Goals & Objectives
Students will be able to analyze and interpret a primary source document, the treaty of Versailles, and utilizing their prior knowledge of WWI be able to predict how the primary source will impact history going forward.
California State Content Standards
10.7 Students analyze the rise of totalitarian governments after World War I.
1. Understand the causes and consequences of the Russian Revolution, including
Lenin’s use of totalitarian means to seize and maintain control (e.g., the Gulag).
2. Trace Stalin’s rise to power in the Soviet Union and the connection between economic policies, political policies, the absence of a free press, and systematic violations of human rights (e.g., the Terror Famine in Ukraine).
3. Analyze the rise, aggression, and human costs of totalitarian regimes (Fascist and
Communist) in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union, noting especially their common and dissimilar traits.
1. Understand the causes and consequences of the Russian Revolution, including
Lenin’s use of totalitarian means to seize and maintain control (e.g., the Gulag).
2. Trace Stalin’s rise to power in the Soviet Union and the connection between economic policies, political policies, the absence of a free press, and systematic violations of human rights (e.g., the Terror Famine in Ukraine).
3. Analyze the rise, aggression, and human costs of totalitarian regimes (Fascist and
Communist) in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union, noting especially their common and dissimilar traits.
Common Core Literacy Standards
Reading 9-10. 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
Reading 9-10. 8. Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.
Reading 9-10. 8. Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.
Driving Historical Question
How does the Treaty of Versailles “set the stage” for the rise of totalitarians?
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 15 – 20 Minutes
When students enter the class, the question “Who was to blame for the horrors of WWI?” will be written on the board. The teacher will pass out a post-it to each student and then instruct the class to write down who they felt was to blame for WWI on the post-it. The teacher will give the students approximately 1-2 minutes to answer. Once students have written their answer on the post-it, the teacher will randomly select a student and have the student read their answer aloud. The teacher will then write their answer on the board and ask all students who have that same answer, to come place their post-it on the board next to the answer. The teacher will then call upon a student who still has their post-it, ask them for their answer, write it on the board and then have students with the same answer place their post-its on the board next to their answer. This process will be repeated until all answers are on the board.
The teacher will then ask students “Why do you think the majority of us believe that [insert popular majority answer here] was to blame?” and have them share their answer with a partner. The teacher will then call on three (3) students to have their explanations shared with the class.
The teacher will then ask the class, “How do you hold them/him [I would add ‘her’, but it’s unlikely that in this case a woman would be held to blame for WWI] responsible for their actions?” The teacher will hear as many responses as the time will allow for, stopping the discussion at 20 minutes into class. Then the teacher will transition into the Treaty of Versailles and its purpose in history.
The teacher will then ask students “Why do you think the majority of us believe that [insert popular majority answer here] was to blame?” and have them share their answer with a partner. The teacher will then call on three (3) students to have their explanations shared with the class.
The teacher will then ask the class, “How do you hold them/him [I would add ‘her’, but it’s unlikely that in this case a woman would be held to blame for WWI] responsible for their actions?” The teacher will hear as many responses as the time will allow for, stopping the discussion at 20 minutes into class. Then the teacher will transition into the Treaty of Versailles and its purpose in history.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖ Time: N/A
Vocabulary is integrated into the DBQ handout. Students will underline/highlight key and unfamiliar vocabulary and using a dictionary (or the dictionary app on their phone) write the definition for the vocabulary in the margins.
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) ‖ Time: 15 minutes
The teacher will hand out the classwork (“A Reaction to the Horrors of WWI: The Treaty of Versailles” worksheet). As a whole class, the teacher will read the ‘Historical Background” out loud and then the instructions. The teacher will reiterate the instructions no less than two (2) times, while describing the activity and the teacher’s expectations. The teacher will model an example with a different article on the white board. The teacher will underline and then define the key words of the article, paraphrase and connect to the historical events that led to the creation of that specific article. The teacher will then answer any questions, clarifying any misconceptions/misunderstandings.
versailles_treaty_a_reaction_to_the_horrors_of_wwi.docx | |
File Size: | 19 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) ‖ Time: 45-50 minutes
Students will then work independently, reading the articles of the Treaty of Versailles, paraphrasing the passage and analyzing what events of WWI would have resulted in the article being added to the Treaty.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 10 minutes
When there are 10 minutes left in class, the teacher will call the whole class together and lead a discussion on the final question, “Based on the articles of the Treaty of Versailles that you analyzed, predict possible consequences, positive and negative, that this treaty may have on the post WWI world.” Students will be called upon using equity cards, to answer the question. The teacher will provide positive encouragement for thoughtful answers, regardless of their historical accuracy.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Teacher will access student prior-knowledge with the opening activity and assess their content knowledge through the whole class discussion.
Teacher will assess student progress throughout the lesson by circulating the classroom and monitoring student progress as they work through the DBQs.
Teacher will assess student achievement of lesson goals by the final whole class discussion and students’ response on the final question on the handout.
Teacher will assess student progress throughout the lesson by circulating the classroom and monitoring student progress as they work through the DBQs.
Teacher will assess student achievement of lesson goals by the final whole class discussion and students’ response on the final question on the handout.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
Having students underline/highlight and define key vocabulary, has students interact with the text physically (underlining/highlighting) and helps build their academic lexicon. This specifically helps ELs, striving readers and students with special needs by paying specific attention to building their vocabulary.
By modeling the activity the teacher provides support for ELs, striving readers and students with special needs.
By providing students with a choice of article that they want to analyze, the activity allows high-achieving students to challenge themselves.
By modeling the activity the teacher provides support for ELs, striving readers and students with special needs.
By providing students with a choice of article that they want to analyze, the activity allows high-achieving students to challenge themselves.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
“A Reaction to the Horrors of WWI: The Treaty of Versailles” worksheet, pen/pencil, post-its