Running Head: TEAM TEACHING



Running head: PROJECT E

Project E: Instructional Strategy Development

John D. Langworthy

Southwestern College

Author Note

John D. Langworthy, Graduate Student, Southwestern College.

Correspondence concerning this paper should be sent via E-mail: john_langworthy_ii@

Abstract

The following discusses the application of principles and techniques for a tenth grade history lesson on the origins of World War II. The lesson is an example of designing instructional strategies for a declarative knowledge learning task.

Project E: Instructional Strategy Development

LEARNING TASK:

Given homework reading, a simulation, and discussion in which to understand the social makeup of post WW I Germany and the origins of WW II, The Learner Will (TLW) list and explain the ten people and/or events believed to be the most critical contributing factors to the beginning of WW II and incorporate them into a computer generated timeline with 100% accuracy.

REVIEW OF LEARNING TASK:

Learning how the Treaty of Versailles impacted post WW I Germany is a facts/list task. This lesson will follow prior instruction on WW I and reading on The Treaty of Versailles. Consequently, learners will have exposure to the concessions imposed upon Germany and how these affected the citizens. The declarative knowledge necessary for students to master are the primary concessions Germany was required to accept in the Treaty of Versailles. These include: being forced to accept blame for WW I, pay reparations of more than six billion Pounds, reducing the size of their military, and losing approximately thirteen percent of German territory. This knowledge allows comprehension of how Germany became susceptible to new political ideals and was eventually overtaken by the Nazi Party. Understanding the social climate within Germany and how these concessions impacted the livelihood of people permits the realization of Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. Without this understanding of societal and political change after WW I it would be impossible to comprehend underlying motivations and events leading up to WW II. Additionally, students will also need to understand the people and events that escalated into WW II.

INTRODUCTION:

Activate Attention and Arouse Interest:

The following steps are broken down into a numbered sequence of accomplishment to clarify my teaching methods. These steps will activate student attention and arouse interest.

1. Show students slides of the leaders of the Axis Powers, Germany, Italy, and Japan.

2. Ask them to identify these people and to explain what movements or beliefs propelled them to become the leaders of their country. Ask students to indicate how many of them would support a leader that promised to create jobs and build a solid infrastructure.

3. Explain how the Global Depression influenced Germans to support a dictatorship and how it pushed the United States towards isolationism in the beginning stages of the war.

4. Divide students into the following groups: 1/3 becomes unemployed due to the depression, 1/3 becomes the media and businesses of Germany, and the remaining 1/3 becomes communist supporters, democracy supporters, and German Jewish

5. Explain how tough times were in Germany for those without jobs and how the media and large business in Germany was leaning towards the Nazi Party since the other option was communism. I will also explain how communism was unpopular since it would eliminate the media and large businesses.

6. Show a slide of Nazi Propaganda, which promises jobs, and the growth of Germany as a powerful nation.

7. Read statements from Hitler blaming the Jews for Germany’s problems.

8. Play the following audio clip: “if the international Jewish financiers in and outside Europe should succeed in plunging the nations once more into a world war, then the result will not be the Bolshevizing of the earth, and thus the victory of Jewry, but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe!”

9. Ask students to simulate their group and then ask them to sit down if they do not support Hitler and the Nazi plan for Germany, or remain standing if they do support Hitler. Those who were unemployed should remain standing as well as the media and big businesses of Germany. The remaining 1/3 would then be outnumbered, providing the support needed by the Nazi Party to take control of Germany.

Establish Instructional Purpose and Preview the Lesson:

The following steps are broken down into a numbered sequence of accomplishment to clarify my teaching methods. These steps will establish instructional purpose and preview the lesson.

1. Write Causes of Political Change on the board and have students’ list social and economic reasons why people will demand change within their country.

2. Explain to students that we will discover the motives and means used to fuel the events that became WW II.

3. Show students maps of Europe before and after WW I to explain how losing territory prompted expansionism by Germany.

4. Class discussion on the explanation and rise of fascism and racism in Europe and isolationism in the United States.

5. Explain to students that we will discover the motives and means used to fuel the events that became WW II.

6. Show students the following organizers (Figures E-1 and E-2) that indicate the forms of declarative memory required for them to succeed.

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Figure E-1: Recognize and Paraphrase German Concessions in the Treaty of Versailles

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Figure E-2: Recognize and paraphrase people and events leading to WW II

BODY:

Recall Prior Knowledge:

Review the countries that participated in WW I and discuss the global depression that followed. In addition, review the following forms of government: Democratic, Fascist, and Communist.

Process Information and Focus Attention:

Images of the WW II leaders will be projected on the board as an associational technique to assist students with learning them. Students will complete chronological list from Figure E-2 while it is projected on the board to help with comprehension and complete the timeline assignment. I feel that these will help students process the necessary information and also the list will help focus their attention on the important events leading up to WW II.

Employ Learning Strategies, Practice, and Evaluate Feedback:

I will recommend that students try using the following graphic organizer (Figure E-3) to help them master the content required for this assignment. Students must prepare for connected discourse on the assessment. In other words, they need to demonstrate understanding of the people and events leading up to WW II and be able to explain their significance. As for feedback I will evaluate students on completeness and sequence when I look over their chronological list. In regards to the graphic organizer, I will be looking for reasonable explanations for the people and events selected.

[pic]

Figure E-3: Graphic Organizer Concept Map for Causes of WW II

CONCLUSION:

Summarize:

After completing the concept map I will conduct a class survey to serve as my method for summary and review. I will project Figure E-2 back onto the board and then by a show of hands, students will vote for the ten they selected. I will then write the number of students who selected a person or event on the board and we will discuss the trends associated within the classroom. The most significant areas will be the people and events that were not as widely selected. These might be areas that I may need to re-teach.

Transfer Learning and Re-motivation:

Transfer requires students to find connections that allow them to retrieve information when necessary. I plan on providing a bridge for the origins of WW II through the use of a technology driven timeline activity. Using the concept map they completed, students will complete their timeline using the internet timeline tool. Completing this online will be a project that helps students retain the information and is fun at the same time. This will also be a great submission to a student’s portfolio.

ASSESSMENTS:

Assess performance and Evaluate Feedback:

Students will print their timelines off and after grading those along with their concept maps, I will determine if they are ready for assessment. The test will be mostly recall since this is declarative knowledge. The only caveat to this will be two essay questions that will require higher level thinking skills. After completion of the post-test, I will compare the results with the pre-test to recognize areas of improvement or areas I may need to re-teach. Students will be permitted to look over their test and we will go over the test as a class to clear up any questions.

References

Smith, P.L., & Tillman, T.J. (2005). Instructional design. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc..

Retrieved November 22, 2009, from Timeline Web site: .

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