How did the second world war begin? A presentation first looks at the political climate that led to WWI and the effects of that war. Then, it describes the reason Hitler was able to take hold of Germany after WWI and prior to WWII. The...

In collaborative groups, learners will research one of the three famous characters outlined in this presentation. The resource introduces Adolf Hitler, The Royal Family, and Winston Churchill, then asks each group to research and prepare...

Introduce your eager readers to WWII through the eyes of a real girl. Presented here is a basic overview of the life of Anne Frank and her contribution to world literature with the publication of her diary. A perfect introduction to the...

The King of Rock'n Roll, Twiggy, William Beveridge? Sounds like its time to review events occurring after 1930. Kids play this fun Millionaire-style game to review common knowledge British trivia. This game would be a fun challenge for...

Almost every big city has a war memorial, and many have memorials specific to WWII. This is a preparatory lesson plan for learners going on a trip to visit a local war memorial site. They are introduced to WWII through a simple time line...

World War II led to the collapse of the colonial empires that Europe had created before the turn of the century. Budding historians examine Imperialism's historiography. They compose three responses that discuss the roles of Indian caste...

The class responds to three writing prompts focused on WWII. They describe the role Adolf Hitler played in the war, compare and contrast German and British views of the war, and explain the geographical scope of the war at its height.

Students read and analyze Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union Address. They listen to recordings of speeches by F.D.R., answer discussion questions, and participate in a debate.

Engage your middle schoolers with Pastor Martin Niemoller's famous poem that begins, "First they came for the communists." Now that you have their attention, send learners to the various work stations you created to have them explore...

Has your class just finished reading about WWII and you need a way to let them show what they know? Hand them this three-question writing prompt. They'll need to describe the role Winston Churchill played in the war, the Rape of Nanking,...

Comprehending the role of key players and events of WWII is a task all learners must undertake. Here, they respond to three critical thinking questions regarding the roles Roosevelt and Stalin played during the war as well as Germany's...

How have things changed economically since the end of WWII? Thoughtful writers will consider three questions and compose responses for each. They'll discuss Cold War science and technology, US involvement in the economic recovery of...

Using complete sentences and the five W's as guidance, learners will respond to three short-answer questions about WWII. They'll discuss Mussolini's role, the ideologies of nationalism and anti-Semitism that led to the Holocaust, and the...

Examine the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. After reading an article from the New York Times and exploring the author's word choice, young readers find the central idea in the text and work on researching...

Distinguish between primary and secondary source documents using the theme of philanthropy. Middle schoolers discuss Anne Frank: The Diary of Young Girl as a way to study the past using a primary source. Then they investigate how to...

The Holocaust is unbelievable! Examine this piece of history with your class. Using the Internet, research groups determine the relevance of information presented, compare how different sites present the same information, synthesize...

Eleventh graders examine the political demands put on one of four groups living in America during WWII. Each class member is asked to research and write a paper describing the homefront experience for women, Hispanics, African-Americans,...

What was life like in Britain during World War II? Discover how England used rationing to encourage conservation during a time of war. Learners will see images of actual ration books and read how people used them to buy clothes, food,...

Music and poetry are vehicles that can tell many stories. Learners read the poem "The Song of the Murdered Jewish People" by Itzhak Katzenelson, then listen to the requiem it inspired; composed by Zlata Razdolina. Excellent...

Eighth graders read about and reflect upon a variety of events that occurred during World War II. They conduct research on the Holocaust and Anne Frank's life, the attack on Pearl Harbor, American life during this time and the...

Students conduct research on a German anti-Nazi group named "Die Weisse Rose", the White Rose, that eventually lost their lives for their resistance to Nazi rule. They view films, access the Internet, prepare responsive narratives to the...

Students examine visual images about the novel, Jacob Have I Loved. They compare pictures from "America from the Great Depression to World War II" that are described in the book and other studies of the Chesapeake Bay. They present their...

In 1941 FDR spoke out on the events at Pearl Harbor. The class will get to analyze word choice,  word meaning, author's craft and structure by analyzing an actual draft of this speech. They will look critically at the words used,...