Introduction
Welcome to Ms. Quisenberry's Sixth Grade Class WebQuest! You will be using this site to gather valuable and accurate information from various online sources. You will be applying the information you collect from documentaries, interviews, images, articles and other primary and secondary resources to several interactive assignments and tasks that will be taken up for a grade.
I am expecting everyone to participate and put forth a dedicated work ethic in being an active member of this WebQuest. You all are capable of great knowledge, and I know that if you work hard and follow directions, you will SUCCEED! So, who is ready to learn more than they ever thought possible about the effects and changes that World War II had on the American Home Front? Let's get started by reading the excerpt below:
Everyone, we are no longer living in the year 2017. The decade we are living now is the 1940s in America, and the able-bodied men are now in the process of training for combat in Europe to fight the Axis Powers in an effort to conserve democracy in the world! Life is rapidly changing for you, a student in the Sixth Grade. Not only are the men in your family, perhaps fathers, uncles and older brothers, going off to fight in a war that will become the largest and most devastating war in American history, mothers, aunts and older sisters are beginning their grueling work in the factories all across the nation. On a positive note, there is more to eat, more money being made, and more people who have jobs. There is also a HUGE push for ALL Americans to support the war effort in any and all possible ways. Even though you are not serving in the United States military overseas, and you do not have a job in a local factory, you want to help the war effort. How can you be an active American citizen and help bring victory for America and all democracies in the world? What sacrifices will you make and will those around you make for the war? What are the challenges you will face? What do you want to accomplish? How has life changed for you?
The adventures this WebQuest will take you on will reveal the many changes that took place on the American Home Front during World War II for families as a whole. You will be learning about how people like you worked, sacrificed and lived through this changing time period. Do your best to put yourselves in the shoes of these American citizens and learn from their experiences!
Task
You will be exploring a variety of online sources including websites and online media forms that will enable you to learn more about the American Home Front during World War II.
Throughout your journey of researching and seeking higher knowledge, you will learn about the ways that World War II affected American citizens, regardless of their social, economic or ethnic backgrounds.
You will also be learning about how industrial and economic changes affected life for Americans in big and small ways.
If you work hard and do your best, you will be equipped to successfully and thoughtfully complete each Choice Board activity at the end this WebQuest, as well as perform well on each numbered task required of you in the Process Section of this WebQuest. Of course you can do this!!
Process
1) Explore the cultural environment of the American Home Front during World War II to truly experience the forms of entertainment and communication American citizens were exposed to each and every day.
- Listen to at least one popular song of the day and write a brief caption to the overall message the song is communicating to the American public.
- In small groups (four or less), collect an example of each type of propaganda poster listed here and describe the main focus of each one in two to three sentences.
- Rationing
- War Bonds
- Victory Gardens
- Encouraging Men to Join the Military
- Encouraging Women to Join the Military
- Warning American Citizens Against Giving Away Wartime Information
- Encouraging American Citizens of Different Races Working Together
- Involving WWII in Europe and the Enemy Powers
- Listen to at least one radio broadcasting about happenings overseas regarding World War II and at least one radio broadcasting about events taking place on the American Home Front. Write two to three sentences for each radio broadcasting, explaining their importance.
- In a small group (four or less), compose a radio broadcast about an important current event in America
http://www.690kcee.com/nostalgia-lounge/life-in-the-40/
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bym3M0YENyPFekFYam5PZkk0SzA/view
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bym3M0YENyPFdXhSY2RKTlh6U2M/view
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bym3M0YENyPFUXFWNWtISkpyUlk/view
2) Read at least two journal entries of teenagers living in the American Home Front during World War II and reflect on their experiences. Respond to the prompts below. Using this information, you will work with a partner and pretend to be each other's Pen Pals during World War II. Both partners will write at least three letters back and forth to each other describing their lives and experiences. You will create your own character and story line, but make sure you are using accurate details of actual people's lives you lived during this time period.
- Reflection Prompts to Get Ideas Flowing:
- What was this individual's life like during World War II? Did they have a job? How did they view rationing? How were their families involved in the war? What movies did they go see? What are their thoughts about their mothers and aunts entering the work force? What is school like?
- Pen Pal Project:
- Create a life of your own and share your "experiences" in this letter with your partner.
- Include your character's life experiences, their thoughts and opinions about World War II, whether or not America will succeed, how successful they think war bonds and rationing are at this time and much more. Back your thoughts with evidence!
https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/homefront-diaries.html
http://www.teacheroz.com/WWII_Oral_History.htm
3) Collect information about the blackouts that took place on the American Home Front during World War II. Also refer to a blackout poster and write a paragraph about why blackouts were implemented. Were they successful? How would you feel if you experienced a blackout during World War II?
http://fulton.nygenweb.net/military/WWIIblackout.html
4) Read the article and watch the Prezi about how the American economy changed from the state it was in during the Great Depression to the state it was in during World War II. Working with a partner, create a Before, During and After Chart about the characteristics of the American economy before, during and after World War II. Also write a short response about what job you would want if you were working on the Home Front, and how this particular job would support the war effort.
http://prospect.org/article/way-we-won-americas-economic-breakthrough-during-world-war-ii
https://prezi.com/w2ucfax4auv7/how-did-world-war-ii-affect-the-american-economy/
5) Read about the War Production Board and its roles and responsibilities on the American Home Front. Write an opinionated letter as if you were mailing it to the War Production Board! Discuss whether or not you think, as an American Citizen during World War II working and living on the Home Front, this organization was successful industrially or not. Back up your responses with factual evidence!
http://www.pbs.org/thewar/at_home_war_production.htm
https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/179.html
- Also read through the history and accomplishments provided about the National War Labor Board and describe its purposes on the worksheet given in your own words.
http://study.com/academy/lesson/the-national-war-labor-board-history-accomplishments.html
6) Learn about the many ways African Americans experienced various levels of freedoms and restrictions on the American Home Front during World War II.
- Read through the information provided about Philip Randolph and fill out a biography about him. Work with a partner in completing this biography, making sure to include his name, brief background, accomplishments, opinions about rights for African Americans, and any organizations he was involved with.
https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/civil-rights-act/world-war-ii-and-post-war.html
- Read through an article found in the Double V Campaign newspaper and highlight all important information that stands out to you. Write a brief paragraph about the overall message of the article you choose to read.
- Also write a one paragraph response describing the purpose and role of the Double V Campaign. What did it stand for and what influence did it have on others? What kind of change did it enact?
http://www.pbs.org/blackpress/news_bios/courier.html
https://www.nypl.org/blog/2013/11/12/classroom-connections-wwii-double-v-campaign-gr-10-12
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED205956.pdf
7) Peruse the resources provided about rationing and Victory Gardens during World War II on the Home Front.
- Describe what rationing is and how it helped support the war effort.
- Write a definition of scrap drives in your own words and include the purpose and accomplishments of scrap drives. Why were they important? Were they successful or not?
- Also write about how widespread Victory Gardens were and the ways they contributed to the war.
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/ww2-rationing/5932
8) Describe the purpose and accomplishments of propaganda on the American Home Front. Choose one propaganda poster and write one to two sentences describing what messages it is communicating to the public.
- Choose an idea or message that is important to you and design your own propaganda poster using pencil and paper or an online graphic design database attached below.
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111500/whatis.htm
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/ww2-rationing/5945
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/ww2-rationing/5945
http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/free-graphic-design-software-8134039
9) Read about the experiences of children and teenagers on the American Home Front during World War II. Write a personal reflection on how life for you compares and contrasts with the life of your peers during the 1940s. What would be the hardest thing about living in this time period for you and why? What would you enjoy about living in American during World War II and why?
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/active_learning/explorations/children_ww2/children_ww2_specific.cfm
10) Take a virtual tour through a typical house of the 1940s and observe the details in each room of the house. Create a list of aspects of this house that are similar to your house today, and aspects that are very different. Research any objects you do not know about!
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwii/ahf/life/index.htm
11) Read through at least two letters that American soldiers have written in this time period. Make sure one letter was written by a male, and one letter was written by a female. Write about what you have learned from each letter in a two-paragraph written response. Complete a Venn-Diagram to compare the similarities and differences between the two letters.
http://www.pbs.org/thewar/at_home_communication_letters_diaries.htm
12) Explain the accomplishments women found themselves capable of during World War II on the Home Front and describe how life-changing their new roles as workers was in this 1940s society.
- Also, describe in your own words who exactly was Rosie the Riveter, what did "she" do, and why was "she" such an influential piece of the war effort.
https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/partners/1.htm
https://homefrontgirldiary.com/women-and-world-war-ii/
CULMINATING ACTIVITY
- Working with a partner, create your very own commercial advertising one of the following topics:
- Blackouts and their importance during World War II
- Rationing
- War Bonds
- Scrap Drives
- Men Enlisting in the Military
- Women Enlisting in the Military
- African Americans Enlisting in the Military
- Victory Gardens
- Women Entering the Work Force
- Accepting African Americans as Fellow War Supporters
- Use your commercial to persuade American Citizens to take your topic seriously, and have some theatrical fun while creating snappy commercials! We will be showing these in class and discussing their importance together, so be prepared to participate in discussion!
- Commercials must be between one minute and three minutes in length
- Use the information and resources this WebQuest offers, as well as other sources of valuable information you and your partner may find in the research portion of this project.
http://www.snapstudioplus.com/
*You may also film your commercial using a video-camera or a phone, download and play in the classroom on Ms. Quisenberry's computer.
Evaluation
You will do well and learn a great deal if you:
- Follow all directions outlined on the WebQuest and in class
- Ask questions that you may have about any assignments on WebQuest
- Thoughtfully complete your work
- Use a variety of websites and resources to help you gather information
- Turn in assignments in a timely manner, before due dates
- Work effectively with your partner and group assignments
- WORK HARD and HAVE FUN!
Attached is the rubric I will be using to grade each of your assignments:
|
Does Not Meet Expectations 0-5 |
Meets Expectations 6-10 |
Exceeds Expectations 11-15 |
|
|
Quality and Completion of Work |
Student either used the work of another as their own (plagiarism) and/or did not put in sufficient time or effort into work. Thoughts and sentences are incomplete, incoherent and/or inaccurate. |
Student work is complete but not well done, or is well done but incomplete. There is little evidence of the student going above and beyond to produce work of high quality. |
It is evident that the student did their very best and spent productive time in gathering valuable, personal and related information from multiple sources for each task that were provided on WebQuest. Students even ventured to other similar sites or outside resources to collect information benefiting their learning and assignments. |
|
Teamwork/ Cooperation |
When prompted to participate in group assignments through WebQuest, the student fails to be an active member consistently and/or is a disruption, rather than a team player, within the group. The student does not contribute to the assignment, does little, if any work, and/or causes conflict. |
Student does some or most of the work they are expected to do, but is not very involved in the communication or execution process of the group work. The student may also be a slight distraction, rather than a productive worker, towards their classmates. |
Student never fails to contribute to the team, help their classmates out in the assignment work, communicates nicely with others and work efficiently with the rest of their team. This student does not overrun the group project, but instead is a hardworking member of the group, encouraging others to do their best work. |
|
Using Content Evidence to Back-Up Thoughts |
Student pieced together bits of information from class, websites and their opinions to create written work that is inaccurate or incomplete. Students also fail to cite their sources within their written work so that it is unclear of where they received their information. |
Student may cite some of their sources, but do so inconsistently, only citing some information they have included in their work, and not all of the information. Students also may write their opinions down without using content to support those opinions. |
Students clearly have read through and explored resources found on WebQuest, have compiled that knowledge in well-crafted assignments and thoroughly cite all sources they use in their work. Any facts are backed up by cited content, and opinions are thoughtfully supported by resources students have explored. |
|
Class Discussion Participation |
Student fails to ask questions, contribute to discussion voluntarily or converse with the teacher or peers regarding open-ended questions related to the content that the teacher poses. |
Student responds to questions asked of them and volunteers inconsistently during class discussions and sometimes converses with the teacher and peers regarding what they learned through the WebQuest. |
Student actively participates in class discussions regarding WebQuest work in class, asks questions of the teacher and classmates, as well as volunteers to respond to questions and share thoughts and knowledge on a consistent basis. |
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Timely Work
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Student fails to turn in completed or quality work to the teacher in a timely manner, either turning in assignments late or not at all. |
Student turns in partially completed work of mediocre quality on time or after the due date, earning only partial credit. |
Student turns in completed and high quality work early or on time consistently throughout the course of this WebQuest. |
Conclusion
Thank you everyone for putting forth your best effort and being active participants in going back in time to the American Home Front during World War II. I expect each and every one of you to be able to now connect with this time period on a more personal level after learning about the ways of life for people of all age levels, especially your own. Keep these experiences and new knowledge with you as you continue learning more about World War II on the American Home Front. Always keep working hard and you will accomplish great things!
Write a 3-2-1 on your own sheet of paper about your experience working with this WebQuest. Include in your response:
3 things you found interesting and/or enjoyable about learning from WebQuest
2 things that were challenging about learning from WebQuest
1 thing you want to be able to do on WebQuest that you were able to do during this WebQuest experience
Teacher Page
All additional resources can be found at the following link:
file:///C:/Users/quisenberry/Downloads/UnitTechnologyTab.pdf
Standards Connection:
7.) Identify changes on the American Home Front during World War II.
Example: rationing
• Recognizing the retooling of factories from consumer to military production
• Identifying new roles of women and African Americans in the workforce
• Describing increased demand on the Birmingham steel industry and Port of Mobile facilities (Alabama)
• Describing the experience of African Americans and Japanese Americans in the United States during World War II, including the Tuskegee Airmen and occupants of internment camps (Alabama)