Language Arts Strand Project: Nonfiction Texts about World War II
Hanna Perry
Liberty University, School of Education
EDLC 632
March 3, 2024
Abstract
This portfolio explores the multifaceted impact of World War II through the lenses of the six Language
Arts strands. It dives into the historical context of the war, analyzing primary sources and explores the diverse
perspectives of those who lived through it.
This showcases the integration of reading, writing, listening, viewing, speaking and analyzing through a
variety of activities such as double entry journals, analyzing propaganda and primary sources, conducting an
interview with President Roosevelt himself and more! These activities encourage critical thinking, communication,
collaboration to show students the war’s lasting impact and legacy on all people and nations involved.
The author worked extremely hard in gathering resources to make this assignment fun and informal to
hopefully foster a lifetime of love for history so she hopes you enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed putting it
together!
Text Set
Grade Level 8th Grade
State
Standards
ENGLISH COMMUNICATION:
8.1 The student will participate in, collaborate in, and report on small-group
learning activities.
a) Assume responsibility for specific group tasks and share
responsibility for collaborative work within diverse teams.
g) Use self-reflection to evaluate one’s own role in preparation and
participation in small-group activities.
ENGLISH READING:
8.5 The student will read and analyze a variety of fictional texts, literary
nonfiction, poetry, and drama.
g) Compare/contrast details in literary and informational nonfiction texts.
j) Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading
process.
ENGLISH WRITING:
8.7 The student will write in a variety of forms to include narrative,
expository, persuasive, and reflective with an emphasis on expository and
persuasive writing.
b) Choose the intended audience and purpose.
c) Use prewriting strategies to generate and organize ideas
US HISTORY:
USII.7 The student will apply social science skills to understand the major
causes and effects of American involvement in World War II by
a) explaining the causes and events that led to American involvement in the
war, including the attack on Pearl Harbor;
b) locating and describing the major events and turning points of the war in
Europe and the Pacific; and
c) explaining and evaluating the impact of the war on the home front.
USII.8 The student will apply social science skills to understand the economic,
social, and political transformation of the United States and the world
between the end of World War II and the present by
a) describing the rebuilding of Europe and Japan after World War II.
Objectives ● After reading the stories, students will be able to analyze and explain
the bombing of Pearl Harbor and what that meant for the United
States.
● After reading the stories, students will be able to dissect and discuss
the differences in the battles of World War II and identify the turning
points.
● Students will be able to identify and differentiate what life was like for
different people in different countries on the homefront with 80%
accuracy.
Children’s
Literature/
Reading
Materials
●Pearl Harbor by Andrew Santella
●Welcome to Molly’s World, 1944 Growing Up in World War Two
America by Catherine Gourley
●Tales of World War II by Dr. Hattie Hearn and Neon Squid
●FDR and the American Crisis by Albert Marrin
●Hiroshima by John Hersey
Text Set
The unit that my students will be focusing on is the introduction and overview of World War II.
We will be examining the start of the war from multiple different perspectives. Students will be
using a combination of fiction and nonfiction texts to explore the war on the homefront, the
bombing of Pearl Harbor from multiple different viewpoints, true tales from all sides of World
War II, President Roosevelt’s handling of World War II and lastly, the bombing of Hiroshima.
By using these texts; we will be using communication standards 8.1A and 8.1G, reading
standards 8.5G and 8.5J, writing standards 8.7B and 8.7C.
1. Pearl Harbor by Andrew Santella - 1010L
Pearl Harbor (Santella, 2004) is a nonfiction book and examines the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor and how it forced the United States into the war. This book will be used to
cover standard 8.5J, using strategies to help students monitor their comprehension. For
this book, since it is our first book in the unit, we will be reading it together. Students will
participate in a listen-read-discuss amongst their preferred partner as a kickoff to the
unit.This book covers listening, talking and viewing of the six language arts. Students will have a copy
of the book via Google classroom where they will be able to annotate or write down questions about
vocabulary, misunderstandings or additional context needed.
2. Welcome to Molly’s World, 1944 Growing Up in World War Two America by Catherine
Gourley – IG860L
Welcome to Molly’s World, 1944 Growing Up in World War Two America (Gourley,
1999) helps illustrate life as it was on the homefront in the United States. This book,
based upon beloved American Girl character, Molly, will help students with understanding
standard 8.7B. As the Lextile level indicates, this is an illustrated nonfiction text to help
students understand what life was like, so it will be read aloud as a whole group. This
will cover all listening, talking, visually representing and reading of the six language arts.
Students will sit in their assigned seats and follow along with a digital copy that they will be able to
annotate with questions, concerns or quotes that feel meaningful to them.
3. Tales of World War II by Dr. Hattie Hearn - 1040L
Tales of World War II (Hearn, 2023) is a compilation of amazing nonfiction short stories about
people all around the globe during the conflict of the war. This book along with texts four and five
will be used to examine standard 8.5G. Since these are short stories, relevant stories will be
chosen by the educator and read aloud in class. Students will be able to follow along with a
digitized copy where they will be able to annotate with questions, thoughts or quotes that are important to them.
Students will read multiple short stories from this book, however only one specific one will be used in a strand
lesson.
4. FDR and the American Crisis by Albert Marrin - 1030L
FDR and the American Crisis (Marrin, 2016) is a comprehensive biography about
President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It is over three hundred pages, so we will not be reading
the entire thing. Although this is a great, in depth text on one of our nation’s most famous presidents, it
is too long to read in class in it’s entirety. This book, along with title selections three and five will
be read for understanding an analysis of standard 6.5G. It will help give students a clear
picture of the stark differences between different people and countries around the world
during World War II. I will have pre-chosen what parts are relevant to the unit and will
read aloud with the class.
5. Hiroshima by John Hersey - 1190L
Hiroshima (Hersey, 1989) will be read among small groups that students will be put in by myself
by scores/comprehension level. I am a big fan of reminding students of the humanity and that these were real people,
not just numbers on the pages. This book is phenomenal because it highlights the horrific tragedy that is
the atomic bomb and how the Japanese had suffered and attempted to rebuild a new normal in a post bomb
world. This text will drive home the true contrast between America emerging as a world
superpower and the Japanese losing over eighty-thousand of their people alone from the effects
of the atomic bombs.
Lesson Plan
LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
Candidate Name: Hanna Perry Grade Level: 8th Grade
Candidate’s Endorsement:
Middle Level Education -
History/Social Sciences
Central Focus: Transformation of the United States in
the shadow of World War II and the aftermath.
Subject: World War II Learning Segment Theme: Life on the homefront.
Where in the learning segment
does this lesson occur?
Beginning
Lesson Structure or Grouping:
Whole Class
STUDENT ASSETS (KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS)
Complete this section if you are in a practicum setting. If you are not in a practicum setting,
please list N/A.
Personal (Interests, family
backgrounds, experiences, etc.)
N/A
Cultural (Traditions, dialects,
worldview, literature, arts, etc.)
N/A
Community (Landmarks,
community events, etc.)
N/A
Developmental (Cognitive,
physical, social, and emotional)
N/A
CONTENT STANDARDS
State Standards ENGLISH COMMUNICATION:
8.1 The student will participate in, collaborate in, and
report on small-group learning activities.
a) Assume responsibility for specific group tasks
and share responsibility for collaborative work
within diverse teams.
g) Use self-reflection to evaluate one’s own role in
preparation and participation in small-group activities.
ENGLISH READING:
8.5 The student will read and analyze a variety of
fictional texts, literary nonfiction, poetry, and drama.
g) Compare/contrast details in literary and
informational nonfiction texts.
j) Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension
throughout the reading process.
ENGLISH WRITING:
8.7 The student will write in a variety of forms to include
narrative, expository, persuasive, and reflective with an
emphasis on expository and persuasive writing.
b) Choose the intended audience and purpose.
c) Use prewriting strategies to generate and organize
ideas
US HISTORY:
USII.7 The student will apply social science skills to
understand the major causes and effects of American
involvement in World War II by
a) explaining the causes and events that led to
American involvement in the war, including the attack on
Pearl Harbor;
b) locating and describing the major events and turning
points of the war in Europe and the Pacific; and
c) explaining and evaluating the impact of the war on
the home front.
USII.8 The student will apply social science skills to
understand the economic, social, and political
transformation of the United States and the world
between the end of World War II and the present by
a) describing the rebuilding of Europe and Japan after
World War I.
National Standards D2.His.1.9-12. Evaluate how historical events and
developments were shaped by unique circumstances of
time and place as well as broader historical contexts?
InTASC Standards Standard #3: Learning Environments: The teacher works
with others to create environments that support individual
and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive
social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self
motivation.
Standard #7: Planning for Instruction: The teacher plans
instruction that supports every student in meeting
rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of
content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and
pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the
community context.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE(S)
These must be behavioral and measurable.
Statements of what students will know, understand, and be able to do at the end of the lesson
(consider all three domains). Include condition, performance, and criterion.
1. After this lesson, students will be able to explain the major causes and events that led
to the United States’ involvement in World War II, including Pearl Harbor.
2. After this lesson, students will be able to locate and describe the major turning points
in the war in both the Europe and Pacific theaters, identifying key figures and
strategies.
3. Students will be able to compare/contrast the diverse experiences of different home
fronts with special attention to the United States.
BEGINNING: LAUNCH/HOOK/ANTICIPATORY SET
How will you get the lesson started? What questions, texts, inquiry, modeling, and/or other
techniques will you use to engage students?
I will have the famous Rosie the Riveter photo (found here) up on the SmartBoard. I will have
students work with their desk mates to analyze the image, discuss what they see and have them
come up with questions that they would have liked to ask people living on the American
homefront. These questions I will write down for us to refer back to to see if we can answer
some of them!
MIDDLE: INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES TO FACILITATE STUDENT LEARNING
For example: How will you engage students with ideas/texts to develop understanding? What
questions will you ask? How will you promote question generation/discussion? What activities
will you use to engage students in learning—for individuals, small groups, or the whole class?
How will you incorporate technology? How will you address the academic language demands?
Detail your plan. Note: For math lesson plans, please write or attach every task/problem
students will solve during the lesson—with the correct answers.
Instruction/Modeling 1. After my launch question, I will show two video
clips from John Green’s Crash Course History
channel on YouTube. Students will start by
watching World War II Part I: Crash Course US
History #35 from minute 5:03 to 9:25 as this
gives a brief overview of Pearl Harbor, the
fighting in the Pacific/Europe and then the
bombing of Japan/end of the war.
2. Students will then watch the secondary clip from
World War II Part 2: The Homefront Crash
Course US History #36. Students will start at the
beginning of the video and watch until minute
4:36. This gives a brief overview of what life was
like on the homefront for Americans.
World War II Part I: Crash Course US History #35
World War II Part 2: The Homefront Crash Course US
History #36
Guided Practice 1. After the students view the two clips, I will open
the floor for questions or clarification on things
they may not have understood.
2. We as a class will then read aloud Welcome to
Molly’s World, 1944 Growing Up in World War
Two America by Catherine Gourley as the
homefront is what our lesson is on, however the
first World War II clip was to give background
knowledge.
Independent Practice 1. After the reading is concluded, students will get
into small groups to complete a compare/contrast
organizer. Students are not learning about World
War II or the homefront for the first time, so they
will be comparing their previous knowledge with
what they have learned from the text.
2. Students will be able to play a preloaded Kahoot
game based on vocabulary, people and places that
relate to the unit.
END: CLOSURE
How will you end the lesson in a way that promotes student learning and retention?
1. Students will go back to their assigned seats to answer the exit ticket question “What
are three interesting facts you learned today? Is there anything you do not understand?”
which will be turned in upon the conclusion of class.
2. Students will also receive a comprehensive study guide outline that they will fill in as
the unit progresses. This will teach them accountability and responsibility.
EVIDENCE AND ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING
How will you know whether your students are meeting your learning objective? What tools
will you use to measure their progress? How will you provide feedback to promote student
learning?
Diagnostic/Pre-assessment(s)
(could be prior to the lesson)
1. Before starting the unit, students will complete a
quick KWL (know, want to know, learned) chart
about World War II. 8th grade is not the first time
students are learning about WW2 so this gives me
a jumping off point on what students remember
and what I need to go over.
2. Additionally, the Kahoot will act as a pre-
assessment for the rest of the unit!
Formative Assessments/
Feedback to Learners (part of the
activities in the lesson)
1. The compare/contrast graphic organizer will be
used as the grade for the formative assessment.
Summative Assessment (matches
the objective)
1. There will be a comprehensive end of unit exam
consisting of multiple choice, true/false and two
short answer questions.
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE DEMANDS
Language Demand(s) 1. Students will interact with a variety of different
nonfiction texts.
2. Students will actively collaborate and give
opinions/feedback on the topic being discussed.
3. Students will be required to follow multi-step
instructions as this is a packed lesson that has a
variety of activities, students will have to listen
and understand instructions and move quickly.
Language Support(s) 1. Students will have the study guide to help with
vocabulary and pinpoint who, when, where and
why.
Essential Vocabulary 1. World War II
2. Homefront
3. Allied Power
4. Axis Power
5. Franklin D Roosevelt (FDR)
6. Joseph Stalin
7. Adolf Hitler
8. Winston Churchill
9. Atomic Bomb
10. Holocaust
11. Nazis
12. Concentration Camp
LU SOE-SPECIFIC LESSON REQUIREMENTS
Character Education Proverbs 26:2
"As surely as quarreling creates sin, so anger affords a
resting place for every evil."
This lesson showcases the difficulties of war and its
aftermath by highlighting the negative outcomes of war
and instead encourages finding peaceful solutions.
Materials 1. Smartboard
2. Internet
3. Chromebooks
4. KWL chart - enough copies for each student
5. Library of Congress website (Rosie the Riveter
photo)
6. World War II Part I: Crash Course US History
#35
7. World War II Part 2: The Homefront Crash
Course US History #36
8. Molly’s World, 1944 Growing Up in World War
Two America
9. Compare/Contrast Organizer - enough copies for
each student
10. Kahoot
11. Unit Study Guide - enough copies for each
student
12. Exit Slip
13. FOR IEP STUDENTS: Printed instructions for
each student
Technology Connection Technology will be utilized by using the SmartBoard and
internet for the Rosie the Riveter photo, by watching the
Crash Course YouTube videos and during the Kahoot.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FOR THE NEXT SECTION OF THIS FORM:
How will you support students to meet your goals? EXPLICITLY describe what you will do!
List planned supports (instructional strategies, learning tasks and materials, and other
resources deliberately designed to facilitate student learning of the central focus).
Planned Supports 1. The Crash Course video will provide an immerse
and succinct overview of the beginning of World
War II and provide visual aides to peak student’s
interest
2. Handouts will be given for students who are
visual learners
3. Kahoot and small group discussion is for my
kinesthetic learners and also fosters teamwork
and collaboration.
SUPPORTS: DIFFERENTIATION/EXTENSION
How will you provide successful access to the key concepts to all the students at their ability
levels?
Exceptionalities (special needs
[IEPs/504 plans], gifted and
talented, accommodations, etc.)
1. For my IEP/504 plan students, they will be given
printed out directions of each activity and allowed
extended time to turn in assignments with no
penalty. I will also be available for students
during my lunch and planning to answer any
questions or support them in any way they need
it.
2. For my gifted/talented students, if they finish
early I want them to get a headstart by visiting
World War II on the History Channel’s website.
This offers a comprehensive overview of the
entire war with pictures, timelines, and videos.
ELL For my ELL learners, I will partner them up with an
identified gifted/talented student, or allow them to use a
bilingual dictionary/work with a classmate that speaks
the same language to help them with wording or ideas.
Learning Styles/Student
Engagement
1. For my auditory learners - I am playing the
Crash Course videos
2. For my visual learners - I will be playing the
Crash Course videos and showing them Rosie the
Riveter photo.
3. For my kinaesthetic learners - I will be allowing
them to play the Kahoot Game and move into
small groups to discuss/do their graphic
organizer. This allows them to move their bodies!
Extension If my students get their work done, I will allow them to check out
History.Com’s World War II section found here. This has videos,
photos and a timeline of battles. Students can explore the
upcoming information that we will being covering in the
unit.
REFERENCES: RESOURCES
Cite all sources used in the development of the lesson materials and resources, including URLs
or other references.
Council of Chief State School Officers. (2013, April). InTASC model core teaching standards
and learning progressions for teachers 1.0. https://ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-
12/2013_INTASC_Learning_Progressions_for_Teachers.pdf
Gourley, C. (1999). Welcome to Molly's World, 1944: Growing Up in World War Two
America. Pleasant Company Publications.
Green, J. (Writer). (2013). World War II Part I: Crash Course US History #35 (Season
1, Episode 36) [TV series episode]. In Crash Course US History.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Objoad6rG6U&list=PL8dPuuaLjXtMwmepBjTSG593eG7ObzO7s&index=37
Green, J. (Writer). (2013). World War II: The Homefront Crash Course US History
#37 (Season 1, Episode 37) [TV series episode]. In Crash Course US History.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HofnGQwPgqs
History.Com Editors. (2009). World War II. World War II: Causes and Timeline.
Retrieved March 4, 2024, from https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii
History.Com Editors. (2009, October 29). World War II. World War II: Causes and
Timeline. Retrieved March 4, 2024, from https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-
ii/world-war-ii-history
Library of Congress. (1942-1943). We Can Do It! Rosie the Riveter. Library of
Congress. Retrieved March 3, 2024, from https://www.loc.gov/item/2021669753
National Council for the Social Studies. (2013). The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3)
Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12
Civics, Economics, Geography, and History.
https://www.socialstudies.org/system/files/2022/c3-framework-for-social-studies-rev0617.2.pd
ReadingRockets. (n.d.). Listen-Read-Discuss. Reading Rockets. Retrieved March 3,
2024, from https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/classroom-strategies/listen-read-
discuss
Usman, B., Fata, I. A., & Pratiwi, R. (2018). Teaching reading through Know-Want-
Learned (KWL) strategy: The effects and benefits. Journal of Language, Education,
and Humanities, 6(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.22373/ej.v6i1.3607
Virginia Department of Education. (2017). Standards of learning for history & social
science. https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/k-12-standards-
instruction/history-and-social-science/standards-of-learning
Virginia Department of Education. (2017). Standards of Learning for English. Virginia
Department of Education. Retrieved February 28, 2024, from
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/k-12-standards-
instruction/english-reading-literacy/standards-of-learning
REFERENCES: RESEARCH TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
Cite all research used to support instructional design, including URLs or other references.
Hearn, D. H., & Neon Squid. (2023). Tales of World War II: Amazing True Stories
from the War that Shook the World. St. Martin's Publishing Group.
Hersey, J. (1989). Hiroshima. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
Mini-Lessons
1. Mini Lesson Reading Strand: Analyzing Primary Sources
VA State Reading Standard: 8.5 The student will read and analyze a variety of fictional texts,
literary nonfiction, poetry, and drama.
For this mini-lesson, students will be given a choice on the following topics: an overview of D-Day,
preparation/planning, airborne operations, Operation Fortitude, beach landings, or victory in Normandy.
All six options are based upon a subtopic of D-Day and include multiple primary sources from different
accounts as well as have accompanying photosets. Students will receive a handout/photoset based upon
their preferred subtopic. Students will then work independently to read, analyze, and answer questions on
the worksheet provided; link to the worksheet is here. For this lesson, students will need a writing utensil
and the provided materials.
After students are finished with the D-Day read, they will be asked to read independently pages 5-10 of
Tales of World War II by Dr. Hattie Hearn. This story is about D-Day from an American soldier's point of
view.
Example of D-Day Primary Source activity:
2. Mini Lesson Writing Strand: Diary Write
VA State Writing Standard: 8.7 The student will write in a variety of forms to include narrative,
expository, persuasive, and reflective with an emphasis on expository and persuasive writing.
For this mini-lesson, students will use their writing journals to write a letter or diary entry as a
civilian, soldier, or other person living in the World War II time period. They will craft a one page journal
or letter entry using factual information, correct spelling/punctuation and appropriate sentence structure.
The only things students will need will be their writing utensil, Chromebook to fact check from
History.com and their writing journal. This will be worked on in class and turned into me for a grade. The
link for History.com is here. This activity encourages students to be creative while also exploring having
empathy for those who witnessed the war firsthand.
3. & 4. Mini Lesson Listening & Speaking Strands: FDR Mock Interview
VA State Communication Standard: 8.1 The student will participate in, collaborate in, and report on small-
group learning activities.
VA State Communication Standard: 8.3 The student will analyze, develop, and produce creative or
informational media messages.
For this mini-lesson, students will read passages of FDR and the American Crisis by Albert
Marrin. Marrin’s biography focuses on former President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s life and presidency.
Students will read excerpts from the book and partner with a classmate to come up with questions they
would ask President Roosevelt if they were going to interview him. Students will be required to work with
a partner different from their lesson plan partner or mini lesson 1 partner. This encourages creativity while
also forcing students to collaborate with a student that they might not have chosen to work with otherwise.
Once their questions are complete, students will then research answers to the questions via either
History.com, FDR and the American Crisis, or resources found in the school library. Students will then
take turns participating as FDR and then as the interviewer (or reverse). This promotes research, creative
writing, public speaking and collaboration amongst peers. Students will need a writing utensil, their writing
journal and Chromebook to complete this lesson.
5. Mini Lesson Language Strand: Analyzing Propaganda
VA State reading Standard: 8.6 The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of
nonfiction texts.
For this mini-lesson, students will identify and analyze different kinds of propaganda from World War II.
Students will be given virtual access via Google Classroom to a PowerPoint of propaganda and notes on
propaganda. They will then be able to virtually review different cartoons, news articles, posters and Disney
World World War II era commercial to see different examples of propaganda. Students will then answer
questions independently to promote critical thinking and analysis. The link for the World War II
Propaganda lesson is here. Students will need a Chromebook to complete this lesson as well as access to
Google classroom.
An example of the World War II Propaganda lesson:
6. Mini Lesson Viewing Strand: Documentary
VA State Standard: 8.9 The student will find, evaluate, select, and synthesize appropriate resources to
produce a research product.
For this mini-lesson, students will watch segments from Ken Burns’ The War. Based upon the documentary,
students will pick a topic (person, place, event) to formulate a research question to create a PowerPoint. Students
will then present their research PowerPoint to their classmates. For this lesson, students will need their Chromebook,
access to PowerPoint and the school library for resources.
Reading Groups - Tiered Activities
Group 1 - Below Grade Level - Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
Strands: Reading & Writing
In this group, students will read Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty. This book’s Lexile is AD780L, which
indicates that this book is best read aloud by an adult. This picture book follows Rosie, a childhood inventor. Rosie
loves to create inventions, but does not show them to anyone in fear of failure. Until she shows her great aunt, Rose
(who is Rosie THE riveter!) This book is a fun, quick read that shows students it is okay to fail and the power of
positive thinking. It also personifies Rosie the Riveter which ties into our World War II unit. I will read this book
aloud to the group while they follow along with a digitized copy on their Chromebooks. Before we start reading, an
activity we will do is a picture walk. A picture walk is a great strategy to peak students’ interest in story while
getting them involved by predicting. A picture walk is when students go through the pages one-by-one and look at
the illustrations and make predictions on what the story is about. After the book is read, students will complete a
retelling of the story by drawing a photo and giving a small synopsis on what the book is about.
Group 2 - On Grade Level - Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Strands: Reading & Writing
This group will read the fictional novel, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. This book’s Lexile is 670L and won a
Newbery Medal in 1990. It follows the story of Annemarie Johenson’s family, and Annemarie’s best friend Ellen in
1943 during the Natzi’s occupation of Denmark. It is a fantastic read for eighth grade and grapples with some
mature themes of what war was like. For this group’s activities, they will create a character concept map and
cause/effect chart. For the character concept map, will pick a character from the novel and create a concept map,
filling in as they learn more about their chosen character. Additionally, as students read, they will complete a
cause/effect graphic organizer outlining all the major events in the novel.
Group 3 - Above Grade Level - The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
Strands: Reading & Writing
This group will read the nonfiction book Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank. This is a true story chronicling the
lives of the Franks while in hiding from the Nazis during the Natzi occupation of the Netherlands. Diary of Anne
Frank’s Lexile is 1020L, which is perfect for . While the students independently read this book, they will be creating
a double entry journal log with quotes from the book on the left side and their thoughts/opinions of those quotes on
the right side of the paper. Students will also be annotating the text to identify key quotes, plot points and to try and
analyze the purpose of the novel. At the conclusion of the book, I will separate the group into two subgroups to
debate the importance of the role of the friends of the Franks who helped them hide for as long as they did.
Group 4 - English Language Learners (ELL) - A Bag of Marbles by Joseph Joffo
Strands: Reading & Writing
In this group are all English Language Learners (ELLs), so they will be reading the graphic novel A Bag of Marbles
by Joseph Jotto. Graphic novels have been found to aid ELLs as the pictures can be beneficial as they provide
context clues (Mills, n.d.). The Lexile level for A Bag of Marbles is GN390L, with GN signifying a graphic novel.
For comprehension, I will provide graphic aides, timelines and assist with any vocabulary they may not understand.
Students will also partner read with students and at the end of each circle my ELL students will do a storytelling
activity where they summarize and share key plot points from the chapters we read that day.
Assessments
Mini Lesson 1 Reading Strand: Analyzing Primary Sources: Summative
Since this lesson requires two readings, once students are finished, they will complete a compare/contrast
organizer for a grade to check comprehension. The ‘compare’ will be on the left side of the page and the
‘contrast’ will be on the right. Students will then be able to write in full sentences or bullet points what their
thoughts/answers are. These are two different primary sources discussing the same topic, so students should
be able to make a connection between what is similar versus what is different.
Things I will be looking for:
● Correct sentence structure
● Punctuation
● Spelling
● Accurate description of events
● Identifying what is similar
● Identifying what is different
● Student’s reasoning
Mini Lesson 2: Writing Strand: Diary Write: Summative
For this assessment, I will be collecting and grading students’ diary write in their writing journals. I will be checking
for content, comprehension, grammar, spelling and writing mechanics. This will be quick to ensure that they are
comprehending the material before moving onto more difficult activities such as the interview or multiple
presentations.
Mini Lesson 6: Viewing Strand: Documentary: Formative
For this assessment, I will be taking the PowerPoint students have created based upon their discussion questions and
grading it as a formative assessment. When grading the presentation, I will be looking for:
● Grammar
● Writing Mechanics
● Spelling
● Properly Formulated Research Questions - Is the question appropriate? Does it match the material
we are discussing?
● Analysis of Sources - Are these reliable sources?
● Comprehension of material - does the presentation flow well? Do things make sense?
● Correct formatting
References
Beaty, A. (2013). Rosie Revere, Engineer. Harry N. Abrams.
Burns, K., & Novick, L. (Directors). (2007). The War [Film]. Florentine Films.
https://scetv.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/kenburnsclassroom/film/the-war/
Frank, A. (1993). Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.
Gourley, C. (1999). Welcome to Molly's World, 1944: Growing Up in World War Two America. Pleasant
Company Publications.
Green, J. (Writer). (2013). World War II Part I: Crash Course US History #35 (Season 1, Episode 36) [TV
series episode]. In Crash Course US History. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Objoad6rG6U&list=PL8dPuuaLjXtMwmepBjTSG593eG7ObzO7s&index=37
Green, J. (Writer). (2013). World War II: The Homefront Crash Course US History #37 (Season 1, Episode
37) [TV series episode]. In Crash Course US History. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HofnGQwPgqs
Hearn, D. H., & Neon Squid. (2023). Tales of World War II: Amazing True Stories from the War that
Shook the World. St. Martin's Publishing Group.
Hersey, J. (1989). Hiroshima. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
History.Com Editors. (2009). World War II. World War II: Causes and Timeline. Retrieved March 4, 2024,
from https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii
History.Com Editors. (2009, October 29). World War II. World War II: Causes and Timeline. Retrieved
March 4, 2024, from https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history
History Matters. (2017, November 9). Analyzing Propaganda from World War Two (WW2) - Lesson,
PowerPoint, Assignments. Teaches Pay Teachers. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Analyzing-Propaganda-from-World-War-Two-WW2-
Lesson-PowerPoint-Assignments-883478?st=e39619486831ea19f6d8969feb6c1ea8
Joffo, J. (2000). A Bag of Marbles. University of Chicago Press.
Lexile & Quantile Tools. (n.d.). Lexile: Find a Book QuickSearch. Lexile & Quantile Hub. Retrieved
March 3, 2024, from https://hub.lexile.com/
Library of Congress. (1942-1943). We Can Do It! Rosie the Riveter. Library of Congress. Retrieved March
3, 2024, from https://www.loc.gov/item/2021669753
Little History Monster. (2017, November 9). World War II (WWII) - D-Day Primary Source Stations
Activity. Teachers Pay Teachers. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/World-War-II-WWII-D-Day-Primary-Source-Stations-
Activity-PDF-and-Digital-3883445?st=c15550984d6ec3a060c4bf523493d849
Lowry, L. (1989). Number the Stars. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Marrin, A. (2016). FDR and the American Crisis. Random House Children's Books.
Mills, S. (n.d.). Graphic Novels for ELL Students. Study.com. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from
https://study.com/academy/lesson/graphic-novels-for-ell-students.html
Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Concept Maps. Reading Rockets. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from
https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/classroom-strategies/concept-maps
ReadingRockets. (n.d.). Listen-Read-Discuss. Reading Rockets. Retrieved March 3, 2024, from
https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/classroom-strategies/listen-read-discuss
Santella, A. (2004). Pearl Harbor. Compass Point Books.
Usman, B., Fata, I. A., & Pratiwi, R. (2018). Teaching reading through Know-Want-Learned (KWL)
strategy: The effects and benefits. Journal of Language, Education, and Humanities, 6(1).
http://dx.doi.org/10.22373/ej.v6i1.3607
Virginia Department of Education. (2017). Standards of Learning for English. Virginia Department of
Education. Retrieved February 28, 2024, from https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-
assessment/k-12-standards-instruction/english-reading-literacy/standards-of-learning
Virginia Department of Education. (2017). Standards of Learning for English. Virginia Department of
Education. Retrieved February 28, 2024, from
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction/history-and-social-science
