AmericanNeutralityinWorldWarI

Author:StephenGraham
Datecreated:09/01/20143:12PMESTDatemodified:11/16/20141:23PMEST

BasicInformation
MentorTeacher
Dr.Saxe

Grade/Level

Grade9,Grade10,Grade11,Grade12

TimeFrame

20minutes

Subject(s)

History

LessonTopic

NeutralityDuringWWI

UnitTopic

WorldWarI

StandardsAndKeyConcepts
Standards

PAPennsylvaniaAcademicStandards
Subject:History(outdated)
Area8.3.:UnitedStatesHistory
Grade/Course8.3.12:GRADE12
StandardB.:
Identifyandevaluateprimarydocuments,materialartifactsandhistoricsitesimportantinUnitedStateshistoryfrom
1890toPresent.
KeyContent:Documents
KeyContent:20thCenturyWritingsandCommunication
StandardD.:
IdentifyandevaluateconflictandcooperationamongsocialgroupsandorganizationsinUnitedStateshistoryfrom
1890tothePresent.
KeyContent:DomesticInstability
KeyContent:ImmigrationandMigration
KeyContent:MilitaryConflicts

EnduringUnderstanding(s)

IntheyearspreceedingtheUnitedStates'involvementwithWorldWarI,publicopinionwasdecidedlybasedon
neutralityandstayingoutofEuropeanaffairs.Therewasdissenttothisopinionfromsomepoliticalleaders,and
ultimatelytheUnitedStatesenteredthewarin1918withgoalsathavingahandinshapingglobalpoliticstoamore
agreeableanddemocraticpositionaftertheconclusionofthewar.

SpecificLearningOutcomes

StudentswillbeabletoidentifythemajorcausesoftheUnitedStates'eventualinvolvementinWorldWarI
StudentswillbeabletoanalyzeprimarysourcesofcontemporaryAmericans'thoughtsontheUnitedStates'rolein
foreignaffairs
StudentswillbeabletocomprehendandexplainthedifferingopinionsoftheAmericanprewarpublic

EssentialQuestions

WhywouldtheAmericanpublicsostronglyfavorapolicyofneutralityandisolationism?
WhatreasoningdidPresidentWilsongiveinregardstohisdecisiontostaynetrual?Andfortheeventualdeclarationof
war?

MaterialsandResources
Materialsandresources:
Laptop
Prezipresentation
PrintoutsofPrimarySources
Whiteboardw/markers
Links:
1. PreziPresentation

ActivitiesAndProcedures
Springboard

Teacher:
IntroducetheessentialquestionsaboutwhywouldAmericanswanttoremainneutralduringsuchalargeconflictsuch

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asWorldWarI.
Askstudentstokeepthequestioninmindforourdiscussionactivityaftershortpresentation.

Students:
Beginthinkingaboutquestions,andshiftfocustolisteningtolecturematerial.
Transition

Explainthatwearegoingtogothroughaquickpresentation,providingatimelineofevents,sowecanbetter
understandanddiscussourprimarysourcesandquestions.

Activity1

DirectInstruction:(8minutes)
Teacher:
Movethroughtimelinelecture,explainingthesequenceofeventthatleadtotheUnitedStates'involvementinWWI.
Askquestionsaboutpossiblereactionsandreasoningsaftermajorevents(e.g.Lusitaniasinking,Wilson'sspeechesand
declaration,etc)
Preparestudentswithinformation,transitioningintoreadinganddiscussingprimarysources.

Students:
Listentomaterial,answeringquestionswhenasked.

Activity2

PrimarySourceDiscussion:(12minutes)
Teacher:
Directstudentstolookatprimarysourcematerialsondeskinfrontofthem.
Instructstudentstoreadandthinkaboutwhateachdocumentissaying,whoissayingit,andwhatpositiontheyare
takingonNeutrality.
Sourcesareabbreviatedandannotatedwithimportantsectionsinbold.Makesurestudentsunderstandtolookatthese
inparticular.
Bringclasstogetheranddiscussthemajorpointsofeachpiece,andthereasoningeachauthorhasfortheirposition.

Student:
Readprimarysourcematerials
Beabletoexplainmajorpointandpurposeofeachselection.
Discussandbuildoffotherclassmatesquestions.
Attachments:
1. SSED412WPrimarySources.docx

Activity3
Activity4
Activity5
Activity6
Activity7
Activity8
Closure

Assessment/Evaluation
Diagnostic
Formative

DiscussionofprimarysourcesandgeneralthoughtsoftheAmericanpublicbasedonthelecturematerialwillserveto
provethestudentsunderstandandcomprehendthematerial.Asaclasswewillmakealistofthemajorpointsbrought
upduringdiscussionontheboardasasemipermanentproductofassessment.

Summative
Assessment/Rubrics

SPLED/Accommodations
Physical
LearningStyles

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SpecialNeeds

StudentswillbegivenprintoutsofthePrimarySourcematerial,adaptedtosimplifylanguage,cutoutbulk,andincrease
printsizeforlearnersrequiringeasiertoreadandfollowmaterial.

LessonAnalysisand
Reflection

Thislessonwassuccessful,inthateachgroupwasabletoaccuratelydefinethepositionsofWilsonandTheodore
Rooseveltfromtheprimarysourcematerials.Thestudentswerealsoactivelyengagedinourdiscussions,oftentaking
chargeofthediscussionandeladingthemwithnewquestionsfortheotherstudents.Intheearlygroups,wemoved
throughthelecturematerialtooslowlytogetenoughqualitydiscussiontime,butbymovingmorequicklyinlatergroups
thatproblemwasfixed.Themoreimportantpartofthelessonwastheanalyzingofthedocuments,soIdidnotfeelbad
movingthroughthelectureandbackgroundmaterialmorequickly.Partoftheshorteningofthissectionofthelesson
hadlessreadingoflongquotationsbytheteacher,insteadpullingoutonlykeyphrasesandthenshiftingfocusto
discussionofthosephrases.Thisnotonlyletthelessonmovemorequicklythroughthematerial,butalsoletthe
studentstakeamoreactiveroleintheirlearningofthemateiralbycreatingmeaningforthemselves.Oncethese
adjustmentsweremade,thelessonsworkedmuchbetterthantheyahdoriginally,andallstudentsdemonstrated
knowledgeofthematerialbytheendofthelesson.

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