Summary
This lesson provides context for events leading up to World War ll by focusing on the leadership of four dictators: Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and Tojo. Students will evaluate how these four leaders contributed to the causes of the war and will later determine what enables leaders to obtain too much power. Before starting "Power Trip," consider teaching this other LEARN lesson: "How Powerful Is Too Powerful?"
Essential Question(s)
What caused World War II? What conditions enable leaders to take too much power?
Snapshot
Engage
Students answer the question “What do people look for in a leader when times are tough?” and participate in a Stand Up, Sit Down instructional strategy to create a comprehensive list of ideas.
Explore
Students watch the video “The Gathering Storm” and complete an I Notice, I Wonder activity.
Explain
Students work in groups to research Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo. They fill out a graphic organizer with information on each leader and answer the first essential question: “What caused World War ll?”
Extend
Students define democracy and dictatorship. Then, they determine whether three modern leaders are in a democracy or dictatorship. They compare and contrast a World War ll leader with a modern leader.
Evaluate
Students reevaluate the list of leader characteristics from the beginning of the lesson on Day 1 and answer the second essential question: “What conditions allow leaders to take too much power?”
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
I Notice, I Wonder handout (attached, one per student)
World War ll Leaders Graphic Organizer handout (attached, one per student)
Stalin Passage (attached, one per student in group)
Hitler Passage (attached, one per student in group)
Mussolini Passage (attached, one per student in group)
Tojo Passage (attached, one per student in group)
Comparing Leaders T-Chart (attached, one per student)
Blank paper or notebook paper (2 per student)
3 index cards
Chart paper (optional)
Markers (optional)
Engage
15 Minute(s)
Introduce the lesson using slide 2 of the attached Lesson Slides.
Display slide 3 to share the essential questions and slide 4 to go over the lesson’s learning objectives to the extent you feel necessary.
Display slide 5 and introduce Stand Up, Sit Down instructional strategy. Give each student a sheet of paper or have them get out a notebook. Ask students:
What do people look for in a leader when times are tough?
On their sheet of paper have students write down 3 words or short phrases answering the prompt. Give students a few minutes to brainstorm and record their responses.
When time is up, display slide 6 and go over the directions. Have all students stand up at their desks. Go around the room and ask each student to take turns sharing one item they wrote in response to the prompt. As student’s share their responses, record them on the board or chart paper. (This will create a comprehensive list that will be revisited later in Evaluate.) The students who are standing will compare what their peers are sharing and mark off any matching answers on their own paper. Once a student has either shared all their answers or crossed them off, they can sit down. Continue around the room until all students are sitting down.
As a class look over the list you have created. Ask students:
Do you see any difference in ideas?
What are common themes?
Explore
10 Minute(s)
Display slide 7 and go over I Notice, I Wonder instructional strategy. Pass out the I Notice, I Wonder handout. Inform students that they will watch the video “The Gathering Storm.” As they watch the video they need to record the following:
2 events they notice that led up to World War ll
Any questions or topics they still wonder about
Display slide 8 and click on the linked image. This will take you to the National WW2 Museum Website. Play the video at the top of the page titled “The Gathering Storm.”
After the video, ask for a few volunteers to share what they wrote on their handouts.
Explain
25 Minute(s)
Display slide 9 and introduce the Jigsaw instructional strategy. Divide the class into groups of four. Assign each group one of the following four leaders:
Stalin
Mussolini
Hitler
Tojo
Pass out the World War ll Leaders Graphic Organizer handout to each student. Inform students that they will be working as a group to read an article and to fill in the graphic organizer on their assigned leader. Instruct students to look for the following information on their leader:
Conditions under which they came to power
Military and territory acquisition
Methods of maintaining control
Tell students to also record any information they discover over the causes of World War ll.
Pass out the Stalin Passage handout, Hitler Passage handout, Mussolini Passage handout, and Tojo Passage handout to each student in the corresponding group. Provide the groups time to read the passage and record their information in the graphic organizer. Encourage your students to discuss the information and work as a group.
After each group has completed their reading and filled in their graphic organizers, which will take approximately 15-20 minutes, display slide 10. Have each group choose one spokesperson to share what they recorded about their leader and the causes of World War ll. Once a spokesperson is chosen, ask for volunteers to share first. As each group shares the other groups will record the information in their graphic organizers.
Once all groups have shared and filled in their graphic organizers display slide 11 and have students answer the first essential question on their graphic organizer:
What caused World War ll?
End Day 1 by asking students to think about how they would define democracy and dictatorship. This will be discussed in the next lesson.
End lesson here for Day 1.
Extend
35 Minute(s)
Start this section on Day 2.
Again, display slide 11 and also slide 12, remind students of the essential questions and lesson objectives. Inform students that today you will be focusing on answering the second essential question. Pass out the Comparing Leaders T-Chart handout.
Display slide 13 and introduce the Airplane Landing instructional strategy. Ask the class:
How would you define democracy?
Give students time to think about their answer. Ask for three volunteers to share their definitions. Have each volunteer pick one of the three numbered index cards. Then have each volunteer share their definition in the numerical order of their cards, starting with number one. As each volunteer shares, write their definition on the board or chart paper. Once each volunteer has share, give students time to record their own definition for democracy on their handout. Pick up the three numbered index cards.
Display slide 14 and ask the class:
How would you define dictatorship?
Give students time to think about their answer. Ask for three new volunteers to share their definitions. Have each volunteer pick one index card. Then have each volunteer share their definition in the numerical order of their cards, starting with number one. As each volunteer shares, write their definition on the board or chart paper. Once each volunteer has shared, give students time to record their own definition for dictatorship on their handout.
Display slide 15. Inform students that you will share with them information about modern leaders. Based on what they read they will decide if that leader is in a dictatorship or a democracy. Give each student a sheet of notebook paper or have them flip over their T-chart. Have them number their paper 1-3.
Display slide 16. This will first display the words only. Give students time to read information about each of the leaders listed on the slide. Next to each number have students write if they think the leader is in a dictatorship or a democracy. Once each student has recorded their responses, click three more times on the slide to reveal the photos of the leaders.
Display slide 17 and as a class discuss what students recorded and why they choose their answers.
Display slide 18 and introduce the T-chart instructional strategy. Inform students that they will be comparing and contrasting a leader from World War ll and a modern leader they just analyzed. Go over the directions, instructing students to circle one modern leader and one World War ll leader at the top of their handout. Give students 10-15 minutes to research online for more information about their leaders. Have students cite their sources on the back of the T-chart handout. As students are researching, have them fill out the similarities and differences columns of their T-chart. Once students have completed their T-charts, encourage them to find a partner and discuss what they summarized.
Evaluate
10 Minute(s)
Remind students of the list of leader characteristics the class made at the beginning of the lesson on Day 1. Ask students:
What would you add to this list?
As students share, add their responses to the class list.
Display slide 20 and share the last essential question with the class.
What conditions enable leaders to take too much power?
Give students time to write the answer to the question at the bottom of their Comparing Leaders T-Chart handout.
Resources
From the collection to the classroom: Teaching history with the National WWII Museum. The Gathering Storm | From the Collection to the Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://www.ww2classroom.org/?q=node%2F216.
ISTE. (2020 October 23). Media literacy starts with SEARCHing the Internet. Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://www.iste.org/explore/Digital-and-media-literacy/Media-literacy-starts-with-SEARCHing-the-internet.
K20 Center. (n.d.). A-Clap. Strategy. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/183
K20 Center. (n.d.). Airplane landing. Strategy. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/78
K20 Center. (n.d.). I notice, I wonder. Strategy. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/180
K20 Center. (n.d.). Jigsaw. Strategy. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/179
K20 Center. (n.d.) Searching for sources. Part One. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1hNgZGDFwc&list=PL-aUhEQeaZXID91azYKwX91vNfNKrANsQ&index=16&t=2s
K20 Center. (n.d.). Searching for sources. Part Two. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKm8-TR0rQw
K20 Center. (n.d.). Stand up, Sit Down. Strategy. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/1771
K20 Center. (n.d.). T-chart. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/86
K20 Center. (n.d.). LEARN | How Powerful Is Too Powerful? Lessons. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/lesson/345