World War I: A Global Human Cost
Created byBenjamin Fry
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World War I: A Global Human Cost

Grade 10HistorySocial Studies5 days
This project delves into World War I, exploring its causes, the diverse contributions of colonial populations, and the immense human costs on soldiers and civilians across various nations. Students analyze the war's social, political, and economic impacts, comparing historical and contemporary perspectives to understand its lasting consequences. Through engaging activities like simulations, visual mapping, presentations, and comparative analysis, students examine WWI's ripple effects on participating nations and individual lives. Ultimately, this project encourages students to reflect on the global conflict's profound and enduring impact on societies and individuals.
World War IColonial ContributionsHuman CostSocial ImpactPolitical ImpactEconomic ImpactHistorical Perspectives
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How did the global conflict of World War I reshape societies and individuals across diverse nations and colonial territories, considering its causes, human costs, and lasting impacts?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • What were the main causes of World War I, and how did these causes affect different nations and groups?
  • In what ways did colonial peoples contribute to the war effort, and what impact did the war have on their lives and communities?
  • What were the human costs of World War I, both for soldiers and civilians, and how did these costs vary across different countries and regions?
  • How did the war impact the social, political, and economic landscape of the countries involved?
  • To what extent did World War I change people's perceptions of war and its consequences?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Students will be able to analyze the causes of World War I from multiple perspectives.
  • Students will be able to evaluate the diverse contributions of colonial peoples to the war effort.
  • Students will be able to assess the human costs of World War I on soldiers and civilians across different countries and regions.
  • Students will be able to examine the social, political, and economic impacts of World War I on participating nations.
  • Students will be able to compare and contrast the experiences of different groups of people during World War I.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

World War I Simulation: A Global Crisis

Students participate in a role-playing simulation where they represent different nations, social groups, and colonial territories involved in World War I. Each group has specific objectives and constraints, forcing them to negotiate, form alliances, and make critical decisions that impact the course of the war. This immersive experience highlights the complex web of political, economic, and social factors that led to the conflict and its global consequences.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Cause and Effect Exploration: Mapping WWI's Origins

Students will investigate the main causes of World War I, examining how these causes uniquely affected various nations and social groups. They will create a visual map that illustrates the relationships between different causes and their impacts on specific populations.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Research the main causes of World War I (e.g., militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism).
2. Select at least four different nations or groups involved in WWI (e.g., Germany, France, colonial peoples, women).
3. For each nation/group, identify how each cause of WWI specifically impacted them.
4. Create a visual map or chart showing the connections between the causes of WWI and their effects on the selected nations/groups.
5. Write a brief paragraph explaining the map and the relationships it illustrates.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA visual map or chart illustrating the causes of WWI and their impacts on different nations and groups, accompanied by a written explanation.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Students will be able to analyze the causes of World War I from multiple perspectives. Directly relates to the essential question: What were the main causes of World War I, and how did these causes affect different nations and groups?
Activity 2

Voices of the Colonies: Unsung Contributions

Students will research and present the contributions of colonial peoples to the WWI war effort. They will explore how these contributions affected the lives and communities of the colonial populations.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Select a specific colonial territory or group of colonial peoples involved in World War I (e.g., India, Algeria, Vietnam).
2. Research the ways in which the selected group contributed to the war effort (e.g., soldiers, laborers, resources).
3. Investigate the impact of these contributions on the lives and communities of the colonial peoples.
4. Prepare a presentation (e.g., slideshow, poster, short video) that highlights the contributions and their impacts.
5. Include primary source quotes or images to support your findings.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA presentation that showcases the contributions of colonial peoples to the WWI war effort and their impact on colonial communities.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Students will be able to evaluate the diverse contributions of colonial peoples to the war effort. Directly relates to the essential question: In what ways did colonial peoples contribute to the war effort, and what impact did the war have on their lives and communities?
Activity 3

Faces of War: A Human Cost Analysis

Students will investigate the human costs of World War I, examining the experiences of soldiers and civilians across different countries and regions. They will create a comparative analysis of these costs, highlighting the variations and commonalities.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Select at least three different countries or regions involved in World War I (e.g., Germany, Russia, Ottoman Empire).
2. For each selected country/region, research the human costs of the war for both soldiers and civilians (e.g., casualties, injuries, displacement, famine).
3. Collect statistical data and personal stories to illustrate these costs.
4. Create a comparative chart or infographic that visually represents the human costs across the selected countries/regions.
5. Write a reflection piece comparing and contrasting the experiences of different groups, drawing conclusions about the overall human cost of the war.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA comparative chart/infographic and a reflection piece analyzing the human costs of WWI across different countries and regions.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Students will be able to assess the human costs of World War I on soldiers and civilians across different countries and regions. Directly relates to the essential question: What were the human costs of World War I, both for soldiers and civilians, and how did these costs vary across different countries and regions?
Activity 4

Perspectives on War: Then and Now

Students will analyze how World War I changed people's perceptions of war and its consequences. They will compare and contrast viewpoints from the time period with modern perspectives, considering the lasting legacy of the conflict.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Research primary source accounts (e.g., letters, diaries, poems, propaganda) from individuals who experienced World War I.
2. Analyze these sources to understand how people perceived the war at the time.
3. Examine modern-day perspectives on World War I through documentaries, historical analyses, or interviews with historians.
4. Write an essay comparing and contrasting the historical and contemporary perceptions of the war, discussing how perspectives have evolved over time.
5. Consider the factors that have influenced these changes in perception.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityAn essay comparing and contrasting historical and contemporary perceptions of World War I.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Students will be able to compare and contrast the experiences of different groups of people during World War I and To what extent did World War I change people's perceptions of war and its consequences?
Activity 5

WWI's Ripple Effect: Transforming Societies

Students will explore the social, political, and economic impacts of World War I on participating nations. They will focus on how the war reshaped these aspects of society, considering both immediate and long-term consequences.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Choose two participating nations and examine the impact of WWI
2. Research the social, political, and economic changes that occurred in these nations as a result of the war (e.g., changes in government, social movements, economic policies).
3. Identify the short-term and long-term consequences of these changes.
4. Create a report or presentation outlining the key transformations in each nation, supporting your analysis with evidence.
5. Discuss the similarities and differences between the impacts on each nation.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA report or presentation detailing the social, political, and economic impacts of WWI on participating nations.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Students will be able to examine the social, political, and economic impacts of World War I on participating nations. Directly relates to the essential question: How did the war impact the social, political, and economic landscape of the countries involved?
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

WWI: Cause and Effect Exploration Rubric

Category 1

Understanding of Causes

Demonstrates understanding of the main causes of World War I (militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism).
Criterion 1

Identification of Causes

Accurately identifies and describes the main causes of WWI.

Exemplary
4 Points

Identifies and thoroughly explains all main causes of WWI with insightful details and nuances.

Proficient
3 Points

Identifies and explains all main causes of WWI with sufficient detail.

Developing
2 Points

Identifies most main causes of WWI, but explanations lack detail or clarity.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to identify the main causes of WWI or provides inaccurate explanations.

Criterion 2

Specificity to Nations/Groups

Explains how each cause of WWI specifically impacted the selected nations/groups.

Exemplary
4 Points

Provides a sophisticated analysis of how each cause distinctly impacted each selected nation/group, demonstrating nuanced understanding.

Proficient
3 Points

Explains how each cause specifically impacted each selected nation/group with clear connections.

Developing
2 Points

Explains how some causes impacted the selected nations/groups, but connections are vague or incomplete.

Beginning
1 Points

Fails to explain how the causes of WWI specifically impacted the selected nations/groups.

Category 2

Visual Map/Chart

Effectively creates a visual map or chart showing the connections between the causes of WWI and their effects on the selected nations/groups.
Criterion 1

Clarity and Organization

The map/chart is clear, organized, and easy to understand.

Exemplary
4 Points

Map/chart is exceptionally clear, well-organized, and visually engaging, effectively highlighting complex relationships.

Proficient
3 Points

Map/chart is clear, organized, and easy to understand, effectively showing the connections.

Developing
2 Points

Map/chart is somewhat organized but may lack clarity or contain confusing elements.

Beginning
1 Points

Map/chart is disorganized, unclear, and difficult to understand.

Criterion 2

Accuracy of Connections

The connections shown on the map/chart accurately represent the relationships between the causes and effects of WWI.

Exemplary
4 Points

Accurately and insightfully represents all connections between causes and effects with precision and depth.

Proficient
3 Points

Accurately represents the connections between the causes and effects of WWI.

Developing
2 Points

Represents some connections accurately, but others may be inaccurate or missing.

Beginning
1 Points

Fails to accurately represent the connections between the causes and effects of WWI.

Category 3

Written Explanation

Provides a brief written explanation of the map and the relationships it illustrates.
Criterion 1

Clarity of Explanation

The written explanation is clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Exemplary
4 Points

Explanation is exceptionally clear, concise, and insightful, providing a deep understanding of the illustrated relationships.

Proficient
3 Points

Explanation is clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Developing
2 Points

Explanation is somewhat unclear or lacks detail.

Beginning
1 Points

Explanation is unclear, confusing, or missing.

Criterion 2

Supporting Evidence

The explanation provides evidence from the map/chart to support the claims made.

Exemplary
4 Points

Provides comprehensive and compelling evidence from the map/chart to support all claims with insightful analysis.

Proficient
3 Points

Provides clear evidence from the map/chart to support the claims made.

Developing
2 Points

Provides some evidence, but it may be weak or insufficient.

Beginning
1 Points

Provides little to no evidence from the map/chart to support the claims made.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

Reflecting on your exploration of World War I, what was the most surprising thing you learned about the causes, human costs, or lasting impacts of the war?

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Question 2

Which portfolio activity (Cause and Effect Exploration, Voices of the Colonies, Faces of War, Perspectives on War, WWI's Ripple Effect) deepened your understanding of World War I the most? Explain why.

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Question 3

To what extent do you believe that the consequences of World War I still resonate in the world today?

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Question 4

How has your understanding of the role and impact of colonial peoples in World War I evolved as a result of your work in this unit?

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Question 5

What is one question you still have about World War I, or a related topic, that you would like to explore further?

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