Unit Title The War To End All Wars: WWI Lesson Title

U.S. Entry Into WWI

Goals & Objectives
Students will understand why US entry into the war was important.
Given various primary source documents, students will analyze U.S. entry
into WWI and the impact the U.S. had on the war by holding a Socratic
discussion on when is the right time to enter war.
California State Content Standards
HSS 10.5 Students analyze the causes and course of the First
World War.
3. Explain how the Russian Revolution and the entry of the
United States affected the course and outcome of the war.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key
events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.6. Compare the point of view of two or more
authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details
they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.
Driving Historical Question
Why did the United States enter the war?
When is the right time to enter war?

Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge)

Time:
The teacher will begin the lesson by showing the class the famous picture of
Uncle Sam. The teacher will then ask the students to share what they know
about Uncle Sam. The teacher will then tell the students a little about the
origins about Uncle Sam and will tell the students that this famous image of
Uncle Sam was used as a WWI recruitment poster. The teacher will then tell

the students that this lesson will focus on the reasons why the United States
entered WWI and the affects that it had on the course of the war.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) Time:
Woodrow Wilson
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Neutral
Lusitania
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Zimmerman Telegram
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time:
Day 1: The lesson would begin with the teacher showing a presentation with
the events that led to U.S. entry into WWI. Students would be expected to
take down Cornell notes on the information given in the presentation. The
teacher will begin by telling the students about how the United States
wanted to remain a neutral party during the war. The teacher will also
explain to the students Germanys military decision to use unrestricted
submarine warfare, the sinking of the Lusitania, and the initial U.S. response
to this decision. The teacher will go into detail about Germanys decision to
continue to use unrestricted submarine warfare and how at this time the
United States still did not declare war against Germany. The teacher will
then pass out a copy of Woodrow Wilson statement in regards to Germanys
decision to continue to use unrestricted submarine warfare. The teacher will
then go on to explain the importance of the Zimmerman telegram. The
teacher will pass out a copy of the Zimmerman telegram as well. The teacher
will then go on to explain the importance public opinion played in going into
war. The teacher will then go on to explain the significance of the United
States entering the war and the affect that it had on the war.
The teacher will then tell the students that they will be holding a Socratic
discussion on U.S. entry into WWI. The United States had plenty of
opportunities to declare war on Germany but Woodrow Wilson waited until
1917 to join the Allies. The discussion would be based around the question
when is the right time to go to war, they would also be asked to think about
Woodrow Wilsons decision to wait until 1917, and they would be asked to
consider the role of public opinion in going to war. The teacher will then pass
out a handout with these questions and will tell the students that they must
prepare responses to these questions because they will be required to
participate in the discussion in order to get a passing grade. The responses
must be written in full sentences and they must use academic language.
The teacher would also tell the students to look over the documents that
they received because in order for them to do well on the discussion, they

must reference information that is on those documents. The teacher will tell
the students that the following day they will hold the discussion.
Day 2: The teacher would have already divided up the classroom into two
groups. One group of chairs would be put into a circle while the other group
of chairs would still be in rows. The teacher will tell the students that only
half of them are going to be discussing the questions at a time. The teacher
will choose randomly who would be discussing first. The teacher will then
tell the students who are not discussing that they must take out a sheet of
paper and that they must write down at least five points that they heard
from the discussion that they agree with or disagree with. These points must
be written in full sentences. As the students are discussing, the teacher will
act only as moderator and will step in only if the students are getting out of
task or if one person in dominating the discussion. At the end of the period,
the teacher would collect the handout that the students wrote their
responses in and will collect the sheet of paper with the students five points
on it.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) Time:
Day 1: Students would be expected to take down Cornell notes as the
teacher goes over the presentation. Students would then be expected to
answer the questions necessary to participate in the discussion and will be
expected to go over the documents given in class so they can use the
information provided in them for the discussion.
Day 2: Students would be expected to participate in the Socratic discussion.
If the students were chosen to be the first group to be in the discussion, then
they will be expected to speak at least twice. The students should be
following up on each others points and will be expected to participate. They
must participate in order to receive credit for the discussion. If students are
not participating in the discussion, then they must remain quiet and must
listen to what the other students are saying. They will be expected to take
out a sheet of paper and they must write down at least five things that they
agree with or that they do not agree with from the ongoing discussion.
Lesson Closure Time:
The teacher will close the lesson by asking the students that are in the circle
to turn their chairs back into rows and the teacher will then ask the whole
class if they feel that what they discussed is still relevant today. The teacher
will have the students discuss this question till the end of the period.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)

Formative Assessment: Students would be required to write down five points

that they either agree with or disagree with from the discussion that would
be going on at that time.
Summative Assessment: Students would hold a Socratic discussion on when
is the right time to enter war. Students would have to use evidence from the
teacher presentation and primary source documents provided in the
discussion and everyone must make two points while they are discussing the
question.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with
Special Needs
English Learners: I would talk to the English Learners in the class and will ask
them if they feel comfortable contributing to the discussion and speaking
with the rest of the students. If they feel comfortable talking with the rest of
the class then they will be participate in the discussion. However, if they do
not feel comfortable because they may be at the lower proficiency level,
then they will be exempt from talking in front of the other students. I will
collect the handout with their responses as evidence that they understand
the questions being asked and that they do have responses for those
questions.
Striving Readers: The documents that would be passed out to the class
would be modified to meet the needs of the students. Striving Readers
would benefit from this because the documents would be modified to make
them easier to understand.
Students with Special Needs: The accommodation that would be made for
Students with Special Needs is that they would get a hard copy of the
presentation. This would help Students with Special Needs because they
would not have to worry so much about copying everything down by hand so
they could then focus on the information given. Another accommodation
that would be made is that I would make sure that the student feels
comfortable speaking and if the student feels comfortable speaking I would
make sure that the student gets an opportunity to speak. If the student does
not feel comfortable, then the student would be responsible for taking down
notes while the discussion is going on. The student would be responsible for
taking down five key point that they got out of their own discussion and five
key points from the second discussion.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
firstworldwar.com