Lesson Plan #2 5E MethodUS Involvement and the Role of Propaganda

Introduction:This lesson is designed to introduce students to United States involvement in WW1. This is done by examining the United States’ original approach of isolationism and neutrality. As it becomes clear that these are not effective approaches to the war, an examination of the propaganda that propelled the nation into war will also take place.

Objectives:1. Content/Knowledge

a. Students will be able to define the terms of isolationism and neutralityb. Students will be able to explain the United States position before becoming involved in

the warc. Students will be able to detail the events that propelled the United States to join the

conflict2. Process/Skills

a. Students will be able to connect information conveyed through various forms of mediab. Students will be able to interpret propaganda material from the WW1 time period.c. Students will be able to read and interpret primary source documents

3. Value/Dispositionsa. Students will reflect on the concept of “peacekeeping.”b. Students will weigh the impact of public opinion on war

Standards:1. State- Illinois Learning Standards

a. 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).

b. 16.B.4 (US) Identify political ideas that have dominated United States historical eras (e.g., Federalist, Jacksonian, Progressivist, New Deal, New Conservative).

c. 16.B.3d (US) Describe ways in which the United States developed as a world political power.

2. State- Illinois CCSSa. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or

secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

b. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.3 Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).

c. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

3. National- National council for Social Studies Standardsa. POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GOVERNANCE- Social studies teachers should possess

the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of Power, Authority, and Governance.

4. National- National Standards for History

a. Standard 2B- Analyze the impact of American public opinion on the Wilson administration's evolving foreign policy from 1914 to 1917.

Syntax – Procedures1. Engagement

a. Teacher Instructioni. Students will be told they are going to listen to a song once class has begun. The

Simon and Garfunkel song will be brought up on the smartboard and played for the class.

ii. Once students have listened to the song, they will pull up the think sheet found on the weebly page. Students will be asked to reflect on the lyrics of the song, and search for a connection to United States foreign policy in the WW1 era. The song lyrics have also been included on the page for referencing when completing the think sheet.

iii. After a period of reflection to fill out the sheet, students will share their thoughts with the class.

b. Resourcei. Smartboard to play the song will be necessaryii. The online WW1 Weebly Page (Resource 2.0)iii. Link to the song which is provided below (Resource 2.1)iv. Student think sheet (Resource 2.2)

c. Student Activityi. Students will listen to the song, keeping in mind they are looking for a connection

to United States foreign policy at the time of WW1ii. Students will fill out the think sheet provided for them, referring to the posted

lyrics if they need2. Exploration

a. Teacher Instructioni. The teacher will explain to students they now have time to investigate two

primary sources. These two sources are George Washington’s farewell Address, and Wilson’s Declaration of Neutrality.

ii. The teacher will inform students they are to highlight portions of Washington’s address that affected Wilsons stance on Neutrality.

iii. Since the portion of Washington’s address is short, students are also to highlight portions of Wilson’s Declaration of Neutrality that are proliferations of this Isolationist/Neutral attitude.

iv. A Main idea organizer have been provided for students. They may use this to help organize their thoughts if they wish.

b. Resourcesi. Selections from George Washington’s Farewell Address (Resource 2.3)ii. Wilson’s Declaration of Neutrality (Resource 2.4)iii. Main Idea Graphic Organizer (Resource 2.5)

c. Student Activityi. Students will explore the documents and collect information on the history/

tradition of isolationism and neutrality in United States foreign policyii. Students will fill out the graphic organizers, or organize their information in a way

that best suits them. 3. Explanation

a. Teacher Activity

i. In order to lay a groundwork of information, the teacher will conduct a period of direct instruction that highlights the transition of WW1 Policy from isolation to becoming involved in the war. This will be done with the aid of a Prezi Presentation. This presentation will serve as an information base for ensuing lessons.

b. Resourcesi. Prezi Presentation (Resource 2.6)

c. Student Activityi. Students will view the prezi presentation as taught by the teacher

4. Extenda. Teacher Activity

i. For the extension portion, students will be responding to the first part of a journal writing prompt. The prompt is meant to help students reflect on their research and the effectiveness of America’s foreign policy at the outbreak of the war.

ii. This will be done with the aid of their research, as well as through the viewing of various propaganda pieces from the WW1 era.

iii. The propaganda posters included are meant to help students see the attitudes of many towards the war, and how these attitudes conflict with an attitude of neutrality.

iv. The teacher will instruct students to complete the journal response prompt found in the lesson two tab of the website.

b. Resourcesi. Neutrality and Propaganda Journal Writing Prompt (Resource 2.7)ii. Propaganda Poster gallery (Resource 2.8)

c. Student Activityi. Students will view the propaganda poster galleryii. Student will respond to the journal prompts

5. Evaluationa. Teacher Activity

i. In the Evaluation activity, students will be making a connection between the attitudes of WW1 foreign policy, role propaganda played in pushing the United States into joining the war and a current day conflict or event. For the purposes of this exercise, a current conflict will be characterized as one that has taken place in the last 20 years.

ii. Students have one of two options, they may choose to find an event on their own, or they may use the one that is provided, which is the current war on terror/ 9/11

iii. The teacher will inform students they need to use their research, as well as their reflections from the previous activities to fill out a Venn Diagram that is provided. Students will be doing this at their tables in groups. They must decide within their groups which events they wish to use.

iv. The two sides of the Venn Diagram will be the students chosen event or 9/11, and Wilson’s foreign policy at the start of WW1.

v. The teacher will explain to students that they are going to briefly present their groups venn diagram to the class using the document projector.

vi. Students from each groups will walk the class through the connections or differences they found between WW1 policy, and the current event they chose to compare with.

vii. The teacher will be evaluating based on connections to concepts covered by previous exercises, and the individual group members participation.

b. Resourcesi. Venn Diagram for group work (Resource 2.9)ii. Document projector or smartboard for students to share their Venn Diagram

c. Student Activityi. Students will choose an event to compare WW1 foreign policy with.ii. Students will fill out the Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting their event with

United States WW1 foreign policy.iii. Students will assign roles for their brief presentation in their groupiv. Students will briefly present their connections to the class using their diagram as

a visual aid.

Resources (Source Citations & Bookmarks)Resource 2.1- I am a rock I am an Island- Simon and Garfunkel song

Resource 2.2- Song Think Sheet- Found on the following page in the form it would be printed for students

Name___________________

Song Think Sheet

1. What is the main point of Simon and Garfunkel’s song “I am a Rock I am an Island?”

2. Do you see a potential connection to United States foreign policy at the time of World War 1? If so, what is that connection?

3. Provide a specific set of lyrics that demonstrates both the main point of the song, and your connection to United States foreign policy. How do these lyrics capture the essence of both questions 1 and 2 from above?

4. Make a prediction: Will the policy outlined in your answer to question 2 be successful? Why or why not?

Resource 2.3- Selection from Washington’s Farewell Address- Found on the following page in the form it would be printed for students.http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp

Selected Passage from George Washington’s Farewell Address

“It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world; so far, I

mean, as we are now at liberty to do it; for let me not be understood as capable of patronizing infidelity to

existing engagements. I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is

always the best policy. I repeat it, therefore, let those engagements be observed in their genuine sense.

But, in my opinion, it is unnecessary and would be unwise to extend them.”

Resource 2.4- Wilson’s Declaration of Neutrality- Found on the following page in the form it would be printed for students.http://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/President_Wilson's_Declaration_of_Neutrality

President Wilson’s Declaration of Neutrality

Woodrow Wilson, Message to Congress, 63rd Cong., 2d Sess., Senate Doc. No. 566 (Washington, 1914), pp. 3-4.

The effect of the war upon the United States will depend upon what American citizens say and do. Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality, which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness and friendliness to all concerned. The spirit of the nation in this critical matter will be determined largely by what individuals and society and those gathered in public meetings do and say, upon what newspapers and magazines contain, upon what ministers utter in their pulpits, and men proclaim as their opinions upon the street.

The people of the United States are drawn from many nations, and chiefly from the nations now at war. It is natural and inevitable that there should be the utmost variety of sympathy and desire among them with regard to the issues and circumstances of the conflict. Some will wish one nation, others another, to succeed in the momentous struggle. It will be easy to excite passion and difficult to allay it. Those responsible for exciting it will assume a heavy responsibility, responsibility for no less a thing than that the people of the United States, whose love of their country and whose loyalty to its government should unite them as Americans all, bound in honor and affection to think first of her and her interests, may be divided in camps of hostile opinion, hot against each other, involved in the war itself in impulse and opinion if not in action.

Such divisions amongst us would be fatal to our peace of mind and might seriously stand in the way of the proper performance of our duty as the one great nation at peace, the one people holding itself ready to play a part of impartial mediation and speak the counsels of peace and accommodation, not as a partisan, but as a friend.

I venture, therefore, my fellow countrymen, to speak a solemn word of warning to you against that deepest, most subtle, most essential breach of neutrality which may spring out of partisanship, out of passionately taking sides. The United States must be neutral in fact, as well as in name, during these days that are to try men's souls. We must be impartial in thought, as well as action, must put a curb upon our sentiments, as well as upon every transaction that might be construed as a preference of one party to the struggle before another.

Resource 2.5-Main Idea Graphic Organizer- Found on the following page in the form it would be printed for students.

Name______________________________

Directions: You may use this graphic organizer to organize your thoughts about Washington’s Farewell Address and Wilson’s Declaration of Neutrality.

Resource 2.6- Prezi Presentation http://prezi.com/ylxxd8venz9h/on-the-path-to-war/

Resource 2.7- Neutrality and Propaganda Writing Prompt-Found on the following page in the form it would be printed for students.

Name___________________Neutrality and Propaganda

Writing Prompt- Based on the examples of Propaganda you have been provided with, how do you think public opinion affects wartime activities? Did public opinion in the United States affect how and when the United States became involved in WW1?

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Resource 2.8- Propaganda Examples for Reflection-

Resource 2.9- Venn Diagram for Group Presentations- Found on the following page in the form it would be printed for students.