Effects of World Ward II
Social Studies Lesson Plan Template
1. Title: Effects of World War II/ 5th grade (topic/specify grade level)
2. Overview - Big Ideas:
Enduring Understandings – It is important for students to understand the causes and effects of
WW II. Students will have a better understanding of the importance of the United States contribution on
WWII.
Essential Questions – (What provocative questions will you use to foster inquiry, understanding
and transfer of learning?)
Would the Allies have been successful in defeating the Germans if the United States
wouldn’t have entered the war ?

Was the US motivated to join the war? Why or why not?

What caused the US to get involved in WWII?

How is communism different form democracy
3. Lesson Objectives and Key Vocabulary:
Standards - SS.912.W.7.7, SS.912.W.8.8, SS.912.W.7.11, SS.912.W.7.8, SS.A.5.2.6 (5.2)
Vocabulary words to know:

Refugee

Holocaust

Communism

Free world

Cold war
Evidence of Student Understanding (Assessment) in this Lesson:
What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this lesson? Students will
understand the causes and effects of WWII. Students will understand changes that occurred in
countries after WWII. Students will understand how Germany was divided, how the United
States became a world leader and how the Cold War began.
What will students be able to do as a result of such knowledge and skills? Students will be able
to understand how cause and effect will help them understand information better. Students will
be able to state what happened to Germany, Soviet Union, and the United States after WWII.
Students will be able to state reasons why the US was involved in WWII.
4. Materials Needed:
 Horizons US history book
 Graphic Organizer on cause and effect
 Map of Europe during WWII.( www.mapsofworld.com/world-maps/image/world-war-2.jpg)
WEBSITE : http://www.ushmm.org/, WWW.BRAINPOP.COM,
http://www.cumbriagridforlearning.org.uk/index.php?category_id=783 (this is a primary
source image), http://www.russianlife.com/article.cfm?Number=633.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/57/230402874_8e91b96968.jpg (Primary source propaganda)
 Paper and pencil
5. Steps to Deliver the Lesson: The teacher will:
 Access prior knowledge by asking students to discuss why countries have conflicts
with each other.
 Allow students to discuss with you their opinions
 Show students Brain Pop video on WWII. WWW.BRAINPOP.COM.
 Give students the lessons vocabulary words and ask them to categorize each word
on whether they refer to politics and government or to personal hardship. Allow
students to work with a buddy. This should take no longer than 10 minutes. When
finished and clarify with students.
 Give students graphic organizer on cause and effect (you can make a three column
cause and effect graphic organizer. One side should read “Country” the other should
read “effects of war” and the last should read “How was the US involved. As
students read the lesson students complete the chart. Students should briefly state
what happened in each country after WWII.
 Teacher and students read “The Holocaust” in lesson 4 page 572 in their Horizons
book.
 When finished reading teacher refers to first part of step 6.
 Day 2
 To access prior knowledge teacher shows students a picture of refugee
http://www.cumbriagridforlearning.org.uk/index.php?category_id=783
 To access prior knowledge teacher shows students a picture of a Dr. Suess
propaganda using http://farm1.static.flickr.com/57/230402874_8e91b96968.jpg
 Teacher asks students to analyze the picture of the refugee kids. Teacher asks
students what they think happened to those kids after the war.
 Teacher then asks students the what was meant by the picture.
 Teacher reads “Plans for Peace” and “A Change World” with class. As students read
they complete their graphic organizer on cause and effect.
 Teacher asks students why they think the US and Soviet Union became enemies if
they fought on the same side during World War II.
 Teacher refers to 2nd step in step 6 of specific activities.
 Assessment: Students create a news paper that time lines the events that led the US
to enter the war and the events after the war including what happened to the
Soviet Union and the Germans. Refer to step 6 for assessment steps.
6. Specific Activities: (From Guided to Independent)
 Teacher passes out website documents from
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005182 (print and copy and pass
out to students) and primary source picture
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/media_ph.php?ModuleId=10005182&MediaId=1039.
Divide students into groups of three. Ask students to read carefully the information and
highlight the information that shows U.S. involvement and US motivation during the
Holocaust. Also students should study the picture. When students are finished, they write
down whether they think the US was motivated or not motivated to help during the
holocaust and why.
 Teacher divides the class into groups of three. Teacher passes out article on
http://www.russianlife.com/article.cfm?Number=633. Teacher divides article into 8
sections. (This depends on amount of students in class). Teacher asks the kids to read the
section provided to them very carefully. When finished, students must walk around the
classroom looking for the other classmates. Their goal is to place all of the events from the
article in order. Students are only allowed to speak. They cannot and must not read each
others papers and or put the papers together. When finished, students discuss the events.
Teacher clarifies any misconceptions and corrects any mistakes.
 Students go back to their seats. There they write a list of key people and key events
discussed in the lesson. Then students write a brief summary of the effects of World War II.
 Assessment: Students write an editorial page that discusses the history mystery question
“would the Allies have been successful in defeating the Germans if the US wouldn’t have
entered the war?” Students must base their opinion on the information they learned and
include effects of the war. Students are required to add photos to the editorial page. The
length of the editorial should be at least one full page and include a picture that relates to
what they wrote about. The picture can be propaganda, comic strip, or a map.
 Rubric is a s follows: 5 points for answering the question in full detail and including opinion
based on the information learned, 2 point for being a full page, 1 point for grammar and
punctuation, 1 point for neatness, 1 point for following instructions, 1 point for
presentation.
7. Differentiated Instruction Strategies:
Teacher divides students according to levels. Teacher pairs students with helping buddies,
Teacher uses visuals on board, teacher gives key vocabulary word cards to students, teacher
allows for cooperative learning groups
8. Technology Integration:
Teacher uses online resources: Map of Europe during WWII.( www.mapsofworld.com/worldmaps/image/world-war-2.jpg) WEBSITE : http://www.ushmm.org/, WWW.BRAINPOP.COM,
http://www.cumbriagridforlearning.org.uk/index.php?category_id=783 (this is a primary source
image), http://www.russianlife.com/article.cfm?Number=633
Teacher uses smart board to show articles and visuals and maps.
9. Lesson Closure:
Teacher reviews key content with class. Students answer the following questions:

Would the Allies have been successful in defeating the Germans if the United States
wouldn’t have entered the war?

Was the US motivated to join the war? Why or why not?

What caused the US to get involved in WWII?

How is communism different form democracy?

Why did the US and Soviet Union became enemies if they fought on the same side
during World War II.