From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima ‖ Pivotal Battles
Goals & Objectives
1. Students will understand the key battles that were fought during World War II as
well us understand the Allied strategies.
2. As a team, students will work together to solve the battle riddles they were
provided with in order to win the game.
3. By solving each riddle and listing its corresponding battle, students will have an
understanding of the battlefronts of World War II.
4. Students will identify pivotal battles by solving riddles and clues.
California State Content Standards
11.7.2: Explain U.S. and Allied wartime strategy, including the major battles of Midway,
Normandy, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Battle of the Bulge.
Common Core Literacy Standards
Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6-12
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and
media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or
solve a problem.
Driving Historical Question
What were the key battles of World War II? What aspects of the Allied Strategy made their
campaigns so successful?
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 10 min.
To introduce this lesson, I will post one of the most famous pictures of World War II, the
Marines raising the flags over Iwo Jima. There will be questions posted as well:
1. What do you notice first?
2. What stands out to you? Why?
3. Where was this picture taken?
4. What does this picture represent?
5. Do you think this picture is representative of the United States? Why or why not?
Students will be asked to discuss what they know about the picture amongst each other for
a few minutes before having a group discussion. We will then have a group discussion
about the photograph and I will ask the questions aloud and get student feedback
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖ Time:
Midway
Normandy
Operation Overlord
Iwo Jima
Okinawa
Battle of the Bulge
Battle of Guadalcanal
Battle of Peleliu
Battle of Okinawa
Campaign
Eastern Front
Pacific Theater
These terms will be addressed while students are working on their riddles. They will need
to know the definitions of these in order to complete their tasks. Their textbook will be
provided for this activity.
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) ‖ Time: Embedded into Student Engagement
For this activity, students will be placed into strategic groups of four. They will be
competing with other teams in order to complete the activity. Each group will be provided
with clues and they have to determine which battle they were given. An example is below:
-Ardennes Forest
-Also known as Watch on the Rhine
-Largest and bloodiest battle the United States was involved in during the war
-Lasted one month
For these clues, the answer would be Battle of the Bulge. Students have their textbooks as
well as an Atlas and one Google Chrome book per team. They are not allowed to Google
clues or they will face a 5-minute penalty, in which their clues will be taken away. The will
only be able to use historical sites such as the World War II site run by the history channel
or the World War II National Museum site. As students figure out their battle, they will
have to identify the name of the battle as well as locate it on the map that was provided to
them. To get the next clue, a team member will have to come to the teacher and see if their
answer is right. To get the answer right, they need to have both the name and the location
correct. Once they have completed the first set of clues, a second set will be provided to
them. The clues will get progressively harder. The first team to complete this assignment
will receive double points for the assignment.
To understand the process, we will do one battle as a group. We will work on the clues
together. The battle that will be used as an example is the Battle of Britain, since it was a
battle the United States was involved in. I will demonstrate to the class how to use the
clues and how to the textbook and other resources to help me solve the clues.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) ‖ Time: 1 hour – 1 hour 20
(dependent on how long students need to solve all the clues)
Students will have to work collaboratively to solve their clues. They will be using their
textbook as well as an Atlas and a Google Chrome book. They will be working
competitively in order to be the first group to solve all the clues. The will have to research
each of the battles in order to solve the clue. They will be provided with a map with
different areas numbered to identify where the battle took place. They will have to figure
out which battle they have as well as which number their battle corresponds to before they
are able to move on.
As teams complete their clues, they will not be permitted to help other teams, or their team
will be penalized. As teams complete their clues, they will have to create quiz questions
regarding each of the battles. They can work on the quiz questions and then quiz each
other within their groups.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 5 – 25 minutes
If time permits, I will collect their quiz questions and spend some time reviewing with
them. If not, the quiz questions become their ticket out the door. Since this game could be
completed quickly or take most of the period, it is more difficult to gauge how much time it
will take to complete their investigations.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formative: The formative assessment for students will be their solving of the clues they
were provided with. The activity after of creating quiz questions and reviewing with each
other will also be a formative assessment.
Summative: The students will turn in their maps of the battles at the end of class as their
summative assessment.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
For English Learners and Striving Readers, they will be provided with a dictionary if
necessary to look up vocabulary words that may not be listed in their textbook. For
Students with Special Needs, modifications will have to be made based off of each
individual students special needs.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
-Textbook: American Vision
-One Atlas per team
-One Google Chrome book per team
Handouts:
-Clues
-Numbered Map
Approved Websites:
-http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii
-http://www.nationalww2museum.org/learn/education/for-students/ww2-history/