Curated OER
Films About World War II
Ninth graders focus on how filmmakers have changed their view of the Second World War. They create portfolios or their own documentary to investigate the various screen interpretations of the wartime era and explain different points of...
Curated OER
World War II: The Pacific
Students explore the events in the pacific during World War II. In this World War II lesson, students use reference material to access information about significant locations in the War. Student debate the use of the atomic bomb to end...
Smithsonian Institution
Battle of the Bulge: America Responds to a German Surprise
World War II and the Battle of the Bulge are the focus of a history resource. Exercises include analyzing images, writing letters in the mindset of a soldier, and even immersing oneself in a cold experience to better empathize with the...
Curated OER
World War II: Modern History of Hawaii
Students examine world geography by viewing a documentary film in class. For this World War II lesson, students discuss the role Hawaii played in the great battle and what type conflicts happened among the island chain. Students view a...
Curated OER
Anti-Semitism Workshop
Originating from the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum in Jerusalem, here is a resource to support your world historians in their study of World War II, the Holocaust, your cultural scholars learning about anti-semitism, or your...
Curated OER
The Battle of Midway
Students examine the Battle of Midway during World War II through an interactive website. They analyze photographs and read the descriptions. They discuss the implications of the Battle at Midway to both sides of the war.
Curated OER
The Battle of the Bulge
High schoolers research the events and results of the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. As a class, they discuss the role of the military in the entire European theater and write a paper describing the situations and conditions...
Curated OER
Facing War
Students visit two sites about World War II. These sites show how war can impact a nation and how people have coped with life during years of war. Particular attention is paid to how the media covers the current war in Iraq.
National WWII Museum
Strategic Decision-Making in the Pacific
Pivotal moments happened in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Some of these turning points were the result of quick decision making, while others were the result of long-term strategies. Scholars evaluate the decisions using...
Smithsonian Institution
Changing Gender Roles on the Home Front
Many historians discuss how gender roles changed because of World War II, but how did this come to be? An informative resource challenges scholars to do some digging and research the information for themselves. They research how...
Curated OER
Over the Top: Trench Warfare in the First World War
Students are able to give three reasons men joined up to fight in World War I. They are able to place in order the event leading to the outbreak of war and describe the soldiers arrival in the trenches. Students are able to describe...
Curated OER
Letters From the Front Lines
Students read a variety of letters from soliders who were on the front lines during World War II. After viewing an excerpt from "The War", they answer discussion and comprehension questions based on the letters and video. To end the...
Curated OER
Basil Heatter, "The Long Night of the Little Boats"
“It was a miracle.” Basil Heatter’s “The Long Night of the Little Boats,” which details the miraculous rescue of the British army from the shores of Dunkirk in 1940, is featured in a series of exercises that ask class members to read,...
Curated OER
The Declaration of War Against Japan and Just War Theory
Students examine the attack on Pearl Harbor and how it changed the history of the United States. After watching a video from "The War", they discuss the characteristics of a "just war" and identify the laws in international warfare. ...
K20 LEARN
Word Warriors: The Code Talkers of Oklahoma
The battle between code makers and code breakers has been going on for centuries and is a key tool of warfare. The contributions of the Native American Code Talkers of World Wars I and II are celebrated in a lesson that features a...
University of California
The Vietnam War (1945 – 1975)
Have you ever wanted to do something so perfectly you wound up not doing it well at all? Young historians use primary and secondary documents to analyze the United States involvement in the Vietnam War. The issues surrounding the...
Curated OER
Chicago Tribune vs. US (1942): When Does Freedom of the Press Go Too Far?
Students define freedom of the press in peace and war time. As a class, they identify the need for the public to be informed, but discuss where the line should be drawn to protect national security. They develop their arguments and...
Curated OER
Memorandum Regarding the Enlistment of Navajo Indians
Students examine the Navajo dictionary used by the U.S. military in W.W. II. They role-play Navajo messengers and Marine Corp staff. They research the Battle of Iwo Jima and confirm or discount the claim that Navajos made the victory...
Curated OER
D-day Message from General Eisenhower to General Marshall
High schoolers analyze a "top secret" document written by Eisenhower. They identify and chart cliches for those about to go into battle and read related poetry. They invite a veteran to describe the D-Day invasion.
Curated OER
D-Day: June 6, 1944
Students examine the preparations for the invasion of France on June 6, 1944. After viewing a clip from "The War", they identify the demands and concerns of all military leaders for this invasion. They use maps to examine the...
Curated OER
Battle of the Pole Holes
Students consider the relationship between business and government. In this rural electrification lesson, students read "Battle of the Pole Holes," and then write editorials that address the way that business and government functioned in...
Curated OER
Write a Song About American History
Students explore the historic background of the song, The Battle of New Orleans. Working in pairs, students research other historic events and write their own songs based on them.
Curated OER
Who Was Marc Antony?
Young scholars explore the relationship between Marc Antony and Cleopatra. In this World History lesson, students research Marc Antony, Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, then answer specific questions about how they are all related. ...
Curated OER
Black History Web Design
Each student or student team creates a web page. Students research and make decisions for content of the page. Each web page should contain at least six images and six links, as well as any necessary commentary. Students indicate on the...