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Context and Assignment:

The students partaking in a document-based assessment by creating a newspaper with four or more articles covering the U.S neutrality to World War II. This assignment would work well with any high school U.S. History course that covers World War II. The lesson will use a variety of primary sources such as newspapers, photos, and political cartoons to provide a differentiated learning experience for students.

To engage in their historical thinking, the students will engage in photos that are contextually relevant but somewhat vague. This will encourage the students to make the connections from the class lecture to create their news reports. There will be scaffolded questions to help support students on different learning levels. Students will write about the following information: U.S. neutrality, the embargo on Japan, attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan’s success, and U.S. declaration for war. For extra credit, the students will also about the Japanese-Americans who were eventually interned a few months after.

Essential Question:

I will be able to explain how the U.S. went from being neutral to entering World War II.

Objective:

Students will be engaging in historical thinking by using photos, videos, and reading to develop their newspaper. This will help students develop and practice researching information and summarize texts based on their background knowledge.

Documents

Google Slides Link

Sources Links from Documents

1. We always were suckers for ridiculous hats…
2. Lend-Lease to Britain. English girls, members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service move armfuls of American rifles just arrived from the United States under lend-lease
3. The Nome nugget. [volume], August 04, 1941, Image 1
4. Confidentially… how much hell do you think these Japs will raise?
5. NH 97398 Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941
6. SC 134872 Pearl Harbor Attack
7. We’re Fighting to Prevent This
8. Day of Infamy Address
9. People leaving Buddhist church, winter, Manzanar Relocation Center, California
10. Mess line, noon, Manzanar Relocation Center, California