Topic: World War II and the causes
Aim: to ensure students understand the causes and key events of WWII; the reason for the dropping of the atomic bomb; the
importance of Hitler.
Citizenship links The purpose of war and conflict; the ethics of war and reasons behind it; the movement of international politics.
Levels : Level 4 – to describe the reasons and outcomes of WWII, using evidence; Level 5 – to explain the reasons for and outcomes of WWII, using
evidence; Level 6 – to compare and evaluate the reasons and outcomes of WWII, using evidence.
Where this unit fits in: This falls after WWI, and helps students to understand the causes of WWII and question the ethics of the nuclear bomb.
Key words Hitler, causes, alliances, atomic
End of unit assessments will focus upon using sources to enable students to answer questions.
Contribution to SMSC
Empathy: students will consider how decisions were made that ultimately led to war
Interpretation: To understand how a web of decisions led to the war and reactions towards it
Synthesis: To make links between WWII and current world situations.
Resources
Ppts, worksheets, source packs, video clips, ICT, role play cards
Links to future learning:
Students can investigate the cult of Hitler, and the rise of Communism
Students can consider the role of WWII in shaping the world
Students can investigate the act of war and the impact upon families
Literacy – literacy is embedded within the curriculum, in the shape of PEE paragraphs, key words, and sentence starters.
Scheme of Work: Causes and events of WWII
No
.
Lesson
Title/Aim
(Key
Questions)
1.
How important
was the Treaty of
Versailles?
Learning Objectives
(Learning about /
Learning from)
4- to describe what the
Treaty of Versailles was
5 – to explain what the
Treaty of Versailles was
6 – to evaluate the
importance of the Treaty of
Versailles and make links with
the rise of Hitler
Year Group: Year 9
Lesson Content- teaching activities
Use of AFL
Starter – show students the results of WWI. What do they
think the attitude towards Germany could be as a result?
Discuss in pairs and students to feedback one answer. EXT:
Do they think people might be feeling vengeful towards
Germany? If so, why?
Next – show students the attitudes of the French, British, and
Americans. What are the key differences and key similarities
in their attitudes towards Germany? Students are to work in
threes and find the answers.
Resources
4- to describe what
the Treaty of
Versailles was
5 – to explain what
the Treaty of
Versailles was
6 – to evaluate the
importance of the
Treaty of Versailles
and make links with
the rise of Hitler
Curriculum
Links
LEA /
Citizenship
links
RE – ethics of
conflict of war
Citizenship – politics
and motives of war
Geography –
alliances and how
countries form
together
Next – in pairs, give them their role cards. Each students
needs to decide to be one of the three countries. They need
to make a decision about each of the 7 scenarios, and decide
why they have made this choice.
Go through the answers with the class. What have all the
groups decided?
Show the students what was decided. How closely are their
answers aligned to the actual treaty?
How important do you think the Treaty of Versailles was?
Students are to answer this in the form of a PEE paragraph.
They need to include:
Description – Level 4
Explanation – Level 5
Evaluation – Level 6
Comparison – Level 7
AfL – peer assessment
Plenary – how important was the Treaty of Versailles – and
why?
Key words
Dictator
Ethics
Conflict
Motives
Media/ICT
Links
2.
Should people be
scared of
Communism?
4 – to describe what
Communism is
5 – to explain the different
ideas of Communism
6 – to evaluate why
Communism might be seen
as a threat
Starter: Ask the students questions about life in the UK today.
Do people have the right to vote for who they choose? Are
people paid the same amount of money? Do people have the
right to own property?
Tell the students we live in a Capitalist Democracy. Do they
understand what those words mean?
Next – show the students the picture of Lenin. Explain that in
1917, Russia was taken over by the Communists and this led
to massive changes. In pairs, students are to go through the
changes and decide which are good ideas, and which are bad
ones. They need to be able to explain why they have made
this decision.
Next – how would a Factory worker and a Factory Owner in
Britain feel? Make a decision, be prepared to share this with
the class.
Look at the storyboard of Stalin's dictatorship. Do you think
the Russian people would be pleased with the events? Give a
reason and justification for your answer.
Next – go through the list of people who lived in nonCommunist countries. Would they view Communism as
positive or as a threat? Choose two, and write a PEE
paragraph explaining your view.
AfL – peer assessment.
Plenary – should people be scared of Communism? Be
prepared to make a choice and explain why.
4 – to describe what
Communism is
5 – to explain the
different ideas of
Communism
6 – to evaluate why
Communism might
be seen as a threat
Citi – what are different political ideologies?
What can turn people to them?
BV – tolerance ,rule of law
Why vote for
Adolf Hitler?
3.
4 – to describe why people
voted for Adolf Hitler in
Germany
5 – to explain reasons for
Hitler's victory
6- to evaluate the impact of
Hitler's victory and the
reasons for it.
Starter – show students the facts about Germany after WWI
- what do you think the German people would be looking for
in a leader?
Next – students get into groups. Give them the source of
ideas from Mein Kampf. What are the ideas, and why do you
think the German people might have liked it? AfL – model
answer to provide a scaffold for students.
In groups, students are to receive source packs. Working
collaboratively, they are to investigate why people voted for
Hitler using character cards. They can discuss which different
reason people might have for voting for him.
PEE paragraph – why vote for Adolf Hitler? Students are to
pick a character and explain their decision. Students are to
include examples and also evidence to support their answers.
AfL – peer assessment.
Plenary – why vote for Adolf Hitler?
4 – to describe why
people voted for
Adolf Hitler in
Germany
5 – to explain
reasons for Hitler's
victory
6- to evaluate the
impact of Hitler's
victory.
Citi – what can inspire people to vote for
others?
BV – tolerance, democracy
4.
What was the
reaction to
Hitler's foreign
policy? ?
4 – to describe how other
countries responded to Hitler
5 – to explain how other
countries reacted to Hitler
using evidence
6 – to evaluate the reaction
to Hitler and its impact using
evidence
Starter – why did Hitler win the election? Students are to
discuss in pairs and feedback to consolidate understanding
from the previous lesson. Based upon what we know about
Hitler now, why do you think his election victory is puzzling to
us? How do you think other countries might react to Hitler?
Next – distribute Hitler's foreign policy aims and maps of
Europe to pairs. Students are to match them to the countries.
Then decide – why might these countries be worried?
Next – distribute Hitler's actions/countries reactions to pairs.
Students need to examine the cartoon sources, and decide
the following:






which source refers to which action?
Which sources imply British leaders were weak?
Which sources imply that British leaders were
sensible?
Which sources imply that Hitler was making popular
decisions?
Which sources imply Hitler was taking risks?
Which sources imply Hitler did not expect war?
Note – Some sources may be used twice!
Next – Did Britain cause World War II?
Discuss this question in pairs. Then write a PEE paragraph.
Students need to use examples and explain their conclusion.
Remind them that by evaluating the impact the reaction to
Hitler had, they will hit a Level 6.
AfL- peer assessment
Plenary – what was the reaction to Hitler and its importance?
4 – to describe how
other countries
responded to Hitler
5 – to explain how
other countries
reacted to Hitler
using evidence
6 – to evaluate the
reaction to Hitler and
its impact using
evidence
Citi – What makes a positive foreign policy?
How do countries interact with each other?
BV - Democracy
5.
Why didn't the
League of
Nations stop
Hitler?
4 – To describe the
weaknesses of the League of
Nations
5 – to explain the
weaknesses of the LofN and
their impact
6 – to evaluate the
importance of the
weaknesses of the League of
Nations
Starter – distribute the David Low cartoon in an inference grid
to students. In pairs, they are to discuss it and give feedback.
Extn: What does this cartoon imply about the role of other
countries in starting the Second World War?
Next – ask students how they think peace is maintained and
conflicts are dealt with. Refer to current situations – Syria,
Libya, Ukraine. Explain how countries form alliances to help
support each other. What things do you think these alliances
need to be successful? Students are to discuss and feed back.
Next – the League of Nations was set up after WWI to keep
world peace. It failed to stop Hitler and WWII. Why?
In pairs, students are to look at the Four Weaknesses of the
League of Nations. Students need to decide which was the
most important in failing to stop Hitler, and why.
After they have prioritised, they need apply their new
knowledge. Look at the storyboard for the Abyssinian Crisis.
Students need to read and then decide upon their answers to
the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
What evidence is there of the LofN's weaknesses?
What other weaknesses can you detect?
Were these weaknesses the main reason the Lof N
could not stand up to dictators?
AfL- peer assessment – discuss answers and share them.
Next – imagine you are a journalist reporting on the League
of Nations. What would you report back to the UK? Students
need to describe/explain/evaluate the weaknesses of the LofN
and consider how it will impact upon the future.
Plenary: What were the weaknesses of the LofN?
4 – To describe the
weaknesses of the
League of Nations
5 – to explain the
weaknesses of the
LofN and their
impact
6 – to evaluate the
importance of the
weaknesses of the
League of Nations
Citi – co-operation with countries –
international relations
BV – democracy, tolerance
6.
Was
appeasement a
serious mistake?
Starter – have you ever tried to make peace with someone to
avoid a future argument? If so, what happened?
4 – to describe a key reason
for and against appeasement
5 – to explain the different
stances taken on
appeasement
6 – to evaluate whether
appeasement was the correct
policy using evidence to
support
Next – Munich Agreement in 1938. Explain to students what it
was and who was behind it. What could be the danger in
agreeing to something like this with Hitler? Students can
consider that he wouldn't be satisfied/would try and take
more, and why.
Next – group work. Students are in roles as British politicians.
Give the students the for/against argument cards for
appeasement. They need to sort them and then make a
decision whether they support appeasement of not.
As a group, they need to write a PEE paragraph explaining
their decision. They present it to the rest of the class. When
all presentations are given, the class needs to consider as a
whole whether they are for or against appeasement.
AfL – group assessment by listening to each other's
presentations.
Next – students need to make an individual decision on
whether appeasement was the right policy. PEE paragraph
explaining their answer. To get Level 6 evidence needs to be
used to support. AfL – peer assessment.
Plenary – was appeasement a mistake?
4 – to describe a key
reason for and
against appeasement
5 – to explain the
different stances
taken on
appeasement
6 – to evaluate
whether
appeasement was
the correct policy
using evidence to
support
Citi – How can you build bridges? Think of
social relationships/empathy
BV – Democracy, tolerance, fairness
7.
Was Hitler really
to blame for
WWII?
4 – to describe the causes of
WWII
5 – to explain the causes of
WWII
6 – to evaluate the causes of
WWII
7 – to decide the most
important cause, and use
evidence to explain and
support by linking
Starter: What causes wars? Make reference to current
conflicts – Libya, Iraq, Syria. Think of land, greed, politics.
What could be the causes?
Next: Students are to work in pairs on the causes cards. They
need to:



Remove the cards that they think do not show how
WWII would start
Look at the remaining cards – how could they start
the war?
Students need to make a decision and share it with
their partners
Next – categorisation. Students need to sort the cards into
two piles:
Hitler's actions
Other people's actions
Which were the most important, based upon the number of
cards in each?
Next- linking. Once students have sorted through the causes
of WWII, they need to link them. How does one cause
support another? And does this support the idea that Hitler
caused WWII?
Conclusion – using sentence starters, students are to write up
their conclusions. PEE paragraph – describe, explain,
evaluate, Link!!
AfL – peer assessment
Plenary – was Hitler to blame for WWII?
4 – to describe the
causes of WWII
5 – to explain the
causes of WWII
6 – to evaluate the
causes of WWII
7 – to decide the
most important
cause, and use
evidence to explain
and support.
Citi-Think about causes of conflict – what can
actually spark them? Link to current news
events.
BV – tolerance, democracy
8.
Was Dunkirk a
triumph or a
defeat?
4 – describe the events of
Dunkirk
5 – to explain the events of
Dunkirk and why they are
important
6 – to evaluate the events of
Dunkirk and make a
judgement on its importance.
Starter – show the students the Withdrawal from Dunkirk by
Cundall, in the inference grid. Students are to answer the
questions and then think about what the picture implies about
the British troops.
Next – show the students the map indicating where the
Germans were and how by May 1940 they were winning.
Show where the British troops were trapped. In pairs, discuss
this question – what were the British Government's options?
Take feedback.
Tell the students the decision was made to rescue the trapped
troops. What would be the problem with doing this? Ask the
students to think about the reaction to this from the media,
British public, foreign media. What reactions do you think they
would have?
Next – issue the source packs. Students need to cross
examine the sources to discover the following:




How is Dunkirk being portrayed?
Who is portraying it in this manner?
Why do you think they are portraying it like this?
Is the portrayal successful?
Next – Students are to use their new found knowledge and
write a newspaper article on the events of Dunkirk. To reach
Level 6 they need to show they have evaluated the events
and made a decision about how it was either a tragedy or a
triumph.
Peer assessment AfL. Students to swap papers and mark.
Plenary – was it a disaster or triumph?
4 – describe the
events of Dunkirk
5 – to explain the
events of Dunkirk
and why they are
important
6 – to evaluate the
events of Dunkirk
and make a
judgement on its
importance.
Citi – what pushes people to make radical
decisions? Consider the context of recent real
world events
BV – tolerance,
9.
Was the Battle of
Britain a turning
point?
4 – to describe what the
Battle of Britain was
5 – to explain how the Battle
of Britain impacted upon the
war
6 – to evaluate whether it
was a turning point in the
war
Starter – Show the students the map of Britain. If you were
Hitler, what do you think would be the most effective means
of attacking the country?
Ask students whether they think it would be the sea or by air.
Next: Explain Operation Sea Lion. What might be the problem
for that plan? Get students to consider the impact that ariel
warfare might have.
Next – information packs about Hitler's Luftwaffe and the
RAF. Students need to consider the following questions:


Who had the advantage?
Why?
Next – Was the Battle of Britain a turning point? Students
need to consider this question, and write a PEE paragraph
based on the sources//information they have used.
To get Level 6, they need to make a judgement and use
evidence to explain why.
AfL – Peer assessment
Plenary – was the Battle of Britain a turning point in the war?
4 – to describe what
the Battle of Britain
was
5 – to explain how
the Battle of Britain
impacted upon the
war
6 – to evaluate
whether it was a
turning point in the
war
Citi – what can cause a victory? Think of
sporting events – is it people pulling together?
BV – Democracy, tolerance
1
0.
Why did Hitler
lose WWII?
4 – to describe what the
Battle of Britain was
5 – to explain how the Battle
of Britain impacted upon the
war
6 – to evaluate whether it
was a turning point in the
war
Starter: Why do you think armies and leaders lose wars?
Discuss in pairs and feedback. If your answer is already
taken, think of another one!
Next – show students the cartoon of “Joy Ride to Moscow.”
Using the inference grid, what does it tell us about the
German attempts to invade Russia? Was this a positive or
negative for the British?
Issue the “end of the war” cards. Students need to prioritise
them into which is the most important reason for the Nazi
loss.
Group work – design a poster explaining the reasons why
Hitler lost. Students need to describe, explain, and if they can,
link events. Level 6 will be reached if they can show how they
have evaluated and come to a conclusion.
AfL – peers assessment. Students move round the room,
deciding on the quality of their peers work.
Plenary – why did Hitler lose the war?
4 – to describe what
the Battle of Britain
was
5 – to explain how
the Battle of Britain
impacted upon the
war
6 – to evaluate
whether it was a
turning point in the
war
Citi – what can cause countries to lose wars –
and others to win them?
BV – Tolerance
1
1.
Why is Pearl
Harbour
important?
4 – to describe the events of
Pearl Harbour
5 – to explain why the events
of Pearl Harbour are
important
6 – to evaluate the
importance of Pearl Harbour
Starter – Show students the painting of Pearl Harbour. What
does this tell you about the Japanese? What does it tell you
about the Americans? Is this a useful source?
Next – Show students the photographs. What do they tell you
about the Japanese motives for attacking Pearl Harbour?
Next – distribute the source packs. In groups, students need
to investigate the following questions:




What happened on 7 December 1941?
Why did it happen?
What was the result?
Why was it important?
Next – look at the sources. How did the soldiers who fought
the Japanese feel?
Imagine you are a soldier who is in PoW camp. Write a letter
home explaining how you feel, and how the Pearl Harbour
attack is going to affect you. (Clue – it brought in the US!)
AfL – self assessment. Check your letter against the levels.
Plenary – Why is the attack on Pearl Harbour important?
4 – to describe the
events of Pearl
Harbour
5 – to explain why
the events of Pearl
Harbour are
important
6 – to evaluate the
importance of Pearl
Harbour
Citi – how can unexpected attacks impact on
a country – link to 9/11, 7/7 – what was the
result of these?
BV – Tolerance
1
2.
Were the
Americans
justified in
dropping the
bomb?
4 – to describe the reasons
for Hiroshima
5 – to explain the causes
behind Hiroshima
6 – To evaluate whether the
Americans were justified in
bombing Hiroshima
Starter – play the song Enola Gay by OMD – what do the
students think the lyrics are about?
Next – give the students the fact sheet about what happened
to Hiroshima. Discuss in pairs – can the dropping of the bomb
be justified in context of knowing what happened?
Next – Give the students Truman's four motives. In pairs,
they need to decide which were acceptable, borderline, and
not acceptable. They need to be able to justify their decision
with a one sentence explanation.
Next – source packs. Students need to read and consider the
information. How far do the sources support their assertions
about Truman's motives?
PEE paragraph – if you were Truman, would you have
dropped the bomb? Explain your answer, draw a conclusion.
Use evidence to support.
AfL – peer assessment
Plenary – was America justified in dropping the bomb?
4 – to describe the
reasons for
Hiroshima
5 – to explain the
causes behind
Hiroshima
6 – To evaluate
whether the
Americans were
justified in bombing
Hiroshima
Citi – what can motivate people to make
decisions? What can push people to make
decision that could kill people?
BV – tolerance, rule of law
Assessment
1
3.
Students will write a source based assessment on Hiroshima.
This will take the form of answering the question “Was
America justified in dropping the bomb?”