In this lesson plan,* students will use oral histories and other primary sources to gain a greater understanding of events in American History and the reality of war. Topics covered will include the Pacific Theater, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the role of women during WWII, and Kamikaze pilots. This lesson is broken up into five parts, each of which should take one 50 minute class period to complete. While this series can be taught as one unit, each part can also stand alone as independent lessons.
*This series of oral history lessons was created by Curtis Odom, a graduate student Stephen F. Austin State University, as part of his thesis work for a Masters Degree in Public History. The series was edited by Michael Raines, a teacher of Geography at Center High School, Center, Texas.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
§ 113.32 United States Since Reconstruction
(C) Knowledge and skills.
(1) History. The student understands traditional historical points of reference in U.S. history from 1877 to the present. The student is expected to: (C) explain the significance of the following dates: 1898, 1914-1918, 1929, 1941-1945, and 1957.
(6) History. The student understands the impact of significant national and international decisions and conflicts from World War II and the Cold War to the present on the United States. The student is expected to: (B) analyze major issues and events of World War II such as fighting the war on multiple fronts, the internment of Japanese-Americans, the Holocaust, the battle of Midway, the invasion of Normandy, and the development of and Harry S. Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb.
(9) Geography. The student understands the impact of geographic factors on major events. The student is expected to: (A) analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on major events.
(14) Economics. The student understands the economic effects of World War II, the Cold War, and increased worldwide competition on contemporary society. The student is expected to: (A) describe the economic effects of World War II on the home front, including rationing, female employment, and the end of the Great Depression.
(21) Culture. The student understands how people from various groups, including racial, ethnic, and religious groups, adapt to life in the United States and contribute to our national identity. The student is expected to: (D) identify the political, social, and economic contributions of women to American society.
(24) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of sources including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (D) use the process of historical inquiry to research, interpret, and use multiple sources of evidence.
(25) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to: (A) use social studies terminology correctly; (B) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation; and (D) create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
113.33 World Geography Studies
(C) Knowledge and skills.
(21) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of sources including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (C) construct and interpret maps to answer geographic questions, infer geographic relationships, and analyze geographic change.
Part I: Pacific Theater Overview Part II: The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb Part III: Women on the United States Home Front During World War II Part IV: The Kamikazes Part V: Mapping Exercise
