The Consequences of World War II – Grade Nine
Ohio Standards
Connection:
History
Benchmark E
Analyze connections between World War II, the
Cold War and contemporary conflicts.
Indicator 11
Analyze the consequences of World War II including: a.
Atomic weapons; b.
Civilian and military losses; c.
The Holocaust and its impact; d.
Refugees and poverty; e.
The United Nations; f.
The establishment of the state of Israel.
Social Studies Skills and
Method
Benchmark B
Use data and evidence to support or refute a thesis.
Indicator 4
Develop and present a research project including: a.
Collection of data; b.
Narrowing and refining the topic; c.
Construction and support of the thesis.
Lesson Summary:
World War II was a devastating war and the effects of it still shape the world today. This lesson focuses on the consequences of the war and their impact from 1945 to present-day.
Estimated Duration: Four hours and 10 minutes
Commentary:
This lesson should be taught at the end of instruction on
World War II. This lesson encourages students to examine the events of World War II and the long term effects on the world today.
Pre-Assessment:

Distribute Attachment A, Pre-Assessment Questions.
Instruct students to use a pencil and write down answers to each pre-assessment question.

Lead a discussion based on the questions, paying special attention to areas students do not know or understand.
Instruct students to use a pen to fill in answers they missed or did not know on Attachment A, Pre-Assessment
Questions.

Collect and review student answers on Attachment A,
Pre-Assessment Questions .
Scoring Guidelines:
During the discussion, pay attention to student answers and use clarifying questions to explore their depth of understanding. After Attachment A, Pre-Assessment
Questions, is collected, review student answers to further evaluate student understanding.
Post-Assessment:
Provide copies of Attachment B, Post-Assessment Project and
Rubric, and review with students.
Scoring Guidelines:
Use the scoring rubric, Attachment B, Post-Assessment
Project and Rubric, to evaluate student work.
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The Consequences of World War II – Grade Nine
Instructional Procedures:
Day One
1.
Have students complete Attachment A, Pre-Assessment Questions, and correct their work during a class discussion.
2.
Write the word “Consequences” on the board. Ask students to think about a time in their lives when they experienced either good or bad consequences for their actions/behaviors.
Encourage a few students to share their examples with the class.
3.
Introduce the lesson’s vocabulary: consequence, atomic bomb, civilian, military, genocide, Holocaust, concentration camp, refugee, United Nations and partition.
Days Two and Three
4.
Provide information about the aftermath of World War II and have students take notes.
5.
Focus instruction on: the use of atomic weapons, civilian and military losses, the
Holocaust and its impact, refugees and poverty, the United Nations and the establishment of Israel.
Day Four
6.
Have students create webs showing long term effects of the use of atomic weapons, the years of major civilian and/or military losses, the Holocaust, when refugees fled Europe, the formation of the United Nations and the establishment of the state of Israel.
Day Five
7.
Explain to students that a thesis statement is an unproven statement used as a premise.
Explain that they will use a thesis statement as the purpose or main idea of their postassessment paper. Have students brainstorm a list of possible research questions about the consequences of World War II. Examples might include their questions about the lasting effects of using atomic weapons or the accomplishments of the United Nations.
8.
After students have listed at least ten questions, have pairs of students choose one from the list and write it at the top of a sheet of paper. Under the question, have them list all of the data that could be used to answer the question. The list might include statistical information, primary source documents, opinions of experts on particular topics, etc.
Remind students that they will be analyzing one particular consequence of the war. They need to look at various sources of information and see how they are interrelated and how they can be interpreted.
9.
Explain to students that they will work individually to answer the research question with a thesis statement which summarizes the information that they found.
10.
Provide copies of Attachment B to help students focus their work.
11.
After students have had sufficient time to gather information, ask each student to submit their thesis statement and a list of the sources that they will use to support the statement.
12.
Review student work and help them refine or narrow the focus if necessary.
13.
Set a due date for the finished post-assessment project.
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The Consequences of World War II – Grade Nine
Differentiated Instructional Support:
Instruction is differentiated according to learner needs, to help all learners either meet the intent of the specified indicator(s) or, if the indicator is already met, to advance beyond the specified indicator(s).

Have students submit an outline of the writing project before writing the paper.

Provide students with possible thesis statements and allow them to choose the thesis statement they will write about.

Have students working beyond the indicator write a paper analyzing two or three of the consequences, looking for connections, patterns and relationships.
Extensions:

Instruct students to write a one or two-page journal entry from one of the following topics:
1.
You are a teenager living in Hiroshima in the months after the atomic bomb was dropped.
2.
You are living in Great Britain at the end of World War II and you have just been informed that your brother, a British soldier, has been killed.
3.
Your family fled war-torn France and is living in a refugee camp.
4.
You are a delegate to the newly formed United Nations; comment on the United
Nations Charter and your hopes for this new organization.
5.
Your family is Jewish and fled Hitler’s Germany to settle in Palestine. The United
Nations has just proclaimed the state of Israel. What is your reaction?

Have students find photographs depicting an aspect of World War II related to a post-war consequence from the indicator. Prepare a photo album on a CD or incorporate it into a slide-show presentation.
Homework Options and Home Connections:

Have students interview someone who lived through the post-World War II period.

Encourage students to look for pictures, articles or letters from the post-war period that were saved by family members.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
English Language Arts

Standard: Writing Processes
Benchmark(s): A. Formulate writing ideas and identify a topic appropriate to the purpose and audience
Indicator(s): 3 .Establish and develop a clear thesis statement for informational writing or a clear plan or outline for narrative writing.
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The Consequences of World War II – Grade Nine
Materials and Resources:
The inclusion of a specific resource in any lesson formulated by the Ohio Department of
Education should not be interpreted as an endorsement of that particular resource, or any of its contents, by the Ohio Department of Education. The Ohio Department of Education does not endorse any particular resource. The Web addresses listed are for a given site’s main page, therefore, it may be necessary to search within that site to find the specific information required for a given lesson. Please note that information published on the Internet changes over time, therefore the links provided may no longer contain the specific information related to a given lesson. Teachers are advised to preview all sites before using them with students.
For the teacher: Reference materials.
For the student: Pen and pencil.
Vocabulary:
 consequence
 atomic bomb
 civilian
 military
 genocide

Holocaust
 concentration camp
 refugee

United Nations
 partition
Technology Connections:

Have students create a spreadsheet on the civilian and military losses of World War II.

Use the Internet to access Web sites for research on the students’ writing projects.
 Use word processing software for writing the students’ projects.

Have students create an audio or video recording of an interview with a person who lived through the post-war period.
 Prepare a photo “album” on a CD or incorporate it into a slide-show presentation.
Research Connections:
Marzano, R. et al. Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for
Increasing Student Achievement , Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development, 2001.
Summarizing and note taking are two of the most powerful skills to help students identify and understand the most important aspects of what they are learning.
Generating and testing hypotheses engages students in one of the most powerful and analytic of cognitive operations. It deepens students’ knowledge and understanding.
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The Consequences of World War II – Grade Nine
General Tips:

The research project could be changed to an essay.

The rubric can be amended to contain more points.
Attachments:
Attachment A, Pre-Assessment Questions
Attachment B, Post-Assessment Project and Rubric
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The Consequences of World War II – Grade Nine
Attachment A
Pre-Assessment Questions
Directions: Answer the questions below using pencil.
1. Why were atomic weapons used during World War II?
2. Define civilian losses.
3. Define military losses.
4. What was the Holocaust?
5. What happened to refugees after World War II?
6. Why was the United Nations formed?
7. Why was the country of Israel established?
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The Consequences of World War II – Grade Nine
Attachment B
Post-Assessment Project and Rubric
Directions: Write a thesis statement and two- to three-page paper analyzing one of the consequences of World War II. You may choose from the following topics:

The use of atomic weapons during World War II;

Civilian and military losses during World War II;

The Holocaust;

Refugees and poverty;

The United Nations;

The establishment of the state of Israel.
A thesis statement states the purpose, intent or main idea of the paper. The thesis statement serves as an answer to your research question that you have the support with information and argument. Use at least three sources to support your thesis statement in the body of your paper. You will also need to provide correct citations for your sources.
Research question:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Thesis statement:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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The Consequences of World War II – Grade Nine
Attachment B (continued)
You will be graded based on the following rubric:
Rubric
Objectives Adequate
2 points
Points Earned
Develops a thesis statement.
Uses data and information to analyze the consequences of the topic.
Support for the thesis statement.
Exemplary
Performance
3 points
Develops a clear thesis statement which addresses consequences of
World War II.
Uses data and information from more than three sources to analyze the consequences of the selected topic.
The information is explained in detail.
Arguments support the thesis and are organized logically.
Develops a thesis statement which addresses consequences of
World War II.
Uses data and information from three sources to analyze the consequences of the selected topic.
There is general information in support of the thesis and supporting arguments are organized logically.
Needs
Improvement
1 point
Develops a thesis statement, but the statement does not address the topic adequately.
Uses data and information from only one or two sources to analyze the consequences of the selected topic.
There is some information to support the thesis but some arguments may not support the thesis.
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