SUBJECT: World History
GRADE: High School
TECHNOLOGY: Video
BY: Brian Swets, Christoph Fehrenbach

 

 

 

Target Grade/Subject

 

            We are creating a Social Studies Lesson plan for 21 ninth graders (14-15 year olds).  The class is a World History Survey course.  We will be focusing on the chapter about World War II.  These students are not necessarily interested in History; this is a course they must all take so it is our job to relate to them, in an interesting manner, the material.  Multi-media would be well suited for this situation.  The kids are too young to sit through entire hour-and-a-half lectures.  Using the cultural tools (45 Woolfolk) of a video or field trip and asking the students to reflect on the information would break the possibility of hyperactivity or ADHD (137 Woolfolk).  We are attempting to match our strategies to the kids abilities (39 Woolfolk).  World War II itself is important for the children to learn because of the implications it has had in our global world today, and they can also be knowledgeable of such current events of genocide, etc. as in the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere.

 

Objective(s)

 

SOL (9.10)

            -Causes and effects of World War II

            -The Nazi holocaust and other examples of genocide

            -Economic and military power shifts since 1945, including the rise of Germany and Japan as economic powers

 

http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/wmstds/hist9.shtml

 

Class Objectives

            The students will be able to answer, in essay form, one of these four questions ...

                        -What are the causes and effects of World War II?

-Describe the experiences of Jews taken from a Polish ghetto using examples from the Holocaust museum and/or the movie Schindler's List.

-Discuss a monument or exhibit seen on the field trip and its significance to World War II.

-Take up a character from Schindler's List or Life is Beautiful and discuss the effect the war had on their lives concerning topics such as, but not necessarily: family, business, lifestyle, or faith.

           

The students will be given the questions at the beginning of the unit.  By doing this we will give them time to choose their topic, reflect on it, prepare for the test.

 

The day before the test, in order to prepare, the students will receive the rubric (given) that will be used to grade their essays.

 

Materials

            -Videos                                  -Field Trip                                         

                        --Schindler's List                 -Holocaust Museum

                        --Life is Beautiful                 -Exhibits, Monuments

One day will be given to watching and discussing Schindler's List, characters, situations, etc.  Another day will be given to the Holocaust Museum alone, and any other monuments, exhibits that we are able to see and discuss.  Another day will be given to watching and discussing Life is Beautiful, characters, situations, etc.  Students will take part in discussion, at least one contribution/question (this will help them reflect)

Lesson Description

 

Day One: (Monday)

-Students will receive the four questions and be given instructions as discussed above in Objectives. 

-Students will then watch Schindler's List, being aware of discussion and participation criteria.

Day Two: (Tuesday)

-Students will engage in discussion of people, characters, causes and effects, that are exhibited in Schindler's List.

Day Three: (Wednesday)

            -Field Trip to Holocaust Museum and any other exhibits/museums.

Day Four: (Thursday)

            -Students will discuss experience of Holocaust, cause and effects, etc.

Day Five: (Friday)

-Students will watch and discuss Life is Beautiful.  Afterwards, the students will receive the rubric to prepare over the weekend for the essay test.

Evaluation

           

The students will be made to answer, in essay form, one of these four questions ...

                        -What are the causes and effects of World War II?

-Describe the experiences of Jews taken from a Polish ghetto using examples from the Holocaust museum and/or the movie Schindler's List.

-Discuss a monument or exhibit seen on the field trip and its significance to World War II.

-Take up a character from Schindler's List or Life is Beautiful and discuss the effect the war had on their lives concerning topics such as, but not necessarily: family, business, lifestyle, or faith.

 

 

Rubric

 

Rubric

 

(10)     Introduction  __

(3)       __ Motivating & Interesting ...

(3)       __ Introduction of Argument/Problem ...

(4)       __ Thesis ...

 

(18)     Body  __

(4)       __ Use of Field Trips/Movies ...

(4)       __ Use of Discussions ...

(4)       __ Use of Class Lectures ...

(6)       __ Argument of Thesis ...

 

(10)     Conclusion  __

(4)       __ Motivating & Interesting ...

(4)       __ Re-iteration of Argument/Problem

(6)       __ Final Defense of Thesis

 

(7)       Grammar  __

(1)       __ Spelling

(1)       __ Capitalization

(1)       __ Punctuation

(1)       __ Sentence Structure

(1)       __ Tense Agreement

(1)       __ Organization

(1)       __ Vocabulary (use of words specific to unit)

 

(5)       Miscellaneous  __

            __ Name

            __ Date

            __ Title

 

If you have any questions regarding the distribution of points feel free to come to me.  The rubric may be altered for different students according to different strengths and weaknesses at the discretion of the instructor.