CSULB History Social Science Lesson Plan Template

Lesson Title: The Sinking of the Lusitania Date: 05/09/2017

To what extent did the Lusitania
Unit Central Historical Account for the United States entry influence American opinion about the
Question(s): into WWI war? What factors contributed to
United States entry into the war?

Subject / Course: World History

Grade: 10
Lesson Duration: 90 min

Content Learning Objective (content and product):

e.g., students will be able to [content analysis] by [product and activity].
Students will be able to account for the change in American perspective of the war by various factors i.e
(Lusitania sinking, use of propaganda posters, German unrestricted submarine warfare, Zimmerman
telegraph) by analyzing newspaper, peer and class discussion, lecture, video clip to forming a thesis
statement supported by three pieces of evidence that answers the question; What factors contributed to
United States entry into World War I?

Historical Thinking Learning Objective (thinking skill and product):

e.g., students will be able to weigh [historical thinking learning objective] by [activity].
Students will be able to weigh the cause and consequences of the sinking of the Lusitania as a turning point
away from US neutrality by analyzing newspaper headlines of the day the Lusitania sunk. As well as a short
video clip to identify the causes for the sinking of the Lusitania and the consequences of the event to form a
claim supported by three pieces of evidence to determine what factors contributed to United States entry
into World War I.

Historical Thinking Skill, California Content, and Common Core Standards Addressed:
Historical Thinking Skill
Students will use Cause and Consequence
California Content Standards
10.5 - Students analyze the cause and the course of the First World War
10.2.2- Analyze the arguments for entering into war presented by leaders from all sides of the Great War
and the role of political and economic rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, domestic discontent and
disorder, and propaganda and nationalism in mobilizing the civilian population in support of total war.
Common Core Standards
Literacy Strategy - Students will use a graphic organizer to form their argument
C.C.S 1 - Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create
an organization that establishes clear relationships among the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and
evidence.

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 CSULB History Social Science Lesson Plan Template

Narrative Summary of Tasks / Actions:

As students walk in, they will be handed a document packet containing three front page newspapers about
the sinking of the Lusitania. Students will answer the following questions in their document packets; Who
wrote it? When was it published? Who is the intended audience?What is the main headline? What
subheadings do you see? i.e (location, cause, victims). The purpose of the activity is to give students
practice analyzing a primary source, place the event in historical/ and global context by the sub-headings as
well as draw upon prior knowledge. Students will share their answers with a partner, with additional
questions for reflection available on the powerpoint slide (What stands out the most to you? What
information is given regarding other world events? How would you react to the headline?). The teacher will
then facilitate a discussion by writing and discussing key findings on the board i.e. (Twenty-one demands,
Germanys warning to Americans, Woodrow Wilson's reaction, lives lost, speculations, passengers on board.
The activity is followed by a short lecture that will give an overview of the passenger ship, track its final
voyage on a map, Germanys campaign of unrestricted warfare, analyse German warning to overseas
travelers and reflect on the question; Would you ignore the warning? Why or Why not? analyse propaganda
posters as a class, and the Zimmerman telegraph. To conclude, students will watch a short clip about the
Lusitania and be asked to answer the following question on a worksheet in their document packet; What
factors contributed to United States enter in World War I? They will be asked to form a brief argument with
three pieces of evidence. This can be turned in at the end of the class period or can be continued at home but
must be turned in at the beginning of the next class period. To conclude, students will be given the self-
reflective question; Is entering a war justifiable?. Students are expected to respond verbally in an informal
class discussion.

Materials / Equipment:
- Video Clip http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-history/videos/u-boats-
sink-the-lusitania-in-1915
- Powerpoint Lecture (Lusitania)
- Primary Source document packet

Inquiry-Based Lesson Plan for History-Social Science

1. Anticipatory Set Time: 20 mins

As students walk in, they will be handed a document packet containing three front page newspapers about
the sinking of the Lusitania. Students will answer the following questions in their document packets
regarding three primary source documents;
1. The San Francisco Chronicle
2. The Seattle Star
3. The World newspaper
Who wrote it? When was it published? Who is the intended audience?What is the main headline? What
subheadings do you see? i.e (location, cause, victims). The purpose of the activity is to give students
practice analyzing a primary source, place the event in historical/ and global context by the sub-headings as
well as draw upon prior knowledge. Students will share their answers with a partner, with additional
questions for reflection available on the powerpoint slide (What stands out the most to you? What
information is given regarding other world events? How would you react to the headline?).

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 CSULB History Social Science Lesson Plan Template

2. Central Historical Question for Lesson Time: 10 minutes

Students will be able to weigh the cause and effects of the sinking of the Lusitania and the effective role
propaganda played to change American sentiment towards entering the war. Students will examine the
Historical Questions
1. To what extent did the sinking of the Lusitania shift American perspective on joining the
war?
2. What factors contributed to United States entry in World War I?

3. Teacher Input (delivery of historical context) Time: 20 Minutes

The teacher will then facilitate a discussion by writing and discussing key findings on the board i.e.
(Twenty-one demands, Germanys warning to Americans, Woodrow Wilson's reaction, lives lost,
speculations, passengers on board). The activity is followed by a short lecture that will give an overview of
the passenger ship, track its final voyage on a map, Germanys campaign of unrestricted warfare, analyse
German warning to overseas travelers and reflect on the question; Would you ignore the warning? Why or
Why not? and analyse propaganda posters as a class, and the Zimmerman telegraph, concluding the lecture
with the U.S entry into the war.

4. Student Activity and Investigation (w/

Time: 5 Minutes
differentiation)
Students will watch a short clip about the Lusitania to tie everything together as they take notes and are
prepared for the writing activity.

5. Lesson Assessment (w/ differentiation) Time: 25 minutes

Students will be asked to answer the following question on the thesis worksheet in their document packet;
What factors contributed to United States enter in World War I? and be asked to turn it in on their way out
or complete for homework? They will be asked to form a brief argument with three pieces of evidence..
This can be turned in at the end of the class period or can be continued at home but must be turned in at the
beginning of the next class period.

6. Closure Time: 10 minutes

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 CSULB History Social Science Lesson Plan Template

As class time comes to an end, students will be asked to self reflect on the question; Is entering the war
justifiable? The teacher will verbally ask the questions and students will answer in an informal class
discussion.

Directions

Use the primary sources documents to answer the following questions.

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 CSULB History Social Science Lesson Plan Template

The San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S.
state of California, founded in 1865.

1. Who wrote it?

___________________________________________

2. When is the edition published ?

___________________________________________

3. Who is the intended audience?

___________________________________________

4. What is the main headline? What subheadings do you see? I.e (location, cause, victims)

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

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 CSULB History Social Science Lesson Plan Template

The Seattle Star was a daily newspaper that ran from February 25, 1899, to August 13, 1947.

1. Who wrote it ?

___________________________________________

2. When is the edition published ?

___________________________________________

3. Who is the intended audience?

___________________________________________

4. What is the main headline? What subheadings do you see? i.e (location, cause, victims)

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________
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 CSULB History Social Science Lesson Plan Template

____________________________________________

The World was a London was an eighteenth century (1753-1756) weekly newspaper

1. Who wrote it ?

___________________________________________

2. When was the edition published ?

___________________________________________

3. Who is the intended audience?

___________________________________________

4. What is the main headline? What subheadings do you see? i.e (location, cause, victims)

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

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