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Lesson Plans World History II SOL 12a

Lesson Plans World History II SOL 12a: Start of World War II, Events, Leaders

Standard: SOL 12a The student will demonstrate knowledge of the worldwide impact of World War II

Objective: explain economic and political causes, describing major events, and identifying leaders of the war, with emphasis on Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George C. Marshall, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Hideki Tojo, and Hirohito.

Essential Knowledge:
Economic and political causes of World War II
• Aggression by the totalitarian powers of Germany, Italy, Japan
• Nationalism
• Failures of the Treaty of Versailles
• Weakness of the League of Nations
• Appeasement
• Tendencies towards isolationism and pacifism in Europe and the United States

Major events of the war (1939–1945)
• German invasion of Poland
• Fall of France
• Battle of Britain
• German invasion of the Soviet Union
• Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
• D-Day (Allied invasion of Europe)
• Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Major leaders of the war
• Franklin D. Roosevelt: U.S. president
• Harry Truman: U.S. president after death of President Roosevelt
• Dwight D. Eisenhower: Allied commander in Europe
• Douglas MacArthur: U.S. general
• George C. Marshall: U.S. general
• Winston Churchill: British prime minister
• Joseph Stalin: Soviet dictator
• Adolf Hitler: Nazi dictator of Germany
• Hideki Tojo: Japanese general
• Hirohito: Emperor of Japan

Activities that Support Lesson Plans

Can Hitler Be Trusted? Munich Conference: Appeasement Analysis
D-Day Worksheets: D-Day Landing Reading
D-Day Primary Source Readings: Primary Source reading analysis
Winston Churchill Speech 1940: Battle of Britain Winston Churchill Speech
SPR Video Permission Form: Permission slip for Saving Private Ryan
Truman and the Bomb: Truman and the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb Reading
Atomic Bomb Primary Source Readings : Students read a selection of Primary sources and answer questions
Dropping the Atom Bomb :Students answer questions about dropping the bomb
Atom Bomb Reading: Powerpoint with Teacher’s Answers about dropping the bomb
WWII Pacific Map : Map and reading analysis activity of Fighting in the Pacific
Battle of Midway in the Pacific World War II: Worksheet and analysis on Battle of Midway
WW2 Video Schlessinger Media: Video Questions for use with the World War II vide0 on Schlessinger Media.
WW2 Event Timeline : World War II Timeline of the Battles activity.


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