History Lesson Plan

Women In WWIIGrade Level: 9-12

Objectives Following this lesson students should know: Important female figures Roles of women

Materials No materials are needed for this lesson

Procedure 1. Before beginning the lesson, have students discuss: Traditional roles of women

o Mother, housewife, etc How were women’s lives already beginning to change before the

war?o Right to vote, the Great Depression, etc

2. Pairs or groups: What is needed to fight in a war?

o Soldiers, clothing, food, supplies, etc What kinds of jobs needed to be filled while the men were away

at war?o Factories, farms, businesses, etc

Talk about the different statistics involving the number of women involved in the war effort

Industrial Group Number of Women Employed in 1940

Number of Women Employed in 1944-45

All industries 626,600 1,266,200Manufacturing 141,900 565,200Government 21,600 138,100Trade, Service and Other

463,100 562,900

Statistics are a compilation from page 36 of “Women Workers in Ten War Production Areas and Their Postwar Employment Plans,” United States Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau, Bulletin No. 209

3. Influential women Have students list off names of

women who come to mindo Rosie the Riveter, etc.

Why is the Rosie the Riveter image so important?

o Have students think critically about the image

4. Additional homework activity: Have students create their own

Adapted from: http://www1.cuny.edu/portal_ur/content/women_curriculum07/pdfs/womens_curric_lesson_3_11.pdf

History Lesson Plan

propaganda poster to encourage women in join in on the war effort

Google Docs Link:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NM1aoFObZUwlJv5lIfWOSHBnA9gCGO3z9-nR-zVG0wY/edit?usp=sharing

Adapted from: http://www1.cuny.edu/portal_ur/content/women_curriculum07/pdfs/womens_curric_lesson_3_11.pdf

History Lesson Plan

Between Microsoft Word and Google Docs, I definitely prefer using Microsoft Word and

that is mostly because it is what I’m most familiar with. I personally think that Microsoft Office

is the better option because it is easier to navigate, but that could just be because it is what I

know how to use best. You have more freedom with placement of images and charts on

Microsoft Office.

One thing I did prefer Google Docs over Microsoft Office was that it automatically saves

it for you and you are able to open the file on any computer. You don’t really have that option

with Microsoft Office. But then again, you can upload your files to Google Drive and access it

anywhere.

Adapted from: http://www1.cuny.edu/portal_ur/content/women_curriculum07/pdfs/womens_curric_lesson_3_11.pdf