Legends Coming to Life

Teacher: Barbara Carney
School: Platte County High School
Grade Focus: 10th Grade World History Students
Time Frame: Four Days

Show me Standards:

SS6 - Relationships of the individual and groups to institutions and cultural traditions.

SS7 - The use of tools of social science inquiry (such as surveys, statistics, maps, documents)

Introduction:

The idea for this lesson was sparked by the wonderful World War II film that was shown by a representative of the National Archives in Independence. This film is the best pictoral demonstration of World War II that I have seen, except in commercial, fictional films.

In preparation for the lesson the teacher must find a collection of pictures that were taken during World War II. The pictures need to be matted and titled and placed on a blank wall in various creative arrangements. The students will each be directed to select one picture which they will research and write a creative essay about. The students will need to place themselves within the picture and write as if they are experiencing that specific happening.

Objective:

Students will prepare an essay that will reflect their knowledge of World War II, acquired through research. They will do this by researching primary, secondary and internet resources and by demonstrating in an essay their ability to establish a personal link with one moment in history.

Procedure:

Day One: The students will watch a film on World War II. (This lesson is the culminating exercise for the unit on World War II.)

Day Two: The students will each select a different picture taken during World War II and proceed to the library to do research on the pictorial choice. The homework assignment will be to write a one to two page essay on the material acquired through the research. The student needs to write the essay as if the moment in history is actually happening to them.

Day Three: The students will go to the computer lab to type their essays. Each student must proofread at least one other paper.

Day Four: The essays will be read in class.

Assessment:

Each student will be given a printed explanation of the lesson and a scoring guide at the beginning of the lesson.

Resources and Technology Used:

The library
The computer lab
The Sample Handout