Chris Teague

“Democracy cannot succeed

unless those who express their

choice are prepared to choose

wisely. The real safeguard of

democracy, therefore, is

education.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt

I feel this quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt stresses the importance of social studies. I want my students to understand that social studies is the key to becoming responsible citizens, voters and taxpayers. Students will be able to understand the sacrifices made by those who achieved and fought to keep our freedoms. Students will learn about how governments were established and operate on a daily basis. Students will be able to analyze how the world works, from climate to populations to economies. I want to be a teacher who does not just convey information from a textbook to the students. I want my classroom to act as more of an interactive museum, where students get to experience documents and artifacts first hand, where they will study photos and film and newsreel footage of the most important events in history. I want them to hear the stories from those who lived through those historic events, whether from audio or video footage, or from a guest speaker in class. Helping me through my quest to be a successful teacher are my wife, Amy, and my son, Mattingly. Amy encouraged me to go back to school after 15 years and a couple of bad career choices. She is the one who pushes me when I feel I cannot write another paper, take another test or make it through another semester. With Mattingly, I wanted to do something where he would be proud of me. I do not think he would have been proud of me staying at a job where I merely clock in, do my work, clock out, collect a paycheck, and count down the days to retirement. I think the following quote from Franklin Roosevelt’s fifth cousin sums up my search for the right career choice.

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Theodore Roosevelt

World War II Chris Teague

U.S. History 8th Grade

Rationale: World War II was a war of sacrifices, not just for the Allied soldiers, but also for the

families back home. Our citizens had their necessities rationed and many worked in factories to

support the war effort. Japanese-Americans had their rights and freedoms taken away, with very

little notice. Students should know about what our soldiers did and how tough the battles were,

but they should also know how everyone, even those their age, had to get by with very little.

Today, we do experience some inconveniences at our airports and public events due to concerns

about terrorism, but that is nothing compared to what Americans went through during World

War II.

Summary: Students will be able to analyze the reasons why the war started and how it spread

through Europe, Asia and even to North America. Students will also be able to explore the

experiences of those involved in the war: soldiers, leaders, civilians, and internment and

concentration camp prisoners. The analyses and experiences will come through the viewing of

video, primary documents and writing exercises.

Essential Question(s): What were the consequences of World War II? What did American

citizens do to help the war effort? How could we justify the way our government treated the

Japanese-Americans?

Objectives:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2 – Determine the central ideas or information of a

primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from

prior knowledge or opinions.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7 - Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs,

photographs, videos or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.9 – Analyze the relationship between a primary and

secondary source on the same topic.

Literacy Strategies: Carousel brainstorming, drawing and illustrating, write-around, double-

entry journal, writing break, RAFT, soldier and civilian journal entries, class newspaper, WWII

Jeopardy.

Length of Unit: 20 class periods, 4 weeks.

Materials and Resources:

- School - Smart Board, dry erase board, computer lab.

- Teacher – WWII in HD, A League of Their Own, Ken Burns Baseball, Great Songs of WWII,

National WWII Museum website, photos of events, soldiers, generals and world leaders,

posters of Uncle Sam and Rosie the Riveter, WWII-era newspapers, Google Earth, war

bond, ration book, construction paper and crayons and markers.

- Student – Textbook, notebook, pencil or pen.

Assessment:

- Pre – Carousel brainstorming to see what students already know about World War II.

- Formative – Students will create journal entries, group write-around, double-entry journal,

RAFT, writing break and drawing and illustrating.

- Summative – Students will create a newspaper, The WWII Times, which will include articles

about the war, as well as photos, illustrations and advertisements. Students will play WWII

Jeopardy on the last day of the unit.

Heading U.S. History Chris Teague

Beginning of War 2 50-Minute Periods

Rationale It is scary to think that one man’s beliefs and actions can have such a

devastating effect on so many people. In our global society today it is also

hard to believe that so many Americans wanted nothing to do with Europe.

But when you look at what our nation had been through by that time

(WWI and the Great Depression), it is understandable most Americans

needed peace and some good times. Who knew then peace and good times

would be short-lived?

Objectives Students will be able to cite reasons why the war started, and how most

Americans felt about it.

Students will be able to identify the countries and leaders involved in the

beginning of the war.

Students will also view materials that will be used throughout the unit.

Materials Smart Board, dry erase board, WWII Museum website, Google Earth,

WWII in HD Episode 1, A League of Their Own, Ken Burns Baseball,

Great Songs of WWII, newspapers, photos of Hitler, Hirohito, Mussolini,

Churchill, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, MacArthur and Patton, posters

of Uncle Sam and Rosie the Riveter

Instructional

Framework

Initiating, text set

Lesson Plan

Format

Student-centered

Cooperative learning, discussion, problem solving

Grouping Individuals, groups of 3-4, class discussion

Materials &

Resources

School – Smart Board, dry erase board

Teacher – WWII Museum website, Google Earth, WWII in HD Episode 1,

A League of Their Own, Ken Burns Baseball, Great Songs of WWII,

newspapers, photos of Hitler, Hirohito, Mussolini, Churchill, Roosevelt,

Eisenhower, MacArthur, Patton and Truman, posters of Uncle Sam and

Rosie the Riveter, markers

Student – Textbook, pencil or pen and notebook

Literacy

Strategies

Write-around, RAFT

Phase One Ask students why anyone would want to go to war (look for answers such

as someone wanting to eliminate people not like them, world domination).

Have the students work in groups of 3-4 to do a write around. Each

student will write down an idea and pass it to the next person in their

group, who will add their idea. Then ask students to write around some

people and concepts they already know about WWII. Groups will then

share their ideas with the class.

Phase Two Tell students that over the next four weeks the class will talk about the

war, and do a text set by showing them Google Earth, the WWII Museum

website, the photos and posters and the copies of WWII in HD, Ken Burns

Baseball, A League of Their Own, Great Songs of WWII. Show a portion

of WWII in HD Episode 1 that focuses on Hitler’s treatment of people who

were different from him and the invasions that started the war. After the

clip, ask the students if they spotted the countries taken by Germany in the

first year of the war. Ask students to point them out on the map and

highlight using the Smart Board. Then discuss with the students Churchill

and Great Britain’s desire in stopping Germany’s spread across Europe.

Phase Three The teacher will talk about why most Americans did not want to get

involved (end of Great Depression, another European war, not in their

backyard) and show another clip from WWII in HD Episode 1. Point out

and replay the clip of FDR warning that staying within our boundaries will

invite an attack. Use Google Earth to give students an idea of the distance

between North America and Europe. Individually, students will do a

RAFT pretending to be an American or British citizen who is writing to

either FDR or Churchill about whether these leaders are doing what’s best

for their countries.

Formative

Assessment

Write-around, RAFT.

Summative *

Assessment

We will not be doing this until the last lesson in this unit, but let students

know that the summative assessment will be to put together a classroom

newspaper, The WWII Times. Give handout with details of the summative

assessment at the end of the lesson. Also tell students the class will play a

game show after the summative assessment is finished.

Homework

Assignment

Have students think about and maybe talk to any older relatives who lived

during the time of the war. Let them know their experiences may help in

understanding future lessons.

Reminder Have students look through their textbooks for any portion of the war they

would want to work on for the newspaper project.

Heading U.S. History Chris Teague

Pearl Harbor 50 minutes

Rationale This was the moment that brought the United States into WWII, and one

of the worst days in our country’s history. Before December 7, 1941, most

Americans felt the war was Europe’s problem and wanted to enjoy living

in the post-Great Depression era. But from this point on, the war became

our nation’s priority.

Objectives Students will explore the effects of the events that happened at Pearl

Harbor, and how Americans’ attitudes changed about the war. Students

will also analyze the thoughts and actions of President Roosevelt and

American citizens in the hours following the attack.

Materials Smart Board, Google Earth, WWII Museum website, WWII in HD

Episode 1, Uncle Sam poster

Instructional

Framework

Constructing

Lesson Plan

Format

Student centered:

Discussion

Cooperative learning

Grouping Whole class, pairs

Materials &

Resources

School – Smart Board, laptops

Teacher – Google Earth, WWII Museum website, WWII in HD Episode 1,

Uncle Sam poster

Student – Pen or pencil and notebook

Literacy

Strategies

Carousel brainstorming

Phase One Students will be asked if they know the “date which will live in infamy.”

Then they will be asked if they know about September 11, 2001. The

teacher will tell the students that December 7, 1941 was similar to

September 11 because it was also an attack on our country. Even though it

was not yet a state, Hawaii was a U.S. territory, and over 2,000 Americans

were killed that day. The teacher will show the class where Pearl Harbor

is on Google Earth and then show a portion of WWII in HD Episode 1 that

plays the radio broadcasts of the attack.

Phase Two Students will then be put into groups of 4 and do some quick (5 minutes)

carousel brainstorming. They will write down their thoughts of how they

would feel if they were kids then and found out our country had been

attacked and will respond to each other’s findings.

Phase Three The teacher will talk about Roosevelt’s address to Congress, the

declaration of war and how the country’s focus completely changed that

day (make sure to point to and explain the Uncle Sam poster). Show clip

from WWII in HD Episode 1 that details Roosevelt’s address to Congress

and the declaration of war.

Formative

Assessment

Carousel brainstorming.

Summative *

Assessment

Students need to start thinking about their article, and look for photos or

advertisements from the WWII era that may be used for the newspaper.

The Uncle Sam poster or photos of Pearl Harbor or President Roosevelt

could be a couple of ideas for the summative assessment.

Homework

Assignment

Same as summative assessment. Also have them talk to relatives and

people they know that where alive during the war.

Reminder Same as summative assessment and homework assignment.

Heading U.S. History Chris Teague

War on the Home Front 50 minutes

Rationale The U.S. had soldiers fighting the Axis Powers in both Europe and the

Pacific, but women and children were also doing their part to help back

home. Households were given rations for the most basic of necessities,

and many military wives traded their kitchen aprons for welding aprons.

Even some of our biggest ballplayers were holding machine guns instead

of baseball bats.

Objectives Students will be able to cite examples of what women and children were

going through back home. Students will also examine the way the

government and many of our biggest companies were chipping in to help

out.

Materials Smart Board, National WWII Museum website, Google Earth, WWII in

HD Episode 3, Uncle Sam poster, Rosie the Riveter poster, propaganda

posters, war bond, ration book.

Instructional

Framework

Constructing

Lesson Plan

Format

Student centered:

Discussion

Cooperative learning

Grouping Whole class, individuals

Materials &

Resources

School – Smart Board

Teacher – National WWII Museum website, Google Earth, WWII in HD

Episode 3, Uncle Sam, Rosie the Riveter poster, propaganda posters, war

bond, ration book.

Student – Pen or pencil and notebook.

Literacy

Strategies

Drawing and illustrating

Phase One Ask students about foods they like or need to have all the time. Then ask

how they would feel that once they had one today, they could not have it

for the rest of the month because they ran out of ration coupons. Tell them

that is what Americans went through during WWII for things, like milk,

cheese, meat, clothing and gasoline. All Americans did everything to help

out the war being fought in Europe and the Pacific. Show a portion of

WWII in HD Episode 3 that talks about what was going on in America.

Phase Two The teacher will show posters of Uncle Sam and Rosie the Riveter and

explain that these were to entice men to enlist in the military and women

to work in factories that created ammunition, weapons and other materials

to help out soldiers. Other posters asked people to purchase war bonds,

ration their goods and the government even issued anti-German and anti-

Japanese posters that would be considered very offensive today.

Phase Three Students will each work on their own propaganda poster. They can either

create their own from scratch or go to the National WWII Museum

website and print one of those backgrounds. Posters should focus on

getting Americans to join the military, rationing their goods, buying war

bonds or defeating the enemy.

Formative

Assessment

Drawing and illustrating.

Summative *

Assessment

Another reminder about the newspaper.

Homework

Assignment

Tell students they will have time in computer lab, but they need to

continue thinking about their articles, photos and advertisements.

Reminder Have students find out from their families if there is anything they have

from WWII that could be used for the newspaper.

Heading U.S. History Chris Teague

Internment Camps 50 minutes

Rationale While many Americans at home were dealing with rationing and working

in factories to help the wars in Europe and the Pacific, there was one group

who had all of their freedoms taken away. Those were Japanese-American

citizens. It is hard to imagine that our government forced its own citizens

out of their homes and placed them in camps for nearly three years.

Objectives Students will be able to analyze the experiences of Japanese-Americans

who were placed in internment camps and how they dealt with it. Students

will also explore the government’s reasoning and the Supreme Court battle

over this issue.

Materials Smart Board, Google Earth, WWII in HD Episode 7, Executive Order 9066

Instructional

Framework

Constructing

Lesson Plan

Format

Student centered:

Discussion

Problem solving

Grouping Whole class, individuals

Materials &

Resources

School – Smart Board

Teacher – WWII in HD Episode 7, Executive Order 9066

Student – Pencil or pen and notebook

Literacy

Strategies

Students will do a double-entry journal where in the first column they will

write down their initial feelings of Japanese-Americans being removed

from their homes. In the second column, they will add to their feelings

once the government’s side of the story is presented.

Phase One Ask the students to imagine what it would be like if the government told

them and their families they had to leave their homes and everything they

have behind. They have to live in a fenced-in camp with hundreds of

other families. They cannot have any possessions such as TV, books,

movies or video games. How would they feel? Would they be mad at

their country? Let the students know that this happened during WWII and

show the appropriate clip from WWII in HD Episode 7.

Phase Two Have the students do the first part of a double-entry journal. They are to

write about how they would feel if they were a Japanese-American citizen

during WWII. Ask for a few students to share their thoughts. Then

discuss with the class the government’s side of the story, including

Executive Order 9066 and the Supreme Court’s ruling in Korematsu v.

United States.

Phase Three Have the students look at their double-entry journal and re-think their first

entries. Ask them to add their thoughts to the second column based on the

government’s explanation. Ask them if it changes their minds, if they

understand, or if they are even more upset about what happened to them.

Formative

Assessment

Double-entry journal.

Summative *

Assessment

Remind the class that this would be a great editorial or investigative piece

for the final newspaper project.

Homework

Assignment

Continue looking for 1940’s advertisements and government propaganda

posters to add to the newspaper.

Reminder Final versions for newspaper articles are due the last Thursday of the

month.

Heading U.S. History Chris Teague

V-J Day 50 minutes

Rationale V-J Day signaled the end of WWII and all of the U.S. celebrated when

they heard the news. But the celebration came on the heels of hundreds of

thousands of deaths of Japanese civilians. It is important for students to

understand that war should be a last resort, and that although the Allies

defeated the Axis Powers, it came at the costs of tens of millions of lives.

Objectives Students will be able to analyze the feelings of the pilots who dropped the

Atomic bombs, those Japanese who survived the bombings and will be

able to experience how Americans celebrated the end of the war.

Materials Smart Board, Google Earth, WWII in HD Episode 10, photo of the couple

in Times Square.

Instructional

Framework

Constructing

Lesson Plan

Format

Student centered:

Discussion

Problem solving

Grouping Whole class, Individuals

Materials &

Resources

School – Smart Board

Teacher – Google Earth, WWII in HD Episode 10, photo of the couple in

Times Square.

Student – Pen or pencil and notebook.

Literacy

Strategies

Journal entries, interviews

Phase One Yesterday, we talked about winning the war in Europe. Today we will

talk about ending the war altogether with Japan’s surrender and how our

country celebrated. It is important to remind the students that it is not

good to celebrate the loss of anyone’s life, but during war people’s

thoughts are a little skewed. And we talked a few days ago about the

Manhattan Project and the Atomic Bomb. It was this project and this

bomb that helped bring an end to WWII, although it was not pretty end.

Show students clip from WWII in HD Episode 10 that covers the bombings

of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Phase Two Students will do a quick journal entry imagining they are one of the pilots

who dropped the A-Bomb. Ask them how they would feel knowing they

have to hurt hundreds of thousands of people, but it is for the purpose of

winning the war for their country. After about 5 minutes, ask any students

to share and remind them that war should always be a last resort if it

cannot be avoided.

Phase Three Show students a clip of the surrender aboard the U.S.S. Missouri, and the

V-J Day announcements and celebrations. Then the teacher will do quick

interviews with the students acting as soldiers finally coming home. Ask

how they feel about winning the war, what they miss about America, and

what the first thing they will do when they get home.

Formative

Assessment

Journal entries, interviews.

Summative *

Assessment

This is the last lesson before the class newspaper will be edited and

formatted. And during editing of the newspaper we will set up teams for

WWII Jeopardy.

Homework

Assignment

Students are to bring all articles, illustrations, and advertisements they

want to submit for the newspaper.

Reminder Students may want to think about using the photo from Times Square on

V-J Day on the front page.

The WWII Times CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME! You have been invited to join The WWII Times team as a newspaper reporter. The newspaper will consist of items learned within the WWII unit, such as the War in Europe, Pearl Harbor, war on the home front, D-Day, Japanese-American internment camps, V-E and V-J Days, and sports and entertainment headlines from the period of WWII. Each reporter will be responsible for:

Submitting an article covering one of the above-mentioned

topics or one approved by your editor (me).

Citing at least 3 primary or secondary sources. We will

discuss this further during our first

computer lab.

Finding a photo or illustration

that goes along with the article.

Finding an advertisement from a

local or national business, or the U.S.

government.

Go online to look at some newspapers from that period and get a sense of how headlines and

articles were written then. You may have to do some work outside of class, but there will be examples presented in class and some class periods will be set aside to work in

the computer lab. Your article ideas need to be submitted to me by the end of class on Friday, and final versions of the articles will be due on the 27th. I know all of your contributions to the newspaper will be successful ones. Good luck! Sincerely, Mr. Teague Editor, The WWII Times

Rubric for WWII Summative Assessment

1-5 points 6-10 points 11-15 points 16-20 points

Article Appropriateness

Article has one who, what, when, where, why and how.

Article has less than half of the who, what, when, where, why and how.

Article has most of the who, what, when, where, why and how.

Article covers the who, what, when, where, why and how.

Photo No photo or illustration included.

Photo or illustration has nothing to do with WWII.

Photo or illustration has to do with WWII, but not article.

Photo or illustration appropriate to article.

Quote No quotes included.

Quotes included, but nothing to do with WWII.

Quotes from WWII, but not appropriate to article.

Quotes included appropriate for article.

Sources No sources cited. Only 1 source cited.

2 sources cited. At least 3 sources cited.

Grammar and Proofreading

More than 5 grammar or spelling errors.

2-5 grammar or spelling errors.

1-2 grammar or spelling errors.

No grammar or spelling errors.

Total Points

Total for project:___________________

Comments:

WWII UNIT unit SUBJECT U.S. History GRADE 8th

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SAT/SUN

1 2/3

WEE

K

no

tes

4 5 6 7 8 9/10

1

Intro and Beginning of WWII

Intro and Beginning of WWII

Pearl Harbor War on the Home Front

Computer lab

WEE

K

no

tes

Give handout Article ideas

due

11 12 13 14 15 16/17

2

War in Europe War in the Pacific Holocaust Internment Camps Computer lab or make-up day

WEE

K

no

tes

18 19 20 21 22 23/24

3

D-Day Battle of the Bulge Battle of Iwo Jima Sports and Entertainment During WWII

Computer lab or make-up day

WEE

K

no

tes

25 26 27 28 29 30/31

4

Death of FDR/A-Bomb

V-E Day V-J Day Final editing of newspaper or make-up day

Final editing of newspaper/WWII Jeopardy

WEE

K

no

tes

Final articles

due

Chris Teague

SEC ED 4880

I Search

A few weeks ago, my son and I went down to the man cave (or basement) for a

little recreation before dinner. Usually we’ll punch on the heavy bag, play a little foosball

or shoot some hoops on his Little Tikes basketball net, and we always have

Sportscenter playing in the background. But on this particular day I wasn’t sure what

was on the TV when I heard the top story.

Instead of highlights from an NBA or college basketball court it was live coverage

of a courtroom in Massachusetts. New England Patriots Wide Receiver Aaron

Hernandez was being arraigned on five counts, including first-degree murder, in the

death of his friend, Odin Lloyd. Was this Sportscenter or Headline News?

Unfortunately, Hernandez is not the first athlete featured on Sportscenter for a

negative incident off the field. O.J. Simpson, Leonard Little, Michael Vick and Plaxico

Burress are just a few former and current NFL stars who found themselves on the

wrong side of the law. And like these other players, whether guilty or not guilty,

Hernandez will be remembered more for Lloyd’s murder than for how many touchdowns

he scored.

What makes these supposed role models do things that can not only cost them

their jobs, but also put them behind bars? Do they not know, care or even understand

that kids look up to them? I looked over at my son while the reporter discussed the

details and was thankful that he is only three and didn’t understand what they were

talking about. But I know something like this will happen again in the sports world and

he will ask me why these guys commit crimes. I have no idea how to answer that

question because I don’t understand it.

I think just about anybody would love to be a professional athlete. One of my

childhood dreams was to be starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins like my

idol, Joe Theismann. And I knew, even then, that it would not be a bad living. But

forget about the money aspect of it. I would love to say my job is playing football. Why

players like Burress, Vick, Little and now Hernandez would jeopardize their careers for

stupid behavior is beyond me.

Some have argued that Burress possessing a gun and Vick being involved in

dogfighting were part of their upbringing and that’s all they knew. Maybe that’s true.

But there is no defense for Leonard Little getting behind the wheel of an automobile

after having several drinks and taking the life of another human being. Professional

teams offer car services for their players, and even if they did not, I think these players

could afford to pay for a cab. And if Hernandez did commit this crime, I don’t know if

there is anyone who could defend his actions.

In my quest for answers I would like to speak with a psychologist, perhaps one

who deals with athletes or celebrities. I think a psychologist might be able to explain the

mindset of someone who achieves riches and fame at such a young age and how they

deal with that. If possible I would also interview a current or former professional athlete

to hear their personal story and get their perspective on their why friends and co-

workers get into trouble.