Curriculum Unit Plan: Military Strategies During WWII

Day: 1

The Use of Air Warfare During WWII

Standard: Stand 2 World History, Concept 8 World at War, PO 5. Analyze

aspects of World War II: b. military strategies (e.g., air warfare, atomic bomb,
Russian front, concentration camps)

Objective: The students will analyze aspects of WWII by comparing the use
of air warfare in WWII as opposed to previous wars.

Sub-objective:

Recall information from the previous lesson and identify relevant facts.
Analyze the information presented and take relevant notes.
Understand the information being presented and identify cause and
effects resulting from various events.
Interpret and solve assessment questions.

Teaching Method (lecture, lab, cooperative groups):

The lesson is presented to students as a lecture using PowerPoint slides.

Checks for comprehension (formative)

The students will complete guided notes that have students respond to fill in
the blank prompts, including the following statements:

_______ means designed to strike at the sources of an enemys military,

economic, or political power.
_______ involves military operations that are smaller, closer to base,
and of less long-term significance than strategic operations.

Assessment (summative)

The students will complete the prompt listed below at the end of class to
assess their understanding of the lesson content:

Write a 3-4 sentence explanation about why air warfare affected how
WWII was fought. Explain your reasoning with evidence from the
lesson.
Tie to the theme or area of focus:

How did air warfare change how WWII was fought?

Activity (single or portion of the main project):

Individual written response reflection/summary.

Day: 2

The Use of the Atomic Bomb During WWII

Standard: Stand 2 World History, Concept 8 World at War, PO 5. Analyze
aspects of World War II: P.O. 5, B. Military Strategies (air warfare, atomic
bomb, Russian front, concentration camps)

Objective: The students will analyze aspects of WWII by analyzing the use
of the atomic bomb during WWII.

Sub-objective:

Recall information from the previous lesson and identify relevant facts.
Analyze the information presented and take relevant notes.
Understand the information being presented and identify cause and
effects resulting from various events.
Interpret and solve assessment questions.

Teaching Method (lecture, lab, cooperative groups)

This lesson will be presented to students through a combination of direct

instruction and cooperative groups.

Checks for comprehension (formative)

The students will respond to the following prompt by working with a partner
to formulate a response. All groups will verbally share their response with the
class:

Why did the Germans stop development on their atomic bomb? Why
was this bad for them and the axis?

Assessment (summative)

Do you think that the United States made the right decision by
dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Why or why
not? Explain your answer by completing a 4-5 slide PowerPoint
presentation that explains your answer and reasoning. Please include
at least two related images. Your presentation will be posted to the
class discussion board. Your homework will be to individually respond
to one other groups presentation in 3-4 sentences by class tomorrow.

Tie to the theme or area of focus:

What role did the atomic bomb play as a military strategy during WWII?
Activity (single or portion of the main project):

Think-Pair-Share response to prompt using technology.

Day: 3

WWII and the Russian Front

Standard: Stand 2 World History, Concept 8 World at War, PO 5. Analyze
aspects of World War II: P.O. 5, B. Military Strategies (air warfare, atomic
bomb, Russian front, concentration camps)

Objective: The students will analyze aspects of WWII by discovering the

Russian fronts role in WWII.

Sub-objective:

- Recall information from the previous lesson and identify relevant facts.
- Analyze the information presented and take relevant notes.
- Understand the information being presented and identify cause and
effects resulting from various events.
- Interpret and solve assessment questions.

Teaching Method (lecture, lab, cooperative groups)

This lesson will be a video lesson in which students use a response sheet to
answer questions throughout the video.

Checks for comprehension (formative)

The students will respond to the following prompt by using a response sheet:

What did Hitler base his plans for the Soviet Union upon?

Assessment (summative)

The students will use information from the response sheet to answer the
following prompt in 3-4 sentences. The students will discuss their answers
with their shoulder partners at the end of the lesson and compare their
answers:

Why was Hitler unsuccessful in the Soviet Union? Make a list with
three reasons.

Tie to the theme or area of focus:

What role did the Russian front play in WWII?

Activity (single or portion of the main project):

The students will complete a response sheet.

Video: <iframe width="560" height="315"

src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N363_V8nTbU" frameborder="0"
allowfullscreen></iframe>
Day: 4

How did the Allies defeat the Axis During WWII?

Standard: Stand 2 World History, Concept 8 World at War, PO 5. Analyze
aspects of World War II: P.O. 5, B. Military Strategies (air warfare, atomic
bomb, Russian front, concentration camps)

Objective: The students will evaluate military strategies of the allies and
axis during WWII and determine what strategies led to the allies victory over
the axis.

Sub-objective:

- Recall information from the previous lesson and identify relevant facts.
- Analyze the information presented and take relevant notes.
- Understand the information being presented and identify cause and
effects resulting from various events.
- Interpret and solve assessment questions.

Teaching Method (lecture, lab, cooperative groups)

This lesson will have students work independently and collaboratively with
other students to analyze the lesson text.

Checks for comprehension (formative)

The students will use use a provided Google Document to generate prewrite
questions that will be answered with information found in the provided
article.
The students will use sticky notes to respond to the prewrite questions
as they read the article.

Assessment (summative)

The students will complete a written response in 4-6 sentences that answers
the following question in complete sentences:
How did the United States and the allies defeat the axis during WWII?
Respond to this prompt in 4-6 complete sentences by using evidence
from the text.
Tie to the theme or area of focus:

Why were the allies more successful than the axis during WWII?

Activity (single or portion of the main project):

The students will display mastery of the topic by completing a written
response reflection responding to the following prompt: How did the United
States defeat the axis during WWII?
Article Link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/how_the_allies_won_01.shtml

Day: 5
Effectiveness of Military Strategies During WWII

Standard: Stand 2 World History, Concept 8 World at War, PO 5. Analyze

aspects of World War II: P.O. 5, B. Military Strategies (air warfare, atomic
bomb, Russian front, concentration camps)

Objective: The students will evaluate military strategies of the allies and
axis during WWII and determine the effectiveness of these strategies.
Sub-objective:

- Recall information from the previous lesson and identify relevant facts.
- Analyze the information presented and take relevant notes.
- Understand the information being presented and identify cause and
effects resulting from various events.
- Interpret and solve assessment questions.

Teaching Method (lecture, lab, cooperative groups)

The students will complete a DBQ (document based question) in which

students will use primary source documents to analyze information that has
been covered in the lessons leading up to this assessment. The students will
evaluate the information presented and respond by completing a writing
prompt in which students evaluate strategies employed by the allies and axis
during WWII and determine their effectiveness as a military strategy.

Checks for comprehension (formative)

The students have completed smaller writing assessment in the four prior
unit lessons that have provided an analysis of the students understanding of
the material and ability to analyze and summarize the information.
Assessment (summative)
The students will complete a DBQ assignment analyzing primary source
documents that contain information covered over the unit.

Tie to the theme or area of focus:

Summary of all military strategies presented for both sides and why some
were more effective than others.

Activity (single or portion of the main project):

This DBQ is part of the high school world history course following a unit
introducing the Second World War. The students would have already learned
about the tactics employed by both sides during the war and would have
examined some primary documents on the war. The students would be
expected to be able to analyze primary sources and develop an argument.
DBQ Prompt: Use at least three primary source documents from the
provided website to evaluate the military strategies used by the Axis and
Allies during World War II and explain how effective the strategies were.
Prepare a response that is 3-4 paragraphs long and explains your response
and resoning.

Directions: The students will be given a website containing primary source

documents that can be used to to complete this assignment. The students
will have the entire class period to analyze the information and select three
documents to use. The students will respond to the DBQ prompt in 3-4
paragraphs. The students will be instructed to complete the DBQ response
ad homework if the assignment is not completed in class.

Rubric
Grading Criteria Meets Approaches Falls Below
100 Expectation Expectation Expectation
100-80 79-69 68-0
Organization The paper is well The paper is The paper is
10 organized, adequately disorganized
containing an organized, organized. The
introduction containing an paper may
paragraph that introduction contain an
clearly introduces paragraph that introduction
the topic and a introduces the paragraph that
thesis statement topic and a thesis introduces the
that outlines the statement that topic. The thesis
body of the outlines the body statement is
paper. Each body of the paper. missing or does
paragraph has a Most body not that outline
beginning topic paragraphs have the body of the
sentence, claims, a beginning topic paper. Some or
followed by sentence, claims, no body
evidence from followed by paragraphs have
the documents, evidence from a beginning topic
and a concluding the documents, sentence, claims,
sentence. Each and a concluding followed by
body paragraph sentence. Most evidence from
should support body paragraph the documents,
the thesis. The should support and a concluding
paper ends with a the thesis. The sentence. Some
concluding paper ends with a or no body
paragraph that concluding paragraph should
restates the paragraph that support the
thesis in different restates the thesis. The paper
words and thesis and does not contain
summarizes the summarizes the a concluding
 main points of main points of paragraph that
the paper. the paper. restates the
thesis and
summarizes the
main points of
the paper.
Thesis The paper The paper The paper lacks a
25 contains a well- contains an thesis statement
crafted thesis adequately or is unclear.
statement that crafted thesis Does not address
fully addresses statement that the prompt or
the prompt and sufficiently guide the
guides the addresses the development of
development of prompt and the paper.
the paper. guides the
development of
the paper.
Document Documents are Documents are Documents
Grouping grouped in a grouped in a inadequately
20 manner that manner that grouped or not
accurately adequately grouped at all.
addresses the addresses the Does not address
thesis and thesis and the thesis or
supports the sufficiently sufficiently
students claims. supports the support the
students claims. students claims.
Content Uses 3-4 Uses 2 Uses 1-0
35 documents in documents in documents in
paper. Evidence paper. Evidence paper. Evidence
from the from the is missing or is
documents is documents is not used to
used effectively used adequately address the
to address the to address the thesis and claims.
thesis and claims. thesis and claims. Student lacks an
Student Student understanding of
demonstrates a demonstrates a the documents.
clear satisfactory Student does not
understanding of understanding of adequately use
documents and documents and prior knowledge
uses prior uses prior to fully address
knowledge to knowledge to the prompt.
fully address the fully address the
prompt. prompt.

Grammar & Student produces Student produces Student produces

Conventions a paper with no a paper with a paper with
10 spelling errors, minor spelling major spelling
grammatical errors, errors,
errors, and grammatical grammatical
proper errors, or errors, or
formatting. improper improper
formatting. formatting.

DBQ Documents (Primary Sources)

The students will select three primary source documents from the provided
website.

http://www.teacheroz.com/WWIIDocs.htm