Hitler’s Lightning War Close Read

Standards Alignment Text with Close Read instructions for students

Intended to be the initial read in which students annotate the text as they read. Students may want to circle unfamiliar vocabulary, underline key ideas, or

comment on the information presented.

Standards Alignment

California State Standards for Grade 10 • 10.7 Students analyze the rise of totalitarian governments after World War I.

• 3. Analyze the rise, aggression, and human costs of totalitarian regimes (Fascist and Communist) in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union, noting especially their common and dissimilar traits.

• 10.8 Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II. • 1. Compare the German, Italian, and Japanese drives for empire in the 1930s, including the

1937 Rape of Nanking, other atrocities in China, and the Stalin-Hitler Pact of 1939. • 2. Understand the role of appeasement, nonintervention (isolationism), and the domestic

distractions in Europe and the United States prior to the outbreak of World War II. • 3. Identify and locate the Allied and Axis powers on a map and discuss the major turning points

of the war, the principal theaters of conflict, key strategic decisions, and the resulting war conferences and political resolutions, with emphasis on the importance of geographic factors.

• 4. Describe the political, diplomatic, and military leaders during the war (e.g., Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Emperor Hirohito, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower).

Common Core Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Science for Grades 9 & 10 Students:

– RH 1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

– RH 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.

– RH 3 - Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.

– RH 4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social studies.

– RH 5 - Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.

Common Core Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Science for Grades 9 & 10 Students:

– WHST 4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

– WHST 9 - Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Hitler’s Lightning War Directions: As you read, circle unfamiliar

vocabulary, underline key ideas, and comment on the information presented.

Germany Sparks a New War in Europe What caused Britain and France to declare war?

In 1939, Adolf Hitler decided to move on Poland. He had already conquered Austria and Czechoslovakia. When Hitler signed a nonaggression pact with Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union, they agreed not to attack each other. Secretly, they also agreed to split Poland between them. This deal removed the threat of the Soviets attacking Germany from the east. So, on September 1, the German army invaded Poland in a Surprise attack. Using Planes, tanks, and troops, it moved suddenly in a technique called blitzkrieg, or “lightening war.” Britain and France declared war, but Poland fell before they could help. On September 17, after secret agreement with Hitler, Stalin invaded eastern Poland. Stalin then began annexing the regions covered in a second part of the agreement. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia fell without a struggle. However, Finland fought back. In March 1940, Finland was forced to surrender. For seven months after Poland fell to the Germans, Europe was calm. France and Britain got their armies ready. They waited for Hitler’s next move.

The Fall of France; The Battle of Britain

What happened when France and Britain were attacked?

Suddenly in April 1940, Hitler’s armies invaded Denmark and Norway. Within two months, they also captured Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France. Part of the French army, led by Charles de Gaulle, escaped to Britain to remain free and continue the fight. By then, Italy’s Benito Mussolini had joined Hitler’s side. Great Britain – now led by Winston Churchill – stood alone. The German air force began bombing Britain. It wanted to weaken the country. Germany was getting prepared to invade Britain. But the British air force fought back. It was helped by the recently developed radar. This was an electronic tracking system that warned of coming attacks. Also, the British had broken the German army’s secret code. The Battle of Britain lasted many months. Unable to break British defenses, Hitler called off the attacks in May 1941.

Hitler’s Lightning War Directions: As you read, circle unfamiliar

vocabulary, underline key ideas, and comment on the information presented.

The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front What countries did Hitler invade?

Hitler then turned his attention to the east and to the Mediterranean. Germany sent troops under General Erwin Rommel to North Africa to help Italy fight the British. In April 1941, German armies quickly took control of Yugoslavia and Greece. In June, Hitler began a surprise invasion of the Soviet Union. The Red Army was the largest in the world. But it was not well-equipped or well-trained. The Germans quickly pushed deep into Soviet territory. The Red Army was forced to retreat. To keep supplies out of German hands, the Red Army destroyed everything left behind. The Germans were stopped from taking Leningrad in the north. They then turned to Moscow, the Soviet capital. A strong Soviet counterattack, combined with fierce Russian winter weather, forced the Germans back. Moscow had been saved, and the battle had cost the Germans 500,000 lives.

The United States Aids its Allies How did the United States take sides?

The United States watched these events. Many Americans did not want to join in the war. President Roosevelt wanted to help the Allies, however. He asked Congress to allow Britain and France to buy American weapons. Soon, American ships were escorting British ships carrying guns bought from the United States. By the fall of 1941, U.S. ships had orders to fire on German submarines that threatened the ships. The United States and Germany were fighting an undeclared naval war. Roosevelt met secretly with Churchill in August of 1941. Although the United States was not officially in the war, the two leaders issued a statement called the Atlantic Charter. It supported free trade and the right of people to form their own government.

Hitler’s Lightning War

Standards Alignment Reading Text

Analytical Questions Response Sheets

Standards Alignment

California State Standards for Grade 10 • 10.7 Students analyze the rise of totalitarian governments after World War I.

• 3. Analyze the rise, aggression, and human costs of totalitarian regimes (Fascist and Communist) in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union, noting especially their common and dissimilar traits.

• 10.8 Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II. • 1. Compare the German, Italian, and Japanese drives for empire in the 1930s, including the

1937 Rape of Nanking, other atrocities in China, and the Stalin-Hitler Pact of 1939. • 2. Understand the role of appeasement, nonintervention (isolationism), and the domestic

distractions in Europe and the United States prior to the outbreak of World War II. • 3. Identify and locate the Allied and Axis powers on a map and discuss the major turning points

of the war, the principal theaters of conflict, key strategic decisions, and the resulting war conferences and political resolutions, with emphasis on the importance of geographic factors.

• 4. Describe the political, diplomatic, and military leaders during the war (e.g., Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Emperor Hirohito, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower).

Common Core Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Science for Grades 9 & 10 Students:

– RH 1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

– RH 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.

– RH 3 - Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.

– RH 4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social studies.

– RH 5 - Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.

Common Core Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Science for Grades 9 & 10 Students:

– WHST 1 - Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. • c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create

cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

– WHST 4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

– WHST 9 - Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Hitler’s Lightning War Germany Sparks a New War in Europe

What caused Britain and France to declare war? In 1939, Adolf Hitler decided to move on Poland. He had already conquered Austria and Czechoslovakia. When Hitler signed a nonaggression pact with Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union, they agreed not to attack each other. Secretly, they also agreed to split Poland between them. This deal removed the threat of the Soviets attacking Germany from the east. So, on September 1, the German army invaded Poland in a surprise attack. Using Planes, tanks, and troops, it moved suddenly in a technique called blitzkrieg, or “lightening war.” Britain and France declared war, but Poland fell before they could help. On September 17, after secret agreement with Hitler, Stalin invaded eastern Poland. Stalin then began annexing the regions covered in a second part of the agreement. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia fell without a struggle. However, Finland fought back. In March 1940, Finland was forced to surrender. For seven months after Poland fell to the Germans, Europe was calm. France and Britain got their armies ready. They waited for Hitler’s next move.

The Fall of France; The Battle of Britain

What happened when France and Britain were attacked?

Suddenly in April 1940, Hitler’s armies invaded Denmark and Norway. Within two months, they also captured Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France. Part of the French army, led by Charles de Gaulle, escaped to Britain to remain free and continue the fight. By then, Italy’s Benito Mussolini had joined Hitler’s side. Great Britain – now led by Winston Churchill – stood alone. The German air force began bombing Britain. It wanted to weaken the country. Germany was getting prepared to invade Britain. But the British air force fought back. It was helped by the recently developed radar. This was an electronic tracking system that warned of coming attacks. Also, the British had broken the German army’s secret code. The Battle of Britain lasted many months. Unable to break British defenses, Hitler called off the attacks in May 1941.

The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front What countries did Hitler invade?

Hitler then turned his attention to the east and to the Mediterranean. Germany sent troops under General Erwin Rommel to North Africa to help Italy fight the British. In April 1941, German armies quickly took control of Yugoslavia and Greece. In June, Hitler began a surprise invasion of the Soviet Union. The Red Army was the largest in the world. But it was not well-equipped or well-trained. The Germans quickly pushed deep into Soviet territory. The Red Army was forced to retreat. To keep supplies out of German hands, the Red Army destroyed everything left behind. The Germans were stopped from taking Leningrad in the north. They then turned to Moscow, the Soviet capital. A strong Soviet counterattack, combined with fierce Russian winter weather, forced the Germans back. Moscow had been saved, and the battle had cost the Germans 500,000 lives.

The United States Aids its Allies How did the United States take sides?

The United States watched these events. Many Americans did not want to join in the war. President Roosevelt wanted to help the Allies, however. He asked Congress to allow Britain and France to buy American weapons. Soon, American ships were escorting British ships carrying guns bought from the United States. By the fall of 1941, U.S. ships had orders to fire on German submarines that threatened the ships. The United States and Germany were fighting an undeclared naval war. Roosevelt met secretly with Churchill in August of 1941. Although the United States was not officially in the war, the two leaders issued a statement called the Atlantic Charter. It supported free trade and the right of people to form their own government.

Reading Questions

1. Why did Poland fall to Germany so quickly? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Why did Germany fail to win the Battle of Britain? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What happened when Germany invaded the Soviet Union? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Name two ways in which the United States supported the Allies. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hitler’s Lightning War - Reading Questions

Why did Poland fall to Germany so

quickly?

• non

Why did Germany fail to win the

Battle of Britain?

What happened when Germany

invaded the Soviet Union?

Name two ways in which the United States supported

the Allies.

Hitler’s Lightning War Text and Text Dependent Questions

Standards Alignment Text with Questions

Standards Alignment California State Standards for Grade 10 • 10.7 Students analyze the rise of totalitarian governments after World War I.

• 3. Analyze the rise, aggression, and human costs of totalitarian regimes (Fascist and Communist) in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union, noting especially their common and dissimilar traits.

• 10.8 Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II. • 1. Compare the German, Italian, and Japanese drives for empire in the 1930s, including the

1937 Rape of Nanking, other atrocities in China, and the Stalin-Hitler Pact of 1939. • 2. Understand the role of appeasement, nonintervention (isolationism), and the domestic

distractions in Europe and the United States prior to the outbreak of World War II. • 3. Identify and locate the Allied and Axis powers on a map and discuss the major turning points

of the war, the principal theaters of conflict, key strategic decisions, and the resulting war conferences and political resolutions, with emphasis on the importance of geographic factors.

• 4. Describe the political, diplomatic, and military leaders during the war (e.g., Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Emperor Hirohito, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower).

• Common Core Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Science for Grades 9 & 10 Students:

– RH 1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

– RH 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.

– RH 3 - Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.

– RH 4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social studies.

– RH 5 - Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.

• Common Core Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Science for Grades 9 & 10 Students:

– WHST 1 - Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. • c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create

cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

– WHST 4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

– WHST 9 - Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Hitler’s Lightning War Directions: Answer the text dependent questions as you

read. By 1939, what countries had Hitler already taken over and what was his next target? Describe the terms Hitler had with Stalin. Explain Hitler’s plan of attack. What was Stalin’s actions? How did France and Britain respond to Hitler and Stalin’s aggression? Which countries fell to Hitler? What happened to France’s leadership? Who else joined Hitler? Explain the Battle of Britain. What advantage did Britain have over the German army?

Germany Sparks a New War in Europe What caused Britain and France to declare war?

In 1939, Adolf Hitler decided to move on Poland. He had already conquered Austria and Czechoslovakia. When Hitler signed a nonaggression pact with Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union, they agreed not to attack each other. Secretly, they also agreed to split Poland between them. This deal removed the threat of the Soviets attacking Germany from the east. So, on September 1, the German army invaded Poland in a surprise attack. Using Planes, tanks, and troops, it moved suddenly in a technique called blitzkrieg, or “lightening war.” Britain and France declared war, but Poland fell before they could help. On September 17, after secret agreement with Hitler, Stalin invaded eastern Poland. Stalin then began annexing the regions covered in a second part of the agreement. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia fell without a struggle. However, Finland fought back. In March 1940, Finland was forced to surrender. For seven months after Poland fell to the Germans, Europe was calm. France and Britain got their armies ready. They waited for Hitler’s next move.

The Fall of France; The Battle of Britain

What happened when France and Britain were attacked?

Suddenly in April 1940, Hitler’s armies invaded Denmark and Norway. Within two months, they also captured Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France. Part of the French army, led by Charles de Gaulle, escaped to Britain to remain free and continue the fight. By then, Italy’s Benito Mussolini had joined Hitler’s side. Great Britain – now led by Winston Churchill – stood alone. The German air force began bombing Britain. It wanted to weaken the country. Germany was getting prepared to invade Britain. But the British air force fought back. It was helped by the recently developed radar. This was an electronic tracking system that warned of coming attacks. Also, the British had broken the German army’s secret code. The Battle of Britain lasted many months. Unable to break British defenses, Hitler called off the attacks in May 1941.

Hitler’s Lightning War Directions: Answer the text dependent questions as you

read. How did Hitler support the Italian campaign? Where else did the German army conquer? How did Hitler surprise Stalin? What were the problems with the Red Army? What did the Red Army do to prevent German success? Describe the German invasion of the U.S.S.R. How did the American public feel about the war? How did Roosevelt support the Allies? What kind of warfare was this? What did Roosevelt and Churchill draft? What were the terms?

The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front What countries did Hitler invade?

Hitler then turned his attention to the east and to the Mediterranean. Germany sent troops under General Erwin Rommel to North Africa to help Italy fight the British. In April 1941, German armies quickly took control of Yugoslavia and Greece. In June, Hitler began a surprise invasion of the Soviet Union. The Red Army was the largest in the world. But it was not well-equipped or well-trained. The Germans quickly pushed deep into Soviet territory. The Red Army was forced to retreat. To keep supplies out of German hands, the Red Army destroyed everything left behind. The Germans were stopped from taking Leningrad in the north. They then turned to Moscow, the Soviet capital. A strong Soviet counterattack, combined with fierce Russian winter weather, forced the Germans back. Moscow had been saved, and the battle had cost the Germans 500,000 lives.

The United States Aids its Allies How did the United States take sides?

The United States watched these events. Many Americans did not want to join in the war. President Roosevelt wanted to help the Allies, however. He asked Congress to allow Britain and France to buy American weapons. Soon, American ships were escorting British ships carrying guns bought from the United States. By the fall of 1941, U.S. ships had orders to fire on German submarines that threatened the ships. The United States and Germany were fighting an undeclared naval war. Roosevelt met secretly with Churchill in August of 1941. Although the United States was not officially in the war, the two leaders issued a statement called the Atlantic Charter. It supported free trade and the right of people to form their own government.

Hitler’s Lightning War Dialectical Journal

Standards Alignment Quotes Analysis Guide

Text quotes with student directions

Standards Alignment California State Standards for Grade 10 • 10.7 Students analyze the rise of totalitarian governments after World War I.

• 3. Analyze the rise, aggression, and human costs of totalitarian regimes (Fascist and Communist) in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union, noting especially their common and dissimilar traits.

• 10.8 Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II. • 1. Compare the German, Italian, and Japanese drives for empire in the 1930s, including the

1937 Rape of Nanking, other atrocities in China, and the Stalin-Hitler Pact of 1939. • 2. Understand the role of appeasement, nonintervention (isolationism), and the domestic

distractions in Europe and the United States prior to the outbreak of World War II. • 3. Identify and locate the Allied and Axis powers on a map and discuss the major turning points

of the war, the principal theaters of conflict, key strategic decisions, and the resulting war conferences and political resolutions, with emphasis on the importance of geographic factors.

• 4. Describe the political, diplomatic, and military leaders during the war (e.g., Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Emperor Hirohito, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower).

• Common Core Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Science for Grades 9 & 10 Students:

– RH 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.

– RH 3 - Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.

– RH 4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social studies.

– RH 5 - Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.

– RH 8 - Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.

• Common Core Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Science for Grades 9 & 10 Students:

– WHST 1 - Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. • a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims,

and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

• c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

– WHST 2 - Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

• b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.

• c. Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

• d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic and convey a style appropriate to the discipline and context as well as to the expertise of likely readers.

– WHST 4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

– WHST 9 - Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Read to Analyze Quotes The purpose of a dialectical journal is to analyze significant quotes from the text to make authentic connections between the text and other related concepts. After reading the quote and locating it in the document, write a response that shows your ability to question, analyze, interpret, evaluate, reflect, or predict. Response Starters to help start journal feedback:

– Asking Questions • I wonder why… • What if… • How come…

– Revising Meaning/Analyzing • At first I thought, but now I… • My latest thought about this is… • I’m getting a different picture here because…

– Forming Interpretations • What this means to me is… • I think this represents… • The idea I’m getting is…

– Evaluating • I like/don’t like… • This could be more effective if… • The most important message is…

– Reflecting and Relating • So, the big idea is… • A conclusion I’m drawing is… • This is relevant to my life because…

– Predicting • I’ll bet that… • I think… • If, then…

Hitler’s Lightning War - Dialectical Journal

Quote from Reading: - “In 1939, Adolf Hitler decided to move on Poland. He had already conquered Austria and Czechoslovakia. “ - “When Hitler signed a nonaggression pact with Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union, they agreed not to attack each other. Secretly, they also agreed to split Poland between them.” - “On September 1, the German army invaded Poland in a surprise attack. Using Planes, tanks, and troops, it moved suddenly in a technique called blitzkrieg, or “lightening war.” - “Britain and France declared war, but Poland fell before they could help.” - “On September 17, after secret agreement with Hitler, Stalin invaded eastern Poland. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia fell without a struggle.” - “However, Finland fought back. In March 1940, Finland was forced to surrender.”

- “Suddenly in April 1940, Hitler’s armies invaded Denmark and Norway. Within two months, they also captured Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France.” - “Part of the French army, led by Charles de Gaulle, escaped to Britain to remain free and continue the fight. By then, Italy’s Benito Mussolini had joined Hitler’s side.” - “Great Britain – now led by Winston Churchill – stood alone. The German air force began bombing Britain.” - “The Battle of Britain lasted many months. Unable to break British defenses, Hitler called off the attacks in May 1941.”

Student Response (Question, Analyze, Interpret, Evaluate, Reflect, Predict)

Hitler’s Lightning War - Dialectical Journal Quote from Reading:

- “Germany sent troops under General Erwin Rommel to North Africa to help Italy fight the British.” - “In April 1941, German armies quickly took control of Yugoslavia and Greece.” - “In June, Hitler began a surprise invasion of the Soviet Union. The Red Army was the largest in the world. But it was not well-equipped or well-trained. The Germans quickly pushed deep into Soviet territory. The Red Army was forced to retreat.” - “To keep supplies out of German hands, the Red Army destroyed everything left behind.” - “They then turned to Moscow, the Soviet capital. A strong Soviet counterattack, combined with fierce Russian winter weather, forced the Germans back. Moscow had been saved, and the battle had cost the Germans 500,000 lives.”

- “Many Americans did not want to join in the war. President Roosevelt wanted to help the Allies, however. He asked Congress to allow Britain and France to buy American weapons. - “By the fall of 1941, U.S. ships had orders to fire on German submarines that threatened the ships. The United States and Germany were fighting an undeclared naval war.” - “Roosevelt met secretly with Churchill in August of 1941. Although the United States was not officially in the war, the two leaders issued a statement called the Atlantic Charter. It supported free trade and the right of people to form their own government.”

Student Response (Question, Analyze, Interpret, Evaluate, Reflect, Predict)

Hitler’s Lightning War

Text Summary Worksheet with student directions

Standards Alignment California State Standards for Grade 10 • 10.7 Students analyze the rise of totalitarian governments after World War I.

• 3. Analyze the rise, aggression, and human costs of totalitarian regimes (Fascist and Communist) in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union, noting especially their common and dissimilar traits.

• 10.8 Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II. • 1. Compare the German, Italian, and Japanese drives for empire in the 1930s, including the 1937 Rape of Nanking, other atrocities in China, and

the Stalin-Hitler Pact of 1939. • 2. Understand the role of appeasement, nonintervention (isolationism), and the domestic distractions in Europe and the United States prior to

the outbreak of World War II. • 3. Identify and locate the Allied and Axis powers on a map and discuss the major turning points of the war, the principal theaters of conflict, key

strategic decisions, and the resulting war conferences and political resolutions, with emphasis on the importance of geographic factors. • 4. Describe the political, diplomatic, and military leaders during the war (e.g., Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Emperor Hirohito,

Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower).

• Common Core Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Science for Grades 9 & 10 Students: – RH 1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of

the information. – RH 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. – RH 4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic

aspects of history/social studies.

• Common Core Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Science for Grades 9 & 10 Students: – WHST 1 - Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

• c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

– WHST 4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. – WHST 5 - Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing

what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. – WHST 9 - Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Hitler’s Lightning War Directions: As you read the text, take notes on the events and significance of each during Hitler’s lighting war. Make sure to identify each event,

even if the date is already posted.

Hitler’s Lightning War Directions: As you read the text, take notes on the events and significance of each during Hitler’s lighting war. Make sure to identify each event,

even if the date is already posted.