Unit Plan
Grade Level:
Unit #:
Unit Name:
7th
5
World War I
Big Idea/Theme:
World War I had numerous causes and major impacts at home and abroad
during the early twentieth century.
Culminating Assessment (choose one):
1) Create a propaganda poster and identify your viewpoint as well as what you
are opposing.
2) World War I letter: RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) write a letter from
the viewpoint of a solider, nurse, someone from home, etc. describing life
during World War I.
Unit Understanding(s)
Students will understand that…
Militarism, alliances, imperialism,
and nationalism led to WWI.
The League of Nations and the
Treaty of Versailles were created
but both proved to be unsuccessful.
Understand the human and
financial cost of war to all societies
involved.
Unit Essential Question(s):
7-5.1 How did militarism, alliances,
imperialism, and nationalism lead to
WWI?
7-5.1 How did the mechanization of
war lead to a greater human cost
than in previous wars?
7-5.1 Why did the United States
enter WWI?
7-5.1 How did the Russian
Revolution affect WWI?
7-5.2 Why was the League of
Nations unsuccessful?
7-5.2 What were the effects of the
Treaty of Versailles?
Students will know… / Students will be able to…
Identify key players involved in World War I.
Create a timeline depicting important events during WWI.
Summarize the causes of World War I (MAIN).
Outline the key events during the Russian Revolution and why it played a role
during World War I.
Outline the events that led the entry of the United States into the war.
Summarize the development & outcome of the Treaty of Versailles.
Identify the failures of the League of Nations.
Create a timeline of key events from WWI (1914-1919).
1
Essential Vocabulary
Armistice
Triple Alliance/Central Powers
Triple Entente/Allies
Trench warfare
Alliance
Militarism
Reparations
Propaganda
Collectives
Purge
Czar
Communism
Imperialism
Nationalism
Isolationist
Bolsheviks
Two-front war
South Carolina Academic Standards:
7-5.1 Explain the causes and key events of World War I, including the rise of
nationalism, ethnic and ideological conflicts in different regions, political
and economic rivalries, the human costs of the mechanization of war, the
Russian Revolution, and the entry of the United States into the War. (H, P,
G, E)
7-5.2 Explain the outcome and effects of World War I, including the conditions
and failures of the League of Nations and the Treaty of Versailles and the
effects of major treaties on population movement, the international
economy, and shifts in borders. (H, P, G, E)
Interim Assessment (formative)
Quizzes
Tests
Discussion
Journals
Class participation
Partner/group work
Exit slips
Questioning
Interim Assessment (formativesample)
See Below
2
STANDARDS-BASED
DAILY LESSON PLAN
Subject Area:
Level:
Unit #:
Unit Theme:
Duration of lesson:
Social Studies
7th
5
World War I & Causes and Effects of World War I
50 minutes
Applicable Unit Understandings
The human and financial cost of war to all societies involved was huge.
Applicable Unit Essential Questions
In what ways was WWI costly to all countries involved?
Is the cost of war worth it?
SC Academic Standards
7-5.1 Explain the causes and key events of World War I, including the rise of
nationalism, ethnic and ideological conflicts in different regions, political and
economic rivalries, the human costs of the mechanization of war, the Russian
Revolution, and the entry of the United States into the War. (H, P, G, E)
Lesson
Segment
1
Instructional
Strategies
Silent Graffiti
Teacher Activities
2
Discussion
Once all students have
responded at least once,
teacher will facilitate discussion.
3
Questioning
Teacher will share the following
quotes about war (one for war
and one against war):
1) “Right is more precious
than peace…” by
Woodrow Wilson as the
US enters WWI.
2) “Mothers should
negotiate between
nations, the mothers of
the fighting countries
would agree. Stop this
killing now, stop it now.”
by Yoshikuni Taki post
WWII.
Teacher will write the word
“WAR” on the board.
Student Tasks
Students will take turns
coming to the board,
silently responding to
the term.
Students will list,
responding as needed
for clarification of
response.
Students will copy both
quotes in their binders
and then respond to
them, by agreeing with
one statement
(therefore disagreeing
with the other) and
justifying their reasons.
Students will write
these responses.
3
4
Cooperative
learning
5
Discussion
/debate
Teacher will post the two quotes
on separate sides of the room.
Then he/she will direct students
to stand beside the quote they
must strongly agree with. Once
all students have moved
accordingly, teacher will direct
students to discuss with one
another their reasons for
selecting their quotes. Teacher
will likewise instruct students to
select their best arguments and
select one spokesperson to
represent their group.
Teacher will facilitate class
discussion/debate of why war is
acceptable or unacceptable.
Students will move to
the quotes and then
upon the direction of
the teacher, share the
reasons for their
choices. Groups will
choose their best
arguments and elect a
spokesperson(s) to
share with teacher and
class.
Spokesperson(s) will
share arguments with
teacher and class.
They will also be
respectful of other’s
ideas.
6
Assessment
Teacher will collect quote
Students will hand in
responses.
their quote responses.
*This activity works best when revisited after studying World War II, to see if
student responses have changed.
Materials and Resources
Copies of quotes (transparencies or electronic & those to display on walls)
Whiteboard, ActivBoard, markers, pencils, paper
4
Key Criteria (to meet the standard/rubric)
1) Propaganda Poster
CATEGORY 4
3
2
1
Graphics Relevance
All graphics are
related to the
topic and make
it easier to
understand.
All graphics are All graphics
related to the
relate to the
topic and most topic.
make it easier
to understand.
Graphics do
not relate to the
topic.
Graphics Originality
Several of the
graphics used
on the poster
reflect an
exceptional
degree of
student
creativity in
their creation
and/or display.
One or two of
the graphics
used on the
poster reflect
student
creativity in
their creation
and/or display.
No graphics
made by the
student are
included.
Title
Title is relevant Title is relevant Title is
There is no
and creative.
and somewhat relevant, but
title.
creative.
lacks creativity.
The graphics
are made by
the student, but
are based on
the designs or
ideas of others.
Attractiveness The poster is
exceptionally
attractive in
terms of
design, layout,
and neatness.
The poster is
attractive in
terms of
design, layout
and neatness.
The poster is
acceptably
attractive
though it may
be a bit messy.
The poster is
distractingly
messy or very
poorly
designed. It is
not attractive.
Required
Elements
(name, date,
period)
All required
elements are
included on the
poster.
All but 1 of the
required
elements are
included on the
poster.
Several
required
elements were
missing.
The poster
includes all
required
elements as
well as
additional
information.
5
3) World War I Letter (RAFT)
CATEGORY
4
3
2
1
Salutation and Salutation and
Closing
closing have no
errors in
capitalization
and
punctuation.
Salutation and
closing have 12 errors in
capitalization
and
punctuation.
Salutation and Salutation
closing have 3 and/or closing
or more errors are missing.
in capitalization
and
punctuation.
Ideas
Ideas were
expressed in a
clear and
organized
fashion. It was
easy to figure
out what the
letter was
about.
Ideas were
expressed in a
pretty clear
manner, but the
organization
could have
been better.
Ideas were
somewhat
organized, but
were not very
clear. It took
more than one
reading to
figure out what
the letter was
about.
The letter
seemed to be a
collection of
unrelated
sentences. It
was very
difficult to
figure out what
the letter was
about.
Content
Accuracy
The letter
contains at
least 5 accurate
facts about the
topic.
The letter
contains 3-4
accurate facts
about the topic.
The letter
contains 1-2
accurate facts
about the topic.
The letter
contains no
accurate facts
about the topic.
Neatness
Letter is typed,
clean, not
wrinkled, and is
easy to read
with no
distracting error
corrections. It
was done with
pride.
Letter is neatly
hand-written,
clean, not
wrinkled, and is
easy to read
with no
distracting error
corrections. It
was done with
care.
Letter is typed
and is crumpled
or slightly
stained. It may
have 1-2
distracting error
corrections. It
was done with
some care.
Letter is typed
and looks like it
had been
shoved in a
pocket or
locker. It may
have several
distracting error
corrections. It
looks like it was
done in a hurry
or stored
improperly.
Grammar &
spelling
(conventions)
Writer makes
no errors in
grammar or
spelling.
Writer makes 12 errors in
grammar
and/or spelling.
Writer makes 34 errors in
grammar
and/or spelling
Writer makes
more than 4
errors in
grammar
and/or spelling.
6