WWII Presentations
H US History
Ms. McDugall
Name: ____________________________
Partner(s): __________________________
Topic: _____________________________
Due Date: Monday
Jan. 7, 2013
Project Description:
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Student-chosen groups (2-3 students) will randomly select a topic related to WWII to research and
present to the class.
Presentations should target 30 minutes in length –no shorter than 25 minutes, no longer than 35
minutes.
You will have four in-class library research days to plan the presentation –any additional
preparation must be organized by the group and completed on your own time.
All groups must be prepared to present on Monday, January 7, 2013. Your group may be
requested to present if another group is unprepared. A 10% grade-reduction will be imposed for
each class period that your group is unprepared to present.
Each presentation should incorporate some type of technology and include a relevant, interactive
class activity.
Presentations will be evaluated on a presentation overview, the actual presentation, and an
individual self-reflection. The presentation will be equivalent to one test grade (100%).
Reading notes assignments correlate with group presentation topic; follow the assignment sheet.
The World War II unit test will be Wednesday, January 16, 2013.
Project Specifics:
1. Research
a. Read and take notes on relevant sections of chapters 23 and 24 (WWII unit) in your textbook.
b. Consult the WWII pathfinder link posted on the Library webpage.
c. Become an “expert” on your topic.
d. Focus on the “Key Points of Information” and identify additional important issues and
themes (What does the class need to know about your topic?).
e. Find and utilize additional information that will be interesting when presenting (quotes,
anecdotes, statistics, images, video clips, etc.).
f. Maintain a bibliography in MLA format of all sources utilized.
g. Use the research time effectively and efficiently; all uncompleted work after the four
research days must be finished on the group’s time.
2. Organization and Development
a. Decide the format of your presentation.
b. Incorporate relevant, effective technology (Prezi, video clips~no longer than 5 mins,
music, web activity, etc.). Save your completed presentation in a safe location for
access on the day you present. Using a MAC at home makes
c. Devise an interactive closure activity for the class that gets them involved.
d. Plan out your entire presentation; Divide tasks accordingly and arrange to complete any
unfinished work before parting for Winter Break.
3. Implementation
a. Opener/hook (Get your classmates interested in your topic with an attention grabber!)
b. Closure (Effectively summarize your presentation with appropriate closure.)
c. Practice your presentation so that you stay within the time requirement.
Evaluation:
1. Group Presentation Outline: (30 points) – due Thursday, January 3, 2013
See handout for details
2. Group Presentation: (40 points) – due Monday, January 7, 2013
See Presentation Rubric for details
3. Individual Reflection Essay: (30 points) – due the day following your group presentation
a. 1 page-typed, double-spaced (12-point font, 1 inch margins) individual reflection on
your group’s topic.
b. Consider some –if not all– of the following questions in your essay:
i. What aspects of your topic were most interesting to you and why? What did
you discover about your topic?
ii. Offer your personal opinion on controversial questions related to your topic. Be
sure to justify your opinion with evidence.
iii. What questions/concerns remain about your topic? What do you suppose you
would discover if you researched the topic further?
iv. How did your research of this particular topic impact your overall
understanding of WWII? Of the broader 1930s and 1940s time period?
Total Value: (100 points) 100%
Topics and Key Points of Information:
1. Pearl Harbor (23.3)
A. American Isolation vs. Intervention
B. Preparing for War
C. Japanese motivations for the attack
D. Attack specifics (areas targeted, damage sustained, wounded and killed)
E. Conspiracy Theory: How much did FDR know beforehand?
F. Effects of Pearl Harbor
2. U.S. Mobilization for War/ Home Front/Propaganda (23.3/24.4)
A. Transformation from civilian to war economy
B. Newly created government agencies
C. Role of African-Americans, women, Hispanics
D. Financing the war
E. Office of War Information
F. Focus and effectiveness of US Propaganda –especially posters (Share various examples
of popular posters and their goals)
G. Censorship
3. Major Battles/Campaigns of the European Theater (24.1)
A. Campaign in North Africa
B. Battle of Stalingrad
C. Invasion of Italy
D. Battle of the Atlantic
E. D-Day, Invasion of Normandy
F. Battle of the Bulge
4. Human Rights and the War:
Internment Camps (24.4)
A. Justification for camps/Executive Order 9066
B. Camp life and internees experiences
C. The Korematsu v U.S. Supreme Court case
The War and Anti-Semitism (24.2)
D. Overview/timeline of major events of the Holocaust in Europe
E. American response to Jewish refugees
F. Human Rights obligations of global nations
5. Major Battles/Campaigns of the Pacific Theater (24.1)
A. Japanese Advance/Bataan Death March
B. Island-Hopping Strategy
C. Battle of Coral Sea
D. Battle of Midway
E. Battle of Guadalcanal
F. Battle of Iwo Jima
G. Battle of Okinawa
6. Atomic Bomb (24.5)
A. The Manhattan Project
B. Pros and Cons to using the atomic bomb
C. Consequences/aftermath of the atomic bomb
D. VJ Day
7. End of WWII (24.5)
A. Allied Conferences: Yalta and Potsdam
B. VE Day
C. US – Soviet relations; beginning of the Cold War
D. United Nations
E. Nuremberg Trials (24.2)
WWII Presentation Rubric
(Submit on the day of your presentation)
Topic________________________
Name________________________
Quality/Depth of Research
___________ /5
Did you address important information in a way that was clear and appropriate for an Honors-level class?
0
1
2
3
4
5
Not at all
Significantly Lacking
Poor
Average Good
Outstanding
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------Quality of Presentation
__________/10
Is there evidence that you rehearsed/practiced your presentation?
Were you within the time parameters (30 minutes +/– 5)? Did you plan time accordingly?
Did all parts of your presentation fit together in a logical and cohesive way?
Did you develop intriguing discussion questions?
Did you display energy and confidence?
Use for all 5 categories:
0
1
2
Not at all
Yes, but with limitations
Yes
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------Workload Distribution
___________/4
Did your group equitably distribute the workload, both in preparation and in execution?
0
1
2
3
4
Not at all
Significantly Lacking
Average
Good
Outstanding
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------Presentation Overview/Introduction
___________/2
Did your overview/introduction effectively give a sense of the historical events and the questions they provoke?
Did you effectively grab the attention of your classmates?
0
1
2
Not at all
Yes, but with limitations
Yes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------Presentation Effectiveness
__________/10
Is it clearly evident that you made the most use of your research time by utilizing substantive resources?
Was your information factual and unbiased?
Did the information presented aid in effectively communicating the main ideas surrounding your topic?
Did you maintain perspective and momentum without getting lost in extraneous details?
Did you cite references (bibliography) in proper MLA format?
Use for all 5 categories:
0
1
2
Not at all
Yes, but with limitations
Yes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------Presentation Closure
__________/9
Was your closure activity well-developed?
Were students involved and actively participating?
Did it provide an effective means of closure?
Use for all 3 categories:
0
1
Not at all
Poor
2
Good
3
Outstanding
Overall Score___________/ 40