Curated OER
The Rise of Hitler
Eleventh graders investigate how Hitler was able to harness Germany. In this World War II lesson, 11th graders conduct primary and secondary source research to determine how Hitler used the Great Depression, charisma, scapegoats, and the...
US National Archives
WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Battle of Britain
Had Britain not emerged as the victors of the 1940 Battle of Britain, World War II would have ended much differently—and the world as we know it would be catastrophically altered. Learn more about this pivotal moment that kept the Nazis...
US National Archives
WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Occupation
Warsaw, Poland, suffered much of the blunt of World War II—but according to Polish letters from the early days of Nazi occupation, other parts of the country were much worse off. High schoolers use the letters and contemporaneous...
Curated OER
Fascism Rises in Europe: Ch 31
Help your class understand how Hitler achieved power prior to World War II. A strong presentation outlines the post-World War I social and economic context that primed Eastern Europe for a totalitarian dictator. It presents the...
Curated OER
A Series of Intolerable Events
Eighth graders investigate the events that led to World War II. In this Holocaust lesson, 8th graders research primary and secondary sources about the events that led to the war. Students create PowerPoint presentations that provide...
Facing History and Ourselves
Do You Take the Oath?
Why did so many go along with Nazi policies during World War II? An investigatory unit includes four handouts, reading analyses, classroom discussion topics, and intriguing philosophical questions, helping learners understand the...
Curated OER
Giving Beyond Measure-The Diary of Anne Frank
Young scholars read and analyze the play "The Diary of Anne Frank" based on the book of the same name. They identify philanthropic concepts and values in the play and discuss the ways in which specific characters actions affect the...
Curated OER
Adolf Hitler
Students explore facts about Hitler's life and the historical events that occurred in that time, his view of history, his theory of race and his political goals. They explore his use of anti-Semitism to advance his career and consolidate...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Propaganda - 9/11 and the War on Terrorism
Propaganda is an important topic that most high school social studies teachers address. Here, students compare and contrast methods of public persuasion during WWII with those used in the contemporary War on Terror. Research, discussion,...
Curated OER
The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Treaty/Operation Barbarossa Student Worksheet
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students read a copy of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Treaty and respond to 17 short answer questions about it as well as the reactions to it. Links to the text are included.
Curated OER
Europe in the 1920s
Delicately poised after the dramatic end of WWI and the startling beginning of WWII, this presentation encompassing the positions and roles of Germany, Italy, England, France, and the League of Nations in the 1920's. The first half of...
Curated OER
Faces of Courage: Teenagers Who Resisted
Students read true stories of teenagers who defied Hitler and avoided participation in the Hitler Youth. They discuss the stories paying attention to the dangers and incredible peer pressure that these children faced. They consider how...
Curated OER
Using Political Cartoons and Propaganda in Teaching the Holocaust
Students gain an understanding of the Holocaust through analysis of political cartoons. In this Holocaust lesson, students examine propaganda in political cartoons that were used in Nazi Germany.
Curated OER
Life Prior to Kristallnacht (1933-1938)
Students research the way of life of the Jews before Kristallnacht. Using new vocabulary and resources, they discover how carefree life was before the days of discrimination and antisemitism. In groups, they create a timeline of the...
Curated OER
Hitler's Fatal Gamble
Students consider the differences between totalitarianism and democracy. In this comparative politics lesson, students will read a handout describing the major components that comprise totalitarianism and democracy, then they will...
Curated OER
Lessons from the Holocaust - Hitler Youth
Students examine the political socialization that contributed to the Holocaust. For this Holocaust lesson, students read about supporters of the Nazi party and how political socialization led to the Hitler Youth.
US National Archives
WWII: Asia 1939-45 – Burma
Because World War II encompassed most of the globe in one way or another, many pivotal battles and events are not as visible in the history books, leaving veterans of these conflicts feeling overlooked by more famous skirmishes. High...
Curated OER
Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)
In this world history worksheet, learners read a fact page about Adolf Hitler's early years, 1889 - 1945. They note the little known facts about Hitler before writing a newspaper article which highlights these facts. They write a...
Curated OER
Auschwitz Episode Guide: Surprising Beginnings
High schoolers examine how the Nazis came to power and living conditions at Auschwitz. They watch and discuss a PBS documentary, read and discuss handouts, analyze a Pyramid of Hate, and assign experiences in their own lives to...
Curated OER
Nazis Flying Saucers – Film Sparks UFO Debate
Students explore the aircraft used in World War II. In this World History lesson, students read an article that describes a "flying saucer" created by the Nazi's. Upon completion of the reading, students answer questions on the article,...
Anne Frank House
Who Was Anne Frank?
Set the stage for a study of The Diary of a Young Girl with a resource that includes background information about Anne Frank's early years, the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands, her Secret Annex hiding place, and her capture and...
Curated OER
Charts, Maps, and Graphs Lesson on the Holocaust
Young scholars practice interpreting data. In this Holocaust lesson plan, students research selected Internet sources and examine charts, maps, and graphs regarding the Jewish populations in and out of Europe. Young scholars respond to...
Curated OER
Deportation and Loss
Seventh graders discuss the issues of isolation and deportation as they are related to the Holocaust. After reading a brief passage about deportation and confinement in a concentration camp, 7th graders discuss the feelings involved in...
Curated OER
The Diary of Anne Frank-The Play
The Diary of Anne Frank is not only a book, but a play as well, and this quiz focuses on the play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. Nineteen of the questions are multiple-choice and one is fill-in-the-blank.