Lesson Plan #2

Lesson Overview
This lesson will be geared towards helping students understand the events leading up
to World War I. In-depth analysis will be done on the subject of imperialism and its eventual
impact on European relations, which in the early 20 th century, was truly worldwide. This
lesson will focus more on European reasons for war, not the U.S.
Focus Question
What were the steps that led to the beginning World War I? How did Imperialism play
a large role in the events prior to the beginning of the war in the summer of 1914?
Illinois State Learning Standards
16.A.5a
Analyze historical and contemporary developments using methods of historical
inquiry (pose questions, collect and analyze data, make and support inferences with evidence,
report findings).
16.B.5a (W)
Analyze worldwide consequences of isolated political events, including the events
triggering the Napoleonic Wars and World Wars I and II.
Learning Targets
To get students to understand that there was a vast array of reasons for the beginning
of World War I.
Students should understand the role that Imperialism played in setting up World War I.
Students should be able to understand the phrase, Europe could conquer the world,
but not itself.
Assessment
Assessment Strategies
Trial
Triple Entente (Britain, France, Russia) v Triple Alliance (Ottoman Empire, AustriaHungary, Italy): Whose fault was it?
Students must gather in groups to formulate ideas on an opening argument. The trial
will be a culminating activity that, in theory, would take the place of a test. Each
country/empire will be its own group and they must collaborate with their allies to formulate
an outline of their three best arguments. Everything done in this class period, is formative.

The only thing that will be graded is the actual trial and a short paper from each student.
Those will be due at the end of the unit (LP #3), though.
*A rubric will be provided in the next lesson plan. Today is just the beginning of the
project where students are given the ability to gather necessary information in order to move
forward with the trial.
Learning/Teaching Experiences
Learning Activities

I do
-Hand out discussion Qs.

Students do
-Students look them over, try to answer them
but without writing anything down.

-Lecture/discussion begins
-Students listen and answer the DQs
-Lecture ends, I place students in groups for whenever asked to.
trial project.
-Students should speak up whenever they are
-1 multiple choice Q on a note card for each lost or have something to say, it is
student, its their only way to leave class encouraged.
(that or climb out the window).
-Students
gather
in
groups,
start
brainstorming ideas.
-Student must answer Q, or if they dont
know get a pass.
Teaching Strategies
a. For this class, it will mostly be me being a sage on the stage. It will consist of
mostly lecture and will give students some more information to gather for their
upcoming trial project. Since the end of the unit is coming up soon, this is the last
major lecture that students need to be able to satisfactorily complete the trial project
and paper. So, the class will consist of a mostly lecture with students being given a
few minutes at the end of class to form basic ideas for the trial. So, the teaching
strategies that will be used in this particular class are from the philosophies of
Essentialism because I will be the at the front and center of instruction and
Constructivism because the lesson is constantly challenging students to think deeper
than just a few inches below the surface. Its what it usually done when the class
period consists of mostly lecture. I want students to make their own interpretations on

what they are learning so they can understand events in their own unique way so they
can remember later on.
b. There will be a presentation so students can take essential notes. There will not be
loads of information on the presentation, just short and sweet. Most of this
information will be provided through and the lecture. Its more important that students
can listen to me intently than write down notes because what I speak on (main ideas
and elaboration upon those ideas) is more important in the overall landscape of the
class. The presentation will be there just for specific things they need to know i.e.
dates, people, etc.
c.

Students will be expected to participate in a variety of ways, they are:

a. Take notes.
b. We will be discussing certain issues, I want to hear their opinions and thoughts
on issues.
i. This can best be accomplished with a set of questions handed out
during class so they know exactly what questions I will be asking them
to answer during class.
c. Near the end of the period, each group will start using the remaining time to
formulate ideas on what to emphasize in their trial.

d. Students will be able to show if they are learning the material in a variety of ways,
they are:
a. Answering the discussion questions on the handout from the beginning of
class (they dont need to write anything).
b. Actively expressing their thoughts in the lecture. The lecture is not just me
speaking; I encourage students to speak up when they are confused or have
something to say.
c. At the end of class each student must answer one question I have from them in
order to leave the classroom (if time permits).
e. There will be different methods of differentiation in this class, some methods are:
a. The presentation will have basic notes, just so everyone can get the important
things written down. This will be for the student who likes structure in their
learning environment.
b. For students who are visual learners, I hope to utilize maps and visual aids in
general to showcase the basic ideas of Imperialism and other factors impact
on WWI.
c. For the students who learn through doing, I hope the discussion that would
ensue from the lecture (if students participate) would help them understand
themes and ideas just by having a conversation.
f. There are plenty of language objectives for this class, they are:
a. Justify what you think was the biggest reason Europe went to war with itself.

b. Locate, on the map of the world provided on your iPads, one country ruled by:
the French, British, Germans, Russians, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman
Empire.
c. Hypothesize why you think World War I could or could not have been avoided.
g.

*Discussion Qs handed out before class.

Summerville High School
h. It is highly unlikely that students will finish early considering this will most be
discussion/lecture. If they do decide on their main topics for the trial at the end of
class they can receive their exit question early. With so little time left for much, they
wont be able to get anything else done, in reality.
Closure
I will bring closure to the class by connecting each major reason (Militarism.
Alliances. Imperialism. Nationalism) for World War I through a lesson map during class. We
can incorporate each main theme for war in an Anatomy of World War I class project
during the lecture/discussion. Once this anatomy for war was complete, it would symbolize
everything we learned, thus bringing closure to the days lesson.
1) What was the M.A.I.N. ;) reason, in your opinion; Europe was consumed by
itself and led to war?
2) What role did society play in the cause of the war? In other words, what was
the role of the common people in deciding war would happen? Did they play a
role? If not, who did?

b. A lot of the events that occurred prior to World War changed the world forever.
There wont necessarily be plenty of connections to make between a 21 st century
American student and European reasons for war, but I believe that understanding the
true reasons for war can do leaps and bounds when it comes to being able to
understand something very personal from someone elses eyes, a very important life
skill in my opinion. So, it wont necessarily be connected to their personal lives, but it
will be important for the trial that is coming up. In a way, it is connected to their lives
because of the upcoming trial project.
Independent Practice
Students are expected to come up with ideas for the trial project so they can get off
and running on forming their arguments right when class starts. Each student will be assigned
three arguments they want to present and then compare them with their group members the
next class period. By looking for great arguments to present during the trial, this gives student
the opportunity to see that history can play a role in something other than receiving a grade,
that history plays a big role in our lives, whether it be a trial, a relationship or in class, history
has a much larger scope than the classroom. By preparing for the trial, they will show they
understand that the content has a much bigger meaning in the real world.
Acknowledgments
Summerville High School (Discussion Qs)
Robert Bleecher, Glenbard South High School (Trial idea)