Interactive
US National Archives

WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Resistance and SOE

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Germany seemed to be unstoppable in the early years of World War II, but the tireless and sacrificial work of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) helped to steer the war in another direction. After exploring primary source documents,...
Interactive
US National Archives

WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Battle of Britain

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Had Britain not emerged as the victors of the 1940 Battle of Britain, World War II would have ended much differently—and the world as we know it would be catastrophically altered. Learn more about this pivotal moment that kept the Nazis...
Interactive
US National Archives

WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Occupation

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Warsaw, Poland, suffered much of the blunt of World War II—but according to Polish letters from the early days of Nazi occupation, other parts of the country were much worse off. High schoolers use the letters and contemporaneous...
Interactive
US National Archives

WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Invasion

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Without the benefit of history, Western Europe in the 1940's had no idea what was about to befall them. Class members use primary sources, including political cartoons, videos, and internal documents, to analyze how much of a threat...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identifying, Mapping, and Personifying Countries Involved in WWII

For Teachers 10th - 12th
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...
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US National Archives

WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – D-Day

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
D-Day, also known as the Normandy Invasion, was a true turning point for the Allied forces and one of the most successful campaigns of World War II. After researching the factors that contributed to the campaign's success, high schoolers...
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US National Archives

WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – End of the War

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
You are Winston Churchill, and on May 9th, 1945, you receive millions of grateful cards and telegrams. How do you respond? High schoolers put themselves in the Prime Minister's chair with an activity that prompts them to respond to a...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

A Passport to WWII and the Holocaust

For Teachers 7th
Students explore the Holocaust. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students research Hitler's rise to power, the terror of concentration camps, and World War II. Students read The Diary of Anne Frank , listen to a Holocaust survivor, and...
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US National Archives

WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Deception and Bluff

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
World War II left the British desperate for help in any form—including in the form of a magician! High schooler conduct research on Jasper Maskelyne, a stage magician who used his talents to deceive the Germans on the war front, before...
Interactive
US National Archives

WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Hamburg

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Was bombing German cities an effective means to an end, or was it a war crime? Could it be both? Young historians ponder these questions with an activity that prompts them to use primary sources to summarize the debate surrounding RAF...
Interactive
US National Archives

WWII: Asia 1939-45 – Burma

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Because World War II encompassed most of the globe in one way or another, many pivotal battles and events are not as visible in the history books, leaving veterans of these conflicts feeling overlooked by more famous skirmishes. High...
Activity
American Immigration Law Foundation

No Pretty Pictures

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
Here is a nice set of activities and discussion questions to accompany your class reading of No Pretty Pictures, a memoir of a young girl's experiences and struggle for survival during the Holocaust.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hitler's Fatal Gamble

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students consider the differences between totalitarianism and democracy. In this comparative politics lesson, students will read a handout describing the major components that comprise totalitarianism and democracy, then they will...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Until Then I Had Only Read About These Things in Books

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students read assigned text about the World War II. In this Holocaust survival lesson, students identify the mass murders associated with Adolf Hitler's Nazi party and read stories of young men who narrowly avoided the death camps....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World War II: Internment in Hawaii

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students examine world history by writing an essay in class. For this World War II lesson, students identify the attack on Pearl Harbor, the response from the U.S and the effect it had on Japanese-Americans. Students define Japanese...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Diversity: History

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils use samll research groups, discussion and diversity beans to examine the role of individuals and governments in WWII.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eden's Last Stand: Why Did Anthony Eden Resign in 1938?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students investigate the politics of England by reading historic letters.  In this world history lesson, students research the Conservative British Government during the beginning of World War II.  Students examine an authentic...