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Why WWI Still Matters?

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Lesson Plan

Why WWI Still Matters? Lesson Plan

Students will be able to identify and analyze the main causes of World War I, understand the key events of the war, and evaluate its lasting impact on global politics and society.

Understanding World War I is crucial for comprehending the origins of many 20th-century conflicts and the development of modern international relations. It helps students connect past events to current global issues and appreciate the sacrifices made.

Audience

9th Grade Students

Time

90 minutes

Approach

This lesson uses a combination of direct instruction, guided discussion, and document analysis.

Materials

Why WWI Still Matters? Slide Deck, WWI Warm-Up: A World on Edge?, The Great War: A Brief Overview Reading, Analyzing WWI Worksheet, and WWI Exit Ticket: Lingering Echoes

Prep

Teacher Preparation

20 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: A World on Edge?

10 minutes

  • Distribute the WWI Warm-Up: A World on Edge? to students as they enter.
  • Ask students to consider the questions on the warm-up, prompting them to think about tensions before a major conflict.
  • Briefly discuss student responses, linking them to the idea of brewing tensions before WWI.

Step 2

Introduction to WWI & Causes

25 minutes

  • Use the first few slides of the Why WWI Still Matters? Slide Deck to introduce the lesson and pose the essential question: "Why does WWI still matter today?"
  • Present the main causes of WWI (M.A.I.N. - Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism) using the slide deck.
  • Encourage discussion and questions from students, providing historical context for each cause.

Step 3

Reading & Analysis: The Great War

25 minutes

Step 4

Debrief and Discussion

20 minutes

  • Bring the class back together to discuss the Analyzing WWI Worksheet answers.
  • Facilitate a class discussion about the immediate and long-term consequences of WWI, referencing information from the reading and their own understanding.
  • Connect the discussion back to the essential question: "Why does WWI still matter?"

Step 5

Cool-Down: Lingering Echoes

10 minutes

  • Distribute the WWI Exit Ticket: Lingering Echoes.
  • Ask students to complete the exit ticket independently.
  • Collect the exit tickets to assess student understanding of the lesson objectives.
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Slide Deck

Why WWI Still Matters?

Understanding the Great War's Legacy

  • What was World War I?
  • Why is it important to study today?
  • How did it change the world?

Let's find out!

Welcome students and introduce the overarching question for the lesson. Briefly explain that WWI was a monumental event with lasting global consequences.

The Road to War: M.A.I.N. Causes

A Powder Keg in Europe

  • Militarism: The build-up of armies and navies, creating an arms race.
  • Alliances: Complex agreements between nations, pulling them into conflict.
  • Imperialism: Competition for colonies and resources, leading to global rivalries.
  • Nationalism: Intense pride in one's nation, often leading to desires for dominance.

Think of it as a powder keg, ready to explode!

Explain that WWI didn't just 'happen.' There were deep underlying issues. Introduce the M.A.I.N. acronym as an easy way to remember the causes.

Militarism: The Arms Race

"The best way to preserve peace is to prepare for war."

  • Naval Race: Britain and Germany competed to build the largest and most powerful navies.
  • Army Expansion: Most European powers significantly increased the size of their armies.
  • Glorification of War: A belief that war was noble and a test of national strength.

How does this mentality contribute to conflict?

Elaborate on Militarism. Discuss Germany's naval build-up and the glorification of military power across Europe. Ask students if they can think of modern-day examples of arms races.

Alliances: A Web of Commitments

"An attack on one is an attack on all."

  • Triple Alliance (Central Powers): Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (initially).
  • Triple Entente (Allies): France, Britain, Russia.
  • Domino Effect: A small conflict could quickly escalate due to these treaties.

What happens when everyone is obligated to fight?

Discuss the major alliance systems: Triple Alliance (Central Powers) and Triple Entente (Allies). Explain how these defensive pacts actually made a large-scale war more likely, as a conflict involving one nation could quickly draw in many others.

Imperialism: Global Rivalries

"The sun never sets on the British Empire."

  • Race for Colonies: European nations competed for control over territories in Africa and Asia.
  • Resource Control: Colonies provided raw materials and new markets.
  • Increased Tensions: Rivalries over imperial possessions fueled resentment and distrust among European powers.

How could competition for distant lands lead to war in Europe?

Explain Imperialism and how European powers competed for colonies in Africa and Asia. Discuss how this led to clashes over resources and influence, especially between Germany and France/Britain.

Nationalism: Pride and Prejudice

"My country, right or wrong."

  • Intense Patriotism: Strong sense of identity and loyalty to one's nation.
  • Desire for Self-Rule: Groups like the Slavs in the Austro-Hungarian Empire sought independence.
  • Aggressive Assertions: Belief in the superiority of one's own nation over others.

How can national pride become dangerous?

Define Nationalism, emphasizing both its positive aspects (national unity) and its negative aspects (desire for dominance, ethnic tensions). Focus on the Balkans as a key example, particularly with Serbia and Austria-Hungary.

The Spark: Assassination in Sarajevo

A Single Event Ignites a Continent

  • June 28, 1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is assassinated.
  • The Assassin: Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist.
  • Austria-Hungary's Response: Issues an ultimatum to Serbia.
  • Chain Reaction: The alliance system quickly draws major powers into the conflict.

Could this war have been avoided?

Introduce the spark that lit the powder keg: the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Explain why this event, though seemingly isolated, triggered the complex alliance system.

The War Begins: New Tactics, Brutal Reality

A War Like No Other

  • Trench Warfare: Miles of trenches, stalemates, and horrific conditions.
  • New Technologies: Machine guns, poison gas, tanks, and airplanes.
  • Mass Casualties: Millions of soldiers and civilians lost their lives.

We will learn more about these realities in our reading.

Briefly describe the nature of trench warfare and the new technologies. Mention the scale of casualties. Explain that the reading will provide more details.

Aftermath: A Changed World

The Treaty of Versailles and Beyond

  • End of Empires: Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, German, and Russian Empires collapsed.
  • New Nations: Formation of countries like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia.
  • Treaty of Versailles: Harsh terms imposed on Germany.
  • League of Nations: An attempt to prevent future wars (precursor to the UN).

Were the terms of peace fair?

Discuss the major immediate outcomes: end of empires, new nations, the Treaty of Versailles, and the League of Nations. Emphasize how these outcomes set the stage for future conflicts.

Lingering Echoes: Why WWI Still Matters Today

The Great War's Enduring Impact

  • Seeds of WWII: Unresolved issues and harsh treaties.
  • Modern Conflicts: Many current geopolitical tensions have roots in post-WWI redrawings of maps.
  • International Cooperation: The need for global organizations.
  • Technological Advancement: Warfare spurred innovations that impacted daily life.

What echoes of WWI do you see in the world today?

Connect the past to the present. Discuss how WWI's legacy (e.g., modern conflicts, international institutions, technological advancements) still impacts us. Ask students to reflect on the essential question again.

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Warm Up

WWI Warm-Up: A World on Edge?

Instructions: Take a few minutes to think about the following questions. Your answers will help us prepare for today's lesson on World War I.

  1. Imagine a situation where several friends are in a disagreement, and each friend has other friends who have promised to back them up no matter what. How might a small argument quickly turn into a much larger conflict involving everyone?





  2. What does it mean for a country to be

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Reading

The Great War: A Brief Overview

World War I, often called

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Worksheet

Analyzing WWI Worksheet

Instructions: Use the

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Cool Down

WWI Exit Ticket: Lingering Echoes

Instructions: Please answer the following questions to reflect on what you learned today.

  1. Name two major causes of World War I. Explain one of them in your own words.





  2. What is one significant way World War I changed the world? Give a specific example.










  3. Based on today's lesson, why do you think it is still important to study World War I today?










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