Source: The Great War
Research the turning point of World War I through diaries and other documents to explain how soldiers could be pushed to desertion and mutiny. Explore how the personal decisions of individuals can affect the outcome of a war.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Social Studies
Topics: Psychology. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State
Identify corrupt practices that existed at Auschwitz, and consider what happens in a society that tolerates corruption. Analyze poems about concentration camps, and discuss how people from Denmark interceded to save its Jewish population.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies
Topics: Literature: World. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The War
Investigate the complex aspects of Operation Overlord. Discover information about the commanders, geography, history, politics and technological challenges that made this one of the most difficult military operations in history.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: United States History: 1929-1945. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NOVA
Investigate how ciphers can conceal and protect information and how they have been used. Decode an encrypted message using trial-and-error substitution and put a simple message into a complex cipher using a decoder ring.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Math, Social Studies
Topics: Functions and Algebra. Problem Solving. World History: 1900-1945. World History: 1945-1990.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State
Discuss possible motivations for the behavior of people during World War II. Analyze a document that describes how local police were told to behave prior to the deportations of the Jews, and examine a memoir describing Auschwitz.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies
Topics: Non-Fiction: Biography and Autobiography. Non-Fiction: Letters, Diaries and Essays. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Destination America
Investigate instances of genocide both historical and recent. Emulate members of the press by creating an editorial describing the problem and outlining steps governments should take to combat genocide.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Sociology. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Point of View
Examine the relationship between Jewish and non-Jewish people in Poland before and during WWII in order to understand the term "universe of obligation." Explore the responsibilities people in a community have for each other.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Sociology. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Lawrence of Arabia
Study Lawrence of Arabia as a leader, a hero, a celebrity and a legend. Examine how propaganda can be used in times of war, and explore WWI leaders, their strategies and their success.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Media Studies. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Berga: Soldiers of Another War
Explore the Holocaust from the unique perspective of American prisoners of war. Respond to in-depth profiles and interviews with Berga witnesses, and consider the importance of memory and testimony in recording the impact of the Holocaust.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: United States History: 1929-1945. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Great War
Examine interactive maps of three major battles of World War I: the battles of the Somme, Verdun and Ypres. Research the fighting conditions, casualties and results of each battle, and create journalistic day-to-day accounts of the fighting.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Geography. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: People's Century: 1900-1999
Explore the dehumanizing conditions during WWI that were worsened by modern military technology and the various expectations of the citizens during this time. Discuss how soldiers and civilians coped or helped others during the war.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Perilous Fight: America's World War II in Color
Explore the stories of those who lived through World War II by examining letters, diaries, maps and video, and research one related topic of interest. Compare and contrast WWII to the current situation between the U.S. and Iraq.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies
Topics: Non-Fiction: Letters, Diaries and Essays. World History: 1900-1945. World History: 1990-present.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: KERA: Matisse & Picasso
Create a timeline of personal and world events that occurred during the lifetimes of Matisse and Picasso. Discuss how events influenced their work and consider how art history can serve as a major source of historical and cultural interpretation.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Historical Perspective. World History: 1900-1945. Critical Thinking Skills. Visual Arts.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State
Discuss the extent to which various people were responsible for the Holocaust, and examine personal accounts of liberation from a concentration camp. Explore options for personal behavior at times when genocide is occurring.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies
Topics: Non-Fiction: Biography and Autobiography. Civics: Civil and Human Rights. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: People's Century: 1900-1999
Explore the conflicting feelings of nationalism, fascism, militarism and pacifism after the end of WWI. Consider the efforts to promote disarmament after WWI, whether WWII was inevitable and what factors influenced WWII.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State
Analyze poems about the Holocaust, and identify populations other than Jews who were targeted by the Nazis. Examine international political responses to genocide in the years following the Holocaust.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies
Topics: Literature: World. Civics: Civil and Human Rights. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Great War
Define "total war," and explore the extent of human casualties in World War I, including how people died and which groups were especially targeted. Explore poems written by World War I soldiers, and create original descriptive works and poetry.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies
Topics: Literature: World. Writing: Composition. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State
Discuss the spread of Nazi ideology and territory, and identify the steps the Nazis used to deport Jews to death camps. Summarize why many European nations collaborated with the Nazis, and analyze one's responsibility to obey orders from authorities.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Simon Schama's Power of Art
Explore the work of Picasso and his transition from apolitical to political artist. Analyze Picasso's Guernica for imagery, line, composition, color, shape, mood and subject.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: War. World History: 1900-1945. Art History. Visual Arts.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: People's Century: 1900-1999
Explore the Communist Revolution, the dreams of equality that this new government promised to its people and the terror inflicted by dictators Lenin and Stalin. Consider the propaganda used during this time period and the pros and cons of communism.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NOVA
Examine the history of the Battleship Yamato, and describe the Battleship Yamato's design, capabilities and significance. Discuss how war tactics have changed over time.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Science & Tech, Social Studies
Topics: Transportation. Technology and Civilization. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State
Discuss how and when the Nazis came to power, and describe the Nazi philosophy of ethnic purity. Examine Holocaust-related poems, and discuss the moral dilemmas faced by both concentration camp prisoners and perpetrators.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Great War
Identify and analyze the factors (including trench warfare) that led to WWI's stalemate, and determine how altered battle plans could have led to the war's earlier end. Examine Germany's Schliefflen plan and analyze and rectify its strategic flaws.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Great War
Investigate why it was impossible to achieve a lasting peace after the end of fighting in the Great War. Research how propaganda swayed delegates against a "peace without victory," and create "pro-treaty" propaganda posters or speeches.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Media Studies. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Lost Liners
Examine concepts and issues regarding the First World War, investiage the sinking of the RMS Lusitania and simulate an international board of inquiry to determine fault and responsibility for the sinking of the Lusitania.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: United States History: 1890-1930. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The War
Investigate nine key Holocaust topics through primary source materials including photos, interviews, video clips and letters. Collaborate with peers to create a visual presentation of one of the topics.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Sociology. War. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Great War
Investigate how the redrawing of the map of Europe by the Big Four helped sow the seeds for the rise of Adolf Hitler and World War II. Determine and defend a position on whether delegates at the Versailles conference could have avoided another war.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Ethics. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NewsHour Extra
Discuss the obstacles that exiles may encounter when working with the Iraqi civilian population. Identify parallels between the obstacles in the return of exiles to Afghanistan and the possible challenges faced in Iraq's rebuilding.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Freedom: A History of US
Examine Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points, discuss how Wilson's plan and the establishment of the League of Nations were intended to bring peace. Compare these with the Treaty of Versailles and the results of the demands for reparations from Germany.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: United States History: 1890-1930. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Freedom: A History of US
Identify the Allies' goals for D-Day and discuss the obstacles the Allies faced and advantages they had on D-Day. Examine the role of the Tuskegee Airmen and describe their achievements in World War II.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. United States History: 1929-1945. World History: 1900-1945. Cultural Studies: Asian American Studies.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Great War
Investigate the events that led to the United States' entrance in the war, and examine other causes (economic, diplomatic and military) of the German collapse that led to the end of the war. Create a timeline of these events.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: United States History: 1890-1930. World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Great War
Examine the events and people that led the world toward global war. Research and analyze the causes to determine how the events, if altered, might have averted war or ended it sooner.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
Topics: World History: 1900-1945.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
