Teacher: Andrew Mueller Subject: History Level: 10

th

Topic: Major Battles of World War II
Objectives: Students will practice interpersonal and research skills while
participating in a cooperative activity called jigsaw and compose an essay
highlighting one of the major battles of World War II.
Materials Needed: Chalkboard, Maps, McGraw-Hill World History: Human
Experience textbook, paper, grading rubric, score sheet
Phase 1: Clarify Goals and Establish Set.
Activate what they already know by using an advanced organizer. Have a map of
Europe/Asia or a question on nationality when students arrive.
Explain to students they will be working collectively on the major battles during
World War II and that this activity will help develop their interpersonal skills and
research skills, collectively and individually.
The activity will help students practice their group interaction skills and allow the
teacher to grade them as a group and individually.
Explain to the class that having more than one person thinking about a topic might
allow the class as a whole to see something other students may have missed.
Groups will fill out a group role sheet. This will provide each student a different
responsibility within each group.
Phase 2: Present Information:
Explain to the class that they are going to be separated into groups of 5 until
every student has an assigned group and within that group different each student
with a different number. This will determine their expert topic.
This will be there home group.
Tell the class the 1s go in one corner of the room, 2s in another corner and so
one until each group has there own space.
I will review the major battles of World War II and put them in chronological
order just to refresh the students and give them a place to start.
o Battle of Britain July 1940, Operation Barbarossa June 1941, Battle of
Guadalcanal August 1942, Battle of Stalingrad August 1942, Operation
Overlord June 1944
o Give brief overview
Groups will have the option of choosing any battle, including any not listed
during the review.
Phase 3: Organize students into learning teams:
Each group will choose a Major Battles of World War II worksheet (Operation
Overlord, Battle of Guadalcanal, Battle of Stalingrad, Battle of Britain, and
Operation Barbarossa, etc..)
Have groups pick battle and assign each group a number.
Now have all the 1s from the home groups meet in the front right corner of the
room to research their battle. 2s in the front left corner, 3s in the back left corner,
4s in the back right corner, and lastly the 5s will work together in the middle of
the classroom.
Remind students they must fill out the group role sheet. The sheet designates each
member a specific role in the group. Speaker, note taker, researcher, etc...
Students should be researching the key points of these battles.
o What countries were involved? Where was this battle taking place?
Who was leading these forces? What nation was deemed the victor?
Casualties and aftermath?
Phase 4: Assist teamwork and study:
I will move from group to group as they work in different corners of the room
checking for understanding of the assignment and make sure students are
researching the correct battle and points.
Make sure students are keeping notes on their battle on a piece of paper.
Students will return to their original home groups with their findings.
Each group will present their findings to their other home group members, taking
turns so each expert gets to give his or her presentation of what they found.
Phase 5: Test on the Materials:
Allow the class about 10 15 minutes to write a short essay. The essay should
display knowledge of World War II battles and check for understanding of
objective.
Have students describe any challenges they faced while researching their topic.
These essays will not have a length requirement but should be long enough for
students to display their knowledge of the major battles of World War II and show
understanding of the objective.
Phase 6: Provide recognition:
Ask students to hand in their score sheets once completely filled out
I will recognize the group and individual with the most 4s as them being the best
team worker.



Daily Score Sheet
(circle the score for each member of your group)

Student Name Works toward the
achievement of
group goals
Demonstrates
effective
interpersonal skills
Contributes to group
maintenance
4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1










Grading Rubric

Works toward the achievement of group goals
4 Actively helps identify group goals and works hard to meet them.
3 Communicates commitment to the group goals and effectively carries out
assigned roles.
2 Communicates a commitment to the group goals but does not carry out
assigned roles.
1 Does not work toward group goals or actively works against them.

Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills
4 Actively promotes effective group interaction and the expression of ideas
and opinions in a way that is sensitive to the feelings and knowledge base of
others.
3 Participates in group interaction without prompting. Expresses ideas and
opinions in a way that is sensitive to the feelings and knowledge base of
others.
2 Participates in group interaction with prompting or expresses ideas and
opinions without considering the feelings and knowledge base of others.
1 Does not participate in group interaction, even with prompting, or expresses
ideas and opinions in a way that is insensitive to the feelings or knowledge
base of others.

Contributes to group maintenance
4 Actively helps the group identify changes or modifications necessary in the
group process and works toward carrying out those changes.
3 Helps identify changes or modifications necessary in the group process and
works toward carrying out those changes.
2 When prompted, helps identify changes or modifications necessary in the
group process or is only minimally involved in carrying out those changes.
1 Does not attempt to identify changes or modifications necessary in the group
process, even when prompted, or refuses to work toward carrying out those
changes.
Arends, Richard I. Learning to Teach: Seventh Edition. Boston: McGraw Hill,
2007.