Unit Title: World War II Time Frame: 4 weeks

Course: Social Studies Grade Level: 8th grade GATE

CURRICULUM/STANDARDS
List all appropriate national, state or district curriculum or standards that align to this unit. You don’t need to write out the entire standard, but give me
the title of the standards document you are using and the relevant standard/PO numbers.

1. Social Studies
Strand 2
Concept 1
PO 1: Construct charts, graphs and narratives using historical data
2. Social Studies
Strand 1: American History
Concept 1: Research Skills for History
Po 2: Interpret historical data displayed in graphs, tables and chart
3. Social Studies
Strand 2
Concept 1
Po 3: Construct timelines of the historical era being studied
4. Social Studies
Strand 2
Concept 1
PO 4: Formulate questions that can be answered by historical study and research
5. Social Studies
Strand 2
Concept 1
Po 5: Describe the relationship between a primary source and a secondary source document
6. Social Studies
Strand 2
Concept 1
Po 6: Determine the credibility and bias of the primary and secondary sources
7. Social Studies
Strand 2: World History
Concept 8: World at War
Po 2: Analyze the major causes of World War II:
 a. Aggressive search for resources by Japan
b. Political ideologies of Fascism and Nazism
c. Resentment toward the Treaty of Versailles
8. Social Studies
Strand 2: World History
Concept 8: World at War
Po 3: Trace the series of invasions and conquests in the European and Pacific Theaters in World War II.
9. Social Studies
Strand 2
Concept 8: World at War
Po 4: Describe the following events leading up to the allied victory:
a. D-Day Invasion
b. Battle of the Bulge
c. Japanese defeat in Iwo Jima and Okinawa
d. Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
10. Social Studies
Strand 2
Concept 8: World at War
Po 5: Describe how racism and intolerance contributed to the Holocaust.
11. Social Studies
Strand 2
Concept 8: World at War
Po 6: Summarize each of the following outcomes of World War II:
a. Redrawing of political boundaries in Europe
b. Tensions leading to the Cold War
c. Formation of the United Nations
d. Beginning of the atomic age
12. Social Studies
Strand 2
Concept 8: World at War
Po 8: Describe the following events resulting from World War II:
a. Nuremburg Trial
b. Marshall Plan
c. NATO/Warsaw Pact
d. Creation of the United Nations
e. Creation of Israel
13. Social Studies
Strand 1: American History
Po 1: Review the impact of the Great Depression on the United States
14. Social Studies
 Strand 1: American History
Po 2: Explain how Pearl Harbor led to the United States involvement in World War II.
15. Social Studies
Strand 1: American History
Po 3: Explain the impact of World War II on economic recovery from the Great Depression.
16. Social Studies
Strand 1: American History
Po 4: Explain how the following factors affected the U.S home front during World War II:
a. war bond drives
b. war industry
c. women and minorities in the work force
d. rationing
e. internment of Japanese, German, and Italian Americans
17. Social Studies
Strand 1: American History
Po 5: Describe Arizona’s contributions to the war effort:
a. Native American Code Talkers
b. Ira Hayes
c. Training bases
d. POW and internment camps
18. Social Studies
Strand 1: American History
Po 6: Summarize the United States’ role in the following events
a. D-day invasion
b. Battles of the Pacific
c. Development and use of the atomic bomb
d. V-E Day/V-J Day
19. Social Studies
Strand 1: American History
Po 7: Analyze the following individuals’ significance to World War II:
a. Franklin D. Roosevelt
b. Dwight Eisenhower
c. George Patton
d. Douglas MacArthur
e. Harry Truman
f. Eleanor Roosevelt
20. Social Studies
Strand 2: World History
 KEY THEMES/QUESTIONS
List the key themes/questions that are guiding this unit:

 What were the major causes of WWII?

 How did WWII affect the minority groups of America?
 What positive impact did the minority communities have on the Allied Victory?
 How does national security impact the personal liberty of minority communities?
 What is the role of the United States in a globalized world?
 What effect does injustice have on people and groups?

ASSESSMENT
List the assessments that will be used to gauge student learning. This may include traditional quizzes or exams, as well as major learning activities such
as simulations, labs, etc.

 Newspaper article
 Note checks
 Kahoot
 Plickers
 WWII project
 End of the Unit Exam

RESOURCES/MATERIALS
List all resources (copyrighted or otherwise) that you will need to teach this unit. This should be a comprehensive list of all resources you will need to
create or borrow (including textbook chapters, additional readings, videos, power points and teaching notes, handouts, assessments, etc.)

 Power Point activity note takers

 Handouts (timeline, Venn diagram, videos of the concepts through YouTube)
 Interactive simulation of life in the United States
 The class textbook: The American Journey (Appleby, Joyce, et al. The American journey. Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2012.)
 Jeo-Party
 Unit Calendar
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
World War II: Important Trace the series of Trace the series of
World the major causes individuals Trace the series of invasions and conquests in invasions and conquests
of World War II: a. Franklin D. Roosevelt invasions and conquests in the European and Pacific in the European and
Pacific Theaters in
a. Aggressive search for b. Dwight Eisenhower the European and Pacific Theaters in World War II.
World War II.
resources by Japan c. George Patton Theaters in World War II.
b. Political ideologies of d. Douglas MacArthur Museum Walk: World War Museum Walk: World
Fascism and Nazism e. Harry Truman Museum Walk: World War II in Asia and the Pacific War II in Asia and the
c. Resentment toward f. Eleanor Roosevelt II in Asia and the Pacific Pacific
the Treaty of Versailles Activity part two: Pick one Activity:
individual and list at least Activity: Pick one of the invasions Activity:
Pick one of the
Activity: Socratic five contributions of your Pick one of the invasions from the map to research.
invasions from the map
Discussion: individual independently in from the map to research. Answer the guiding to research. Answer the
a. How did one or two paragraphs. The Answer the guiding questions in pairs or guiding questions in
Nazism contribute to the paragraph is the formative questions in pairs or individually. Each person pairs or individually.
massive amount of assessment and will be individually. Each person must fill out their own Each person must fill out
invasions in Europe? graded with spelling, must fill out their own worksheet. their own worksheet.
b. Could Japans grammar, and using worksheet. Present
alliance with Germany supporting details for all
had been avoided if five contributions.
Japan wasn’t trying to fix Library for research at
their economy through centers (work alone or in
land expansion? partners).
c. What do you think
was the most important
contributing factor that
led to WWII? Why? Use
 supporting details to
support your answer.

Pearl Harbor: Writing Activity: a. the U.S home front Native American Code
Video Clip: Pearl Harbor Class essay question during World War II: Talkers The U.S home front
Legacy of Attack (find clip a. Would the United a. war bond drives Primary Source Activity: during World War II:
to show visual) States have joined b. war industry (Code Talker Stories) a. women and
Day of Infamy Speech the Allied powers b. Nuremburg Trial minorities in the work
Watch and read towards the end of c. Marshall Plan force
Questions: WWII without being e. D-Day b. rationing
What was the purpose of bombed by the f. Internment of Japanese, Activity: Rosie the
the speech? Japanese? or Why Americans Riveter
If the United States were the allies
wasn’t bombed do you successful in
think we would have beating the Axis
joined the allies in WWII? Powers?
b. Outline
c. Sample essay from
student responses
WWII Research Project WWII Research Project WWII Research Project  NATO/Warsaw
WWII Research Project Pact
Library: Jan. 22nd Library: Jan. 23rd Library: Jan. 24th PowerPoint
Computers Computers Computers presentation
PowerPoint:  Creation of the Tensions leading to the Introduce: Current
 NATO/Warsaw Propaganda United Nations Cold War Events day (UN) and
Pact  Redrawing of allow students to
WWII Propaganda
PowerPoint presentation political boundaries Computers: Trading Cards answer questions about
small group activity:
in Europe (library) their assigned country
View propaganda  Creation of Israel Computers
using the tools list.
 Choose one tool
being used and
provide a one
paragraph
explanation
providing 4
supporting details
as a group.

Present

Class time to finish WWII Class Time to Finish Class time to Finish Project Review Day for Test Review for Test Day
project WWII project a. In class time to a. Jeo-pardy
finish study guides
in groups