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National WWII Museum
What It Takes to Win: Mapping Primary Source Evidence
World War II was not just waged in Europe and Asia; the home front was key to Allied victory. Using newspaper clippings from World War II and a map, scholars plot out wartime production in the United States. After that, class members...
Curated OER
World War II New Guinea Campaign
Although the big picture for this lesson on the New Guidea Campaign of WWII is taking a field trip to the Douglas MacArthur Memorial, you can easily use it as a guide to an independent or group research project as well. However, if you...
Curated OER
Identifying, Mapping, and Personifying Countries Involved in WWII
Get artsy with this WWII group activity, starting with a whole-class assignment. Create a map of Europe, Northern Africa, and the Pacific using geometric shapes cut from construction paper and placed on the floor. Consider splitting the...
Curated OER
A Separate Peace
Tenth graders explore the novel, A Separate Peace by John Knowles. They discuss the events surrounding World War II and the events that were vital to progress during the war. Students locate New Hampshire on a map. They discuss the main...
University of California
Decolonization
The ripple effect from one small event can impact many others. Young historians research the ripple effect World War II had on decolonization in the second installment of an eight-part series. Through primary and secondary documents as...
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
"my Dear Little Boys..." Using Wwii Primary Documents: a Letter Home From the War
Students read letters written by soldiers during World War II in order to analyze the soldier's feelings about the war. They explain how these primary sources teach appreciation for the World War II soldier's experiences.
University of Richmond
Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America 1935-1940
Redlining—or the practice of racial discrimination in housing loans—directly led to today's segregated living patterns in America. Using data from the federal Home Owners' Loan Corporation, classmates visualize the impact of policy on...
Curated OER
The Wannsee Conference
Twelfth graders examine what occured at the Wannsee Conference during World War II. Using documents, they discover how the conference fits into the final solution of the Jewish question. They analyze the language used and the attitudes...
Curated OER
Brave New World
Students view a video about the effects of World War II on the map of Europe. They discuss the video and answer questions. They work together to identify accomplishments that best represent American culture.
Curated OER
Treaty of Versailles
Pupils describe the purposes of the Treaty of Versailles. In groups, they analyze the causes and effects of the treaty and discuss why the Americans were so against it. They note ideas for and against its ratification and they make their...
Curated OER
My Secret War: Lesson 8
Fifth graders explore American history by viewing videos on the Internet. In this Japanese internment lesson, 5th graders discuss the politics that took place between America and Japan during WWII and why it was necessary to incarcerate...
Echoes & Reflections
Jewish Resistance
Resistance to the Holocaust took on many forms. Learners explore the passive and active resistance of Jewish people who continued their practices and observances, as well as organized resistance against the evils of the Nazis. An...
Curated OER
Dos mapas de Florida, el Caribe y parte de Sur America
What can maps tell us about the past? Find out with a Spanish lesson that incorporates geography. After examining maps individually, comparing two old maps of Spanish Florida and writing notes in the provided Venn diagram, pupils pair up...
Curated OER
Inventions Change the World: The Enigma Machine
Third graders explore WWII by analyzing technological advances. In this invention lesson, 3rd graders discuss the use of the Enigma machine which decoded private German messages that communicated with U-boats. Students utilize a timeline...
Curated OER
Surprise at Pearl Harbor
Students review the concept of courage and relate it to their daily life. As a class, they are introduced to the events of December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. Using a map, they locate Hawai'i and label the islands. They use the internet to...
Curated OER
Korean Lesson Plan
Seventh graders are introduced to the history of Korea. Using maps, they identify the reasons why Korea is important geographically. They also research the reasons for the Korean War and how actions of the United States and Korea led...
National Geographic
Exploring Modern Human Migrations
Using maps, images, websites, and handouts, learners work to understand the nature of human migrations. They compare and contrast human migration from the past to the present, identify causes for migration, and trace migration routes on...
Curated OER
The Lost Year in Iraq
Learners view a video clip from Frontline. They discover the characteristics of three postwar reconstruction plans. They identify the goals and actions of each plan and compare and contrast them. They discuss the effectiveness of each...
Curated OER
Virginia In the World: The Geography of Commerce
Students examine how Virginia connects with the world through export trade. Using a map, they use symbols to depict the value of trade and the direction of the flow of goods. They complete a scavenger hunt using electronic almanacs and...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Recycling the Seafloor
Students classify earth's layers and plates using Ocean Seismicity data. In this plate tectonics lesson, students outline where the plate boundaries are on the world map. They then compare these predicted boundaries with USGS map of the...
Curated OER
Japan: Images of a People
Students learn the geography of Japan and its location in reference to the United States.
Curated OER
A Peaceless Land: Conflict Continues in the Middle East
Students examine the conflict in the Middle East. They discover the history of the region to better explain why there is conflict in the region. They also analyze the political negotiations that have occured over the years.