This movie is an account of the Manhattan Project, the super-secret program by the United States to make the first atomic bomb. During this clip, the chief scientist and his team test the first atomic bomb. The test is successful. "Little Boy", is the uranium bomb that detonated over Hiroshima by a gun-type device, and "Fat Man," is the plutonium bomb that detonated through implosion at Nagasaki. Watching this clip is an excellent way to introduce or complete a discussion of the topic of using atomic bombs with a lesson plan on mass casualties and making decisions about war including an in-depth analysis of the decision to end WWII with atomic bomb attacks on Japan.
In this video clip, Winston Churchill addresses the House of Commons with an inspirational speech expressing confidence in winning the war against the Nazis. Churchill used not only eloquent words but also strong body language to boost the morale of the British people.
This resource from the Holocaust Center for Humanity provides a step-by-step instructional outline to teach about the Holocaust to students in secondary grades. The instructional material incorporates various literacy skills into the social studies content. There are options provided for 1-2 weeks of instruction, 3-5 weeks of instruction, and complete units. All of the resources required to teach the lessons are included in this document. In addition, this resource provides a Best Practices document to support educators in teaching this difficult topic.
In this passage, students read about events that led up to the United States' entry into World War II. World War II, which had been raging in Europe since 1939, hit home for many Americans when the Japanese launched a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. This activity includes a vocabulary activity and comprehension questions.
Will Johannsson, a 5th grader from Sewanne, Tennessee, interviewed his godfather, Hans Ohrt, who described what life was like under Hitler's brutal dictatorship. After reading this interview, students will be able to identify the loss of human lives associated with World War II. For many children, living in Nazi Germany during World War II (1939-1945) was difficult. The Nazi party, ruled by Adolf Hitler, rounded up millions of Jews and others and murdered them. The Nazis also wanted children to spy on their families and report back to the government.
This free, interactive website helps middle and high school-aged students explore the effects of the Tennessee Valley Authority during World War II. The website includes videos, photographs, handouts, primary resources, and more.
This lesson provides information on how the Tennessee Valley Authority played a key role in helping the United States win World War II. Lesson plans are provided on the website including introductory activities and extension activities. Lesson plan powerpoints are also available. Full-length videos are provided on the website with video response questions as well as interactive graphics for student use.
For over 20 years, a summer program for gifted adolescents at Western Kentucky University has offered an arts-integrated history course on Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. The course concludes with students working as a group to create a large mural on the Holocaust. In this way, students use the power of art to deal with their own emotions as well as to educate others.
In Fall 2017, murals from the past 20 years went on a traveling display in Kentucky to engage a broader audience in thought-provoking conversation on the topic. This image collection shows the completed murals created over the 20-year span of the program.
**Sensitive: This resource contains material that may be sensitive for some students. Teachers should exercise discretion in evaluating whether this resource is suitable for their class.
The attack on Pearl Harbor (Hawaii) on December 7th, 1941 changed the course of history and triggered the involvement of the United States in World War II. The attack destroyed much of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet and killed nearly 2,500 Americans. This segment of Iowa Public Television's Iowa’s WWll Stories features historical film clips as well as interviews with survivors of the attack.
This free, interactive website helps middle and high school-aged students explore Holocaust history and themes of identity and personal responsibility. Part of the larger Museum of Jewish Heritage Holocaust Curriculum website, Coming of Age During the Holocaust features first-person accounts of young people who survived the Holocaust, integrating compelling videos, narratives, and primary documents with online discussions and engaging activities.
This lesson provides an introduction to the study of the Holocaust and can be used as the first lesson of a larger unit, or a stand-alone lesson to discuss essential content and themes. The Holocaust refers to the systematic murder of six million Jews, and millions of others, by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II. The Nazi Party came to power in 1933. Its leader, Adolf Hitler, was appointed chancellor of Germany and began to target Jews. Roma/Sinti, those with physical or mental disabilities, LGBTQ people, political dissidents, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others were considered enemies by the Nazis and not worthy of human rights.
This collection includes videos, photographs, and articles about the Holocaust. Students can use this collection to explore what life might have been like during the Holocaust.
This podcast is a collection of personal stories told from soldiers and family members of Japanese Americans (Nisei) who volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. The podcast describes the experiences of some Japanese Americans and the consequences of World War II.
This learning activity contains photographs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Sir Winston Churchill during World War II. There is also a set of discussion questions to use with the photographs.
