Lesson Descriptors
Instructor: Mr. Gary J Brumbelow
Subject Area(s): Social Studies – U.S. History and Geography Date Developed: 07/02/12
Lesson Topic: World War II: The Road to the Cold War Grade Level: 9th – 12th
Objectives: The
student(s) will understand the relationship and underlying factors of how World
War II changed the political, social, economic, and military landscape of the
global community and how these factors lead to the transition from post-WWII to
the beginnings of the Cold War.
Standard(s) and benchmark(s):
Michigan Department of Education High School
Social Studies Content Expectations, V 10/07
U. S. History and Geography
Content Expectations
1.
K1
General Knowledge – embedded in USHG standards and expectations
a.
K1.2 –
Know that each discipline is subject to criticisms and limitations; be aware of
the primary criticisms of history and geography.
b.
K1.4 –
Understand historical and geographical perspectives.
c.
K1.5 –
Understand the diversity of human beings and human cultures.
d.
K1.6 –
Analyze events and circumstances from the vantage point of others.
e.
K1.7 –
Understand social problems, social structures, institutions, class groups, and
interaction.
f.
K1.8 –
Apply social studies concepts to better understand major current local, national,
and world events, issues, and problems.
g.
K1.9 –
Integrate concepts from at least two different social studies disciplines.
2.
Social
Studies Procedures and Skills – embedded in USHG standards and expectations
a.
P1
Reading and Communication – read and communicate effectively
i.
P1.2 –
Analyze point of view, context, and bias to interpret primary and secondary
source documents.
ii.
P1.3 –
Understand that diversity of interpretation arises from frame of reference.
3.
Disciplinary
Knowledge – embedded in USHG standards and expectations
a.
Historical
and Geographical Knowledge and Perspective
i.
Know
significant periods and events in world history; social, religious, and
political movements; and major historical figures who influenced such movements
ii.
Identify
and define specific factual information, themes, movements, and general
principles operating United
States history and geography to deduce
meaning and comprehend patterns
b.
Historical
and Geographical Analysis and Interpretations
i.
Distinguish
value judgments in historical and geographical information, weigh evidence,
synthesize information, apply knowledge, make judgments, formulate
generalizations, and draw conclusions.
4.
USHG
Era 8 – Post World War II United
States (1945-1989)
a.
8.1
Cold War and the United States
– identify, analyze, and explain the causes, conditions, and impact of the Cold
War Era on the United States
i.
8.1.1
Origins and Beginnings of Cold War – analyze the factors that contributed to
the Cold War including
a.
Differences
in the civic, ideological and political values, and the economic and
governmental institutions of the U.S. and U.S.S.R.
b.
Diplomatic
decisions made at the Yalta
and Potsdam Conferences (1945)
c.
Actions
by both countries in the last years of and years following World War II (e.g.,
the use of the atomic bomb, the Marshall Plan, the Truman Doctrine, North
American Treaty Alliance (NATO), and Warsaw Pact) (National Geography Standard
13, p. 210)
Materials needed: Multi-media
Projector and Screen
Computer
Lab
PowerPoint
Presentation
Video
Montage from previous lessons
Individual
and Classroom Blogs
Mindomo
Accounts for teacher and students
Instructional Phases
Phase 1: Focus
Initiating
Activity and Prior Knowledge Assessment
–
Video Montage Presentation and Creative Writing Assignment
–
Prior Knowledge Discussion Questions at Beginning of
PowerPoint Presentation
Explanation: The students will be given a short scenario
by the teacher and then have 5 minutes to free write, describing their
responding feelings to the given scenario. The students will then watch a short
historical video montage from the previous lessons of World War II and discuss
their feelings from the creative writing scenario and compare to how the U.S.
servicemen and American society may have felt during the European and Pacific
Campaigns. After discussion of this activity, the instructor will engage the
students in an open classroom call-and-response activity over prior knowledge
information covering World War II. This immediately engages the students on the
subject matter of the day, brings them together in an open classroom
atmosphere, allows the instructor to gauge the students level of prior
knowledge, and the time limit keeps the students in a challenging and engaging
atmosphere.
Phase 2: Construction
Acquisition
of new knowledge from instructor
–
Interactive Classroom Discussion and PowerPoint
presentation
o
Teacher will introduce students to the facts of
how the ending results of World War II and the shift in the global community
socially, economically, politically, and militarily ultimately led to the
beginning of the Cold War. This lesson will cover the facts of the events from Japan’s attack on America to the beginning of the
Cold War.
o
Students will openly participate in the
classroom discussion and follow along with the PowerPoint presentation.
Students will also take notes on what they feel are the key points or aspects
that led to the evolution of the Cold War. This will allow the students to
actively participate and freely express their views and ideas, see the
information through the PowerPoint presentation and actively synthesize the
information through the note taking process.
Processing
Declarative Knowledge
–
Organizing and storing Knowledge through classroom
activity
o
Students will be broken into small groups. They will
then use their individual notes, as well as the class list of key factors
created via the discussion, to create their Mindomo mind-map. Students will be
given class time in the computer lab to work collectively on this project, as
well as, access to the Mindomo site to work outside of the classroom. The
instructor will circulate the classroom assisting or guiding groups as needed.
Explanation: The information will be presented through a
combination of call and response questions, classroom discussion, and
corresponding PowerPoint presentation. This will allow the student(s) to see
and hear the information being presented. Secondly, the student(s) will take
notes that follow along with the presentation highlighting key points of the discussion
and presentation. Students will then work collaboratively to construct a
detailed, comprehensive, and well-organized mind-map.
Phase 3: Assessment
Completed
Group Maps
-
Each group will complete their mind-map and make a
short presentation to the class. Grades will be given based on observed group
dynamic, as well as, the project rubric given to all students outlining the
project expectations.
-
The class will then combine each groups map to create
one overall comprehensive class map and ensure that all key factors are
recognized and identified.
Explanation: By having each group present their map to
the other groups, the students will be able to recognize key components that
are repeated or that were not identified in each map. This will allow them to
then work together as a class to combine their projects into one comprehensive
collection that represents all aspects and factors resulting from post-WWI that
led to the Cold War.
Content: This lesson is designed to engage
students in recognizing and understanding how the outcome of World War II and
key factors of post-WWII society led to the beginnings of the Cold War.
In social studies, we often work with
concepts or ideologies that lead to historic world events. The identification
and understanding of these factors is crucial for students to build upon in
order to see and grasp the evolution of society as a whole. Therefore, it is
often critical for students to understand the relationship and underlying
factors of how one event can change the political, social, economic, and
military landscape of the global community and how these factors can lead to
the transition of society and trigger a global event. Unfortunately, while this
is a crucial concept for students to master, it is one that they often struggle
with.
Pedagogy:
This is a
constructivist style lesson, where the instructor will use pointed questions
and a PowerPoint presentation to guide the students in a class-room discussion
of the key factors and ideologies the students need to recognize and
understand. By calling upon prior knowledge and scaffolding the lesson, the
instructor will move from a guiding role to that of facilitator of the
discussion. The lesson will then take on a stronger social-constructivist role
as the class is broken into small groups to work on the Mindomo project.
Content
and Pedagogy:
When teaching a concept that relies on students recognizing and connecting
ideas and factors, it is imperative that they discover and make the connections
themselves. If I was to just give them these ideas on a handout, or model the
map and then print it out for them, they would have the facts. However, the
student would not have achieved a deep understanding of the lesson. By
connecting the content with the social-constructivist method in instruction,
the students are the facilitator in their own learning and achieve a greater
depth of knowledge and understanding.
Technology: I am using a variety of technology
from the PowerPoint presentation, the computer lab, the student’s individual
Blogs for the creative writing assignment and the Mindomo site for the
mind-mapping project. While this lesson could be completed free of this
technology, the tools used strongly enhance the overall effectiveness of the
lesson and work to engage the student in the learning process.
Technology
and Pedagogy: Each
of the technology tools allows me to scaffold my lesson and transition the
learning process into the control of the students, while maintaining an
observational and guiding role in the learning process and the outcome of the
projects. By using Mindomo, the students are able to work collectively in a
small group setting, yet still work when it fits their schedule outside of the
classroom and independent of one another.
Technology
and Content: With
the technology used in this lesson, it allows for the class to work
collaboratively to identify the outlining factors that led to the Cold War.
They are then capable of creating the mind-map and work in small groups to
organize, identify, and connect how the factors affected society as a whole
while working online outside of the classroom. While this lesson could be
completed minus the technology tools used, the instructional process would be
more difficult and less effective.
Assessment: Each group will complete their
mind-map and make a short presentation to the class. Grades will be given based
on observed group dynamic, comprehensiveness of their map, as well as, the
project rubric given to all students outlining the project expectations. The class
will then combine each groups map to create one overall comprehensive class map
and ensure that all key factors are recognized and identified. By
having each group present their map to the other groups, the students will be
able to recognize key components that are repeated or that were not identified
in each map. This will allow them to then work together as a class to combine
their projects into one comprehensive collection that represents all aspects
and factors resulting from post-WWI that led to the Cold War.
