Focus (or Guiding) Questions:   

What is the most compelling evidence explaining why the United States entered WWI?

How did American civilians contribute to WWI?

Why was trench warfare so costly to human lives?

How did WWI cross global boundaries? What toll did it take on the world?

What role did technology play in WWI?

How did the United States government seek to promote support for American participation in WWI?

What were the aims and motives of the victorious powers in the creation of the Treaty of Versailles?

How did the Treaty of Versailles sow the seeds for the rise of Hitler and WWII?

Know:

Causes of WWI

Life in the Trenches

New Weapons of WWI

Life on US home front

Impact of propaganda on US citizens

Stalemate and major campaigns of WWI

Global impact of WWI

Do:

Interpret a firsthand account of the sinking of the Lusitania and create a drawing of interpretation

Research life in WWI trenches

Complete a Venn diagram on WWI weapons

Predict why the US entered WWI

Analyze the Zimmerman Note

Design a propaganda poster

Compare and Contrast Europe before and after WWI

Construct a good citizen essay

Create a US home front plan

Create a WWI board game

Demonstrate understanding of WWI by completing a WWI exam

Research has shown that the least effective strategy for teaching vocabulary is having students look up words and write the definitions.  For quality, research-based strategies for teaching content vocabulary, see the Teach 21 Strategy Bank at http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/vocabulary.html.

Introduce students to WWI by using a firsthand account of the sinking of the Lusitania found at the following address;

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/lusitania.htm

Teachers may print and distribute copies to each student or the account may be read aloud by the teacher or dramatic student/students in the classroom. Students will need a piece of white paper or drawing paper and colored pencils. As the students hear/read the information, instruct them to pick out specific images or emotions and create a drawing interpreting some aspect/element of the account. After students have finished their drawings, the teacher may ask for volunteers to share their creations or the students may hang pictures around the room for a gallery walk.

Phase One 
The first phase of the module is designed to inform students about the causes of WWI. Students will view the WWI PowerPoint Presentation and take notes on military buildup, European alliances, European nationalism, imperialism, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Teachers may also choose to use the lesson plan WWI: Beginnings and Progression from PBS. The lesson plan will help expand the student’s knowledge on the causes of the war. This website and lesson plan can be obtained from the following site: http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/resources/lesson1.html

Phase Two 
Phase two looks at life in the trenches during WWI. At the beginning of the phase, ask students to brainstorm problems soldiers may have encountered in the trenches. Students can create a master list on the board which can be added to as they visit the following sites;

Students can visit the PBS site to watch videos and read information on life in the trenches. http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/chapters/ch1_trench.html

Students may visit the following sites to learn what life in the trenches was like.

http://www.1914-1918.net/intrenches.htm

http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/trenchlife.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/launch_vt_wwone_trench.shtml

Teachers may want their students to play some interactive games related to life and missions in the trenches. Two trench warfare games can be found at the following addresses

Trench warfare game at http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/hq/games.shtml

Trench Mission:  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/greatwar/g3/game/default.htm

After the students gain some knowledge about life in the trenches, return to the board list of problems in the trenches and have students provide additions based on their research. Next, pose the following question to the class; why would trench life encourage mutiny among the soldiers? Have the students generate a list of reasons and predictions regarding the question. Then have students complete the lesson plan on trench life and mutiny located at the following web address; http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/resources/lesson5.html

Phase Three 
Students will investigate the new weapons of WWI. Begin this phase by asking the students to take out a piece of paper and something to write with in order to take a quiz on weapons of WWI. The students will gripe and groan, but assure them that it isn’t going to be graded for accuracy. A mini quiz can be found at http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW1/weaponsquickquiz.htm. As you read the statements to the students, ask them to write down whether or not each one is True or False. Next, have students research the new weapon technologies used during WWI. The following sites may be helpful for this research.

http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW1/weapons.htm

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWweapons.htm

http://techcenter.davidson.k12.nc.us/group9/tech.htm

After the students have completed their research and taken notes on the new weapons advancements, instruct the students to pick 3 weapons which interest them most to compare and contrast.  A WWI Weapons Venn Diagram has been provided for use.

Phase Four 
Phase Four of the module looks at the arrival of the US on the WWI scene, life on the home front during WWI, and the impact of the US on the war effort. To begin this phase, display the following quote by President Woodrow Wilson on a projector or write on the chalk board as OA or bell ringer; “The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind.” Ask the students to relate this quote to US involvement in WWI. Why might Wilson have said this particular quote? Predict what you think President Wilson meant by this quote.

Next, display or pass out for the students copies of the Zimmerman Note in its numerical code form. A copy of this may be found at http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/ . Try to see if any of the students can break the code. Give the students a few moments to ponder and complain and then provide them with the text version of the Zimmerman Note. Instruct students to analyze the document using the document analysis sheet

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/document.html . After students have analyzed the document, ask them to determine why this note might incite the US to enter WWI.

Students should next brainstorm how the US was affected by entrance into the war and what actions the US might take to support the war. Students may write up their predictions on the board or hold a class discussion about their ideas. Students will then visit the following sites to learn about the US home front during WWI;

http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/usconscription_wilson.htm

http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwi/articles/fightingforrespect.aspx

Inform students that prior to 1917, President Wilson had promoted peace and US neutrality in WWI. After 1917, Wilson needed some tactic to arouse public support of the war in the US. In order to do this, Wilson employed a propaganda campaign aimed at the American public. Have the students independently research WWI propaganda posters. Students should print out a copy of their selected poster and complete a propaganda analysis sheet on their selection.

http://www.eastconn.org/tah/0910KD1_PropagandaAnalysisWorksheet.pdf

Have the students share their posters and their sheets with their classmates. Instruct the students to create a propaganda poster of their own to encourage American citizens to support the war (This activity may be done in a historical context of WWI or in a current context of the War in Iraq or some other contemporary issue) The following rubric can be modified to meet your poster project assignment;

http://dms.dcsdschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_3857665/File/Deneau/PropagandaPosterRubric.pdf

Next, organizer students into four groups. Assign each group one of the following topics; create a plan to promote conscription, plan to promote food conservation, plan to rouse support for the war effort from business and labor organizations, or plan to promote pacifism. Have each group research the topic and then design their plan. Have students present their plans to their classmates.

Phase Five 
The next phase requires students to acknowledge global implications of the Great War. The students will complete two lesson plans from the PBS Great War site;

http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/resources/lesson3.html

http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/resources/lesson4.html

After the students have completed the requirements for the two lesson plans, ask the students to compare and contrast a map of Europe before WWI and a map of Europe after WWI. The following maps may be useful for the students;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/animations/western_front/index_embed.shtml

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-maps/world-war-i-map-of-europe.html

http://www.klimischfamily.com/images/Europe-before_afterWWI.gif

To bring this phase to a conclusion, instruct students to write an essay examining the similarities and differences between being a good national citizen and being a good world citizen. How are the two intertwined? Which one is more important?

Phase Six 
Begin this phase by once again posing a Woodrow Wilson quote to the class. This may be done in the form of a bell ringer, journal prompt, or opening activity. “Some people call me an idealist. Well, that is the only way I know I am an American. American is the only idealist nation in the world.” Ask students to make suggestions about the meaning of the quote.

Have the students complete the PBS lesson plans about the end of the war.

http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/resources/lesson6.html

http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/resources/lesson7.html

Have the students complete the following lesson plan on the Treaty of Versailles;

http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/great-war-evaluating-treaty-versailles#sect-introduction

Phase Seven 
As a final project, have the students complete a WWI Board Game. A WWI Board Game Rubric is included for use or adaptation.

Phase Eight 
Create for the students a WWI exam to assess their knowledge and understanding of WWI.