th period was the only one that had time to do the long activity. Overall I would say that it was successful. A couple groups wrote made-up stories instead of facts (ex. “Jackson is put in a relocation camp, he is suspected of killing the Vice President. He is later cleared of all charges. He goes into the military as a Nazi and works at Auschwitz. He is later killed by the Allies. This was the opposite role of most Americans.”), but the majority of the posters were accurate, and helped me identify and correct some of the students’ misconceptions (such as “women and men were paid equally during WWII.”) Also, I was pleased with the artistic quality of the posters, and I think the students enjoyed making them.

This lesson probably took more time than it was worth, and I definitely would not have taught it if all the classes had been caught up, but under the circumstances I think it was worthwhile. It gave the mid-day classes a chance to catch up without rushing, and it gave the eighth period class a nice breather at the end of the week. It might be a good idea to plan at least one day like this into every unit, because given the unpredictability of special event schedules it’s not unthinkable to assume that one class will fall behind the others more often than not. If the breather isn’t needed, the next lesson can be moved up a day, and extra enrichment/review or a slower pace can be added down the line.


WWII in EuropeObjectives:

SWBAT identify and describe the three generals (Patton, MacArthur, and Eisenhower) responsible for leading the American war effort

SWBAT identify, locate (on a map), and explain the importance of the four turning points of the war in Europe (El-Alamein, Stalingrad, Sicily, and D-Day)

SWBAT describe what soldiers experienced at Stalingrad and Normandy

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum points 10.1.D.2a and 10.1.G.2

Materials: WWII note packet (pages 10-11) and SMART Board presentation (slides 38-44), Saving Private Ryan, notes from interview with Mr. Cummings (D-Day veteran).

Introduction: Students will write the homework assignment in their agendas, and take out their note packets.


o Key Ideas:1. When the US entered the war, Roosevelt and Churchill decided to attack

the Nazis where they were weakest, North Africa. Stalin wanted them to attack France to relieve pressure on the Soviets.

2. The Soviets ended up driving the Nazis out of Russia on their own – by destroying supplies, enduring huge losses without retreating, and waiting for winter to set in.

“Not a step back” – Soviet soldiers who tried to retreat were shot by their own officers

“One rifle for every two men” – at points, the Soviets had more soldiers than weapons, so they sent men into battle unarmed with orders to salvage weapons from dead bodies

3. The first European country freed from Axis control was Italy. Mussolini was subsequently executed.

4. Operation Overlord, which began on June 6, 1944, was the first step of the Allied liberation of France

5. After France was freed, the Nazis launched a desperate effort to win the war (the Battle of the Bulge), but it was not enough to prevent the fall of Berlin.

o Key Questions:1. Why did the Allies attack the Nazis in North Africa and Italy before

freeing France?2. Why did both Stalin and Hitler refuse to retreat from Stalingrad?

(Propaganda – both wanted to possess the city named after Stalin)3. Was the Battle of the Bulge a turning point? (No, the Allies were winning

the war both before and after the battle)4. Why would Berliners want the Americans and British to reach the city

before the Soviets? (Because they knew that the British and Americans would treat them well, the Soviets were out for revenge.)

Film clip: Saving Private Ryan – students will watch a 15 minute clip from the D-Day scene, which has been praised for its historical accuracy. Afterward, I will give them time to comment and ask questions on what they saw and heard. (I didn’t think response questions were necessary for this clip.) If appropriate, I can share some of Mr. Cummings’ recollections during this time.

Conclusion: At the end of class, be sure to take the time to remind the students that a) the men who fought in WWII were not superheroes, but ordinary people with human feelings, strengths and fears, and b) that every man who died left behind a grieving family back home.

Homework: Outline 27.4, quiz Tuesday.

Assessment: Students’ responses during the lecture, students’ comments and questions on the film clip.

Reflection: This was a hard lesson for me to teach, because I did not have a strong sense of what to

talk about or do. The battles of WWII are not emphasized in the standards, so they’re really only worth teaching about because the students are interested in them, but I wasn’t sure what specific battles my students were most interested in. Perhaps I should have asked them beforehand.

Since this lesson emphasizes experiences rather than facts, I probably didn’t need to spend so much time lecturing. This would have been a great day to show a montage of three or four video clips (maybe something from Enemy at the Gates or Band of Brothers in addition to the one from Saving Private Ryan.) It also would be a great day to bring in an actual WWII veteran, if I could find one.

I think the Saving Private Ryan clip I showed the students was appropriate. It had some graphic moments, but I think they have seen similar things in other movies and video games, and I deliberately cut it off just before a particularly gruesome shot.

To show the students that I’m still young and cool, I tried to make a reference to the original Call of Duty video game during my discussion of Stalingrad. The connection seemed promising at first. About three quarters of the students raised their hands when I asked who had played the series. However, when I told them I was talking about the original installment, they told me that game was “before their time.”


WWII in the PacificObjectives:

SWBAT explain what “island hopping” is and why it was necessary. SWBAT identify, locate (on a map), and explain the importance of Pearl Harbor,

Midway, and Iwo Jima SWBAT describe what soldiers involved in island hopping experienced. SWBAT correctly answer 80% of the questions on Quiz 3.

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum points 10.1.D.2b and 10.1.G.3

Materials: WWII note packet (page 12) and SMART Board presentation (slides 45-51)


Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Review Activity: Keyword Matching - student volunteers will drag the vocabulary terms

on the right side of slide 45 to the correct definitions on the left side. Afterward, I will ask the student a follow-up question (ex. “Why did the Allies liberate Italy before France?” “What did General MacArthur famously say when he retreated from the Philippines?” “Why did Stalin want the Allies to invade France in 1942?”)

Review Activity: Map – student volunteers will identify the general location of El-Alamein, Stalingrad, Sicily, and Normandy on the map on slide 46. Then, they will draw in arrows to represent the Allied advance into Europe.

Socratic Lecture – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the boardo Key Ideas:

1. The Battle of Midway was the turning point in the Pacific because the Japanese aircraft carriers were destroyed. This prevented them from launching another air-based raid like Pearl Harbor.

2. Island hopping was a strategy in which American troops attacked a series of islands in the Pacific, using each captured island as a base for attacking the next (it’s like a “connect the dots” drawing)

3. The goal of island hopping was to capture airbases within range of Japan Japan was out of range of US and China-based aircraft, and carrier-

based attacks were ineffective, as the Doolittle Raid showed

4. Island hopping did not require the US to capture every occupied island, just the ones that were crucial in the chain. The defenders on the non-strategic islands could be starved out slowly.

5. Fighting in the Pacific was fierce, because Japanese defenders usually fought to the death (via tactics like banzai charges and kamikaze attacks)

o Key Questions:1. Why were aircraft carriers so important in battles of the Pacific? (A

parallel question I needed to ask was “What is an aircraft carrier?” Some students didn’t know.)

2. Why did the Japanese fight to the death? (Surrender was considered dishonorable in their culture. We touched on this topic in the “Dictators Part II” lesson, so this should be review.)

Quiz – 10 multiple choice questions, students may use the outlines they completed for homework as a resource.

Conclusion: Students have the remainder of the period to complete the quiz. When they finish they can begin their homework.


Assessment: Students’ responses during the activity and lecture, students’ quizzes

Reflection: All the review at the beginning was definitely worthwhile. The best part of this lesson was my story about the Doolittle Raid. It was dramatic (15 of

the 16 planes crashed, but most of the pilots survived), ironic (the 16th plane landed safely in the Soviet Union, and the pilots were promptly thrown into a prison camp by our “ally” Stalin), and seemed to stick with the students. I think I could be a much better history teacher if I could just remember and repeat how I presented that story.

The scores on Quiz 3 were better than the ones on Quiz 2, but not as high as the ones on Quiz 1. Question 8 caught a lot of people who didn’t do the reading off guard. A lot of people also missed question 10. I offered the same correction opportunity again, but only one student accepted this time.


You be the Jury: Truman and the Atomic BombObjectives:

SWBAT define the following terms: Manhattan Project, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Potsdam Declaration

SWBAT evaluate Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan (on a secret ballot) using evidence presented in class.

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum points 10.1.E.4,6

Materials: WWII note packet (page 13) and SMART Board presentation (slides 52-63), Hiroshima (BBC Documentary)


Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Background – speaking in the persona of “District Attorney Wightman,” I will present

the “facts” of the case (slides 52-53) for the students to write down in their notes. The Charge – I will explain that we are charging Truman with a “war crime,” or a

“violation of the laws or traditions of warfare,” based on a section VI of the Nuremberg Principles which defines the “wanton destruction of cities” as a war crime. I will also explain that “wanton” means cruel, unnecessary, unjustified, and excessive.

Prosecution – my “star witness” will be a clip from Hiroshima which includes interviews from both Hiroshima survivors and the pilots that dropped the bomb. The clip also includes a brief, but accessible explanation of the science behind the bomb. The other key points of my case are:

1. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not military bases, they were cities. Most of the 200,000 victims killed or injured there were civilians. (Therefore the attacks were cruel and excessive.)

2. Many victims continued to suffer long after the war was over. Children born to the victims years later suffered genetic defects because of the bomb. (Inflicting that sort of long-term suffering was cruel and unjustified.)

3. Contemporary sources, like the Air Force’s US Strategic Bombing Survey, concluded that Japan would have surrendered without an invasion or the atomic attacks.

4. The main obstacle to peace was that the Potsdam Declaration demanded an unconditional surrender, while the Japanese wanted the US to guarantee their god-

emperor’s safety. After the bombs were dropped, the US agreed to leave the emperor on the throne as a figurehead. Truman could have ended the war without dropping the bombs by offering that assurance sooner. (Therefore, the attacks were unnecessary.)

5. It is true that the Axis powers started the war, and committed horrifying crimes of their own, but that doesn’t let Truman off the hook. Axis leaders (Nazi officials and Japanese generals) were tried and punished for their crimes. If Truman also committed a crime, the fact that he was on the winning side should not matter. He should be tried and punished too.

Defense – After I rest my case, Amy will step in to act as Truman’s defense attorney. The key points of her case are:

1. The alternative to the atomic attacks was invading Japan, and that was expected to cost 250,000 to 1,000,000 American lives (starting with 100,000 POWs set to be executed) and countless more Japanese ones.

2. Allowing the war to go on also might have resulted in millions more Japanese deaths due to Operation Starvation, an effort to starve Japan into submission by cutting off food shipments.

3. The Japanese committed crimes of their own, like the Pearl Harbor attack, and the Bataan Death March (which Japanese civilians knew about and did nothing to prevent.)

4. The atomic attacks were not surprise attacks. Before the bombs were dropped, the US dropped leaflets warning civilians to flee industrial cities.

5. We considered having Amy “put Truman on the stand” by playing part of his August 9, 1945 speech about the atomic bombs, but in the end we decided not to, because Amy had some other pieces of evidence that she felt were more compelling and relevant.

Note: Students should be taking notes throughout the lesson, but at key points (after the charge is explained, after the prosecution case is finished, and after the defense case is finished) we will purposely stop and give them time to collect and write down their thoughts. (We will not reveal the written summary of our arguments (slide 64) until the end of the lesson.)

Conclusion: At the end of class, we will pass out ballots for the students to vote and explain their reasoning on. If time remains after all the ballots are turned in, we will give the students an opportunity to comment on the case, and hypothesize about what the outcome will be.

Homework: Read the “Allied Victory Packet” and answer the accompanying questions.

Assessment: Students’ ballots

Reflection:

Truthfully this was a very hard lesson for me to teach, and I felt uncomfortable doing it. I don’t like presenting just one side of a controversial issue, and I don’t like playing other personas. I had to do both for this lesson. Based on the feedback I received, though, everyone from the students to the aides to Dr. Nichols loved it. I suppose that the moral here is that I need to take more risks and go outside my comfort zone more often if I want to be an interesting, engaging teacher.

This lesson was unusual in that, outside the concluding discussion (which only the 8th period class got to), we actually discouraged verbal input from the students and forced them to write all their thoughts and reactions down on paper. Teaching that way felt weird to me. It forced me to talk a lot more than usual, and prevented me from using my primary method of informal assessment (verbal question and answer.) At the time, it felt awkward and dangerous, but looking back I think it was worked well. It mixed the usual class routine, and gave the students an opportunity to learn in a different way than normal. It also forced them to formulate and clarify their thoughts more thoroughly before sharing them, and I think that this helped contribute to a more articulate and robust follow-up discussion on Thursday.

I would love to try this lesson again in the future, but I would have to find another co-teacher to work with. Alternatively, if time was available, I might consider having a few students build and argue the case themselves. Presenting a case to the eighth graders might be a good way for senior Participation in Government students to learn about the judicial system.


Aftermath of WWIIObjectives:

SWBAT respond to and critique their classmates’ thoughts on the Harry Truman case in a class discussion.

SWBAT summarize the human and material cost of WWII, and describe what happened to Germany, Japan, the United States, the Soviet Union, and the Jews.

SWBAT explain the steps that were taken at the end of WWII to prevent another world war, and evaluate the effectiveness of those measures.

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum points 10.1.H.1-8, 10.2.B, and 10.3.B

Materials: WWII note packet (pages 14-15) and SMART Board presentation (slides 64-75)

Introduction: Students will take out their homework to be checked, and write the new assignment in their agendas.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Harry Truman wrap-up – after giving the students one last chance to predict what the

outcome will be, I will show them the results of their vote. Afterword, I will read them some of their own comments (from the ballots, slides 65 and 66) on why they thought Truman was innocent or guilty, and give them an opportunity to add to or comment on what they see.

o Key Question: Do you think you verdict was influenced by the fact that you and Truman are both Americans? Do you think eighth graders in a Japanese school would have reached a different conclusion? Why? (I can’t take credit for these questions, they were Amy’s idea.)

Socratic lecture on the end of WWII – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the board

o Key Ideas:1. At the end of WWII many parts of the world, like Europe and Japan lay in

ruins. Furthermore, the alliance between the democratic Western Allies and Stalin’s Communist dictatorship was beginning to break down.

2. WWII had a staggering human cost. The Soviet Union and Germany lost the most people by far. Holocaust victims outnumbered American, British, French, Italian and Japanese losses by a wide margin.

3. After the war, steps were taken to prevent dictatorships from taking over the former Axis Powers again. All three were made into republics, and

Germany and Japan were constitutionally forbidden from having militaries. Germany was also divided into four (later two) parts.

4. Axis leaders were punished at war crimes trials, like the Nuremberg Trials.

5. The victorious Allies emerged from the war stronger, but deeply distrustful of one another, setting the stage for the Cold War.

The Western Allies believed Stalin wanted to expand his control into Europe. Stalin believed the Western Allies wanted to overthrow him.

6. The ineffective League of Nations was replaced with the stronger United Nations

7. The state of Israel was created to give the Jews a homeland where they would always be able find safety.

8. The creation of Israel was problematic because other people, the Palestinians, who did not want to be part of the Jewish state, were already living in the area.

o Key Questions:1. Of the four dictators we studied at the beginning of this unit, who was the

only one still in power at the end of WWII? Why? (Stalin, because he fought on the winning side.)

2. Why do you think the number of American civilians killed in WWII “negligible”? (Because no combat took place in the United States)

3. Does the number of Japanese civilian casualties, compared to Japan’s military casualties, indicate that Japan had a similar advantage? (Yes, if you keep in mind that over half of the Japanese civilian casualties came in the two atomic attacks at the end of the war.)

4. Why did the Soviet Union suffer so many casualties? (A lot of fighting took place in Soviet territory, and the Soviets’ tactics of destroying supplies and holding ground at all costs tended to result in high casualties for both sides.)

5. If “Jewish Holocaust victims” and “total Holocaust victims” were countries, what would their bars look like on the graph (slide 68)? Does this visualization help you see why the Holocaust is such a “big deal”? (It definitely helped me see the impact of the Holocaust in a new way when I charted it for the first time.)

6. How many years passed before Germany was permitted to reunite? (44, counting from 1945 to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.)

7. Can you think of an example of how the United Nations is active in international affairs today? (The no-fly zone over Libya was the first thing I thought of.)

Holocaust Review Activity: Keyword Matching (sandwiched by the lecture) – student volunteers will drag the vocabulary terms on the right side of slide 71 to the correct definitions on the left side. (This year the Holocaust was mostly covered in English/Language Arts, not Social Studies, so the purpose of this activity is to review, assess, and if necessary correct the students’ understanding of the key terms and concepts.)

If necessary, this lesson can be carried over into the first part of Friday’s class.

Conclusion: The big point of today’s class is that many of the situations we’re familiar with at present, such as the US’ role as a superpower, Japan’s economic power and reputation, Germany’s continuing recovery from division, the UN’s active role in international affairs, and the Arab-Israeli conflict, are all rooted in conditions that emerged from, or decisions that were made at the end of WWII. Thus, what happened in WWII still affects us today. At the end of class, I want to make that connection explicit for the students.

Homework: Answer the short response questions in the WWII DBQ. (No essay)

Assessment: Students’ comments during the opening discussion, students’ responses during the lecture and review activity.

Reflection: I think the opening discussion was a good way to bring closure to yesterday’s Truman

trial. None of the classes got all the way through the lecture, but I don’t think that will be a

problem. It can be finished Friday, and there was a natural break between the US/Soviet Union and UN/Israel sections for me to take advantage of.

We didn’t do the Holocaust review in all the classes, but the classes that did it didn’t have any problems with it.

I’ve been warned to be careful when using charts and graphs with students, because some might have trouble understanding them, but I didn’t see any apparent comprehension problems with the charts and graphs that I used in today’s lesson.

Many of the students picked up on the irony of holding the Nuremberg trials in the same city where the Nazis celebrated their party at the Nuremberg rallies.

We taped all four of my lessons today, so here are some of my thoughts on what I saw:

o My lectures sound a lot faster than they feel to me, and I tend to drag out the ends of words when I’m thinking about what to say next. If I can get through sentences more cleanly, but pause longer between sentences, I think I’ll be a more effective speaker.

o I need to clean up my body language (especially hand movements and positioning within the room) and make it more purposeful.

o My lectures are not as interesting as I think they are.

Grade Level: 8th Date: April 1, 2011

ReviewObjectives:

SWBAT answer the questions on their review sheets with 100% accuracy.

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum point 10.1

Materials: WWII review sheet.


Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Finish the lecture from Thursday if necessary. Review sheet – students will fill out the WWII review sheet using me, their notes,

outlines, books, and homework worksheets as resources. They may work individually, or in groups of 2-3 people.

Conclusion: Students have the whole period to complete the review sheets.

Homework: Finish review sheet.

Assessment: Students’ progress on the review sheets (I will look for completeness and errors as I move around the room.)

Reflection: I finally worked up the courage to let the eighth graders do some independent group

work, and it went well. Some groups got off task from time to time, but none so bad that I had to break them up. Most of the students got a substantial portion of the review sheet done.

Again, I think this relaxed lesson was a good way to end the week.


ReviewObjectives:

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of WWII in a class discussion and review game.


Materials: WWII review sheet, Hollywood Squares SMART Board presentation, review questions.

Introduction: Students will take out their WWII review sheets.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Go over review sheets – 1st period I gave the class an opportunity to ask about any terms

they didn’t get on the front, then went over every question on the back. I thought doing it that way would be helpful, but the students seemed bored with it, as if the already knew most of the answers and found going over them again tedious. Consequently, I used the same format for both the front and back sides in 4th and 8th periods.

Review Activity: Hollywood Squares – the same activity I planned to do on March 23, but cut because of the two-hour delay. The only difference is that I’ll use questions from all over the unit, instead of just the previous lesson.

Conclusion: Go over the format of the test, and remind the students that I will collect the review sheet with the test.

Homework: Study for test.

Assessment: Students’ responses during the activities.

Reflection: 3rd period missed this lesson due to an assembly. Unfortunately, that was the class that

probably needed to review the most. It was definitely the class I was most concerned about.

Apart from my poor performance as “host,” (I didn’t have the order of my questions pre-planned, so I spent too much time looking through my list for one I wanted to use) the Hollywood Squares activity worked well. I was actually somewhat surprised by the approach the “contestants” took. Instead of playing to win, many of them tried to make

sure that all the students in the squares got to answer at least one question. Needless to say, I was extremely pleased to see that so many of my students cared more about including everyone than winning.

The Review Questions:1. What is the name of the trials where Nazi leaders were punished for war crimes?

(Nuremberg Trials) 1, 4, 82. List three factors in Hitler’s rise to power (Great Depression, resentment toward the

Treaty of Versailles, Hitler’s convincing speaking ability)3. Describe how Britain and France appeased Hitler at the Munich Conference (they gave

him the land he wanted in Czechoslovakia in return for a promise not to demand more)4. What international organization failed to prevent aggression before WWII? (The League

of Nations) 45. WWII was a “total war,” what does that mean? (People of all ages and classes were

affected by and contributed to the war effort) 86. Did the power of the US government increase or decrease during WWII? (Increase)7. Did unemployment increase or decrease during WWII? (Decrease)8. Did taxes increase or decrease during WWII? (Increase)9. What laws were passed in 1935 to keep the US out of war? (The Neutrality Acts)10. What is the political system based on militarism, racism, and extreme nationalism?

(Fascism) 1, 811. What strategy helped Germany defeat Poland and France (Blitzkrieg)12. Name the Axis Powers. (Germany, Italy, Japan)13. Name the Allied Powers. (Britain, France, US, Soviet Union)14. Name a neutral. (Switzerland, Sweden, Spain) 1, 815. What did the Lend-Lease Act do? (Allowed the sale or loan of war supplies to “any

country that the President of the United States deems essential to the defense of the United States.”)

16. What event brought the US into WWII? (Pearl Harbor)17. Name three goods that were rationed. (Meat, coffee, sugar, gasoline, rubber, metal)18. What was the American strategy in the Pacific? (Island hopping) 819. What cities were the atomic bombs dropped on (Hiroshima and Nagasaki)20. Why were Japanese-Americans sent to relocation camps? (The US government was

afraid they would act as spies for Japan)21. Could Japanese-Americans serve in the military? (Yes)22. The Allies invaded Normandy on what date? (June 6, 1944) 423. What did the Nazis call their plan to kill the Jews? (The “Final Solution”) 124. What organization now helps settle international disputes? (The United Nations) 1, 825. Where was Germany divided? (Yalta Conference)26. What pieces became West Germany (The French, British, and American sectors)27. What piece became East Germany? (The Soviet sector)

28. How did the US government enforce rationing? (With ration books/stamps)29. D-Day was part of what operation? (Operation Overlord)30. What was the spark that caused WWII? (The German invasion of Poland) 431. What was MacArthur’s famous phrase? (“I shall return”) 432. What program built the atomic bomb? (The Manhattan Project) 1, 833. When did Germany surrender? (May 7, 1945)34. What European country was freed by the Allies first? (Italy) 135. Who became president after Truman? (General Eisenhower) 1, 4, 836. Why were women encouraged to work in factories? (So men could go fight in the war)37. Which Axis power surrendered last? (Japan)38. Why was Stalin upset with the Western Allies? (He thought they waited too long to

invade Europe, and left him to fight the Nazis on his own) 439. What role did women play in the Army? (They worked behind the lines so more male

service members would be free for combat)40. Name the famous African American WWII military unit. (The Tuskegee Airmen)41. How did Philip Randolph get FDR to end hiring discrimination? (He threatened to

organize a march on Washington)42. Which dictatorship survived WWII? (Stalin’s)43. What anti-Jewish laws were passed in 1935? (The Nuremberg Laws) 844. Where did the Nazis hold rallies? (Nuremberg)45. Why did the Soviets lose so many people? (Because of the tactics they used)


WWII Unit ExamObjectives:

SWBAT correctly answer 85% of the questions on the WWII unit exam.


Materials: WWII unit exam, “Post-WWII Packet” (for homework).

Introduction: Students will take out their review sheets to be collected, and write down the new homework assignment in their agendas.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Last minute review – at the beginning of each class, I will gave the students five minutes

to ask any last minute review questions they have. I’ll accommodate 3rd period by extending that time if necessary, to partially make up for the review time they lost Monday. Surprisingly (to me) the students asked very few questions during this time.

Test – 50 multiple choice questions. Students with testing modifications (extra time, questions read aloud) are permitted to use them.

Conclusion: Students have the entire period to complete the test. When they finish, they can begin working on the homework.

Homework: Read the “Post-WWII Packet” and answer the accompanying questions.

Assessment: Students’ exams.

Reflection: I was very pleased with the test scores. The majority of the students mastered the

material, and only five failed. There were also several 100s. All five of the students who failed were in 3rd period, confirming my suspicion that class

could have used the review time they lost to the assembly on Monday.

Grade Level: 8th Date: April 6-8, 2011

Library Work DaysObjectives:

Students will complete fifteen research notecards for their WWII research paper using library resources.


Materials: Letchworth Library/Media Center, students’ research materials – research guide, bibliography sheet, notecards, and skeleton outline (all given to them in English/Language Arts)

Introduction: Students will proceed to the library instead of the classroom, and begin researching when they arrive. (They have been doing the same thing for the past two days in ELA)

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Students have the whole period to work. If they ask for support, or appear to need

guidance, Amy and I are available to help them. When students finish their notecards, they can begin filling in their skeleton outlines.

Conclusion:

Homework: 15 notecards due April 8. Completed skeleton outline due after spring break (April 25.)

Assessment: Students’ progress on their notecards.

Reflection: Supporting the students in the library was tough for me, because they don’t always ask

for help when they need it, and I still feel awkward offering unsolicited help (that has to change.) Nevertheless, I learned a lot from watching how Amy went about helping the students. In many instances, she let them work on their own. However, sometimes when she noticed a student falling behind or making some major errors, she immediately started working one-on-one with the student, staying by his or her side until he or she was back on track. Sometimes she spent entire periods working with just one student. I respect that approach. I’m not sure if she would have used it if she did not have a student teacher to keep monitoring the rest of the class, but I think it was effective and caring. I am still trying to find the balance between supporting a struggling student and doing the

work for him or her, and I think what Amy did illustrated how it is ok to devote substantial time and attention to supporting a student if that is what he or she needs.

Although it was hard, I really enjoyed working on Amy and Kara Bonn’s collaborative project. If I could find a willing English teacher, I would love to do something similar when I am a full time teacher. Studying different facets of the same topic in two classes seemed to be helpful for the students, and Kara’s time and resources allowed us to attempt a larger scale project than we could have otherwise. (According to Amy, this is the 8th graders first full-length research paper.)


Arab-Israeli Conflict Part IObjectives:

SWBAT explain why Jews, Christians, and Muslims all want to possess the city of Jerusalem.

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum point 10.3.B

Materials: Israel note packet and WWII SMART Board presentation (slides 76-82)

Introduction: Students will write the homework assignment in their agendas.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Test review – I will hand back the tests and go over questions that students had trouble

on. A lot of students missed questions 1, 8, 23, and 35 so I definitely want to go over those, in addition to any other questions the students want to discuss.

Review Activity: Keyword Matching – student volunteers will match the vocabulary terms on the right side of slide 75 with the correct definitions on the left side. Afterward, Amy and I will ask them a follow-up question (ex. “What organization did the United Nations replace?” “The Nuremberg trials happened in the same city as what?) This activity has two purposes, to assess the students’ knowledge and to reactivate their thinking after the two-week break.

Socratic Lecture – notes and illustrations will be displayed on the board.o Key Ideas:

1. The UN created the state of Israel to give the Jews a homeland and prevent another Holocaust from happening.

2. Giving the Jews land in the Middle East was problematic because there were other people, the Palestinians, living there.

3. Both the Jews and the Palestinians have historic and cultural ties to the land they now compete for.

4. Jews desire Jerusalem because it was the capitol of their ancient kingdom and their home before the Romans drove them out. (Key site: the Western (Wailing) Wall)

5. Christians desire Jerusalem because it was where Christ ministered and died. (Key site: the Church of the Holy Sepulcher)

6. Muslims desire Jerusalem because it was the site where Muhammad ascended into Heaven and returned. (Key site: the Dome of the Rock)

o Key Questions

1. Why did the UN create the state of Israel? Why did they place it in Palestine? (Review)

2. Why was the creation of the state of Israel problematic? (Review)3. Who were the Romans?4. Who was Muhammad?5. What holiday did Christians just celebrate (on April 24) commemorating

Christ’s resurrection?

Conclusion: Explain the homework assignment

Homework: Finish the Israel note packet (the remaining pages are like a DBQ)

Assessment: Students’ responses during the lecture and activity.

Reflection: Amy and I co-taught this lesson, but we spent very little time up front together. Instead,

we tag-teamed because it was a better fit for both of our teaching styles than back-and-forth dialogue.

This lesson could have led to students asking about our personal religious beliefs, but Amy steered them away from that topic. She also avoided talking about religious traditions as much as possible, only mentioning the major ones like Christ’s resurrection. I was inclined to take a slightly different approach. I still wouldn’t have expressed my own beliefs in front of the class, but I think I might have briefly answered some of the questions she deflected (ex. “what do the Amish believe?”) because it was apparent that the students were curious. I also may have summarized all the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions about Jerusalem in a brief narrative, because I think those traditions are interesting. (“…King David took over Jerusalem by ordering his men to climb up the water tunnels, like the itsy bitsy spider…”) However, that is just a difference of preference. I think either approach would be appropriate and effective.

I made a big factual error 3rd period. I confused Muhammad’s story with Elijah’s, and told the students that Muslims believe Muhammad never returned when he ascended to Heaven. That is not accurate.


Arab-Israeli Conflict Part IIObjectives:

SWBAT describe the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. SWBAT explain and evaluate the arguments of the Arabs and Israelis in a class debate.

Standard: NYS 8th Grade Curriculum point 10.3.B

Materials: Israel note packet and WWII SMART Board presentation (slides 83-86)

Introduction: Students will take out their Israel note packets to be checked.

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Go over the Israel note packet.

o Key Ideas:1. Originally, the UN intended for there to be two states in Palestine, but the

Israelis took over most of the land following wars with the surrounding Arab states in 1948 and 1967.

2. The Arab-Israeli conflict has been going on continuously for 63 years.o Key Questions:

1. Look at the map on slide 83. What area of land (orange, purple, green, or striped) did the UN give to Israel in 1948? What area did Israel take over after the 1948 war? The 1967 war?

2. Based on the timeline on slide 84, describe the relationship between the Arabs and the Israelis? (Students came up with adjectives like violent, hateful, conflicted, and bad.)

3. Why do you think the timeline ends in 2000? (Was it because the conflict ended then, or because that was simply the date the timeline was printed?)

Primary Source Analysiso Fawaz Turki – have a student volunteer read the source then ask the class:

1. What was Turki’s main point?2. What does Turki call the Israelis at the end? (“latter day colonial

overlords” – perhaps something Patriots might have said about the British before the American Revolution)

o Abraham Tamir – again have a student volunteer read the source then ask the:1. Who does Tamir blame for the violence? (The Arab States) What does he

say Israel is not trying to do? (Conquer territory – The students had trouble coming up with this one, so I clarified the question by underlining

the part where Tamir says Israel’s “national security has been designed to defend its existence, integrity and security, and not for expansionist territorial aspirations” and asking them “what does this part mean?”)

2. Do you sympathize more with Turki’s point of view, or Tamir’s? Why (Just take one or two answers for this one, save the debate for the end.)

o “Gaza: Israeli forces strike after attack on bus.”1. What is the date on this article? Why is that important? (April 7, 2011, and

it shows that violence like this is an issue right now. – This surprised a few students, who didn’t notice the recent date the first time they read the story)

2. Why did the Palestinians fire an anti-tank missile at an Israeli bus?3. How did the Israelis respond? What was the goal of that response

according to the Israeli Prime Minister? (To deter future attacks)4. Who started all this? (Great question – I got an excellent variety of

answers. Some students quoted the bottom line “both sides say the other started it,” some blamed the Palestinians for shooting first, some blamed the Israelis for provoking the Palestinians by killing three Hamas members, some said “who knows,” a couple blamed Britain and the UN for creating Israel in the first place, and one even blamed the Romans for kicking the Jews out of Jerusalem 2000 years ago.)

Class Debate – based on the two extended response questions that the students did for homework (page 12 of the Israel packet.)

o First divided the students based on their answers to the first question (“As a person do you agree with or feel more sympathetic to the Israelis or the Palestinians?” – Palestinian supporters to one side of the room, Israeli supporters to the other.) Give people on each side an opportunity to explain their thoughts without interruption from the other, then open the discussion up to more back and forth debate.

o Second, divided the students based on their answers to the second question (“Do you think that the United States should support Israel, support the Arab nations, stay neutral, or act as police regarding the conflict?”) Again, give people in each group a chance to explain their thoughts, then open the discussion up to responsive comments.

o *Really encourage the students to think about and articulate why they feel the way they do. If possible, encourage them to consider how their family background, religious beliefs, and (American) culture have influenced their opinions.

Conclusion: Remind the students that this is a real and very controversial issue that they are likely to encounter again outside our classroom.

Homework: None

Assessment: Students’ responses during the lecture and debate. (We could also have collected the students’ note packets but they expressed their ideas so well in the debate that we decided we didn’t need to.)

Reflection: Since I know I’ll be curious later, here’s how the voting broke down for each class:

Question 1Class Israel Palestine

1st 8 93rd 13 74th 9 108th 12 5

I think it is interesting how two classes supported Palestine and two supported Israel. For the 1st and 4th period class, Amy and I explicitly used the nearly 50-50 split to illustrate why the issue is so controversial in society, and to show why it is difficult for the US to take action one way or the other.

Question 2Class Support Israel Support Arabs Stay Neutral Act as Police

1st 0 0 16 13rd 0 0 17 34th 1 2 17 08th 3 0 13 1

This material is not emphasized in the standards, but Amy and I decided to use it as enrichment because

A. It’s interestingB. It’s relevant and applicable to current events and the student’s livesC. It’s an easy and important issue to encourage the students to think critically aboutD. We had two free days and little else to do (we finished teaching new material

about WWII, but it didn’t make sense to move on to the Cold War before the students had finished their research papers.

Again Amy and I co-taught this one, similar to the way we taught Monday’s lesson.

Grade Level: 8th Date: April 27-28, 2011

Computer Lab Work DaysObjectives:

Students will demonstrate their understanding of WWII in the rough drafts of their research papers.


Materials: Letchworth computer lab, students’ research materials – research guide, bibliography sheet, notecards, and skeleton outline (all given to them in English/Language Arts)

Introduction: Students will proceed to the computer lab instead of the classroom, and begin writing when they arrive. (Again, they started working on this Monday and Tuesday in ELA)

Teaching Strategies and Accommodations: Students have the whole period to work. If they ask for support, or appear to need

guidance, Amy and I are available to help them.

Conclusion:

Homework: Rough Draft due at the end of the day on Thursday (Amy used my going-away party on Friday as an incentive for the students to get their work done on time.)

Assessment: Students’ progress on their drafts.

Reflection: I found this lesson difficult for the same reasons I found the lessons in the library

difficult. I think the hardest part for me was trying to determine the difference between mistakes that needed to be corrected immediately, and mistakes that are acceptable in a rough draft.

I wish I could have helped correct the students’ completed drafts. I think seeing how they used the information they learned from my unit would give me a better sense of what they had and had not mastered.

Unit Assessment: This unit includes four formal assessments: three quizzes given at regular intervals and a final examination. In addition, I will use students’ homework assignments, comments in class discussions, contributions to class activities, participation in review games, and research paper rough drafts (the final drafts will be completed after my student teaching placement is over) to informally assess their learning. The most frequent means of assessment will be students’ answers to the “key questions” listed in each lesson plan.

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