Download Unit 5 Road to War Lesson Plan Expansion and Appeasement Date

Unit 5 Road to War
Lesson Plan Expansion and Appeasement
Date Thursday, November 12, 2009
Teacher: Jim Hicks
Subject and Grade: 9th, 10th, and 11th grade, US History and Geography
Content (Primary Inquiry Question/Essential Understanding): Students will learn about the
expansion of the Axis powers before World War II as well as the policy of appeasement and how
it failed to prevent the outbreak of war.
Length of Class: 80 minutes
PLANNING___________________________________________________________________
I. Rationale
This is an important lesson in the unit because it demonstrates the desire of German
fascists and Japanese nationalists to expand their empires to restore their nations’
glory. This lesson also reflects efforts made to avoid war, such as the Washington
Naval Conference and the failed policy of appeasement. It is important for students
to understand that world leaders attempted to avoid another war, even if it meant
abandoning people to live under the rule of ruthless dictators. This is important for
students to know because it shows that sometimes war is unavoidable if one side is
determined to fight. European leaders tried to prevent World War II but were
unsuccessful. Students should know that some wars have just causes, such as
stopping Hitler, especially today when the United States is involved in two
controversial wars.
II. Goals and Objectives
1.d. Students will critique the policy of appeasement and its role in the beginning of
the war.
III. Alignment with State Standards
USGH 7.2.1.
Causes of WWII
IV. Instructional Methods and Setting
 The classroom is set up in traditional rows and columns with students facing
the whiteboard in the front of the room. In some blocks there are more
students than there are desks, and some students are seated at a table against
one of the walls in the classroom.
 Class will begin with a bellringer activity, followed by a short discussion on
student responses. After the bellringer students will finish discussing a
worksheet that they worked on in class on Tuesday. Students will then engage
in a discussion about German and Japanese expansion and correct maps that
were assigned as homework. Next, the students will be introduced to the
concept of appeasement through a simulation where I will “annex” their desks
to relieve the crowding on my desk. Students will then watch a video called
“Why Appeasement?” and take notes and a discussion of the topics in the
video will follow.
V. Materials Needed
 “Why Appeasement?” video
 VCR and TV
 Notebook, paper, pen/pencil
 Handouts from previous classes (Rise of Militarism worksheet, German and
Japanese Expansion Maps)
VI. Previous Knowledge
Student will have already learned about how dictators in Europe came to power as
well as the actions of the Japanese government during the 1930s.
SPECIFIC LESSON DESIGN_(all time limits are approximations, some activities may run
shorter or longer than expected)__________________________________________________
I.
Anticipatory Set/Opening Activity/Guided Inquiry (5 min)
On the board I will write the question “How far will you go to avoid a fight?”
Students will answer the question in their notebooks, and then as a class we will
discuss some responses. This activity will help students think about the difficulties
faced European leaders in the days before World War II in order to avoid war with
Hitler.
II. Lesson Outline (70 min)
 Rise of Militarism Worksheet (10 min)
o Students will retrieve their worksheets from Tuesday and we will
finish the worksheet by having a short discussion on how the U.S.
reacted to the following events: Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia,
Kristallnacht, and the Spanish Civil War.
o Finishing this activity because we ran out of time on Tuesday and
Wednesday the class went down to the lecture hall for a Veteran’s Day
observance.
 Discussion of German and Japanese Expansion (20 min)
o Students will correct maps of German and Japanese expansion by
using completed maps displayed on the television.
o After corrections have been made, I will ask students questions about
why Germany and Japan wanted to expand their countries, and steps
taken by the U.S. government to limit expansion through the
Washington Naval Conference.
 Appeasement (40 min)
o I will begin our discussion on appeasement by “annexing” students’
desks to relieve the crowding of materials on my own desk. Students
will be told they can go sit over by the table on the side of the
classroom. I will continue to add desks to my own until students begin
to question me and stand up for themselves, or until I have collected
three or four desks. I will then ask students why they did or did not
question my taking of their desks. I will then explain to my students
the similarity between my actions and Hitler’s in the years leading up
to World War II.
o Students will watch a twenty minute video titled “Why
Appeasement?” and take notes on the video. Students will be required
to write at least four lines of notes that address each of the major topics
mentioned in the video (not just the first four things the video talks
about). Most students in the class have done this enough times to
know what is expected of them. At the end of class, students will turn
in their notes for five points.
o After the video, I will engage students in a discussion about the events
depicted in the video, particularly Hitler’s annexation of Austria
(Anschluss) and the Sudetenland. We will also discuss Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain’s attempts to appease Hitler at the Munich
Conference and Hitler’s agreement to stop expansion with Czech
territory. The discussion will end with Germany’s invasion of Poland
on September 1, 1939.
III. Closure (5 min)
For the last few minutes of class I will review the main point of the lesson: why
Germany and Japan wished to expand their empires and how European leaders tried
to avoid war by appeasing Hitler’s expansion in Europe. Any remaining class time
will be for students to work on homework that is due on Monday November 16.