Lesson Plan Title: Germany: The Importance of Perspectives

Date: February 16, 2018

Subject: History 20 Grade: 11
Topic: WWII
Essential Question:
When looking at history, why is it important to look at events through different perspectives? What
new information/knowledge will you gain from taking these different perspectives?

Materials:
- Access to YouTube and screen.
- Links to videos are in the Activities section of the plan. If you don’t have access to the computer
copy of this lesson plan, just type in the title that’s written by the link.
- Make sure all students have their journals and proper writing utensils.

Stage 1- Desired Results – you may use student friendly language

What do they need to understand, know, and/or able to do?
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the major leaders during WWII, specifically Hitler.
Students will understand why Hitler came to power and why it he was able to turn an entire country against
the world. Students will be able to look at WWII through a German perspective in order to have a better
understanding of the war and their own views on what makes a leader good and bad.

Broad Areas of Learning:

Sense of Self, Community and Place- By looking through the eyes of Germany and how they seen Hitler as a
political leader. Students will get a better understanding of how their own country, Canada, is run and can
compare Hitler’s Germany to their own community.
Lifelong Learners- The focus on this lesson is not on the war itself and the battles of WWII, but on the
ideologies of other leaders that have been deemed as “monsters”. Learning that not everyone has the same
views as you do. Students should be able to apply this knowledge to the real world and call Fascists “Fascists”
rather than calling people who disagree with them “Fascists” which seems to be a major trend.
Engaged Citizens- Students will have a good understanding of the political spectrum and understand different
political views and how they lots of times have many similarities. This will also give them a different
perspective that may help them to combat divide in society and the notion of “You’re either with us, or you’re
against us,” mentality.

Cross-Curricular Competencies:
Developing Thinking- This lesson will engage students to think critically about the other side’s views and how
that may impact how they look at any situation. They will be in charge of their own thinking through broad
questions and interpretations.
Developing identity- This lesson will help the students draw parallels to todays society and will allow them to
build empathy with those who suffered then, and those suffering today under similar regimes. They can then
compare what they learn to their own lives and get a better understanding of who they are.
Developing Literacies- Students will develop literacies by examining Germany’s leader and his quick rise to
power and how he came to power so quickly. Student’s will develop questions such as; How exactly did these
atrocious people get into power? Why is it important to look at Germany through it’s perspective and not just
through a North American perspective?
Outcome(s): Taken from pg.24 of the History 20 Curriculum (no designations were provided)
- Students will understand that distinct populations will seek to secure the decision-making processes
which have an impact on their distinctiveness and well-being.

PGP Goals:
2.4- Ability to use technologies readily, strategically and appropriately
1.4- Commitment to service and the capacity to be a reflective, lifelong learner and inquirer

Stage 2- Assessment

Assessment FOR Learning (formative) Assess the students during the learning to help determine next steps.
Each lesson will begin with the teacher writing a question on the board. For this lesson the question is, what
do you know about Hitler and Germany in WWII? Students will be required to write this question in their
journals and answer this question throughout the lesson. Students, with the teacher will develop more inquiry
questions on the board throughout the lesson. By the end of the class students should have a question
written in their journal, along with any information they learned throughout the lesson that would help
answer the question. After watching two different perspective videos on Hilter and Germany, students will
get into groups and students will discuss what they learned. Each group will have to share one point they
discussed. The teacher will then write these points on the board and possibly more questions that were
developed from the group discussions. The teacher can asses the students learning when each group presents
the one fact they learned from the videos and their participation in the development of more questions
throughout the lesson.

Assessment OF Learning (summative) Assess the students after learning to evaluate what they have
learned.
At the end of the lesson, minus the collaborative questions developed by the students and the teacher, they
will also be required to hand in their journals at the end of the lesson with another question they developed
based on the content covered. They can choose one of the questions written on the board throughout the
lesson. They will also need to write everything they learned during the lesson. Journals will be handed in to
the teacher, so they can see if the students were actively listening throughout the lesson and understood the
content covered. Students will be handing in their journals at the end of every week for marks to make sure
they were actively listening and writing stuff down during class. Journals are important because they come
into play for their final assignment/activity.
Stage 3- Learning Plan (60 mins)

Motivational/Anticipatory Set (introducing topic while engaging the students)

Write these quotes on the board:
- “Never deprive someone of hope; it may be all they have.”
- “The doom of a nation can be averted only by a storm of flowing passion, but only those who
are passionate themselves can arouse passion in others.”
- “Life is like a mirror, if you frown at it, it frowns back; if you smile, it returns the greeting.”

Ask your students what they think of these quotes and they will tell you they are positive and
inspirational. Then explain to them that it was Hitler that said these. Explain to them the
importance of perspective and that even though the rest of the world seen Hitler as evil
person, his people loved him and helped him get to power. (5 mins)

Main Procedures/Strategies: (55 Mins)

● Introduction to Unit: (Class Discussion) What do you know about Hitler and Germany in WWII?
As students share the information they know, write the key points on the board. Next ask the
students to think of questions they want to know about the topic and write them in their journals.
Explain to them that they will be writing a question in their journal at the beginning of every class
based on the topic of that lesson. Next explain that they should attempt to answer the question
during class. If they don’t answer the question, take it home and spend a little time doing some
research. They may be surprised to find some interesting information. Remind them its important to
write down as much info in their journals as possible because it will help them with their final project.
(10 mins)

● Perspective Videos:
(America’s View of Germany) Walt Disney Propaganda Film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l14WDZCnz-w&t=145s (10mins)
(German soldier/writer’s letter about Germany) Living in Hitler’s Germany
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdIb0ElUpG0 (11mins)

After watching the videos have the students form small groups to discuss what they got from these
two videos. Next each group will share their ideas with the class. Discuss the importance of
perspectives and how they can differ. Discuss the importance of research and knowing the facts. It’s
important, when looking at history, to ask questions such as: who is speaking? What are their biases?
Where have they gotten the information from, and is it credible? (40 mins)

● Hand in Journals
Before they leave have them hand in their journals so that you may see the question they wrote and
what information they recorded during the class. You will hand them back at the beginning of next
class. (5 mins)
 Adaptations/Differentiation:
- If you feel the students were having good discussions during any part of the lesson plan, don’t
interrupt them. Let them continue if they need and feel free to extend the lesson to another day.
- If there are students who have trouble keeping up with the information or have any other
exceptionalities that make note taking difficult, print off a copy of the notes created during class
discussions and give them to the students that need them.
- IF there are students who aren’t active participators just make sure they have written at least some
information down in their journals for assessment.
- Make sure students who are EAL or have exceptionalities have the tools they need to actively
participate and receive the required information. (Will depend on your classroom)
- If you have different quotes or videos you feel will be better, feel free to use them.

Closing of lesson:
Remind your students, when looking at history, it’s very important that they look at the perspectives of those
involved. Don’t just look at one side, look at all sides. It’s also important, when looking up information or
doing research, to look at who wrote or is telling you the information. You need to know if what they are
saying is credible and what their bias is towards the information. Is the researcher looking at both sides, or
are they influenced by a narrow vision? It’s also important to let your students know that you do not support
Hitler’s actions and that you only showed positive sides to Hitler to help your students see that there are
different opinions and views depending on who is telling the story. It’s always important to keep those views
in mind when making decisions. Everything Hitler did during WWII was horrible and in the end his actions
were wrong regardless if he made Germany a prosperous country.

Personal Reflection: Lesson hasn’t been taught in a real classroom and is subject to change based on success or
failure of the lesson.

M. Wilkinson ’16 *Adapted from Understanding by Design (McTighe and Wiggins, 1998)
 Reflection/Justification

This lesson is part of the larger unit which covers the perspectives of all the major countries that took

part in WWII. Before this lesson there will be one to two lessons in which I provide an overview of WWII and the

countries involved. I will cover the countries and their leaders, major events, and Canada’s role in the war. WWII

has a lot of content, so I have made sure to include in my unit plan and lesson plans that any of these lessons

can be expanded across multiple days. Even though the theme of perspectives isn’t specifically outline in the

curriculum, I feel it is extremely important to make it a main theme while also hitting the outcomes required by

the Department of Education. Unit 3 in History 20 is a perfect time to introduce the ideas of perspectives

because there were so many different players in WWII and every country had a different view/idea. The politics

of each country varied as well as their economic standings. Some countries prospered while others fell into

absolute chaos. It’s important to get into the mindset of each of the countries leaders and to try and see where

they were coming from. It’s easy with history to have a bias opinion and in order to keep your mind open, you

need to look at historical events and people from every angle.

The major outcome for this lesson and for the entire unit revolves around leadership of a country and

how the people will choose a leader that best meat their interests. The lesson on Hitler and Germany fit

perfectly with that because many times I have herd people ask, “why would anyway vote, or better yet, fight for

such a man?” This lesson answers that question in the videos and the discussions I will have with my students. In

a sense, the people where inspired by Hitler during the start of his reign. They believed he would save them

from the crippling losses the country suffered after their defeat in WWI. He did just that and more by turning

Germany into one of the most prosperous and successful countries in the world. At that time, who knew he was

an evil racist dictator who thought the only way to peace was through mass genocide and war. Following this

lesson, the other lessons will cover the same themes but with different activities. They will cover the other

major players in the war. All these lessons of perspectives through the various world leaders will all work

towards the final assessment piece. Students will have a chance to take on the rolls of these countries and use
their knowledge of perspectives to reenact certain events from WWII. That’s why its important to write

questions and notes in their journals after each lesson and for each country. They will need to use these as

guides when preparing for their r final project/activity. That is also why the students will hand in their journals at

the end of each lesson so that the teacher can make sure they have enough information to help them.

I strongly believe I have detailed this lesson so that anyone can pick it up and use it on the fly. I have also

made sure to include the fact that it is adaptable and if they need to extend time or want to change it, a sub can

easily do so with minimal effort and headache. Having said that, I have yet to teach it to a real class, so I am

unable to reflect on it and can’t guarantee it will be completely successful. It is subject to change, but I am

confident that it will be a strong lesson plan in the end and help students reach the outcomes and spark their

interests in the subject. By the end of this lesson and the entire unit, they will have a better understanding of

why it’s important to gain perspectives when looking at any part of our world’s history.