WWIMilitaryTrainingintheUnitedStates

Author:MichaelWasherstein
Datecreated:11/16/20144:18PMESTDatemodified:12/08/20144:25PMEST

BasicInformation
MentorTeacher

Dr.Saxe

Grade/Level

Grade11

TimeFrame

Thislessonwillbetaughtduringa45minuteclassperiod

Subject(s)

History

LessonTopic

WWIMilitaryTrainingintheUnitedStates

UnitTopic

WorldWarI

StandardsAndKeyConcepts
Standards

PAPennsylvaniaAcademicStandards
Subject:History
Area:8.3:UnitedStatesHistory
Grade/Course:GRADE12
Category:ImpactofContinuityandChangeonUSHistory
Standard:8.3.12.C:EvaluatehowcontinuityandchangeinU.S.historyareinterrelatedwiththeworld.Belief
systemsandreligionsCommerceandindustryTechnologyPoliticsandgovernmentPhysicalandhuman
geographySocialorganizations

EnduringUnderstanding(s)

ThislessonfocusesonthetrainingoftheAmerican"Doughboys",astheUnitedStatesmilitaryforcesexpanded.The
lessonhighlightsthechallengessoldiersfacedinthetrainingfacilitiesacrossthenation,astheUnitedStatesprepared
toenterWWI.

SpecificLearningOutcomes

Studentswillidentifyandanalyzethevariouseffortsandmovementsthatwereestablishedinordertostrengthenthe
U.S.militaryattheoutbreakofWWI.
StudentswilldistinguishthehardshipsandchallengesAmericansoldiersfacedastheytrainedandpreparedforWWIon
thehomefront.
StudentswillapplypriorknowledgeoftechnologicaladvancesthatoccurredduringWWI,anddeterminetheeffectthey
hadonmilitarytrainingintheUnitedStates.

EssentialQuestions

HowdidthedraftandothermovementsplayaroleintheexpanisonoftheUnitedStatesmilitary?
HowdidthetechonologicaladvancesthatoccurredduringWWIeffectmilitarytrainingintheUnitedStates?
Whathardshipsdidsoldiersfaceonthehomfront,astheytrainedandpreparedforWWI?

MaterialsandResources
Materialsandresources:
TeacherwilluseaPrezipresentationtopresentinformationtothestudents.https://prezi.com/nahuvemkct_c/wwi
militarytrainingintheunitedstates/
Studentswillneedtheir:notebook,worksheet,andapencil.Studentswillcompletetheirworksheetsandturn
theminattheendoftheperiodinordertoassessunderstanding.
Technologyresources:
Safari
Thenumberofcomputersrequiredis1.
Attachments:
1. WWITrainingHandoutStudentswillcompletethishandoutandturnintheassignmentattheendoftheperiod.
Thisactivityallowsstudentstoanalyzeasoldier'sfirsthandaccountoftrainingforWWI.
Links:
1. PreziPresentation

ActivitiesAndProcedures
Springboard

StudentswillcompleteaThink,Pair,Shareactivityasawarmupforthelesson.
Teacherwillhavethefollowingquestionwrittenontheboard:
WhattechnologicaladvancesoccurredduringWWI?Howwasthiswardifferentfrompastwars?

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Studentswillbewritedowntheirresponseintheirjournals.Theteacherwillthentellstudentstodiscusstheir
responseswiththeirpartnernexttothem.Finally,theclasswillcometogetherandsharetheiranswerswiththeir
peers.
Teacherwillbewalkingaroundtheroomduringthisactivity.Teacherwillmonitorstudentsengagementandabilityto
stayontask.
Transition

AfterabriefdiscussiononwhattechnologicaladvancesoccurredduringWWI,theteacherwillintroducethetopicof
today'slesson.
Teacher:Todaywewillembarkonajourney.YouhavealljustbeendraftedintotheUnitedStatesArmy.Thisisyourfirst
briefing,andIamyourStaffSergeant.Todaywewilldiscussthetrainingyouwillreceive,aswepreparetogotowar.
Thistrainingwillmakeyoumentallyandphysicallytough.Anyquestions?Alrightsoldiersletsbegin.

Activity1

Thisactivitywilllastroughly10minutes
TeacherwillturnonprojectoranddisplaythePreziPresentation.
Teacher:Alrightsoldiers,youneedtotakegoodnotesonthissectionofthebriefing.Asyoumayhaveheard,weare
trainingthousandsofnewsoldierseveryday,sowedon'thaveenoughmanualstogivetoeachsoldier.Thismeansitis
yourresponsibletomakesureyouwritedownandunderstandalloftheinformation,otherwiseyouwillhavetodrop
andgiveme50!
TeacherexplainsthePreparednessMovementandhowitleadsintothePlattsburgMovement.Teacherasksstudents
questionsaboutthevariouspicturesthroughoutthepresentation.StudentsareinformedabouttheMajorGeneralJohn.
BlackJackPershing,andhisroleinthetrainingoftheAmericanExpeditionaryForces.
Studentsaregivenadescriptionoftheiruniforms,whichtheywillreceiveattheendoftheirbriefing.ThetermDoughboy
isexplained,andthesoldierspreparetoreceivetheirspecificassignmentstotrainingcenters.

Activity2

Thisactivitywilltakeroughly15minutes.
Teacher:Pullsupmapoftrainingcentersonthepresentation.Eachsoldierisassignedatrainingcenter.Teacher
explainsthatsoldiersoftentrainedfarawayfromtheirhome.Studentsareshownpicturesofthetrainingcenters.
Wouldyouliketoliveinoneofthesetrainingfacilities?
Teacher:Alrightsoldiers.I'mgoingtogiveittoyoustraight.Manyofthesetrainingfacilitiesareplaguedbydisease,
lackingsupplies,andevenlackingpropersanitationfacilities.ButI'lltellyouonething,throughhardshipcomes
perseveranceandtoughness.Thistrainingwillprepareyouforthehardshipsmanysoldiersfaceduringwar.

Activity3

Thisactivitywilltake5minutes
Teacher:Alrightsoldiers,thisisyourfirsttrainingexercise.Untieyourshoelacesnow,onthedouble.Onmymark,you
willhavetoretieyourshoelacesasfastasyoucan.Youwillbetimed.Ready,go....
Teacherwillcountusestopwatchtotimecount6seconds.Afterthat6secondsisupthesoldierswillbetoldtostop.
Howmanyofyouwereabletotieyourshoesinthose6seconds?Well,Ihavenewsforyou.6secondscouldbethe
differencebetweenyoulivinganddyingduringWWI.Soldierswillneedtobeabletoputontheirgasmaskproperly
within6seconds.
Teachershowsstudentsvideoclip.Thisvideoshowsthechemicalwarfaretrainingexercises.Thisvideogivesthe
soldiersanideaofwhattypesofexercisestheywillbecompletingonadailybasisinthetrainingcamps.

Activity4

Thisactivitywilltakeroughly10minutes
Studentswillnowlookattestimonialsofothersoldiers.Studentswillreadanddiscusswhatothersoldiershavealready
experiencedinordertopreparementallyfortheirtrainingcenterexperience.
TeacherwillhandoutWWITrainingHandout.Studentswillreadthetestimonialandanswerthequestions.Thisactivity
willbeturnedinandgradedasacheckforunderstanding.
Teacherwillbewalkingaroundtheroomandmonitoringstudentactivityandansweringquestions.

Activity5
Activity6
Activity7
Activity8
Closure

Teacherwillreviewtheessentialquestionswiththestudents.Theteacherwillhavedifferentstudentsdescribethe
hardshipssoldiersfaced,howtechnologicaladvancesimpactedtraining,andwhatmovementswerecreatedinorderto
strengthentheUnitedStatesmilitaryeffort.Afterabriefdiscussion,studentswillturnintheirworksheetsfor
assessment.

Teacher:Alrightsoldiers,youhavecompletedyourbriefing.Atthesoundofthebell,youwillmovetothenextroomand
receiveyouuniformsandrifles.Goodluck,makeyourcountryproud.

Assessment/Evaluation
Diagnostic

Thespringboardactivityassesspriorknowledge.Studentswillbeexpectedtoknowaboutthetechnologicaladvances
thatoccurredduringWWIsuchaschemicalwarfare,newandimprovedweaponsandtanks,alongwiththeuseoftrench
warfare.Theteacherwillthenconnectthispriorknowledgeandexplainhowitrelatestotrainingonthehomefront.

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Formative

Studentknowledgewillbeevaluatedandassessedthroughdiscussionandwrittenresponsesonthehandout.Students
willbeexpectedtoparticipate,andtheteacherwillasksstudentsquestionsindividuallyinordertogauge
understanding.Thehandoutswillbegradedandreviewedthenextdayinclassinordertoensurecomprehension.

Summative

Thislessonplaysapivotalroleinthebroaderunit.TheUnitedStatesneededtotrainsoldiersbeforetheycouldgoover
andenterWWI.Thislessonexplainsthedifficultiesassociatedwithtrainingandwaringeneral.Thislessoncanalsobe
usedasasteppingstonetocompareandcontrasthowaremilitaryhasgrownandchangedinmoderntimes.

Assessment/Rubrics

SPLED/Accommodations
Physical

Thislessonwastaughtinasmallclassroomenvironment.Therewerenotenoughseatsforthestudents.Theteacher
hadtobringoverextrachairs,inordertoensurethehighestlevelofcomprehensionpossible.Theteacheralsohadto
planaheadandmakesurethattheteachingenvironmenthadallofthepropercomputercablesandwires.

LearningStyles

Thestudentsintheseclassallhavevariouslevelsofreadingcomprehensionandunderstanding.Whilesomestudents
mayunderstandwhatallthequestionsareaskingontheworksheet,othersmaybeveryconfused.Inorderto
accommodatethesestudents,theteacherwillbewalkingupanddowntherowsofstudentsansweringquestionsand
furtherclarifyingpointsasstudentsworkontheirworksheets.Thisallowstheteachertomonitorstudentprogressand
provideextrahelptothosestudentswithdifferentlearningstyles.

SpecialNeeds

Skeletonnoteswillbeprovidedtothosestudentswithspecialneeds.Thisallowsstudentstofocusonthecontentbeing
coveredduringthepresentation,ratherthenfocusingoncopyingdownallofthenotes.Specialaccommodationswillalso
bemadeforstudentsaccordingtotheirIEP.

LessonAnalysisand
Reflection

Overall,thislessonwentwell.Ithinkthatthestudentsfoundthetopicinteresting,andtheyenjoyedtheroleplaying
aspectofthelesson.Thegasmaskactivitywashit,anditprovidedstudentswithareallifeexampleofhowharditwas
tocompletemanyofthesetrainingexercises.Ilearnedagreatdealabouttimemanagementfromthislesson.Ineedto
allocatemoretimeforstudentactivitiesintheclassroom.Althoughsomestudentscompletedalloftheactivitiesinthe
giventime,thereweresomestudentswhoneededextratime.Iletsomestudentstaketheirhandoutshomewiththem,
tobecompletedforhomework.IfItaughtthislessonagain,Iwouldliketoaddanotheractivityintothelessonand
maybeteachitovertwoclassperiods.IthinkIwouldcreateanactivitythatallowsstudentstoteachtheirpeersabouta
differentaspectoftraining.Thiswouldincreasestudentengagementandlimittheamountoftimeallocatedfordirect
instruction.

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