From 1939 until 1945, World War II affected the lives of millions of people from different continents and different backgrounds. War brings out the strongest emotions imaginable. Through this project, you will have the chance to delve into many resources as you try to understand the situations faced by ordinary people every day during this conflict.
You will compose a diary with 10 entries which will be based on 10 people, each with a different role in the war. Each entry will be at least one page in length and have at least 2 historical references in the retelling of the experience(s).
A basic skeleton of a person will be assigned to you. From this, you will use creativity and research information to look closely at the experiences your person may have encountered.
For this project, you will be using mostly primary sources. This is a source "created by people who actually saw or participated in an event and recorded that event or their reactions to it immediately after the event."
You will also be looking at some secondary sources. This is "a source created by someone either not present when the event took place or removed by time from the event."
Your bibliography will reflect at least 2 sources for each of your people. Many of the primary links will have actual pictures from the time period which will help you to create your person and make them seem more real to you. You will also want to look at the links which lead to diary excerpts, letters, and documents which will further explain what your person experienced.
Each resource listed below will have a short explanation which will help you to navigate the site and find the information needed.
For all choices:
Eyewitness History - WWII - read down through the list to see if you can use any of these accounts.
History Channel - thousands of pictures, diary entries, videos, explanation of events and battles. Search easily for info at this site.
First Person Accounts - links from Teacher Oz (some of these links may no longer work)
Soldiers & prisoners of war from America:
Start here : A People at War
Search the Time Magazine Archives (1939-1945)
Search the documents for letters, diaries and pictures at Rutger's University oral history archive.
Holocaust - Jewish links to the war
- concentration camps, Nazi guards, rescuers, children, ghettos, etc.
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum - Understand the plights of those involved by looking at the online exhibitions.
The Holocaust History Project - free archive of documents, photographs, recordings, and essays regarding the Holocaust
Holocaust links from BUBL, a British search engine of links with pictures and oral histories.
Homefront:
Women and the Homefront during WWII - The Teacher Oz site offers hundreds of links which will lead you to many good ideas for your person.
Once you know what role your person plays in the war and the battle, place, prison, etc. you will want to find some pictures which will help you to define your person.
Internment Camps - links from Teacher Oz
FDR's site contains many WWII photos. You can search, but you may want to browse first so that you can see how the photos are labeled. Remember, key words are very important!
American Memory has color photos from the American homeland used with permission from the Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Collection. Women, having to work for the first time out of the home, are documented here. Do a search for Women - Employment.
The American Memory contains many more black/white photos and you will need to enter some key words to find an image that will be helpful! Click on "Search Keywords" and try a search for "soldier." If you try to search "German soldier," you will find that this database of photos mostly represents Americans at home during the war.
Are you moved by the information you have been reading? You might want to take the time to listen to some of the oral histories being recorded before all of our war veterans are gone. Click on the dates at the right to get a listing of the oral histories recorded through the Veterans History Project.
Books to use in your research:
Brokaw, Tom - The Greatest Generation & The Greatest Generation Speaks
Jablonski, Edward - A Pictorial History of the WWII years
Remembrances of WWII; from the Home Front to the Battle Front
Sulzberger, C. L. - The American Heritage Picture History of WWII
WWII; the People's Story
Use our Online Catalog to find many books, including biographies of Holocaust survivors and books dealing with battles of the war
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Criteria |
Does Not Meet (1) |
Partially Meets (2) |
Meets (3) |
Exceeds (4) |
Shows Basic Mastery (5) |
|
G2: Write pieces that effectively use descriptive language to clarify, enhance, and develop ideas |
Student does not show the ability to use language to help clarify and elaborate on the experiences of the personas. |
Student is unable to display this ability throughout the journal entries. Some entries use some descriptive language but are weak in the senses or tone. There is no consistency in the writing. |
Student uses descriptive language to activate senses and create tone for the journal entries. |
Student uses high level vocabulary that shows a command of the language to activate senses and create tone for the journal entries. |
Student’s use of vocabulary and language put the reader in the shoes of the persona. Student uses tone to help activate senses and ties everything together showing a high level ability in writing. |
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G10: Make effective use of a variety of techniques to provide supporting details (analogies, anecdotes, illustrations, detailed descriptions, restatements, paraphrases, examples, comparisons) in written work. |
Student does not consistently have historical references in the journal entries. |
Student mentions historical references but does not consistently support these references with accurate details gathered from research. |
Student is able to accurately describe and discuss actual historical events from WW II in each journal entry. There is a historical reference in each entry with accurate information to support it. |
The student is able to move beyond the literal and actually uses characterization methods inside the journal entries as his/her persona reacts to the particular event. |
The student is able to move beyond the literal and actually uses characterization methods inside the journal entries as his/her persona reacts to the particular event. Several aspects of the event are included in the entry showing an excellent amount of research. |
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G8: Write pieces with a discernible voice and effective wording. |
The voice is not present is some or all of the journal entries. |
Although the writing is done, the personas do not all show a life of their own. The voice is weak in some entries. |
Student is able to take on the different personas and create different and real voices for each. |
Student is able to incorporate creative writing techniques to bring the different characters to life. This could include, but is not limited to, diction, language use and tone. |
The entries are beautifully written and the student is able to intertwine the entries with each other giving them a unified but separate feel. Student is able to incorporate creative writing techniques to bring the different characters to life. This could include, but is not limited to, diction, language use and tone. |
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C1: Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship among perception, thought & language. (Journal Cover) |
The cover is plain with no actual references to the key events discussed in the journals. |
The cover is somewhat historically accurate but key events are not represented well. |
The cover of the journal is historically appropriate and represents some key events discussed in the journaling. |
The cover of the journal is historically appropriate, creative and represents some key events discussed in the journaling. |
The cover of the journal is historically appropriate, creative and represents some key events discussed in the journaling. Student shows a gift or talent for the arts in this cover. |
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G2: Write pieces that effectively use descriptive language to clarify, enhance, and develop ideas |
Student does not show the ability to use language to help clarify and elaborate on the experiences of the personas. |
Student is unable to display this ability throughout the journal entries. Some entries use some descriptive language but are weak in the senses or tone. There is no consistency in the writing. |
Student uses descriptive language to activate senses and create tone for the journal entries. |
Student uses high level vocabulary that shows a command of the language to activate senses and create tone for the journal entries. |
Student’s use of vocabulary and language put the reader in the shoes of the persona. Student uses tone to help activate senses and ties everything together showing a high level ability in writing. |
|
G10: Make effective use of a variety of techniques to provide supporting details (analogies, anecdotes, illustrations, detailed descriptions, restatements, paraphrases, examples, comparisons) in written work. |
Student does not consistently have historical references in the journal entries. |
Student mentions historical references but does not consistently support these references with accurate details gathered from research. |
Student is able to accurately describe and discuss actual historical events from WW II in each journal entry. There is a historical reference in each entry with accurate information to support it. |
The student is able to move beyond the literal and actually uses characterization methods inside the journal entries as his/her persona reacts to the particular event. |
The student is able to move beyond the literal and actually uses characterization methods inside the journal entries as his/her persona reacts to the particular event. Several aspects of the event are included in the entry showing an excellent amount of research. |
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G8: Write pieces with a discernible voice and effective wording. |
The voice is not present is some or all of the journal entries. |
Although the writing is done, the personas do not all show a life of their own. The voice is weak in some entries. |
Student is able to take on the different personas and create different and real voices for each. |
Student is able to incorporate creative writing techniques to bring the different characters to life. This could include, but is not limited to, diction, language use and tone. |
The entries are beautifully written and the student is able to intertwine the entries with each other giving them a unified but separate feel. Student is able to incorporate creative writing techniques to bring the different characters to life. This could include, but is not limited to, diction, language use and tone. |
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C1: Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship among perception, thought & language. (Journal Cover) |
The cover is plain with no actual references to the key events discussed in the journals. |
The cover is somewhat historically accurate but key events are not represented well. |
The cover of the journal is historically appropriate and represents some key events discussed in the journaling. |
The cover of the journal is historically appropriate, creative and represents some key events discussed in the journaling. |
The cover of the journal is historically appropriate, creative and represents some key events discussed in the journaling. Student shows a gift or talent for the arts in this cover. |
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H.1: Develop an appropriate strategy for finding information on a particular topic |
Fails to follow research guidelines. Bibliography is missing or incomplete | Somewhat follows research guidelines to find appropriate resources some of which are noted in the bibliography | Attempts to follow research guidelines to find appropriate resources which are noted in the bibliography | Follows research guidelines to find appropriate resources which are clearly noted in the bibliography | The use of appropriate resources has created an exemplary document which is clearly noted in the bibliography |
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H.8: Make extensive use of primary sources when researching a topic and carefully evaluate the motives and perspectives of the authors |
Fails to understand the importance of a primary source and has not used ideas from the resources to create the people | Somewhat understands the importance of a primary source and has used some ideas from the resources to create the people | Understands the importance of a primary source and has used ideas from the resources to create the people | Clearly understands the importance of a primary source and has used ideas from the resources to create the people | The understanding of the importance of using primary sources has created an exemplary document with historical significance. |