Goals and Objectives
Students will summarize the human costs of both civilian and military casualties of World War II. Students will evaluate the U.S. decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan and choose whether they agree or disagree with the decision.
California State Content and Common Core Standards
10.8 Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II.
10.8.6 Discuss the human costs of the war, with particular attention to the civilian and military losses in Russia, Germany, Britain, the United States, China, and Japan.
CCS.R.9-10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
CCS.R.9-10.8 Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.
CCS.R.9-10.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
10.8.6 Discuss the human costs of the war, with particular attention to the civilian and military losses in Russia, Germany, Britain, the United States, China, and Japan.
CCS.R.9-10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
CCS.R.9-10.8 Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.
CCS.R.9-10.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
Lesson Introduction
For the lesson introduction I will have the students do an anticipation guide. This will activate their prior knowledge and have them think about what they have learned about the war and prepare them for the days topic.
Vocabulary
For the vocabulary students will be given a work sheet with the vocabulary terms and they will number it 1. They have never heard of it before, 2. They have seen or heard it before, 3. They understand its meaning, and 4. They can teach it too someone else. If they know the definition they can write it down and see how closely it matches the definition given in class. If they don’t then they can write down the definition when it is given.
Vocabulary terms:
Total War
Famine
Rape of Nanking
Attrition
Bushido
Vocabulary terms:
Total War
Famine
Rape of Nanking
Attrition
Bushido
Content Delivery
This lesson will last approximately 2 days.
A lecture using slide rocket will be given to students. It will cover the total cost in lives lost from the major countries involved. A breakdown of civilian and military as well as the leading causes of death will be given.
After the lecture a brief video will watch a brief video that summarizes the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and introduces the controversy of whether or not the U.S. should have dropped the bomb.
A lecture using slide rocket will be given to students. It will cover the total cost in lives lost from the major countries involved. A breakdown of civilian and military as well as the leading causes of death will be given.
After the lecture a brief video will watch a brief video that summarizes the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and introduces the controversy of whether or not the U.S. should have dropped the bomb.
Student Engagment
Students will be separated into groups of 3-4 and then paired with another group. Each group will then be given a summary of arguments in support of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima or against the bombing. They will be allotted time to read through the summary and take notes or highlight. The students will then be told that they are historians debating whether or not the dropping the atomic bombs on Japan were justified. One side will be pro-bombing and the other side with be against the bombing and each will use the evidence they have found in their handouts to argue their case. Each student in the group is to contribute to the conversation.
Questions for them to focus on are:
· What evidence supports your view?
· How does that evidence stand up to criticism offered by other side?
· In light of all the evidence, do you think the atomic bombing of Japan was moral?
· Do you think the U.S. should have taken a different approach other than nuclear weapons?
Questions for them to focus on are:
· What evidence supports your view?
· How does that evidence stand up to criticism offered by other side?
· In light of all the evidence, do you think the atomic bombing of Japan was moral?
· Do you think the U.S. should have taken a different approach other than nuclear weapons?
Lesson Closure
To finalize the lecture, the teacher will do a “Stand and Decide Exercise.” Each corner of the room is to be assigned the labels “Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree,” and “Strongly Disagree.” The teacher will ask the question “In light of the evidence supplied by both sides of the debate, do you think the U.S. bombing was justified?” The students will then move to whichever corner of the room that most closely resembles their own opinion. The teacher will ask them probing questions such as “What was a piece of evidence that led you to your position?” To students in the “Agree” or “Disagree” corners the teacher will ask “What made you decide on a more neutral position rather than a strong position?”
Assessment
Formative: The anticipation guide will activate students prior knowledge and allow the teacher to gauge how much the students know about the topic. If students know a lot about a particular topic then the teacher can move past it at a higher pace.
Summative: In the “Stand and Decide” students will utilize all of the knowledge that they have learned during the lesson to make their decision. The teacher’s questions about their reasons for holding the opinion they do will determine whether they actually thought about their choice and are not just picking a corner to go too. If students seem unsure on their reasoning, the teacher may decide to re-teach the lesson using a different method.
Summative: In the “Stand and Decide” students will utilize all of the knowledge that they have learned during the lesson to make their decision. The teacher’s questions about their reasons for holding the opinion they do will determine whether they actually thought about their choice and are not just picking a corner to go too. If students seem unsure on their reasoning, the teacher may decide to re-teach the lesson using a different method.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
Guided notes will help EL’s and students with special needs through the lecture presentation. The groups will be formed to place students who need accommodations with students who have a better understanding of the material and can support them throughout the lecture. The modified version of the debate text can be provided if needed.