Informal:

• Prediction Activity
• Class Participation
• Class Notes

• Written Response to Questions Concerning the New York Times Article

1. As the class enters the room hand them a picture of a bomb and a picture of Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. Ask the class to quickly take a guess/respond to the following questions: (see Student Handout #1)

Franz Ferdinand/Sophie photograph
Do you know who the individuals are in the photograph?
Do you know where they are?
Do you know what they are doing?

Bomb picture
Do you think it is a complicated process to make a bomb?
Does this process take time?
What is required to ignite it?

2. Ask the students to set aside the pictures and that they will be referred to later in the lesson. The previous unit addressed imperialism and the United States emerging as a world power. Briefly have the class review the connection between industrialism and imperialism. Discuss / review what the consequences might be of becoming a world power along with expanding trade with other nations. (no longer isolated, for economical reasons can be pulled into other nations conflicts, other nations view you as a potential military partner/asset)

3. Next have students work in pairs/groups (depending on your class size) to complete the following activity. The students will be given Student Handout #2 which has several statements concerning the events that lead to World War I. After the students discuss each statement with their partner they are to write down a prediction that they feel will be a result of the event/action described. Then the students are to look through the pile of cards that you provide (see Teacher Handout #1 / Outcome Card List) to find a statement they feel is similar/coincides with their prediction a place the letter of that card next to their prediction. (be sure to tell the class that the letters do not denote order, they are randomly assigned) The students are to leave the class note section blank. The teacher can demonstrate by completing the activity for the first statement. Teacher Handout #2 lists the statements and the outcome cards that match those statements.

4. When the groups have completed this task, the teacher can ask for different groups to volunteer to read each statement, explain their prediction, and which card they selected. This can lead to a brief teacher lecture and class discussion of each event that lead to the outbreak of World War I. The class can take further notes in the class note section of the worksheet if their predictions were incorrect or not complete. They can also use the outcome card for reference as they are taking notes. (This helps special education students with auditory processing deficits)

5. Discuss what the terms militarism and nationalism mean. (these are also on the Student Handout #2) Have students continue examine the statements and outcomes after the discussion and decide which statements are associated with imperialism, nationalism, and militarism. Have the class discuss which events were examples of each concept.

6. Have students look at the two pictures you handed out at the beginning of class. Give more information on the assassination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. The class will be interested to know that picture was taken hours before the assassination. Ask the class to make an analogy between the bomb and the outbreak of World War I.

7. Homework assignment: Students will be asked to read an excerpt from the New York Times front page on June 28, 1914. A reproduction of the front page can be found in the Teacher Created Materials Primary Resources Box for World War I. The accompanying workbook has an excerpt from the article that can be photocopied and distributed. (order information: http://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com/socialStudies/primarySources/ ) Another option is to search the archives on The New York Times on the web and purchase the article. (http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/nytarchive.html)

Questions for students to consider:

1. Where did the New York Times receive the article from?
2. Why was this article placed on the front page?
3. What do you think the American public's reaction will be to this article?
4. What do you think Woodrow Wilson’s reaction was to the events taking place in Europe?

Differentiation:

Gifted and Talented

• Handout the Prediction Sheet and have them make predictions without the aid of the outcome cards.
• Instead of reading an editorial, have the students write a letter to the editor that demonstrates what they believe is the United States public reaction to the outbreak of war in Europe

• Allow the students to use the outcome cards without making a prediction first if this proves to be a difficult task.
• Put list of statements and correct outcomes on an overhead to accompany the lecture/discussion.
• Worksheet is provided to aid with class notes

• Pictures can be used throughout the lesson to assist with concepts/vocabulary that is difficult to understand or may be unfamiliar.
• Worksheet can be provided to aid with class notes

• Photograph of Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, Clip Art of Bomb (Student Handout #1)
• Student Prediction/Note-taking Worksheet (Student Handout #2)
• Sets of Outcome Cards (see Teacher Handout #1 -- need index cards to affix choices to)
• Teacher Notes for Discussion (Teacher Handout #2)
• Excerpt from New York Times (can be found in Teacher Created Materials Primary Resource Box for World War I Era)
• Map from time period (for reference-optional)

Books:

Bragdon, Henry W., Samuel P. McCutchen, Donald A. Ritchie; History of a Free Nation; Gelncoe/McGraw Hill; 1998

This book is the textbook we use in most Fairfax County Public Schools for US and Virginia History instruction. This is helpful for background knowledge and understanding of the key points discussed in this lesson plans. The prediction activity was based on information from the text.

Internet Sites:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWarchduke.htm

This website is rich with primary resource information. We used it to find the picture of Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie.

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/nytarchive.html

You can find any New York Times articles after 1851; however, you must purchase the article. The article announcing the assassination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie can be used to discuss America’s reaction to the outbreak of war in Europe.(Date: June 28,1914)

Teaching Materials:

http://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com/socialStudies/primarySources/

Teacher Created Materials produce primary resource boxes for many time periods/specific topic areas with regard to US/VA History. Each box contains reproductions of primary resources, a CD, and a workbook with lesson plan ideas. The World War I Primary Resource box contained an excerpt from the New York Times article that was used for the homework assignment in this lesson.

1. Teacher Handout #1
2. Teacher Handout #2
3. Student Handout #1
4. Student Handout #2