Your NAME: William Hooper

Type of Lesson: Web-Based

Lesson Plan Title – World War I Unit

Discipline and Topic – Global History II: The Modern World

Target Population –

Grade Level: 10

Population Characteristics: This is a heterogeneous group of 10^th graders

Lesson Groupings: Pairs

Curriculum Links –

Prior Links: Students will already have learned about the impact imperialism, nationalism, industrialization, and militarism was having on the world. They will understand that it was creating a toxic mix of emotions and aggressive behavior that could easily spill over into war.

After Links: This unit will be followed by a discussion of the interwar years including the Great Depression and the Rise of Fascism in Italy and Germany both of which are largely caused by World War I and the Treaty of Versailles.

Objectives

1) Students will be able to identify the causes of World War I

2) Students will understand the impact that “Total War” has on a society and how the actions of the “home front” can determine the outcome of a war.

3) Students will understand the impact new technology had on the war.

4) Students will be able to interpret period propaganda, explain its purpose, and draw conclusions about the society these works were created by/targeted to.

5) Students will identify the goals of each of the “Big 3” at the Treaty of Versailles. Students will also foreshadow how the decisions made at Versailles left open the possibility for additional conflict.

6) Students will be able to write a DBQ essay of level 3 or higher based on the cost of the war.

Media Literacy Objectives –

1) Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology

2) Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information

3) Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

Materials and Timing – This lesson will take one week to complete and will require the 24 computers loaded with basic Microsoft Office Programs, 24 pairs of headphones, 1-2 networked colors printers.

Scope and Sequence –

Day 1 – Students will begin by listening to the poem, “In Flanders Field”. As a warm up, student will make a brief entry into their journal about the tone of the poem. Begin class by briefly discussing why the author may have chosen the tone he did. Students will then read the mini-lecture on the causes of the World War I and create a graphic organizer highlighting the key causes of the war and any relevant details. We will end the class by discussing the following question, “Was war preventable?”

Day 2 – Students will begin class by reviewing the interactive PBS presentation briefly detailing major battles/strategies of the war. They will then review the website section entitled technology. They will click on each piece of technology and answer the following questions:

1) What was the purpose of technology?

2) What were the drawbacks to the technology?

3) What impact did this new technology have on the war/society at large?

Day 3 – Student will begin by viewing a commercial produced by Coca-cola. The students will then discuss what the purpose of the commercial was, who it was intended for, and whether or not it was “telling the truth.” We’ll parlay this discussion into defining propaganda. The students will then review a digital story highlighting 10 piece of propaganda. For each they will determine, with the aid of a graphic organizer:

1) What symbols are present? What does each symbol represent?
2) What was the purpose of this piece? To whom was it supposed to appeal?
3) Specifically, what was the goal of this piece?
4) What stereotypes or myths are perpetuated by this piece of art?

For homework, students will be asked to review the five images under the “Total war” section of the site and post the class blog (or hand write for those who would find that more comfortable) and identify how the action represented would have helped the war effort.

Day 4 – Students will write a DBQ essay on the “Cost of the war” using the documents found in the “Cost of war” section of the site. Students will be encouraged to review the documents the night before.

Day 5 – Students will begin class by listening to/reading the section of the site entitled “Major Events”. The instructor will then lead a brief discussion about why the U.S. entry into the war likely turned the tide for the Allied forces.

Students will then visit the section entitled the treaty of Versailles. They will click on each of the “Big 3” and read about their motivations and goals for the treaty. They will then create a Venn diagram to illustrate the common and differing goals of each of the “Big 3”.

Finally, for homework, students will review major points of the Treaty and post a blog/audio blog discussing which points of the Treaty their believe are “fair” and which were “not fair”. Each point should be justified.

Day 6 – We will begin the class by viewing a brief film about the causes of WWII. The group will then discuss how the points of the Treaty of Versailles may have contributed to what happened next. Finally, the unit will end with an online multiple choice quiz.

Evaluation of Students –

An additional 10 points (one point per multiple choice question) may be earned at the conclusion of the online quiz. There are 100 possible points for this unit.

Evaluation of the Lesson –

This lesson will be considered successful if 80 of the class is able to score at least a 80% or high on the rubric above. Additionally, if the students demonstrate their ability to apply the information learned by making coherent connections back to WWI in the next unit, I will be satisfied.