TitleIII Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

LU Title: Wars and Revolutions

Author(s): Lloyd L. Peck

Grade Level: 10th

School:   Alexandria Central School

Topic/Subject Area: WWI and The Russian Revolution

Address: 34 Bolton Ave. Alexandria Bay, N.Y. 13607

Email: LLPECK@yahoo.com

Phone/Fax: (315) 482-5113, (315) 482-9973

OVERVIEW

The following lesson includes two chapters, WWI and it’s Aftermath and Revolution in Russia, which are included in the unit World Wars and Revolutions.  The entire unit plan covers five chapters but for the purpose of Title III, only two chapters are discussed in my presentation.

Both WWI and the Russian Revolution are very important and critical to the study of Global History and Geography. 

WWI set the stage for many events of the 20th century and had direct implications on the Russian Revolution, Nationalism, Imperialism, as well as World War II.  By having a complete understanding of WWI, the student should be able to better understand the events that occurred after the war.

The Russian Revolution also had a great impact on the world.  Lenin and Stalin set the standards that the Russians would follow for the rest of the century.

  Activities implemented during this portion of the unit will be student oriented and designed to motivate the student in the best possible way.  The activities were designed using the Dimensions of Learning approaches and the textbook Connections to Today, by Prentice Hall. The students will have opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge in an assortment of different ways, including peer teaching, cooperative learning, computer assessment, participation, as well as standard quizzes and tests.  The cumulative unit project consists of a newspaper project on either the Russian Revolution or WWI.  The choice is left up to the student.  The project is done by using the computer as a research tool as well as base for formatting the project.  The project will be done in Microsoft Office or Microsoft Publisher.  The students must orally present their projects to the class.  The project will be graded with a teacher-generated rubric.

At the end of the unit, the students will take a 30 question Regents based test on the material covered in the unit.  The questions will be taken from old New York State Regents and will only include material that was covered in this unit.  The final test will also include a Document Based question pertaining to either world wars or revolutions. The students will also be tested and quizzed on the material throughout the unit.

This unit should take between seven to eight weeks to complete.

 

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative

Procedural

 World War I

Reasons for the war, M.A.I.N., (militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism)

Leaders and countries of the participants

Progression of the war on different nations

Why the U.S. entered the war

Human and financial costs of the war

Effects of the Treaty of Versailles, short term and long term

Vital Vocabulary

Militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism, mobilize, Schlieffen Plan, trench warfare, propaganda, armistice, reparations

Vital Concepts

Powder Keg of Europe, Triple Alliance, Allies, Eastern and Western fronts, Battles of Tannenberg, Verdun, and Caporetto, Fourteen points, Zimmerman Note, women’s role in the war, Paris Peace Conference, Treaty of Versailles, League of Nations

Russian Revolution

Causes and effects of the revolution

March and November revolutions

Lenin and Stalin

Communism

Totalitarian State

Vital Vocabulary

Proletariat, soviets, Bolsheviks, Red Army, kulaks, command economy, Great Purge, atheism, socialist realism

Vital Concepts

Five Year Plans, NEP, communism, USSR

 Students will create or participate in the following

Timeline

Jeopardy game

Compare/contrast charts

Key points chart

Oral presentations

K-W-L chart

Cause and effect charts

Writing news articles, stories and cartoons

Graph central ideas

Role playing

Propaganda poster

Complete newspaper with a cover story, debate, weather page, editorial, current events, obituary, political cartoon, and man of the year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How did WWI and the Russian Revolution shape the world?

How would the world be different today if neither event ever occurred?

What did mankind learn from these two events?

 

CONNECTIONS TO NYS LEARNING STANDARDS
List Standard # and Key Idea #: Write out related Performance Indicator(s) or Benchmark(s)

Content – Global History and Geography

Level – Grade 10

Unit – World Wars and Revolutions

Standard: 1

  History of the U. S. and New York

  Students will ...use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.

                                              

Standard: 2

World History

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine

the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.

Benchmarks:

3. Study about the major social, political, economic, cultural, and religious developments in New York State and United States history involves learning about the important roles and contributions of individuals and groups.

research and analyze the major themes and developments in New York State and United States history (e.g., colonization and settlement; Revolution and New National Period;

immigration; expansion and reform era; Civil War and Reconstruction; The American labor movement; Great Depression; World Wars; contemporary United States)

prepare essays and oral reports about the important social, political, economic, scientific,  technological, and cultural developments, issues, and events from New York State and

United States history

understand the interrelationships between world events and developments in New York State and the United States (e.g.,causes for immigration, economic opportunities, human rights abuses, and tyranny versus freedom).

Benchmarks:

1.The study of world history requires an understanding of world cultures and civilizations, including an analysis of important ideas, social and cultural values, beliefs,

and traditions. This study also examines the human condition and the connections and interactions of people across time and space and the ways different

people view the same event or issue from a variety of perspectives.

Standard: 3

Geography

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live- local, national, and global-including the distribution of people, places, and environments over the

Earth's surface.

Standard: 4

Economic

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems

Benchmarks:

1.Geography can be divided into six essential elements, which can be used to analyze important historic, geographic, economic, and environmental questions and issues. These six elements include: the world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical settings

(including natural resources), human systems, environment and society, and the use of geography.

(Adapted from The National Geography Standards,

1994: Geography for Life)

Standard 5

Civics, citizenship, government

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the U.S. and other nations; the U.S. Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional

democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.

Benchmarks:

1.The study of civics, citizenship, and government

involves learning about political systems; the purposes

of government and civic life; and the differing

assumptions held by people across time and place

regarding power, authority, governance, and law.

(Adapted from The National Standards for Civics and

Government, 1994)

INITIATING ACTIVITY

The initiating activity was the movie “Saving Private Ryan”, it took three days to view.  After the movie, the students had to write a one page paper of how their view of war changed after watching the movie.   To shorten this activity a teacher could use a documentary or shorter film.   

 

 

LEARNING EXPERIENCES
In chronological order including acquisition experiences and extending/refining
experiences for all stated declarative and procedural knowledge.

What declarative                  What experiences                What strategies will             Describe what will be

knowledge                             or activities                           be used to help                     done

  Should students                  will be used to                      students construct

be in the                                 help students                        meaning, organize

process of                             acquire and integrate           and/or store the

acquiring                               this knowledge?                   Knowledge?

and integrating? 

As a result of

the unit,

the student

will know

  or understand

World War I

Day 1

Students will be able to explain, graph and analyze the causes of WWI using M.A.I.N., using the graphic organizer on central idea graphs

Students will be able to list and correctly identify the countries that make up the following: Triple Alliance and the Central Powers

Implementation

K-W-L

Notes for the students

In groups fill out the graph on M.A.I.N., each group doing 1 aspect

As a class, letting each group tell what they did, fill in the rest of the M.A.I.N. graph

As the unit progresses we will be filling out the Key Points Chart

As the unit progresses we will be filling out the Timeline

Day 2

1. Students will be able to evaluate, explain, graph and analyze the countries that were responsible for the start of WWI

2. Students will be able to list the countries that were entering into the war and the leader of each country

Implementation

Notes for the students

Using “corners” setup 5 countries: Germany, Russia, Britain, France, and Austria-Hungary, let the students pick a country and defend their entrance into the war to the other countries

Day 3

Using a chart, students will be able to evaluate, explain, graph, list and analyze the war on the European and Western Fronts

Students will be able to explain and analyze why other nations were forced to enter the war

Students will be able to list and explain the new advances made in technology during the war

Implementation

Notes for the students

Dividing the class into two separate groups, east and west, let them chart the war on both fronts

Day 4

Using a chart, students will be able to evaluate, explain, graph and analyze why the U.S. entered the war

Students will be able to explain, list, evaluate and analyze the individual events that actually led to the end of the war

Implementation

Notes for the students

Individually have the student fill out the graph on why the U.S. entered the war, let the class go over their graphs in groups of two

Day 5

Using the chart, students will be able to evaluate, explain, graph and analyze the outcomes of WWI, as far as costs, and treaties

Students will be able to explain, list, and analyze why some countries were not happy with the agreements that ended the war

Implementation

Go over homework in groups of three, letting the students answer the questions

Notes for the students

As a class, fill in the chart on the end of the war

Russian Revolution

Day 1

Using a chart, students will be able to evaluate, explain, graph and analyze the causes, goals and results of both the March and November revolutions

Using the overheads, students will be able to explain, list, and analyze economic, political, and social causes of the revolutions as well as the hierarchy of the revolutions

Students will be able to evaluate and analyze the role the Bolsheviks and Lenin played in the revolutions

Implementation

Notes for the students

Charts for students on the overhead

As a class, chart the causes, goals and the results of both the March and November revolutions

Day 2

Using a chart, students will be able to evaluate, explain, and compare the differences and similarities between Stalin and Lenin

Using overheads, students will be able to explain, evaluate and analyze Stalin’s Great Purge

Students will be able to evaluate and analyze Russia under both Lenin and Stalin

Implementation

Notes for the students

In groups of five, chart the similarities between Stalin and Lenin, let two students take one aspect, similarities or differences

Day 3

Students will be able to evaluate, explain, and analyze the changes Russia is going through during this time period

Using the computer overhead and handout, students will be able to explain, evaluate and analyze the changes in the Russian economy, politics, arts, religion, and society

Implementation

Notes for the students

In groups do and go over the two worksheets on the Russian economy, politics, arts, religion, and society

Learning Experiences

          Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will                               What will be done to help                  Describe what will be

  students be in the process of                                    students construct models,                done.

  acquiring & integrating? As a                                 shape & internalize the

  result of this unit, students will                               knowledge?

  be able to:                                                                

                                                               

Timeline – this is an ongoing process throughout the unit, students will fill in key events on the timeline and will use this as a study guide

Jeopardy game – this is a culmination activity where the students are divided into two teams and compete in a Jeopardy style game, complete with categories and numerical question values

Compare/contrast charts – during the unit, the students are asked to complete compare and contrast charts

Key points chart – for each chapter of the unit, the students will chart the key points that are covered in class each day

Oral presentations – as part of the culminating project, students will have to present their newspapers and tell the class what they learned from writing their project

K-W-L chart – a K-W-L chart will be completed previous to starting each chapter and then reviewed when that chapter is completed

Cause and effect charts – cause and effect charts will also be completed during the course of the chapters

Writing news articles, stories and cartoons – as a culminating project, the students will complete a full newspaper, they are responsible for the writing of the newspaper, see the actual newspaper project for more details

Graph central ideas – students will have to graph central ideas using charts throughout the unit

Role playing – students will take sides and become the leaders of countries during the unit

Propaganda poster – students will have to create a poster for the U.S. using propaganda against the Germans

Learning Experiences

Extending and Refining

What knowledge will students be                     What reasoning process                    Describe what

  extending and refining? Specifically,               will they be using?                               will be done

  they will be extending and refining                                 

  their understanding of 

Students will be extending their knowledge on a daily basis through notes, reading, tests, quizzes and the activities outlined in the daily lesson plans and the procedural and declarative knowledge portions of this document

Classifying 

Inductive Reasoning 

Deductive Reasoning 

Error Analysis 

Analyzing Perspectives 

Constructing Support 

  Abstracting 

 

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE
Include rubric(s)

Global Studies 10th Grade Unit Project

World Wars and Revolutions – Newspaper

            You are now living in the early 1900’s and you have a new job.  A local newspaper company has just hired you and one of your friends to write a weekly newspaper for them.  The assignment consists of eight main parts: 

a debate

a political cartoon

a cover story

map of the early empire

weather page

biography of the Man of the Year

crossword, word search, or word jumble

one editorial

        You should divide the work up equally between you and your partner, as only one grade will be given for the two of you.  You will have approximately four weeks to finish this project.  I will be available each day to assist you and I will also be available after school.  This entire project must be typed and be in newspaper form (see example).  Along with the final newspaper, I would like a breakdown of what each person in the group did.  The library, my computers and the computer labs are available on a daily basis to assist you.  Once again, this project will be counted twice in your ten-week average.

You and your partner must:

Debate:

  Compare and contrast two dominant topics of the time period, communism vs. capitalism.  You can also debate an event, should the U.S. have entered WWI, why or why not.

Map:

You must create a map of the time period you are doing.  Color the map with colored pencils, outline rivers, cities, and any other distinctions.  The map of Europe was changing quickly during this time period, make sure it is accurate for your time period

    

        Maps must have:

a key

be colored

have a flag

       

Political Cartoon:

        You must find or create a political cartoon to represent the time period you selected.

Cover Story:

You must do a cover story on a major event of your time period, WWI, March Revolution, Zimmerman Note, any major event we have discussed.

Weather page:

What was the weather like on this day?  Be creative.

Biography of Man of the Year:

Pick an influential person of this time period, ie, Woodrow Wilson, V.I. Lenin.

Name and picture

Birth date

Religion and Philosophy

Type of government they followed

Major achievements

Where did he live?

Why was he important?

Crossword, jumble, or word search:

Create a crossword, jumble, or word search using at least ten vocabulary words in chapters 27 through 31.

       

Editorial:

        A half page editorial on a concern of the time, such as war or religion.

Optional:

        For extra credit, you can create one of the following:

Sports Page – two sports

Cartoon strip – two different strips

Obituaries – seven deaths

Any idea we discuss and agree upon

Scoring Rubric

Scoring Rubric for Newspaper Project

5

Perfect Project

All information is accurate and pertains to the correct time period

Addresses all aspects of the task fully and completely, 8 aspects

Neat

No grammatical errors or punctuation errors

Easily read without any mistakes

Followed the format with no errors

On time

4

Addresses 6-8 aspects of the task fully and completely

All information is accurate and pertains to the correct time period, has 1-3 inaccuracies

Neat , with 1-2 vague areas

1-3 grammatical errors or punctuation errors

Easily read with 1-3 vague areas

Followed the format with 1-2 errors

On time

3

Addresses 4-5 aspects of the task fully and completely

All information is accurate and pertains to the correct time period, has 4-5 inaccuracies

Semi-neat , with 4-5 vague areas

4-5 grammatical errors or punctuation marks

Some difficulty with reading, 4-5 vague areas

1-2 days late

2

Addresses 2-3 aspects of the task fully and completely

Some information is accurate and pertains to the correct time period, has more than 4 inaccuracies

Messy, with more than 5 vague areas

More than 5 grammatical areas

Difficult to read, more than 5 vague areas

3-5 days late

1

Fails to address the task

Information is not related to the time period

Unreadable

Over 5 days late

0

Fails to hand in a project

Hands in a blank project

 

 

PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS

The pre-requisite skills that are needed is the completion of grades 1 – 9, and a basic computer course that teaches the students how to use the Internet for basic searches, Windows 98, Microsoft Word and Publisher.

 

 

MODIFICATIONS

 This presentation has been modified down from my regular daily lesson plans and activities.  The complete unit plan is very extensive and detailed.  This lesson is also modified according to the resource room teacher and the student’s individualized education programs.

 

UNIT SCHEDULE/TIME PLAN

 This entire unit should take about seven to eight weeks depending on how fast you want to cover the material.  The two chapters covered in this presentation should take roughly three weeks to cover.

 

TECHNOLOGY USE

 Technology is used on a daily basis throughout this unit.  All notes are given via the computer, extra credit is assigned using the computer, overheads are also on the computer.  The Internet is most important tool in completing the culminating performance.  The computer is used as a research tool as well as the foundation for formatting the newspaper project.