Objectives |
Upon completion
of this unit, students will:
- utilize varied primary sources
to develop a cohesive, comprehensive and historically accurate picture
of the World War I era;
- analyze the historical impact
of World War I on the U.S. homefront;
- broaden their technological
expertise by learning Microsoft Publisher and producing two versions
of a WWI-era newspaper; and,
- answer the following essential questions:
What can be learned about the American
character from the manner by which the United States mobilized, prepared, and participated
in a world war?
Were the political and military goals of the Great War worth the staggering loss of human
life and social disruption?
How does the World War of 1914-1918 validate or contradict our feelings of patriotism and reinforce or tear down our pride and gratitude as Americans?
How does the unfolding of World War I foreshadow the role of the United
States as a prominent world power of the twentieth century?
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Time Required |
4 weeks |
Recommended Grade Level |
10-12 |
Curriculum Fit |
World At War (A
twentieth century history class), US History, World History |
Standards |
McREL 4th Edition Standards & Benchmarks
Historical Understanding
Standard 1. Understands and knows how to analyze chronological relationships and patterns
Standard 2. Understands the historical perspective
US History
Standard 21. Understands the changing role of the United States in world affairs through World War I
Standard 22. Understands how the United States changed between the post-World War I years and the eve of the Great Depression |
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Procedure
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This unit consists of three
lessons which can be taught sequentially. It is also possible to use a single lesson if
time constraints do not permit devoting four weeks to the study of World War I. Before
beginning the unit, we provide students with background knowledge of World War I. We view
portions of the PBS series The Great War up
until the entry of the United States into the conflict. As our American Memory World War I
unit unfolds, we continue to watch remaining segments of the PBS videos.
Lesson
One – Introduction to American Memory and Primary Sources
Students are introduced to the resources of American Memory by viewing
several "Today in History" pages which focus on World War
I events. The teacher and librarian model the retrieval, display,
and analysis of sample primary sources on these pages. We examine
a photograph, newspaper article, song, and speech using a Primary Source Analysis sheet. This lesson is
conducted in the computer lab. Primary sources are viewed online but
backup hard copies can be made available.
Lesson
Two – American Leaders Speak
Students explore the World War I-era recordings of American Leaders Speak.
The background of the "The Nation's Forum Collection" is
explained by means of the accompanying special exhibit. Students listen
to the recording of a speech chosen from a gallery of leaders and
complete the American Leaders Speak Analysis
sheet. The teacher pays particular attention to the responses to question
#9 on the worksheet: "Select a theme, event or issue mentioned
or alluded to in the speech that you with to further investigate".
The teacher employs this feedback to assign each student to a relevant
department or topic for the newspaper assignment in lesson three.
Lesson
Three – Newspaper Project
Students use their developing familiarity with American
Memory and prior knowledge of WWI to create two WWI-era newspapers
– each with an opposing viewpoint regarding American involvement
in the war effort. The newspaper staff is comprised of a publisher
and seven departments: Editorial Board, Mobilization Unit, Women and
Minorities, Arts and Culture, Society, Leaders, and Photographic and
Print Division. Each department receives a relevant newswire of issues
and events (i.e., American Memory
sources). Students explore American
Memory (drawing upon search skills developed during lessons one
and two) and write articles reporting the news of the day. When the
two final products are published, students read, review, and analyze
the opposing newspaper.
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Evaluation |
Students are assessed
by their use of the Primary Source Analysis sheet
and the American Leaders Speak Analysis sheet.
The final product (WWI-period newspaper) is assessed by the teacher and
through the Peer Review form.
A class discussion dealing with the essential questions also helps evaluate
students' enduring understanding of the WWI period. |
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Extension |
The newspaper project
can be extended to other controversial world events (WWII, Korean War, Vietnam
War, etc.)
The final product (WWI-period newspaper) may be published on the school
Web site and used by other classes as a supplemental historical resource.
Students continue to investigate
pivotal 20th century conflicts and to use primary source material in
the Holocaust based unit, World
War II: Prelude, Conduct and Aftermath of the War. This unit was
created by Margaret Lincoln and Scott Durham through the Mandel Teacher
Fellowship Program
of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. |
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