Unit Packs / The World Wars
The World Wars
Students study why the United States entered World War I, judge the Versailles peace, follow the rise of dictatorships and the response of the democracies, and weigh the decision to use the atomic bomb.
Unit question: Why did the world go to war twice, and how did nations decide how to fight and how to make peace?
Suggested grades: 10, 11
Day-by-day calendar
- Day 1
Launch the unit
TimelineWalk the era timeline; students note three turning points.
MapLocate the places in this unit on the source map.
QuestionPost the unit question: Why did the world go to war twice, and how did nations decide how to fight and how to make peace? Students write a first-guess answer to revisit on Day 12.
- Day 2
Investigate: Why did the United States enter World War I?
Source setWork through the suggested sequence of 5 sources with the graphic organizers.
Leveled readingsUse grade 4, 7, or 10 versions of key passages next to the original wording for readers who need support.
- Day 3
Lesson: Hot Seat: April 1917
Teach itRun the lesson kit (copy the Slides and Lesson Plan from the set page).
Quick checkClose with the 5-question Quick check (copy the student Doc; answer key included).
- Day 4
Investigate: Was the peace after World War I a fair one?
Source setWork through the suggested sequence of 7 sources with the graphic organizers.
Leveled readingsUse grade 4, 7, or 10 versions of key passages next to the original wording for readers who need support.
- Day 5
Lesson: Role-Play: The Paris Peace Conference
Teach itRun the lesson kit (copy the Slides and Lesson Plan from the set page).
Quick checkClose with the 5-question Quick check (copy the student Doc; answer key included).
- Day 6
Investigate: Why did dictators rise, and how did democracies respond?
Source setWork through the suggested sequence of 7 sources with the graphic organizers.
- Day 7
Lesson: Role-Play: Advising the Democracies, 1920–1940
Teach itRun the lesson kit (copy the Slides and Lesson Plan from the set page).
Quick checkClose with the 5-question Quick check (copy the student Doc; answer key included).
- Day 8
Investigate: Should the United States have dropped the atomic bomb?
Source setWork through the suggested sequence of 5 sources with the graphic organizers.
Leveled readingsUse grade 4, 7, or 10 versions of key passages next to the original wording for readers who need support.
- Day 9
Lesson: Four Corners Debate
Teach itRun the lesson kit (copy the Slides and Lesson Plan from the set page).
Quick checkClose with the 5-question Quick check (copy the student Doc; answer key included).
- Day 10
Gallery Walk
Gallery WalkPost the Suffrage & WWI cartoon stations; students label parts A, B, C and write what they see.
- Day 11
DBQ workshop
DBQ builderBuild a DBQ packet from “Why did the United States enter World War I?”: pick 5 to 7 sources and print.
DBQ builderBuild a DBQ packet from “Was the peace after World War I a fair one?”: pick 5 to 7 sources and print.
DBQ builderBuild a DBQ packet from “Why did dictators rise, and how did democracies respond?”: pick 5 to 7 sources and print.
DBQ builderBuild a DBQ packet from “Should the United States have dropped the atomic bomb?”: pick 5 to 7 sources and print.
WorkshopStudents annotate the documents and outline an answer.
- Day 12
Final writing task
Writing taskWrite an argument: Could the leaders of the 1919 to 1939 period have prevented World War II? Use at least five sources from at least three sets, and explain what each author knew at the time.