1

Melissa Merritt – Summer 2008 UBD

Title of Unit       Grade Level      

World War II 13-16 (College undergraduate)
Curriculum       Time Frame      
Area World History Three weeks
Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)
Content Standards
     
Standard 2 The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.

The student who is information literate weighs information carefully and wisely to determine its quality. That student understands
traditional and emerging principles for assessing the accuracy, validity, relevance, completeness, and impartiality of information. The
student applies these principles insightfully across information sources and formats and uses logic and informed judgment to accept,
reject, or replace information to meet a particular need.

Indicators
Indicator 1. Determines accuracy, relevance, and comprehensiveness
Indicator 2. Distinguishes among fact, point of view, and opinion
Indicator 3. Identifies inaccurate and misleading information
Indicator 4. Selects information appropriate to the problem or
question at hand

Standard - SSWH18
SWH18 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the global political, economic and social impact of World War
II.

a. Describe the major conflicts and outcomes including Pearl Harbor, El-Alamein, Stalingrad, D-Day, Guadalcanal, the Philippines, and
the end of the war in Europe and Asia.
b. Identify Nazi ideology, policies, and consequences which led to the Holocaust.
c. Explain the military and diplomatic negotiations between the leaders of Great Britain (Churchill), the Soviet Union (Stalin), and the
United States (Roosevelt/Truman) from Teheran to Yalta and Potsdam and the impact on the nations of Eastern Europe.
d. Explain allied Post-World War II policies including formation of the United Nations, the Marshall Plan for Europe, and McArthur's plan
for Japan.

Understandings
Overarching Understanding
      Students will understand that…    
- World War II occurred largely as a result of
the unfair peace negotiations with Germany
in the Treaty of Versailles after World War I.
- Nazi ideology flourished and Hitler rose to
power in Germany because the country had
been devastated by the aftermath of World
War I.
- Hitler was allowed to gain so much power
and ground because of the policy of
appeasement.
- Though Germany’s actions caused the
outbreak of the war, Italy and Japan had
been doing bad things as well and greatly
contributed to the war.
- Alliances shifted throughout the war and
paranoia and fear outweighed trust.
- The outcome of the war was tenuous
throughout the entire process and came
down to a series of battles won by the allied
powers.
- After actual combat was over, problems and
issues persisted and that led to the Cold
War.
Related Misconceptions
Misconceptions:
- Hitler was not the only antagonist in the
war.
- Hitler did not technically seize power, he
was
elected.
Essential Questions
Overarching
- Why study World War II?
- Where does the information about
the war come from and how do we
know it’s valid?
- Could World War II have been
avoided?
- What long term affects does World
War II have on the modern world if
any?
- What can we learn from World
War II that could prevent the
outbreak of World War III or other
devastating conflicts?
2
Topical
- What was the post – World War
I world like?
- Why was Europe ripe for
totalitarianism, fascism, and
Nazism?
- What do followers of these
ideologies believe?
- Who was Hitler and how did he
come to power in Germany?
- Who was Mussolini and how did
he
come to power in Italy?
- Who was General Tojo and how
did he come to power in Japan?
- What was the policy of
appeasement?
- Who was allied with whom and
why?
- What event caused the actual
outbreak of the war?
- How did alliances shift
throughout the war?
- What battles were significant
to the outcome of the war?
- What was the Holocaust?
- What policies shaped the post-
war world?
- How did the aftermath of the
war lead to the outbreak of the
Cold War?

- Though the Holocaust is a devastating
blight on world history, it was not the only or
main motivation for Hitler’s policies.
- America was not entirely neutral in the war
before their actual war declaration in 1941.
Knowledge
Students will know…
1. Key terms, events, people, and battles in
the war.
2. The causes of the outbreak of the war.
3. The atrocities committed during the
Holocaust.
4. The consequence of the outbreak of the
Cold War as a result of tenuous alliances
throughout the war and during the peace
settlement.
3
Skills
Students will be able to…
1. Explain how the uneven peace settlement of World War I led to the
outbreak of World War II.
2. Explain how totalitarianism and leaders of the movement came to be so
popular.
3. Interpret the common people’s acceptance of such policies through the
perspective of people living at the time.
4. Explain how the war played out in terms of key battles.
5. See the Holocaust through the perspective of those who experienced it and
empathize with the experience.
6. Explain the peace settlement.
7. Explain how shifting alliances and mistrust led to the outbreak of the Cold
War.
8. Explain other long term consequences of the war.