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Year Level: 10

Depth Study: WWII

Duration (weeks): 6

No. of Periods (50-60 mins): 24

Assessment 2: Unit of Work

Rationale:
The following unit has been devised for a year ten classroom and deals
specifically with the depth study of World War II. This unit finds its
foundation in promoting historical thinking and developing an understanding
of the 6 historical thinking concept defined by Sexias (Centre for the study of
Historical Consciousness, n.d.). Obviously, being a unit based upon world war
two, the overarching substantive concept for this unit is War and the
procedural concepts that are focused on are the ones identified by Sexias,
Change and Continuity, Cause and Consequence, Historical Perspective,
Historical Significance, Primary Sources and Ethical Dimension (Centre for
the study of Historical Consciousness, n.d.; Roberts, 2013). As this is a year
ten unit the overall goal of the unit is to get students thinking about the
depth study in regards to the uses of primary sources and historical
perspective in creating original ideas and arguments. This unit is based upon
a conceptual approach as scaffolding student learning to be based upon
concepts rather than solely content promotes greater student engagement
and prompts a deeper understanding, therefore creating a higher order of
thinking amongst students (Husbands & Kitson, 2010; Erickson, 2007). It is
important students know the difference between knowing the facts and
thinking historically, as only through grasping this distinction will students be
able to understand new ideas and discoveries they uncover through their
research (Husbands & Kitson, 2010; Short et al, 1996). It is for these reasons

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that a conceptual based unit has been created. Each week students will be
exposed to content through a different historical concept. In addition to this,
the assessment tasks, both formative and summative, are based upon
conceptual learning. The formative jigsaw task requires students to think
about cause and consequence and change and continuity as they discuss
differing views on issues during the war. Similarly, the summative tasks also
require students to think through a conceptual lens. The primary source task
will require students to build upon their skills in analyzing both images and
documents in a scaffolded setting through an adaptation of Windeburg and
VanSledrights source analysis components (VanSledright, 2004; Wineburg,
2001). Through scaffolding their investigation of primary sources it promotes
richer discourse, allowing students to identify sources as contestable pieces
of evidence rather than fact (Taylor, Fahey, Kriewoldt & Boon, 2012;
Husbands & Kitson, 2010). Similarly, the research essay is also underpinned
by conceptual understanding and will require students to explore historical
significance and perspective and other concepts depending on the path they
take with the assessment. Students were given the option to choose their
own topic as conceptual learning takes place differentially and therefore it is
imperative to consider different learner needs and plan assessment tasks
accordingly (Taylor, Fahey, Kriewoldt & Boon, 2012; Handa, 2013). Through
promoting students to investigate an area that interests them it is hoped
that students will understand the need to question the past in order to
envision their own opinions and ideas (Duquette, 2015). Through structuring
the assessments mentioned to promote conceptual learning students will be
able to better understanding what is expected of them, promoting standards
based assessment and providing them with the tools to achieve
VanSledrights pillars of assessment; cognition, observation and
interpretation (VanSledright, 2015)

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Stage 1 Desired Results

Established Goal(s)/Content Standard(s):
World War II
-

An overview of the causes and course of World War II (ACDSEH024)

An examination of significant events of World War II, including the

Holocaust and use of the atomic bomb (ACDSEH107)

The experiences of Australians during World War II (such as Prisoners
of War (POWs), the Battle of Britain, Kokoda, the Fall of Singapore)

(ACDSEH108)
The impact of World War II, with a particular emphasis on the
Australian home front, including the changing roles of women and
use of wartime government controls (conscription, manpower

controls, rationing and censorship) (ACDSEH109)

The significance of World War II to Australias international
relationships in the twentieth century, with particular reference to the
United Nations, Britain, the USA and Asia (ACDSEH110)

Historical Skills
-

Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS183)

Identify and locate relevant sources, using ICT and other methods

(ACHHS186)
Identify the origin, purpose and context of primary and secondary

sources (ACHHS187)
Evaluate the reliability and usefulness of primary and secondary

sources (ACHHS189)
Identify and analyse the perspectives of people from the past

(ACHHS190)
Identify and analyse different historical interpretations (including

their own) (ACHHS191)

Develop texts, particularly descriptions and discussions that use

evidence from a range of sources that are referenced (ACHHS192)

Select and use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic,
written) and digital technologies (ACHHS193)

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Understanding (s) or Big ideas

Students will understand:

G.Cooney

Essential Question(s):
-

How did the nature of global

How propaganda influences

conflict change during the

twentieth century? (VCAA,

perspectives
The causes and subsequent

consequences of World War II

How primary source analysis

gives insight into the past

How perspectives on ethical

issues change over time

The significance of World War

of World War II? How did these

consequences shape the
-

new opportunities
The similarities and

global events and changes

during this period? (VCAA,
-

2015)
How can a society allow a

dictatorship to take hold?

What factors contribute to

differences in conflict between

World War I and World War II

modern world? (VCAA, 2015)

How was Australian Society
affected by other significant

II in the creation of the modern

world
How World War II gave rise to

2015)
What were the consequences

people turning a blind eye to a

-

wrongdoing?
What causes such a world-

altering event?
How does a society continue
to function in a time of

conflict?
How does a government
maintain control over its

people?
How does global conflict

change society?
How can opinion on events

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change over time?

In what ways has conflict
evolved?

Student Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
-

Use primary and secondary sources to inform decision and aid in the

creation of discussion and debate;

Demonstrate an understanding of how life changed due to the

emergence of the Second World War;

Interpret how the nature of global conflict changed;
Draw upon ideas of change and continuity and cause and

consequence in discovering historical perspective and significance;

Analyse different perspectives, both primary and secondary, and

evaluate their reliability and usefulness;

Create historical discourse presenting individual ideas on the

significance of World War II and;

Evaluate how social discourse on ethical issues changes over time.
Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Formal Assessment task

Other Evidence (Informal

Formative:

assessment)

There will be a range of formative

Other evidence for this unit will be in

assessments throughout this unit.

the form of draft pieces, a checklist

There will be a pretest at the

for the end of unit summative and

beginning of the unit to discover

little informal formative assessments

what students already know so that placed throughout the unit. Students
the teacher may build the field

will be required to answer questions

based on their prior knowledge.

or produce one interesting idea of

There will also be a range of jigsaw

piece of evidence they found order to

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activities designed so that students be excused at the end of the lesson

will look at issues from differing

(exit pass) and produce one

countries viewpoints and create a

interesting idea of piece of evidence

presentation based upon their

they found from the lesson. They will

discoveries (Facing History and

also have a checklist and be required

Ourselves, 2015). These tasks will

to submit drafts for the end of unit

be the basis for a classroom work

summative assessment. In addition to

mark for the purpose of reporting

this students will have to write a

and making sure students

weekly reflection that will be looked at

understand the progression of the

by the teacher to ensure students are

unit.

progressing at an acceptable rate. All

Summative:

of these tasks are included to ensure

There will be two summative

that students do not fall behind and

assessments in this unit, one mid

that any issues are dealt with as

way through the unit to evaluate

quickly as possible.

primary source skills, in relation to

propaganda posters and the
warfare of World War II, and one at
the end of the unit to evaluate
historical perspective and
significance.
The primary source task will be
based upon what VanSledright and
Wineburg identify as a process for
source analysis (VanSledright,
2004; Wineburg, 2001). The
students will have to:
-

Identify the source,

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attributing it to the author (is

it a primary or secondary
source? What is the
-

relationship to event?);
Make note and regard it in
regards to its context (where
does it sit within what they

know about WWII?);

Discover what the reading
entails. (How is this reading
positioning its readership?
What are its motives? Does it
achieve this? What is the

perspective given?) and;

Inspect the reliability of the
source. (Is the author
reliable? Do the details
confirm or deny the
conventional narrative?)

For this source analysis students

will be assessed upon their ability
to incorporate these ideas and
steps into their responses. They
will need to show understanding of
the big ideas that underpin this
unit.
In regards to the end of unit
summative assessment this will
take the form of a research essay.

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Students will be asked to

investigate an area of WWII (of
their choice to be approved by the
teacher). Students will then use the
resources they have been given
throughout the unit as well as
personal research to develop an
argument, an example argument
topic may be The evolution of
artillery in WWII changed the
nature of warfare as society knew
it. Discuss. This is to prepare them
for historiographical essays in VCE.
Students will have workshops on
identifying historical perspective
and using this to develop their own
ideas. The essay may include
pictures and as long as it adheres
to historical essay structure they
may play around with the
formatting of the piece. Students
will be assessed on their
conceptual understanding and
ability to use both primary and
secondary sources to create a
cohesive argument.

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Stage 3 Learning Plan

Week
1

Essential
question/s
What causes

Concepts

Task

Resources
Padlet

Assessment

Cause and

Weekly Focus - Causes of

Lesson: Exit

Lesso such a world-

Consequence,

WWII:

Pass

n 1-4

altering event?

Historical

Lesson 2 task:

The exit pass

How can a

Perspective

This class will look at differing

endeavors to

society allow a

perspectives on the causes of

formatively

dictatorship to

WWII. Building upon the

assess student

take hold?

knowledge acquired in the

understanding

previous lesson, students will

through their

each be given a differing

response to the

perspective on the cause of

task given.

WWII. Students will then be

Through also

asked to investigate this cause,

requiring the

looking at the five Ws. Students

padlet post to

will also need to create and

be completed it

inquiry question that will

allows the

endeavor to investigate how this

teacher after

cause arose and what

class to also

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consequences it may lead to.

look upon

Students will post their findings

student learning

on a padlet page, which students

in a

will then need to screenshot for

collaboratively

their own notes. Through doing

way.

this students have access to all

the information rather than just
the perspective they
investigated.
A discussion will follow after this
where students must prove their
investigation is on the padlet

Pre-test in first

page and also provide an

lesson

interesting fact or idea learnt in

order to leave. In other words
2

How did the

Continuity

and exit pass will be used.

Weekly Focus - Course taken

Propaganda

Lesson: Primary

Lesso nature of

and Change & in Europe:

Posters: See

Source Analysis

n 5-8

global conflict

Primary

Lesson 8 task:

Appendices 1, 2

This task will

change during

Sources &

This task builds upon student

& 3.

build upon

the twentieth

Historical

understanding of the European

Google Docs

primary source

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Significance

war through looking at different

Access

skills,

(VCAA, 2015)

propaganda posters (see

endeavoring to

How does a

appendix 1, 2 & 3). Students will

build student

society

be moved into groups of four and

knowledge on

continue to

be given a range of posters that

the idea that

function in a

differ in origin. It is then the task

any historical

time of

of the students to analyse these

document is

conflict?

using the steps provided in the

contestable

How does a

assessment section

government

(VanSledright 2004, Wineburg,

maintain

2001). Students will need to

control over its

focus upon persuasive

people?

techniques and position

presented in conjunction with the
source analysis steps to

How did the

Lesso nature of

Continuity

effectively complete this task.

Weekly Focus - Course taken

Historical

Primary Source

and Change & in the Pacific War:

Documents: See Analysis

n 9-

global conflict

Primary

Lesson 12 task:

Appendix 4

This task will

12

change during

Sources &

This task is similar to the one

Google Docs

build upon

the twentieth

Historical

above and builds upon students

Access

primary source

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Significance

primary source skills. However

skills,

(VCAA, 2015)

this task will look specifically at

endeavoring to

How does a

indigenous involvement in the

build student

society

war and the reasons they were

knowledge on

continue to

sent home from combat.

the idea that

function in a

Students will need to analyse a

any historical

time of

document from the pack (see

document is

conflict?

appendix 4) and evaluate its

contestable

position and merits using the

adapted process mentioned in
the assessment section.
Students will need to effectively
follow this process to
satisfactorily complete the task.
Students will then post their
analysis to Google docs so that it
is accessible by all students.
4

How can

Lesso opinion on
n 13-

events change

Ethical

Promoting collaborative learning.

Weekly Focus - Significant

Jigsaw

Dimension

individuals and events:

The response

Lesson 15 task:

created from the

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over time?

This task is underpinned by the

jigsaw provides

What factors

evolution of ethical thinking. For

the basis for the

contribute to

this task students will be split

formative

people turning

into different country groups and

assessment.

a blind eye to a

will be asked to look at the

wrongdoing?

events of the holocaust thinking

How does a

like the country they have been

government

given. Both allied and axis

maintain

powers will be a part of this task.

control over its

A jigsaw will then take place and

people?

students will need to attempt to

persuade the rest of their group
to their countrys viewpoint. At
the end of the lesson students
will need to create a response
based upon the views heard and
evaluate how ethical thinking
has progressed, to their own
understanding, throughout
history.

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Students will then post their

analysis to Google docs so that it
is accessible by all students.
5

What were the

Lesso consequences
n 1720

Historical

Promoting collaborative learning.

Weekly Focus - The End of

Perspectives

the War and the Aftermath:

of World War II? & Cause and

Lesson 20 task:

How did these

Consequence

Students will be split into groups

consequences

& Continuity

of four and will need to come up

shape the

and Change & with a presentation looking at

modern world?

Historical

the aftermath of WWII. Students

(VCAA, 2015)

Significance

will be asked to identify what

How does

they deemed as significant

global conflict

consequences and pose insight

change

into what this meant for the

society?

evolution of society. Students will

need to consider historical
perspective, significance and the
ideas of cause and consequence
and change and continuity in
their answer. Their presentation

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can take any form they wish,

however if it is not ICT based
they will need to take a photo
and link it to google docs so that
the other students can have
6

Historical

access to it.
Weekly Focus - Influence of

Significance

society:

End of unit

Society

Lesson 21 task:

summative due

affected by

This task works to build upon the

end of this week

other

students ability to use historical

significant

sources to frame an argument.

global events

For this task students will have

and changes

to evaluate the sources they

during this

obtained in the lesson before and

period? (VCAA,

create a response on how they

2015)

would use them. As each student

How does

has a different research area this

global conflict

task does not promote

change

collaborative learning, rather it

society?

focuses solely on the students

How was

Lesso Australian
n 2024

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In what ways

ability as an individual, allowing

has conflict

the teacher to look at how they

evolved?

are travelling without the

possibility of collusion.

Reference List:
Centre for the Study of Historical Consciousness. (n.d.). Historical Thinking Concepts. Retrieved from
http://historicalthinking.ca/historical-thinking-concepts.
Duquette, B. (2015). Relating Historical Consciousness to Historical Thinking through Assessment. In K.
Ercikan & P. Seixas, New Directions in Assessing Historical Thinking (pp. 51-63). New York, NY:
Routledge.
Erickson, H.L. (2007). Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom.

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Heatherton, Victoria: Hawker Brownlow Education.

Ercikan, K., & Seixas, P. (2015). New Directions in Assessing Historical Thinking. New York, NY:
Routledge.Husbands, C., & Kitson, A. (2010). Teaching History 11-18. Berkshire, GBR: McGrawHill Education.
Facing Histories and Ourselves. (2015). Teaching Strategies: Jigsaw. Retrieved from
https://www.facinghistory.org/for-educators/educator-resources/teaching-strategies/jigsawdeveloping-community-d.
Handa, M.C. (2013). Leading Differentiated High Performance Learning. Australian Educational Leader,
35 (3), 22-26
Roberts, P. (2013). Revisiting historical literacy: Towards a disciplinary pedagogy. Literacy Learning:
The Middle Years, 21 (1), 15-24.
Short, K.G., Schroeder, J., Laird, J., Kauffman, G., Ferguson, M.J. & Crawford, K.M. (1996). Learning
Together Through Inquiry: from Columbus to Integrated Curriculum. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse
Publishers.
Taylor, T., Fahey, C., Kriewoldt, J., & Boon, D. (2012). Place and Time: Explorations in Teaching
Geography and History. Frenchs Forest NSW: Pearson Australia.

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VanSledright, B. (2004). What does it mean to think historicallyand how do you do it? Social
Education, 63 (3), 230-233.
VanSledright, B. (2015). Assessing for Learning in the History Classroom. In K. Ercikan & P. Seixas, New
Directions in Assessing Historical Thinking (pp. 75-88). New York, NY: Routledge.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2015). The AusVELS Curriculum: History. Retrieved
from http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/The-Humanities-History/Overview/Rationale-and-Aims.
Wineburg, S. (2001). Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teacher the
Past. Philadelphia: Temple University Press

Appendices:
Appendix 1: Australian Propaganda Posters
Digital Poster Collection. (n.d.) Australian WW2 Propaganda. Retrieved from
http://digitalpostercollection.com/propaganda/1939-1945-world-war-ii/australia/.

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Appendix 2: American Propaganda Posters

Digital Poster Collection. (n.d.) World War 2 USA Recruiting. Retrieved from
http://digitalpostercollection.com/propaganda/1939-1945-world-war-ii/world-war-2-usa-recruiting/.

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Digital Poster Collection. (n.d.) World War 2 USA Anti-Enemy. Retrieved from
http://digitalpostercollection.com/propaganda/1939-1945-world-war-ii/world-war-2-usa-anti-enemy/.

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Appendix 3: British Propaganda Posters

Digital Poster Collection. (n.d.) Great Britain WW2 Propaganda. Retrieved from
http://digitalpostercollection.com/propaganda/1939-1945-world-war-ii/united-kingdom/.

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Appendix 4: Primary Source Documents

Indigenous Sent Home Documents
Department of Veteran Affairs: Australias War 1939-1945. (2012). All In Indigenous Service: Sent

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Home Documents. Retireved from http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/allin/images/pdf/senthome.pdf.

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