Please remember that you are not simply reporting "what happened," but are showing us the impact or importance of the event.

For each topic, I've tried to give you some direction below. You should address these topics, but feel free to go beyond them or in other directions, as well. It wouldn't be a bad idea to check with me or with Mrs. Brown before you plan to go very far afield, though.

Remember that individual PP and dramatic presentations should be 6-8 minutes (pairs' presentations should be 8-12). I think you'll find that you could easily teach a full period on each topic, so you'll need to make decisions. Points will be deducted for going over the time limit.

You should take brief notes on each others' presentations, as I will use major points from these presentations on your WWII test.

1. The Effects of the War on the Homefront: Changing America

• What was the war's impact on the Great Depression?
• How did the war impact everyday life? Music? Sports?
• How did the war affect social class differences in America?
• Challenge: Compare the effects of WWII on America to the effects of the Crusades on 12th-century Europe.

2. Women and the War: Reimagining the Possibilities

• How did the war change the role of women in American society?
• What specific jobs did women begin to do for the first time?
• Who was Rosie the Riveter? Tokyo Rose
• What was the WAF? WAC?

3. The Manhattan Project: Science's Superweapon

• How did this idea come about?
• Where was Germany in this race?
• Who were some of the influential people involved in this project?
• What happened at Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

4. The Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor: Climb Mount Nitaka!

• What was the Japanese plan that resulted in the dec. 7th bombing?
• Tell / show us what did happen on that "date that will live in infamy."
• Was this strategy a logical one from a Japanese perspective?
• What was the effect of that day's attacks?

5. Cartoons Goes To War: The Propaganda Battle for Public Opinion

• How / why did artists fight the battle to keep Americans informed?
• How / why did artists try to influence the opinions of the American public?
• What massages could be spread effectively through what media?
• Propaganda: Helpful or Immoral? Where do you draw the line?

6. The Internment Camps: Logical Precaution or National Disgrace?

• Give the background about FDR's order to create internment camps and send
  Japanese-Americans to them.
• How many camps were there? Where were they? How many people were sent
  to them?
• How did Japanese-Americans respond? What was life like in these camps?
• Were the camps logical? Legal? Moral? How did Americans respond to news
  about the creation of the camps?

7. The D-Day Invasion: Operation Overlord

• Why did the attack take place where and when it did?
• Explain the plan of invasion.
• Take us through the strategy and the events of June 6, 1944. (Maps would
  probably be a very good idea.)
• What was the short-term effect of this invasion?

8. Secret Codes: The War of Communication, and How Navajo Code Talkers Win the
Pacific

• What role did secret codes play in communication during the war?
• What role did American knowledge of Japanese codes play in the war? Of
  German codes?
• Who were the Navajo Code Talkers? Why was their code "unbeatable?"
• How were Navajo Code Talkers used in the Pacific?

9. Conquering the Dragon: The Japanese Invasion of China (note: graphic descriptions)

• Why did the Japanese invade China in the 1930s? What was their reasoning?
• What happened in Manchuria in '31? Why was Manchuria chosen?
• What happened in Nanjing in 1937?
• How did the Nationalist vs. Communist struggle affect China? The Japanese
  invasion?

10. The Battle of Midway: Turning Point in the Pacific

• How were the Japanese spreading their control of the Pacific theater from 1939
  (1931?) to 1942? (A map would probably be very helpful.)
• Take us through the Battle of Midway.
• What was the result of the battle?
  
  

11. The Rise of a Monster: How Did Hitler Come To Power?

• Go From the Versailles Treaty at the end of WWI and show his rise.
• Include the Beer Hall Putsch, Mein Kampf, and Hindenburg
• Explain his power over many German people
• Show how he planned to conquer the world, and nearly succeeded

Note: I'm not including the major topic of the Holocaust as a choice, because you studied it in depth last year.

This project designed and implemented by Mark Stephens, Germantown Academy, Middle School history teacher, with technical assistance furnished by Carol Siwinski, Curricular Technology Specialist.