Goals & Objectives
Students will be able to describe the dangers of totalitarianism, specifically the methodology for luring a people into acceptance and keeping the population compliant, and will understand how through promises, a leader is able to lead a nation into tyranny.
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
CCSS 9-10.Writing.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Driving Historical Question
How does a tyrant lead his people into tyranny and then keep them there?
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 15 Minutes
The teacher will have a quick write question written on the board, “List ways in which people are motivated. What actions would you take to motivate a group of people?” Students will be given 5 minutes to write down their ideas and answer the question. The teacher will then call on students and create a class list of motivators on the board. Then the teacher will lead a short discussion on what tactics people can use to motivate a group of people.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development):
Vocabulary will be introduced during the simulation and discussed in depth in the debriefing.
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) ‖ Time: 20-25 minutes
The teacher will preface the beginning of the simulation by telling students that they will need to take this seriously and pay close attention to the instructions. The teacher will then pour a large bag of individually wrapped candy on the table at the front of the class. The teacher will tell students that if they follow the instructions to a “T” at the end of the simulation we will all get to eat the candy. The teacher will stress to the class that this simulation can be dangerous, but that the students will need to trust the teacher. The teacher will also stress that the students may not understand why they are doing the simulation, but the teacher will promise and reassure them that by the end of class, if they have followed all directions, that the teacher will explain everything.
The teacher will then have the class line up at the door, have the students place their hands on the shoulders of the student in front of them and close their eyes. The teacher will stress that everyone must keep their eyes closed until they are told to open them and that the teacher, as well as other available teachers will be watching the students to ensure that they follow all the rules and instructions and that there will be negative consequences for anyone who fails to comply.
The teacher will lead the students out of the classroom and around the campus. The teacher will lead students in chants (i.e. “Proud to be from room 1030!”), have them balance on curbs, lead them near traffic. When a student peaks or fails to comply, the teacher will remove them from the chain and announce that they have left the group, e.g. “Tommy is no longer one of us.” The students will be required to repeat the statement. As the simulation continues, the teacher will stop announcing when students are removed, which will cause unease with those in front and behind the removed students. The students who are removed will be reassured that they are not in trouble and that they are now going to help monitor their classmates, they must remain absolutely silent though, so that they do not give away that they are still around.
To bring the simulation to a close, the teacher will have the students head upstairs and line up along a railing, the teacher will instruct the students to turn left and lean forward. At this point the teacher will tell the students to open their eyes. They should be looking at a two story drop.
The teacher will then have the class line up at the door, have the students place their hands on the shoulders of the student in front of them and close their eyes. The teacher will stress that everyone must keep their eyes closed until they are told to open them and that the teacher, as well as other available teachers will be watching the students to ensure that they follow all the rules and instructions and that there will be negative consequences for anyone who fails to comply.
The teacher will lead the students out of the classroom and around the campus. The teacher will lead students in chants (i.e. “Proud to be from room 1030!”), have them balance on curbs, lead them near traffic. When a student peaks or fails to comply, the teacher will remove them from the chain and announce that they have left the group, e.g. “Tommy is no longer one of us.” The students will be required to repeat the statement. As the simulation continues, the teacher will stop announcing when students are removed, which will cause unease with those in front and behind the removed students. The students who are removed will be reassured that they are not in trouble and that they are now going to help monitor their classmates, they must remain absolutely silent though, so that they do not give away that they are still around.
To bring the simulation to a close, the teacher will have the students head upstairs and line up along a railing, the teacher will instruct the students to turn left and lean forward. At this point the teacher will tell the students to open their eyes. They should be looking at a two story drop.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities):
The students will follow the teacher’s instructions and participate in the simulation.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 40 minutes
Everyone will return to the classroom, candy will be passed out and students will be placed into groups of three, with a blank sheet of paper per group. The teacher will ask the students to hypothesize what the activity that we just did represents. The teacher will call on students (either volunteers or equity cards). The teacher will provide the correct answer, if it is not student generated. The teacher tell students that they will be debriefing the simulation and will then raise the projector screen and reveal the whiteboard. On the whiteboard will be key vocabulary (i.e. Totalitarian Dictator – Stalin, Gulag, Promise of prosperity, Kulak persecution, collectivization), next to Stalin the teacher will draw an arrow and write their name. The teacher will give an explanation of the next term and ask the students what during the activity related to the term. The teacher will then lead a discussion on the methods that Stalin used to motivate, industrialize and control Russia. The teacher will pose a question, have students talk among their group and write down one answer. Then the teacher will bring the class back together, whole class, and ask students to volunteer their groups answer.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
The teacher will circulate the classroom during discussion and assess student progress.
The teacher will use the group written responses to the debriefing discussion to assess to what level the students grasped the final concept.
The teacher will use the group written responses to the debriefing discussion to assess to what level the students grasped the final concept.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
The differentiated groups will help support Els, striving readers and students with special needs by surrounding the students with peer support.The kinetic nature of the simulation will help introduce the key content knowledge of the unit in a way that not text or lecture heavy, which will help students who struggle with the traditional methods of teaching.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
Bag of candy, paper, pencil