Denazification

Author:MichaelWasherstein
Datecreated:12/07/20149:56PMESTDatemodified:12/08/20141:14AMEST

BasicInformation
MentorTeacher

Dr.Saxe

Grade/Level

Grade11

TimeFrame

Thislessonwilltakeroughly44minutes

Subject(s)

History

LessonTopic

Denazification

UnitTopic

LifeAfterWWII

StandardsAndKeyConcepts
Standards

PAPennsylvaniaAcademicStandards
Subject:History
Area:8.4:WorldHistory
Grade/Course:GRADE12
Category:ImpactofContinuityandChange(World)
Standard:8.4.12.C:Evaluatehowcontinuityandchangehaveimpactedtheworldtoday.Beliefsystemsand
religionsCommerceandindustryTechnologyPoliticsandgovernmentPhysicalandhumangeography
Socialorganization

EnduringUnderstanding(s)

ThislessonfocusesontheprocessofDenazification,theeffortsmadebytheAlliedPowerstoremoveactivemembersof
theNaziPartyfrompositionsofpowerandtheremovalofNaziposters,signs,andemblemsthroughoutGermany.The
lessondescribeshowtheprocessofDenazificationvariedwithinthefouroccupationalzonesofGermany,andtheoverall
effectDenazificationhadonGermansociety.

SpecificLearningOutcomes

StudentswillbeabletodefinethetermDenazification,anddeterminetheroleDenazificationplayedthroughoutGerman
society.
StudentswillcompareandcontrastthevariousformsofDenazificationineachoccupationalzoneofGermany.
StudentswillassesstheeffectivenessofDenazificationasawhole,anddiscusstheproblemsthataroseastheAllies
attemptedtoreshapeGermany.

EssentialQuestions

HowdidtheprocessofDenazifcationcontributetotherebuildingofGermanyafterWWII?
WhymightpeoplehavebelievedthatriddingGermanyofallsignsoftheNazisexistencewasagoodidea?

MaterialsandResources
Materialsandresources:
TeacherwilllecturewiththeaidofaPreziPresentation.
https://prezi.com/gakxrkah9ljp/denazification/
Studentswilltakenotesintheirnotebooksduringthepresentation.Studentswillalsobeprovidedwitha
DenazificationHandout.
Technologyresources:
Safari
Thenumberofcomputersrequiredis1.
Attachments:
1. DenazificationHandout

ActivitiesAndProcedures
Springboard

Teacher:Thewarisover,andtheNazishavebeendefeated....WhatdoesthismeanforGermany?
TodaywearegoingtodiscusstheprocessofDenazification.Takeoutyournotebooksandletslearnaboutwhatlifein
GermanywaslikenowthattheNazishavebeenremovedfrompower.
Takeaminuteanddiscussthisquestionwithyourpartner:WhatdoyouthinkthewordDenazificationmeans?
Teachergoesaroundtheroomandasksstudentstosharetheirresponses.

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Transition

Goodjobclass.Asmanyofyouguessed,wearegoingtobediscussingtheremovalofNazipartymembersandsymbols
throughoutGermany.RememberthatGermanyhasbeendividedintofouroccupationalzones.
DoyouthinktheprocessofDenazificationwasexecutedsimilarlyineachzone?
Letsfindout...

Activity1

Thisactivitywilltakeroughly10minutes.
TheteacherwillbegindiscussingthetermDenazificationandexplaintherelationshipbetweenthistermandPotsdam
Declaration.
ThePotsdamDeclarationstates:"AllmembersoftheNazipartywhohavebeenmorethannominalparticipantsareto
beremovedfrompublicandsemipublicofficeandfrompositionsofresponsibilityinimportantprivateundertakings.
Teacher:Thewordsmorethannominalparticipantsareinboldforaspecificreason.Letmeaskyouaquestion,how
canwedeterminewhowasmorethananominalparticipantintheNaziparty?Dothetermsofthisagreementseem
vague?Takeaminuteanddiscussthisstatementwithyourpartner.
WhileitmayhavebeenobvioustoprosecutehighrankingNaziofficials,itwaslesscleartowhatdegreeofficers,
bureaucrats,industrialistsandciviliansshouldbeheldresponsibleforthesecrimes.Teacherposesanotherdiscussion
question:
ShouldbystandersandthosewhocollaboratedwiththeNazisbutwerenotdirectlyinvolvedinthepersecutionofthe
Holocaustvictimsbeheldaccountablefortheirfailuretostanduptothisinjustice?
Studentswilldiscussthisquestionwiththeirpartners.Thentheteacherbringstheclasstogetherforalargerdiscussion.
TeachertellsstudentsthatthisdebatewillbediscussedinfurtherdetailduringthelessonontheNurembergTrials
(foreshadowingfuturelesson).NowwearegoingtotalkabouthowDenazificationvariedinthefouroccupational
zones.

Activity2

Thisactivitywilltakeroughly10minutes
TeacherwillexplainthedifferencesintheprocessesofDenazificationwithinthefouroccupationalzones.Theteacherwill
showamapinordertoremindstudentshowGermanywasdividedattheendofWWII.
EachzonehandlesDenazificationintheirownwayaccordingtothepoliticalagendaofeachcountry.Theclasswillthen
focusontheAmericanZoneingreaterdetail.StudentswilllearnabouttheAmericangoalstoreeducateGermansand
controlmediawithintheAmericansectorofGermany.StudentswillseeapictureofasurveythatGermanswereforced
tofilloutdescribingtheirinvolvementintheThirdReich.
Howwouldyoufeelhavingtofilloutthissurvey?Doyouthinkthisisfair?
TheteacherwillthendescribethevariouscensorshipprogramsthatwereenactedintheAmericanzone.Over30,000
bookswereconfiscatedanddestroyed.Teacherasksstudents:Doesthisremindyouofanythingthathappenedearlier
inGermany?(ConnectingtopriorknowledgeaboutNazibookburningsofJewishtexts)

Activity3

Thisactivitywilltakeroughly15minutestocomplete.
TheteacherwillshowstudentsclipsofNazipropagandaandsymbolismbeingremovedthroughoutGermany.Theseclips
givesstudentsafirsthandlookatNazisymbolsandemblemswereembeddedwithinGermansociety.
Studentswillalsolearnaboutforcedvisitstoconcentrationcamps.Teacherwillposediscussionquestionstostudents:
Shouldcitizenshavebeenforcedtowalkthroughconcentrationcamps?Howwouldyoufeelinthissituation?Whywere
thesevisitsviewedasimportantandnecessary?
StudentswillviewanothervideoclipofagroupofGermancitizensvisitingaconcentrationcamp.
Teacher:Noticethefacialexpressionsandmannerismsofthecitizensbeforetheyenterthecamp.Whatchangesdoyou
seeoncetheyhavewitnessedfirsthandtheatrocitiesoftheconcentrationcamps?

Activity4
Activity5
Activity6
Activity7
Activity8
Closure

TheteacherconcludesthelessonbydiscussingtheeffectivenessofDenazificationasawhole.Theteacherpresentsthe
perspectivesharedbymanyGermansthatmanyaspectsofDenazificationwereunnecessaryandineffective.
Studentsareasked:DoyoubelievethatDenazificationwaseffective?WhyorWhynot?
Asthestudentsarediscussingthisquestion,theteacherispassingouttheDenazificationHandout.Thishandoutwillbe
completedasaticketoutthedooractivity,orfinishedforhomeworkiftheclassendsbeforestudentshavehadenough
timetoadequatelyanswerthequestions.

Assessment/Evaluation
Diagnostic

Thislessonassesspriorknowledgeinavarietyofways.Studentsareaskedquestionsinordertoreviewandmake
connectionstomaterialpreviouslycovered.
Example:TheteacherwillthendescribethevariouscensorshipprogramsthatwereenactedintheAmericanzone.Over
30,000bookswereconfiscatedanddestroyed.Teacherasksstudents:Doesthisremindyouofanythingthathappened
earlierinGermany?(ConnectingtopriorknowledgeaboutNazibookburningsofJewishtexts)

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Formative

Studentknowledgewillbeevaluatedandassessedthroughdiscussionandwrittenresponsesonthehandout.Students
willbeexpectedtoparticipate,andtheteacherwillasksstudentsquestionsindividuallyinordertogauge
understanding.Thehandoutswillbegradedandreviewedthenextdayinclassinordertoensurecomprehension.

Summative

Thislessoncontributestothestudentslearningofbigideaforthebroaderunitof"LifeAfterWWII".Thislesson
discussesmanyofthechangesthatoccurredinGermanyafterWWII.Thislessonalsointroducesstudentstotopicsthat
aredebatedwithintheoccupationalzonesthatwillplayalargerroleintheColdWar.

Assessment/Rubrics

SPLED/Accommodations
Physical

Theteacherhadtoplanaheadandmakesurethattheteachingenvironmenthadallofthepropercomputercablesand
wires.Studentswereseatedattablesthatfosteredgroupworkanddiscussion.

LearningStyles

Thestudentsintheseclassallhavevariouslevelsofreadingcomprehensionandunderstanding.Whilesomestudents
mayunderstandallofthequestionsposedinclass,othersmaybeveryconfused.Inordertoaccommodatethese
students,theteacherwillbewalkingupanddownthetablesofstudentsansweringquestionsandfurtherclarifying
pointsasstudentsworkontheirassignment.Thisallowstheteachertomonitorstudentprogressandprovideextrahelp
tothosestudentswithdifferentlearningstyles.

SpecialNeeds

Skeletonnoteswillbeprovidedtothosestudentswithspecialneeds.Thisallowsstudentstofocusonthecontentbeing
coveredduringthepresentation,ratherthenfocusingoncopyingdownallofthenotes.Specialaccommodationswillalso
bemadeforstudentsaccordingtotheirIEP.

LessonAnalysisand
Reflection

Overallthislessonwentwell.Ihadtoteachasubstantialamountofinformationinashorttimeframe.Ithinkthatthe
useofvideosandothervisualshelpedstudentsunderstandtheroleDenazifcationplayedinGermansociety.Ialso
learnedagoodamountabouttimemanagementfromthislesson.Ithinkthattherewerepartsofthislessonthat
seemedrushed.OriginallyIwantedtohavestudentscompletetheDenazificationhandoutinclass,butasthelesson
progressed,Irealizedthatstudentswouldsimplynothaveenoughtimetocompletethetask.

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