Course: United States History II

Grade Level: 11
Unit: World War I
Time Frame: 48 minutes
Date: February 6, 2014 Preparer: Dan Kim
Essential Question:
What connection can be made between propaganda and total war?
In what ways was propaganda an effective tool in promoting and gaining more support
for the war?

Lesson Title: Mobilizing the Masses
Measurable Learning Objectives (3 part):
Students will be able to analyze WWI propaganda,
determine its effectiveness, and connect it to the concept of
total war, by participating in a gallery walk with guided
questions and group discussion.
Student Friendly Version:
Analyze and discuss the effectiveness of World War Is
propaganda and make a connection between the
propaganda and total war, by participating in a gallery walk
activity and group discussion.


Standards Addressed:
(NJCCCS and CCS)
6.1.12.D.7.b
6.2.12.D.4.g
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2

Key Historical Content:
World War I
Total War
Propaganda
Nationalism

Pre- lesson assignments and Prior Knowledge
Students will have learned about the concept of total war. Prior to this lesson, students will have
realized that total war engages every person, not just soldiers. They will have learned that total
war can involve citizens both voluntarily and involuntarily. They will also have learned that part
of total war mobilizing a total war effort, which will all serve as a good basis for this lesson on
propaganda. They were told to think about how the government could mobilize its citizens in a
non-forcible way.

Concepts/Vocab
Total War Symbolism
Propaganda Sexism
Nationalism
Sensationalism
Racism

Materials Needed:
Propaganda print-outs
Guided worksheet
Smartboard

Hook/Do Now/Warm-Up:
Warm-up exercise:
Students will warm-up for the lesson by analyzing 2 pieces of WWI propaganda. They will write
down their analyses in their interactive notebooks. Then the teacher will ask students to share
their thoughts. Afterwards, the teacher will begin the lesson by explaining the activity.

Lesson Summary:
This lesson is designed to help students engage in primary sources to understand how
propaganda is related to total war and how effectively it was used. In order to do so, students
must analyze a collection of propaganda. To help ensure that students will be able to participate
in the assignment, a warm-up exercise will provide an opportunity for students to analyze 2
pieces of propaganda which will be displayed on the Smartboard. The teacher will review their
analyses with them to make sure they understand what to look for and how to analyze
propaganda. In doing so, the goal is to provide a practice of modeling for those who need it.
Following the warm-up, students will be given a guided worksheet which will have
questions to help frame their analyses. The number at the top of their paper will determine the
discussion groups. They will then participate in a gallery walk around the classroom with the
teacher also walking around making observations and being available to answer any questions.
Propaganda will be hung all around the room and students will walk from piece to piece as in an
art gallery. They will be free to move around to certain pieces that draw their attention. However,
there will be a time limit of 12 minutes to view the propaganda and to take notes. An additional
18 minutes will be given to students for group discussion and to fill out their worksheet. The
worksheet will also have a section for an assessment which will be collected and checked at the
end of the period. The assessment will ask students to pick 3 of the most compelling pieces.
They will then have to explain what factors made the propaganda so compelling and also tie
them to the concept of total war. To assess their overall understanding of total war, homework
will be assigned. The assignment will be a Frayer diagram of the total war concept which the
teacher will explain after recapping the days lesson.

Lesson Development (Including teacher input, student activities, transitions,
differentiation, and planned questions):
5 minutes The students will participate in a warm-up exercise by analyzing 2 pieces of
propaganda which will be displayed on the Smartboard. Students will write their analyses in their
interactive notebooks. The teacher will follow-up and ask students what they wrote to check for
understanding.
2 minutes The teacher will pass out guided worksheets and explain the assignment.
10-12 minutes The students will participate in a gallery walk of World War I propaganda.
Teacher will walk around and be available to help and answer any questions.
18-20 minutes Students will group up according to the number on their paper and discuss their
findings. They will also have time in groups to use what they learned from each other to pick the
3 most compelling pieces and explain what makes those 3 so compelling and how they tie into
total warfare. Students will also take this time to write their findings down to submit for
assessment.
2-4 minutes The teacher will initiate a time of closure by having a discussion about what
students found during the gallery walk activity. The teacher will also explain the homework
assignment which will check their overall understanding of total war by giving the students a
Frayer diagram to fill out at home.
If Time/If Needed:
If there is extra time, the class will discuss the least compelling propaganda and what their
reasoning is in choosing the least compelling. If necessary, students may select 1 piece of
propaganda instead of 3.
Closure:
The class will come together with a few minutes left to discuss their findings, their analyses and
what connections they made to total war. The teacher will then explain the Frayer diagram
homework assignment. If they have not finished their work, the teacher will tell them to finish it
at home and to bring it in the next day.




Assessing Performance Objective and Overall Learning
In Class (formal/informal):
Informal: Assessments will be made
by observing the students
participation in the gallery walk, their
group discussions, as well as through
the closure discussion.
Formal: The primary assessment will
be their response to the prompt,
Choose the 3 most compelling pieces
of propaganda and explain what
makes those 3 so compelling, and
explain how they tie into total
warfare. This prompt will be on their
guided worksheet.
Homework:
Students will complete a Frayer
diagram of the concept of total war. In
the middle of the diagram, students
will write total war. Then they will
fill out the other components of the
diagram (definition, characteristics,
examples, non-examples).

Standards:
6.1.12.D.7.b Determine the extent to which propaganda, the media, and special interest groups
shaped American public opinion and American foreign policy during World War I.

6.2.12.D.4.g Analyze the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations
in support of total war.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key
details and ideas.
The 2009 Core Curriculum Content Standards for Social Studies can be found at
http://www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/standards/6/index.html
The New Common Core Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies can be found at the
following links:
For Grades 11-12: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/11-12