World War II History DetectiveIntroduction TOP SECRET

• Intro• Task• Process• Evaluation• Conclusion

“I have heard about your talents as a great history detective. I need your help! I am afraid that today’s school children don’t know enough about their past and especially life during World War II. Your mission is to find out as much as you can on one specialist area and report back to your teacher in 3 weeks. You shall never surrender!”

Winston Churchill

World War II History Detective Task TOP SECRET

• Intro• Task• Process• Evaluation• Conclusion

• Your task is to prepare, write up and present your findings over a period of 3 weeks.

Week 1: Research, investigate, ask questions, take notes, sketch pictures. What conclusions do you come to? Are you surprised?

Week 2: Present your findings as a written dossier (document). This will include a front cover, a contents page, an index page and a glossary of keywords. The dossier will start with an introduction page asking the important questions of your research and end with a conclusion page giving your final thoughts. Include things like diagrams, tables and illustrations. You are allowed a maximum of 4 downloaded photos. Minimum 15 pages, maximum 20 pages.

Week 3: Present your findings as a talk. You can use visual displays, overhead slides or a power point presentation. The talk must last longer than 2 minutes and explain carefully each stage of your investigation and the conclusions you have reached.

World War II History Detective Web Resources TOP SECRET

• Intro• Task• Process• Evaluation• Conclusion

Web Research Games/Activities

Channel 4 WWII Children Mend, make or spend

Channel 4 History Quest Morse Code

24 hour Museum Semaphore

Scotland during WWII Show me History

BBC Children of WWII

BBC History WWII

BBC WWII Radio News Stories

London at War

Imperial War Museum

Enigma and the Code breakers

Bletchley Park (home of code breakers)

How to be a spy

World War II History Detective Process TOP SECRET

• Intro• Task• Process• Evaluation• Conclusion

Possible investigations could be on;

1) A WWII leader (Hitler, Churchill, Mussolini, Stalin

2) Wartime toys and games

3) Wartime entertainment (cinema, radio, songs etc)

4) Anne Frank

5) A 1940’s school

6) Weapons (sea, land and air)

7) Life in Germany during the war

8) A major battle (ie. Battle of Britain, D-Day)

9) Wartime spies and code breaking

Look for info in the library, on the web or at school

For more information on web resources click here

World War II History Detective Evaluation TOP SECRET

• Intro• Task• Process• Evaluation• Conclusion

How will I know I have been successful?

Check your progress week by week.

• Research Rubric• Dossier Rubric• Presentation/talk Rub

ric

World War II History Detective Research Rubric TOP SECRET

Intro Task Process Evaluation Conclusion

Success Criteria

Have you used and investigated different sources of information?

Internet, books, Internet, books,

photos, art,

Internet, books,

primary evidence,

Photos, art, feature-films, documentaries

Have you asked questions and thought carefully about the project?

You did the first project you thought of. Sometimes you were stuck but didn’t ask for help.

You chose carefully between 2 projects. You have asked some questions but didn’t always seek help when you needed it.

You found it hard to decide between 2 or 3 projects before starting. You have asked lots of questions and asked for help when you need it.

Have you recorded your research information carefully?

You haven’t taken many notes or drawn many pictures. Instead of a folder you prefer to store all the info in your head. You don’t see the need to plan your dossier.

You have taken some notes and drawn a few pictures. It is all stored in a folder but you haven’t thought about what you will do with it yet.

You have taken lots of notes, downloaded info. and drawn pictures. They are all stored neatly in a folder. You have begun to plan your dossier layout.

World War II History Detective Dossier Rubric TOP SECRET

Success Criteria

Have you included all the important presentation criteria?

Front cover, contents page, index page, glossary of key words.

You have forgotten your introduction and conclusion pages. Shorter than 15 pages.

Front cover, contents page, index page, glossary of key words.

You have forgotten your introduction and conclusion pages.

Front cover, contents page, index page, glossary of key words.

Introduction page and conclusion page. Min of 15 pages and max of 20 pages.

Is your work presented in an original and eye catching way?

Handwriting and illustrations look a little rushed.

You forgot to think about layout and just started writing.

No diagrams, maps or tables.

Clear handwritng, attractive illustration.

Standard book layout.

You have one diagram, map or table etc.

Clear handwritng, attractive illustration. Original design layout befitting the topic. Headings are different sizes.

You have some diagrams, maps or tables etc.

Does your dossier have lots of your own thoughts and writing?

Only some of the wrting is in your own words.

The introduction only asks a couple of questions.

You have mostly attempted to put everything into your own words. The introduction asks questions but they are not answered in the conclusion.

You have attempted to put everything into your own words. The introduction asks lots of interesting questions about your topic, which the conclusion answers.

Intro Task Process Evaluation Conclusion

World War II History Detective Talk Rubric TOP SECRET

Success Criteria

Have you used your voice and body to communicate effectively?

Voice is quiet and those at the back can’t hear.

You hardly ever make eye contact.

You just can’t seem to stop scratching or fiddling.

Clear voice.

You make eye contact sometimes.

Good body movement but the audience is never very sure what your hands are doing.

Clear, slow but expressive voice.

Good eye contact.

Use hands and movement to add feeling to talk.

Is there a clear structure to your presentation?

You start your talk without explaining what it is you are talking about.

There is a middle and end but the audience isn’t sure if they came in the right order.

In your intro you make it clear what you will talk about.

A good beginning and middle but your ending seems to get lost and you stop suddenly.

In your intro you make it clear what you will talk about.

A very clear beginning, middle and a strong end.

Have you made use of visual or audio aids to enhance your talk?

You have simply read out your talk.

You have not used any images or sound.

You have used Power Point slides, OHP slides or a flip chart.

You have made interesting use of either sound or images but not both.

You have used Power Point slides, OHP slides or a flip chart.

You have made interesting use of images and sound.

Intro Task Process Evaluation Conclusion

World War II History Detective Conclusion TOP SECRET

• Intro• Task• Process• Evaluation• Conclusion

STOP, let me see your identity card…

Are you sure you should be here? Go and have another look at your work. Check with the Rubrics. Anything you could improve? How happy are you with your work? What was your best piece of work; The Research? The Dossier? The Class Presentation? Can you give a reason?

Okay, everything appears to be in order. You may continue.

(Click on the Top Secret Folder…)

World War II History Detective TOP SECRET

• Intro• Task• Process• Evaluation• Conclusion

“Well done. An excellent job my good fellow! Generations of children will benefit from your brilliant examples of research, writing and speaking. The whole of the British nation is proud of you!”