Causes of World War I

Morgan Hill

9Th Grade World History

Common Core Standards:

TOPIC: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CRISES (1900-1945) The first half of the 20th century was one
of rapid technological advances. It was a period when the tensions between industrialized
nations resulted in World War I and set the stage for World War II.

12. Advances in technology, communication and transportation improved lives, but also had
negative consequences.

13. The causes of World War I included militarism, imperialism, nationalism and alliances.

Lesson Summary:

Students will learn the about the different causes that lead to the outbreak of World War I.

Estimated Duration:

This lesson will be divided up into two 55 minute class periods.

Commentary:

I will get my students interested in this lesson by connecting it to our previous learning about
Imperialism. I will ask them general questions about real life situations that I can relate back to
our prior learning. ( Example: How would you feel if your friend took something from you, and
only let you use it if you abided by their guidelines? Would this cause mistrust between you
two? ) I will review with students about how Imperialism caused a domino effect that eventually
led to the outbreak of World War I, and that those damages the war caused lingered setting up
the stage for World War II.

Instructional Procedures:

Day 1:
 1st 10 minutes of class:

Students will enter into the classroom where I will have the outline of the day posted on the
SmartBoard. Students will find their name on the SmartBoard and move it to the present
column. During this time I will also have music playing using a Bluetooth speaker that connects
to the time period that we are studying.This is a great way to add provide an extra level of
learning to students. Once they have checked in they will begin on the warm up for the day.
They will be completing this warm up on our classroom page where their answers will be graded
automatically. While students are doing this I will be walking around the room to offer support.

5 minutes:

We will review Warm Up questions together as a class using the SmartBoard. The question will
be based on prior learning. After the Warm up questions are answered I will start with the
commentary that will hook the students into the lesson.30 minutes: I will discuss the issues that
lead to World War I with notes using a Prezi presentation and the SmartBoard. Students will be
able to take down the notes that I provided for them using their school supplied laptop- or pencil
and paper if they choose. We will discuss how Imperialism, Nationalism, Militarism, and
alliances all played a part in the start of World War I along with the killing of Franz Ferdinand. In
the Prezi I will have photos of the key political figures as well a maps of alliances. While
presenting the material I will be moving around the room and making sure that students are
taking notes.

Last 10 minutes of class:

I will pass out an outline of the project that we will be doing tomorrow. Students in groups will be
creating a Glogster of the causes that started World War I. Students must include definitions of
Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, and Imperialism, as well as discuss who Franz Ferdinand
was, and why his assassination created the powder keg that World War I exploded from. I will
display groups on the SmartBoard, and remind everyone to bring their computers to class
tomorrow fully charged.

Day 2:

First 5 minutes of class:

Students will come into the classroom. Music will be playing via BlueTooth speaker that was
popular during the time of World War I. Students will use the SmartBoard for attendance. They
will then get into their groups that are also displayed on the SmartBoard.
 Next 5 minutes:

I will have a quick review about what they need to have in their Glogster presentation. I will
remind students I will be walking around the room to help, and they need to email me a copy of
the presentation so I can grade it when they are finished.

Remainder of class Day 2 ( 45 minutes)

Students will be working in groups to complete their Glogster presentations using their
computers. I will be walking around the room to help troubleshoot any technology problems, and
by helping answer and questions about the material. Once students are done with their
presentations they will email them to me. If they do not finish their presentation with the
remainder of the class time, then they must complete it as homework.( You can take the
following day to share some of the better more detailed presentations with the rest of the class
to help facilitate more learning). I will be using my SmartBoard to do this the following day, as
well as my computer to grade their work with Glogster.

Pre- Assessment

For Pre- Assessment I will have had students complete Warm Up activity questions on the first
day answering questions about Imperialism that we had learned prior in the class.

Scoring Guidlines:

We will review this information as a class and based on student’s answer using teacher
judgement, I will be able to tell if students are ready to be presented with the new information
based on correct answers given by students.

Post Assessment:

I will be grading student’s Glogster project to see how well they learned the material from the
prior day.

Scoring Guideline: for Post Assessment:

I will grade the Glogster presentations based on a percentage grade. They will get points for
including definitions of Imperialism, Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, and showing how the
assassination of Franz Ferdinand are all causes of World War I. Based on accurately defining
each term, and showing why the killing of Franz Ferdinand was so significant I will be able to
assess based on their scores if they students are ready to move on.

Differentiated Instructional Support:

Students who are struggling in the class I will help facilitate learning by supplying them with a
copy of my notes from Day 1. This will help provide them with any information they might have
missed while taking their own notes. Having students complete the Glogster presentation in a
group will ensure that students who are struggling will be able to have other students help them
complete the project and facilitate peer learning. Additionally, these students can use my notes
that I have supplied to them as a resource to help their group complete the presentation instead
of searching the Internet for resources. Students who are accelerated will have the option to
create their own Glogster presentation instead of working with a group. They can also receive
extra credit if they make an additional Glogster presentation about World War I.

Extension

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-history

Students can benefit from visiting this website because it goes into more depth about Franz
Ferdinand and has multiple videos about World War I and what caused it to begin.

Homework Options and Home Connections:

If students do not finish their Glogster in the classroom, they must complete the assignment as
homework. Students will have to use their computers, as well as some sort of email or chat
communication to be able to complete the project as a group. With high school students being
digital natives, this should be a non issue to complete the assignment as homework if they do
not get it done in class.

Interdisciplinary Connections:

Art:

In their Glogster presentations students can add pictures and art of World War I in their
presentations. In addition to defining the causes of World War I, students can show in pictures
or art what those causes look like ( Example: showing Germany’s large army during the time
period would be a representation of militarism).

Language Arts:

Students can provide primary sources in their Glogster presentations from World War I.
Examples of this might be newspaper articles from the day after Franz Ferdinand was
murdered.

Materials and Resources:

Teacher:

Textbook (online addition )

Personal notes from college

Websites: History Channel, National Archives, teachinghistory,org Ohio Teaching Standards

Website

Personal computer

SmartBoard

Glogster Account
 Students:

Personal Laptop

Glogster Account

Notes supplied from teacher

Additional information from websites that they search while working on Glogster project

SmartBoard

Key Vocabulary:

Imperialism: When a country takes over another’s land and makes them subject to their rule.

Militarism: The belief that a country should have a strong standing military that can be used to
gain more territory .

Alliances: A joining of two countries that has mutual benefits for each country. Due to the fact
that countries had alliances with each other before the assassination of Franz Ferdinand this is
why World War I involved more countries than just Austria-Hungary and Serbia.

Nationalism: The strong support of one’s national interests at the exclusion of other countries
interests.

Franz Ferdinand: Archduke of Austria who was assassinated in Serbia and whose death led to
Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia, and thus starting World War I.

Sophie, Duchess of Hungberg: Franz Ferdinand’s wife. She was also shot and killed by Gavrilo
Princip.

Gavrilo Princip: Assassinated Franz Ferdinand was a member of the Black Hand group.