Teacher Notes

Grade Level/Unit: Grade 10-World War I and Its Consequences

Lesson Purpose: To have students understand the many causes of World War I.

Goals

The students will:

• understand the long term causes of World War I.
• understand the short term causes of World War I.
• understand that often the stated reasons are not the only reasons for a country's actions.
• understand the history of the present day situation in the Balkans.

Standards:

Language Arts Grade 10: Listening and Speaking

http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/SCORE/stand/std.html#9LSS

Reading Comprehensive

http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/SCORE/stand/std.html#9RC

10.5 Students analyze the causes and course of the First World War.

• 10.5.1 Analyze the arguments for entering into war presented by leaders from all sides of the Great War and the role of political and economic rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, domestic discontent and disorder, and propaganda and nationalism in mobilizing the civilian population in support of "total war."

Historical and Social Science Analysis Skills 9 - 12

Chronological and Spatial Thinking

1. Students compare the present with the past, evaluating the consequences of past events and decisions and determining the lessons that were learned.

Historical Research, Evidence, and Point of View

2. Students identify bias and prejudice in historical interpretations.



3. Students evaluate major debates among historians concerning alternative interpretations of the past, including an analysis of authors' use of evidence and the distinctions between sound generalizations and misleading oversimplifications.



4. Students construct and test hypotheses; collect, evaluate, and employ information from multiple primary and secondary sources; and apply it in oral and written presentations.

Historical Interpretation

2. Students recognize the complexity of historical causes and effects, including the limitations on determining cause and effect.



3. Students interpret past events and issues within the context in which an event unfolded rather than solely in terms of present-day norms and values.

Information Literacy Skills

• Students will learn to the difference in analyze primary source documents.
• Students will recognize point of view as to what are essential facts.
• Students will organize information and present it.
• Students will take information and formulate a compromise.

Length of Lesson

Five 45-50 minute periods.

Interdisciplinary Connections: Students can also study World War I poetry. Look up "Lost Poets of the World War I" (http://www.emory.edu/ENGLISH/LostPoets/index.html ). They can also read All Quiet on the Western Front.

Resources or materials needed

Marking pens and large sheets of paper are needed for the presentations. Students may also choose to make their presentations using a computer presentation program like PowerPoint or HyperStudio. They can copy maps, pictures, symbols and music from the web sites to enhance their presentations.

Background information that might be helpful

It would help students to understand the dynastic relationships between Britain, Germany, and Russia.

Lesson Sequence

1. Divide the class up into seven teams of at least four students per team. If you have extra students, make the Germany and/or Great Britain teams larger because there are more documents to read.

2. Assign each student one section: background information, short term causes, and long term causes. Put one student in charge of keeping the team on task and writing the peace proposal. Extra students should work on background information.

3. Allow at least two class periods for research and working on the presentations. If you are using a computer presentation program like PowerPoint, you may want to allow an extra period to use the computers.

4. Students should take notes in their journals for each country's presentation or the teacher may want to provide a special chart for note taking.

5. Provide adequate time (at least 45 minutes) for formulating the peace proposals from each country. Encourage students to prioritize their country's demands so that it will be easier for them to negotiate in the smaller groups.

6. Break up the class into at least four peace proposal groups. Have a representative from each country make their peace proposal presentation. If possible, make copies of the peace proposal for everyone in the group. Vote on the proposals and choose the one with the most votes (note that some countries have more than one vote) and negotiate on that proposal. Set a time limit of at least 45 minutes for the negotiations. If all the countries can agree on a peace proposal and still get some of their demands, they have reached a valid consensus. If not, each person in the group must write a declaration of war explaining which countries they are declaring war against and list their countryís grievances.

7. In conclusion, have students discuss the questions in the 'Conclusion' section and write on one or all of them.

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