Model Curriculum Unit Lesson Plan Template
Content Area/Course: World History
Grade(s): 9
Date:
Time: 2-3 hours
Unit Title: The Great Wars: World War One
Lesson Title: United States Entry into World War One
Essential Question(s) to be addressed in this lesson: Is war an agent of progress?
Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in this lesson: U.S. entry into WWI, major contributing factor to the Allied victory
Assumptions about what students know and are able to do coming into this lesson (including language needs): Students should be
familiar with the causes of WWI, the two sides fighting each other, and the nature of the warfare. Students should also have at least a
brief familiarity with the fact that the United States had not declared its full entry into World War One before 1917. This lesson will come
in toward the middle of the overall unit, in between looking at the nature of warfare during WWI and the key reasons that Germany
sought an armistice in 1918, one of which was the impact that the United States had on the course of the war.
Where this lesson comes in a sequence:
Beginning
Middle
End
Outcome(s)
By the end of this lesson students will know and be able to: 1. Identify and explain the steps leading to U.S. entry into World War One.
2. Analyze and evaluate the decision by the United States government to declare war on Germany and enter WWI.
Instructional Resources/Tools (What does the complexity of these texts or sources demand of the students?)
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Primary source quotes (excerpts) – see provided document
WWI video of some kind? Permission for the ones below? Nothing on WGBH Teacher’s Domain…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP8p1uD3-Cg - 7:30 min video, discusses American neutrality early on…only use first 4:45
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_FAOk4uMp8&feature=fvwrel - 10 min History channel video on “Secrets of WWI” focused on
US involvement, though told by a British narrator - can start this first part (its 1 of 5) at 1:30 - which discussed the need for US help in
1917 - but SHOULD start at 3:30 which starts w Princip assassination of Ferdinand or could also just play 8:15 to 9:33 for American
neutrality but with economic ties to allies...
Anticipated Student Preconceptions/Misconceptions
Students may not have strong background knowledge about the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico – including the MexicanAmerican War and American intervention in the Mexican Revolution. Students may not have strong background knowledge in terms of
different types of government and economic systems that would shed light on U.S. ties to the Allies during WWI.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Draft Lesson Plan Template for use with Model Curriculum Units – January 2012
Page 1 of 3
Model Curriculum Unit Lesson Plan Template
Pre-assessment/ Formative
Assessment
Summative (optional)
Activities should be scaffolded as to check for student
understanding based on individual work, student contributions to
pairs and small groups, and whole class discussions. Class and
home work may also be collected.
N/A
Lesson Sequence and Description
1. Opener: Analysis of Wilson quote from 1914 speech to Congress (quote #1 on
accompanying document) discussing American neutrality. Students read the
quote and break it down by its message, purpose, and significance. This is done
in Think-Write-Pair-Share. Culminates in class discussion of American neutrality
at the start of WWI.
2. Class discussion of the skill of analyzing quotes, including identification of
confusing or new vocabulary, use of context clues, etc.
3. Introduction of the lesson – using quotes to understand the process by which
America went from declaring neutrality to declaring war during WWI. Students
are told that they will be presented with other quotes to analyze, but that these
quotes will not be in chronological order – that part of this lesson’s work is to
develop deeper analytic skills in terms of being able to infer sequence.
4. Optional: show the first 4:45 of the following video that gives an overview of the
steps to U.S. entry, which would help the students be better prepared for quote
activity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP8p1uD3-Cg
5. Students are provided with addition quotes – without dates attached – and
asked to first analyze them, then attempt to sequence them. Students attempt
this individually.
6. Students then pair up in order to share their thoughts, explain their sequencing
attempt and rationales. In pairs, students come to concensus on a sequence for
the quotes.
7. Pairs then becomes fours and repeat the process.
8. Fours then post their sequences around the room for other groups to visit – one
student from each group stays by their group list in order to explain the group
rationale while all others circulate to view other lists. This position can be rotated
so that all students get a chance to walk around and talk to other groups.
9. Students return to their desks and have 5 minutes with their groups to
reconsider their sequence.
10. Class discussion of the process and attempt at a whole class consensus of the
sequence as well as discussion of the steps that led the U.S. into WWI.
11. Students either get to the correct sequence or the teacher provides feedback to
get them there (either with hints or by showing the actual sequence). Students
all then take the time to fix the sequence in their notes and to reread the
sequence in order to get a good feel for the actual course of events through the
quotes that dealt with them. Students make sure to write the exact date of each
quote.
12. Students then summarize the steps that brought the U.S. into WWI and may be
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Draft Lesson Plan Template for use with Model Curriculum Units – January 2012
Page 2 of 3
Time spend on #s 1-3 will depend on the
skill level of the students and how much
prior work has been done in terms of
analyzing primary sources, including
documents, quotes or speech excerpts
#4 is optional and may help auditory
learners, ELLs, and other students that
might need more support to complete this
activity
#5 may be modified to include dates and
have the overall focus of this lesson be
changed to only analyze the primary
source quote excerpts and not focus on
figuring out sequencing
There are two versions of the quote
excerpts available – one with longer
versions, one with shorter. Teachers may
choose which set to use. See
accompanying documents.
This column may be used to
suggest/provide:
 Content background needed
 Instructional practices that
support academic language
development
 Specific accommodations for
students with disabilities, ELLs,
advanced students
Model Curriculum Unit Lesson Plan Template
asked to evaluate American leadership throughout the process from neutrality to
war declaration and the final decision to declare war.
13. In their groups of four, students then each choose one quote that they will look
further into in an inquiry-based investigation. Can share conclusions from these
investigations the next day.
14. Students reflect on the process of attempting to sequence and use of context
clues, analyzing quotes, new vocabulary, etc.
15. Students then revisit opener and enhance their predictions, especially based on
the last quote, from David Lloyd George.

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Time estimates for parts of the
lesson
Specific notes to the teacher
Extended Learning/Practice (homework)
Inquiry-based investigation: students look further into one quote to add more context.
They must also find another piece of the larger speech or document and choose one
more passage from it to copy and analyze.
Closure
Review outcomes of this lesson:
 Key steps to U.S. entry into WWI
 Was the U.S. justifiable in declaring war?
 What will likely be the U.S. impact on the war?
 Will official entry into this war be a positive thing for the U.S.?
 Have we improved at analyzing primary sources?
 Have we improved at figuring out sequencing?
Preview outcomes for the next lesson: This lesson will then lead to a look at the impact of the U.S. on the fighting of WWI and the
reasons that Germany soon sought the armistice that ended the warfare.
Teacher Reflection (to be completed after lesson)
What went well in this lesson?
Did all students accomplish the outcome(s))?
What evidence do I have?
What would I do differently next time?
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Draft Lesson Plan Template for use with Model Curriculum Units – January 2012
Page 3 of 3