Unit+15+-+World+War+II+-+12-13

__Unit Overview__
The World War II era, 1939-1945 __, __ was one of great turmoil both domestically and abroad. The US, just coming out of the worst economic depression in its history, was now thrown into the bloodiest conflict the world has ever seen. While the US took many measures to stay out of the war for as long as possible, it, nonetheless, was taking steps to go to war should it be necessary to do so. While this unit will not be focusing on the actual military achievements of the time period, we will be focusing on the impact of WWII on two different arenas: how the war changed life domestically and how it ushered in a new era of international relations as it catapulted the US to its new found stature of "superpower."

__Essential Questions__

 * Was the US truly trying to stay neutral when World War II broke out in 1939? Why or why not?
 * How did both the Axis and Allied Powers use propaganda during WWII? Who did so more effectively?
 * Which groups of people made the greatest gains domestically as a result of WWII? Why?
 * In terms of international relations, did WWII do more harm than good from a US perspective? Why or why not?

__**A Brief Change f****or this** **Unit:**__ I am not going to assign specific readings for specific dates for this reading. Rather, you are responsible for completing the assigned reading by the end of the unit. Those reading assignments are:

Chapter 34 in American Pageant Chapter 35 in American Pageant Zinn, Chapter 16

For the readings from American Pageant, please click on the above links to see which pages you need to read. (You will not be responsible for entire chapters!)

__Class #1 - The US Avoids War (Block D - Wed., March 13th, Block F - Thurs., March 14th)__
1. Review for your Unit 14 Quiz.
 * Prior to class, you should:**

1. Words of Wisdom Discussion 2. Unit 14 Quiz (there may be some very brief Q&A prior to the quiz) 3. Discussion - The US Avoids War - were they truly neutral? 4. The US and Propaganda
 * In-Class Activities:**

__Class #2 - The US Goes To War (Friday, March 15th)__
1. Keep working on the reading assignments!!!
 * Prior to class, you should:**

1. Words of Wisdom Discussion 2. Reading Q&A (brief) 3. Discussion of the war effort at home and experiences of different groups of Americans during the war. - For this activity, you will be in a group of two-three people and asked to research one of the following groups of people to discover what their experiences during World War II were. I have provided you with some links which may be of help in conducting your research, however, feel free to use other outside sources as well. The groups are:
 * In-Class Activities:**

Japanese-Americans Jewish-Americans (Be sure to look at the works cited for more information here) African-Americans The "Typical American" on the Home Front [|American Women]

My expectation is that you create a Keynote presentation with your group which can be used to teach the class about your particular group. You will NOT be presenting these Keynotes to the class, however, the information on your presentation needs to be sufficient for a 5-10 minute "mini lecture" if you were asked to do so. You MUST incorporate at least one primary written source into your presentation. Have fun!

When you are finished with your project, please post it here: WWII Home Front Experience

__Class #3 - The Aftermath of War (Tuesday, March 19th)__
1. Complete all reading assignments for this unit. 2. Prepare for your Unit 15 Quiz. (While your timeline is not due until the next class, it is highly advised to have completed your timeline prior to this class to help you study for the quiz.)
 * Prior to class, you should: **

1. Words of Wisdom Discussion 2. Q&A 3. Unit 15 Reading Quiz (MCQ - 20 questions, 15 minutes to complete)
 * In-Class Activities: **

__Unit Resources__


Unit 15 Timeline Terms

World War II - Quiz #1 World War II - Quiz #2 World War II - Terminology Quiz