Days One and Two:
1. Research Presentation Guidelines - Students will create a digital presentation for researching one of the following categories of people involved in the Pacific Theatre of World War II: Navajo Code Talker, Navy Corpsman, Japanese soldier, Kamikaze pilot, U.S. paratrooper, or a U.S. Marine. This assignment will be due at the end of the unit (2 weeks).
2. Students will be given background information. This will be completed through a Power Point presentation providing materials including maps, photographs, and notes on the bombing of Pearl Harbor. A secondary source reading will also be provided. At the end of the Power Point, President Roosevelt’s Infamy speech will be played. Students will be given a copy of the speech’s text to follow along while the speech is playing. Students will have to answer questions based on the readings and Power Point presentation through class discussion and written responses.
Days Three and Four:
Students will be given an Internet research and presentation project to gather information on the island hopping campaign used by the U.S. in the Pacific. While in class and working with a partner, they must research the specific island they are given. Brief details about the battle are required along with an explanation as to why the island was important to the Japanese (defense) and the United States (offense). A list of starter sites will be provided in the directions, but are not limited to these. If there is any doubt of the source’s credibility, obtain teacher approval.
Day Five:
1. An In Depth Look at the Life of U.S. Marine: Based on sets of letters written from a Marine serving during World War II formulate a minimum of five questions that they would have for him or about him. Some questions will be discussed as a class.
a. After the letter analysis students will be shown pictures of medals awarded, actual dog tags, collar ornaments, and rank of this same Marine. Students will have to come up with a minimum of three more questions that they would have for him or about him. Continue class discussion.
b. Homework Assignment - Students will then write a letter to the Marine or another service member as if they were living during that time. They can choose to be a family member responding to one of his letters or a pen pal just writing to an American troop serving his country. Minimum of one page and no more than three pages, legibly hand written or typed.
2. After letters are written and turned in talk about the Marine and what happened to him during the war. Explain the extreme lose of life that was experienced in this war, especially because of the harsh conditions of the Pacific, and not only due to the fighting.
Day Six:
1. Each student will be given at least one firsthand account from Into the Rising Sun. Read each account silently and then to write an analysis of the firsthand account and provide the following information: Where the troop was stationed (what island are they on), name, unit, a brief description of the account, and a personal analysis based on what they found surprising/shocking. Discuss your information with a partner. After the partner discussion come back together as a class and discuss the hardships of war in general and the conditions of the Pacific Islands.
2. Homework assignment based on the readings, partner, and class discussions students will answer the following question: In your opinion is combat today like it was during World War II? Explain your answer with facts from the readings and outside sources based on wars that are occurring presently (must provide the sources). Five paragraph minimum.
Days Seven through Ten:
Brief presentations on the islands will be made throughout the remainder of the unit when the different island battles become part of the discussion. Teacher directed discussions on the decisive battles of the island hopping campaign to supplement information presented by the students.
Day Eleven:
Photo walk through the Battle of Iwo Jima and DBQ - Students will pick minimum of five of the images and write about what life would have been like on Iwo Jima during February and March of 1945.
Days Twelve through Fourteen:
Individual digital presentations on Navajo Code Talkers, Navy Corpsman, Japanese soldier, Kamikaze pilot, U.S. paratrooper, and U.S. Marine.
Day Fifteen:
Socratic Seminar: During the seminar any material that has been discussed may be brought up. The main focus of the seminar will be how the students will use the information that was presented in future research on the subject matter and how they could use the research methods in other aspects of their education and life outside of the classroom.
1. Research Presentation Guidelines - Students will create a digital presentation for researching one of the following categories of people involved in the Pacific Theatre of World War II: Navajo Code Talker, Navy Corpsman, Japanese soldier, Kamikaze pilot, U.S. paratrooper, or a U.S. Marine. This assignment will be due at the end of the unit (2 weeks).
2. Students will be given background information. This will be completed through a Power Point presentation providing materials including maps, photographs, and notes on the bombing of Pearl Harbor. A secondary source reading will also be provided. At the end of the Power Point, President Roosevelt’s Infamy speech will be played. Students will be given a copy of the speech’s text to follow along while the speech is playing. Students will have to answer questions based on the readings and Power Point presentation through class discussion and written responses.
Days Three and Four:
Students will be given an Internet research and presentation project to gather information on the island hopping campaign used by the U.S. in the Pacific. While in class and working with a partner, they must research the specific island they are given. Brief details about the battle are required along with an explanation as to why the island was important to the Japanese (defense) and the United States (offense). A list of starter sites will be provided in the directions, but are not limited to these. If there is any doubt of the source’s credibility, obtain teacher approval.
Day Five:
1. An In Depth Look at the Life of U.S. Marine: Based on sets of letters written from a Marine serving during World War II formulate a minimum of five questions that they would have for him or about him. Some questions will be discussed as a class.
a. After the letter analysis students will be shown pictures of medals awarded, actual dog tags, collar ornaments, and rank of this same Marine. Students will have to come up with a minimum of three more questions that they would have for him or about him. Continue class discussion.
b. Homework Assignment - Students will then write a letter to the Marine or another service member as if they were living during that time. They can choose to be a family member responding to one of his letters or a pen pal just writing to an American troop serving his country. Minimum of one page and no more than three pages, legibly hand written or typed.
2. After letters are written and turned in talk about the Marine and what happened to him during the war. Explain the extreme lose of life that was experienced in this war, especially because of the harsh conditions of the Pacific, and not only due to the fighting.
Day Six:
1. Each student will be given at least one firsthand account from Into the Rising Sun. Read each account silently and then to write an analysis of the firsthand account and provide the following information: Where the troop was stationed (what island are they on), name, unit, a brief description of the account, and a personal analysis based on what they found surprising/shocking. Discuss your information with a partner. After the partner discussion come back together as a class and discuss the hardships of war in general and the conditions of the Pacific Islands.
2. Homework assignment based on the readings, partner, and class discussions students will answer the following question: In your opinion is combat today like it was during World War II? Explain your answer with facts from the readings and outside sources based on wars that are occurring presently (must provide the sources). Five paragraph minimum.
Days Seven through Ten:
Brief presentations on the islands will be made throughout the remainder of the unit when the different island battles become part of the discussion. Teacher directed discussions on the decisive battles of the island hopping campaign to supplement information presented by the students.
Day Eleven:
Photo walk through the Battle of Iwo Jima and DBQ - Students will pick minimum of five of the images and write about what life would have been like on Iwo Jima during February and March of 1945.
Days Twelve through Fourteen:
Individual digital presentations on Navajo Code Talkers, Navy Corpsman, Japanese soldier, Kamikaze pilot, U.S. paratrooper, and U.S. Marine.
Day Fifteen:
Socratic Seminar: During the seminar any material that has been discussed may be brought up. The main focus of the seminar will be how the students will use the information that was presented in future research on the subject matter and how they could use the research methods in other aspects of their education and life outside of the classroom.
