Lesson Title
Grade Level
Why War?
8
Lesson Topic
United States entrance into World War I
SC Standards and
Indicators
8-6.1
Common Core
Strategy(ies)
addressed
Teacher
Duration of Lesson
Chauncey McElheney
60 minutes
Explain the reasons for United States involvement in World War I and the
war’s impact on South Carolina and the nation as a whole, including the
building of new military bases and economic impact of emigration to
industrial jobs in the North
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development;
summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
Academic
Vocabulary
World War I, Unrestricted Submarine Warfare, U-Boat, Lusitania,
Zimmermann Note, Woodrow Wilson, Fourteen Points, American
Expeditionary Force,
Lesson Materials
Needed (attached at
end of lesson)
Content Narrative
SMARTboard Lesson, ETV Streamline, Zimmermann Note Primary Source,
WWI Ticket Out the Door
(What is the background
information that needs to
be taught to understand
the context of the lesson?
Be sure to include
necessary citations)
Previous Knowledge:
Students should have prior knowledge of the factors that led to the
involvement of the United States in World War I and the role of the United
States in fighting the war (5-3.6)
Narrative:
Students need to understand that the United States did not want to be
involved in the war as it declared neutrality at its outbreak. The U.S. initially
believed it to be a European issue and did not want to damage trading
relationships between any European countries.
Lesson Set
Content Objective(s)
Literacy Objective(s)
The students will be able to explain the reasons for U.S. involvement in World
War I.
Select or design appropriate forms of Social Studies resources to organize or
Lesson Importance
Connections to prior
and future learning
Anticipatory Set/
Hook (Engage)
evaluate social studies information
World War I is one of the most prolific occurrences in the last century. The
United States played a major role in changing the tide of the war and leading
the Allies to victory. The war impacted each state, including South Carolina,
not just the country as a whole.
In United States History, students will analyze the causes and consequences
of United states involvement in World War I (USHC-5.4)
Woodrow Wilson:
“Tell me what is right, and I will fight for it.”
Introduce the quote to the students.
Have one of the students read it out loud to the class.
Discuss the meaning of the quote.
Pose the question: “How could this quote be connected to World War I?”
Skill Development
Initial “explain” portion of the lesson. Introduce vocabulary, explain/demonstrate/model the skill
required for the literacy objective, introduce content components.
The content portion is only a brief introduction; the bulk of the student learning will take place during
the guided practice activity.
Introdu Vocabulary
ce
content Listed in the SMART Lesson are vocabulary words that you could use to help introduce World
compo War I
nents
World War I: A war fought from 1914 to 1918, in which Great Britain, France, Russia and the
United States defeated Germany & Austria-Hungary
Neutrality: Nonparticipation in a dispute or war
Lusitania: British passenger ship that was sank by a German U-Boat
Propaganda: Biased information used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or
point of view
“I do”
Skill
from
objecti
ve
Woodrow Wilson: President during World War I
Introduce World War I with two video segments from the ETV Streamline
“American History: From the Great War to the Great Depression.”
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=world+war+I#selItemsPerPage=20&intCurre
ntPage=0&No=0&N=4294939055&Ne=&Ntt=world%2Bwar%2BI&Ns=&Nr=&browseFilter=&i
ndexVersion=&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode%252Bmatchallpartial
introduce
/explain/
model
•
•
World War I
The United States and World War I
Ask these questions after “World War I”:
1. What causes led to WWI?
2. How would “nationalism” lead to an arms race?
3. Why did more and more countries become involved in the war?
4. What new strategies were first used in WWI?
Ask these questions after “The United States and World War I”:
1. How did the U.S. position itself at the beginning of the war?
2. How did the American public feel?
3. What happened to the “Lusitania?”
4. What was the Zimmerman Telegram?
5. How did the American public respond to the Telegram?
Guided Practice
This is the inquiry portion of the lesson, student-centered & often cooperative learning strategies
used, teacher acting as facilitator, also known as Explore.
Primary Source Analysis: The Zimmermann Note
“We do”
Activity Description
Include student “explore”
components and
opportunities for them to
explain their learning.
Follow the link to find the Zimmermann Note primary source:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/#documents
Follow the link to find a copy of a Document Analysis Worksheet:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/document.html
1. Have the students take a few minutes to read through the
Zimmermann Note on their own
2. When they have finished, pass out a copy of the Document Analysis
Worksheet
3. Guide the students through completing the DAW
4. Review the significance of Primary Sources in understanding history
5. Upon completing the DAW, have the students answer the following
questions about the Zimmermann Note:
Checking for
Understanding“Informal”
Assessment
1. Who wrote the telegram?
2. When was it written?
3. What was Germany about to begin using?
4. When were they going to begin using it?
5. What would Mexico gain if they agreed to the alliance?
6. Who was the German ambassador in Mexico supposed to inform
of this alliance?
7. What did the German's believe England would do in a few months?
Think-Pair-Share Activity
“Could the U.S. have avoided involvement in World War I? Why or why not?”
Step 1 : Think
You will be given 30-45 seconds to think about and answer a question.
Step 2: Pair
You will be given 30-45 seconds to share your thoughts with a partner.
Step 3: Share
Pairs will be asked to share their thoughts with the class.
Closure
Teacher will re-visit content and answer students’ questions developed during the Guided Practice
component. Summarize the lesson, clarify content, and revisit content and literacy objectives.
Question & Answer
Content Solidified
The teacher will allow for students to answer clarifying questions.
Sample prompting questions for student participation/engagement
1. What were the reasons for U.S. involvement in WWI?
2. How did “unrestricted submarine warfare” cause the U.S. to enter the
war?
3. What impact did the American people have on entering WWI?
Independent Practice
“You Do”
Connections:
The students will connect the concepts discussed in class. To do this, they will
simply use what they have learned to explain how each concept leads to the
next.
There is a brief example provided on the SMART Lesson.
Explain to the students that this activity is like “connecting the dots.” We are
attempting to create a link from one concept to the other and see how they
are related.
Upon completion of the Connections activity, have the students read aloud
their connections to check for understanding. Have the students explain if
they agree or disagree with each other.
Upon completion of the Connections activity, have the students quickly
complete the “Ticket Out the Door” assignment.
They will simply answer the questions and give them to the teacher before
leaving the classroom.
A copy of the questions is attached for printing.
What Do I NEED TO KNOW About U.S. involvement in WWI? (8-6.1)
1. When World War I began, what political stance did the U.S. take?
2. What are 3 reasons that caused the U.S. to get involved in WWI?
a.
b.
c.
3. Which cause did Woodrow Wilson believe to be enough for the U.S.
to enter the war?
4. Why did “unrestricted submarine warfare” bother the American
public?
5. As a result of entering the war, what do we see a rise of in the U.S.?
Summative/ “Formal” Assessment
Assessment
Connections Activity
Students will be given a Classwork grade based on completion and accuracy of
content.
Differentiation
During Lesson
Assessment
SMART Lesson
ESOL students will be allowed to write a shortened length assignment
IEP’s will be followed
Directions will be printed and handed to ESOL &required IEP students
Checking for Understanding
• ETV
• Zimmermann Note
• Ticket Out the Door
Think-Pair-Share
Connections Activity
Reflection
Lesson Reflection
(What went well in the
lesson? What might you
do differently the next
time you teach it?
Evaluate the success of
the lesson)
The students really enjoyed looking at the Zimmermann Note. After they
break it down and really see what Germany is asking of Mexico, they react
very similarly to what the American public did during the War. The students
are really interested in the motives of Germany and their use of “unrestricted
submarine warfare.” With more time, I would look in to using an extra
primary source or two (picture of the Lusitania, propaganda) to add more
emphasis.
Materials Needed for Lesson
Lesson Materials and
Handouts
The National Archives has an excellent document analysis worksheet for student
use. You can access it at:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/written_document_anal
ysis_worksheet.pdf
Ticket Out the Door:
What Do I NEED TO KNOW About U.S. involvement in WWI? (8-6.1)
1.
When World War I began, what political stance did the U.S. take?
2.
What are 3 reasons that caused the U.S. to get involved in WWI?
a.
b.
c.
3.
Which cause did Woodrow Wilson believe to be enough for the U.S. to
enter the war?
4.
Why did “unrestricted submarine warfare” bother the American public?
5.
As a result of entering the war, what do we see a rise of in the U.S.?