PROJECT TITLE:
Room 40 – The Zimmerman Telegram and World War I
AUTHOR: Jared A. Morris
SUBJECT & GRADE LEVEL
American History II – 7th Grade
CLASSROOM PRACTICE
1. HI Overview & Teaching Thesis: This lesson dives into the story behind the Zimmerman Telegram.
The First World War has always taken a back seat to World War II in American History. This kit
explores the details surrounding the intriguing spark that sent the U.S. into the First Great War. Expect
a 70-90 minute punch of information and activity that will make a bit of World War I “stick” to the
American student and teacher alike. It covers not only the Zimmerman Telegram and its effects but
also interesting international relationships leading up to it as well.
2. Suggested Grade Level and Length of Activities: U.S. II – 7th Grade – 70-90 minutes
3. Significance & Relevance:
• First off, the activities are primary source and inquiry based. Secondly, the topic of why and
how the U.S. entered into World War I is one that is completely short-changed in U.S. II
curriculum. This lesson combines historical research with very important historical content.
The students are able to come up with their own conclusions as to what might happen before
actually seeing it play out.
State Standards – USII.1a - a) analyze and interpret primary and secondary source documents to
increase understanding of events and life in United States history from 1865 to the present;
USII.5c- Reasons for United States involvement in World War I
OAH Historical Inquiry Skills – 1) Chronological Thinking- students will see a chronological
connection between events leading up to the Zimmerman Telegram and events that followed the
Zimmerman Telegram. 2) Historical Comprehension- students will examine primary source
documents such as letters, diaries, and newspapers. 3) Historical Interpretation and Analysisstudents will analyze the cause-and-effect relationship between the Zimmerman Telegram and
America’s entrance into World War I.
4. Technology - The lesson requires the use of computers in order to utilize the interactive PowerPoint.
There are video and sound elements within the PowerPoint displays as well, so headphones or speakers
will be required as well. The teacher will need a projector for the Room40 instructional PowerPoint.
When students click on the clips in the TopSecret PowerPoint it will open up a new video window. When
the clip is finished it should take them directly back to the slide show, if not, they simply need to re-enter
it. The following are the directions on the student instructions: ∗-Clicking on the Video Files
will bring up a short clip with important information about the various
countries involved. When the clip is finished enter back into the TopSecret
PowerPoint.
5. Lesson Overview
Guiding Questions
Title: Room 40: The
Zimmerman Telegram and
World War I
Guiding Questions
Objectives
A)-define “neutrality.”
B)-analyze and interpret primary and
secondary sources relating to the
relationships between Mexico, Japan,
Germany, and the United States of
America prior to 1917.
Question A: What were the
relationships between the
countries involved in the
C)-connect the Zimmerman Telegram to
Zimmerman Telegram leading U.S. official entrance into World War I.
up to it’s discovery?
D)-develop and support an argument “for”
Question B: How did this
or “against” U.S. involvement in World
telegram affect United States’ War I.
neutrality in the First Great
War?
Question C: What is the
Zimmerman Telegram?
Assessment
Objective A
-define “neutrality” from
Wilson’s speech to congress
promoting neutrality.
Objective B
-create a report on possible
alliances between the
aforementioned countries
leading up to the Zimmerman
Telegram
Objective C
-decode and verbally report on
the findings from the
Zimmerman Telegram and it’s
effects.
Objective D
-create a speech to congress in
support or against involvement
in WWI. Speech must be
supported with evidence from
the lesson.
Activities to support
objectives and assessment
1-Students will analyze part of
Wilson’s speech to congress
promoting neutrality.
2-students will act as
intelligence agents and analyze
and interpret resources from
the TopSecret ppt.
3-students develop a brief
“official report” summarizing
their findings and hypotheses
on possible alliances.
4-students “decode” the
Zimmerman Telegram which
was intercepted by Room 40
(British Naval Intelligence)
5) Students discuss their
findings and connect the
Telegram to Wilson’s speech
asking for a declaration of war
with Germany.
6) Students develop their own
speech to congress arguing
“for” or “against” US
involvement backed by
evidence from the lesson.
6. Related Materials and Resources:
>1-TopSecret.pptx
>2-Room40.pptx
>3-Agent12Report
>4-ZimmermanTelegram
>5-CodeBreaker
>6-AddressToCongress
>7-Room40LessonPlan
>8-AGENTGUIDE
>9-ClassroomInstructionRoom40
>10-TeacherKey/Rubric
>11-Scholarship/Research
>12-InteractivePowerPointTeacherGuide
>13-ZimmermanGuidingQuestions
7. Instructional Bibliography – the sources are embedded into the interactive PowerPoint presentation.