Connecting Wars Causes

Lesson Overview

Duration: 50 minutes
Class size: 20 students
Year Level: 10
Subject: History
Unit: Exploring World War Connections
Lesson: 3 of 3
Lesson Title: Connecting the Wars: Causes and Consequences

WALT (We Are Learning To):

Explain the connection between World War I and World War II.
Analyse the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on the onset of World War II.
Understand diverse perspectives on war participation through role-play.
Develop historical thinking skills with graphic organisers.
Critically debate the effectiveness of the Treaty of Versailles (extension for advanced learners).

Victorian Curriculum Alignment

History – Years 9-10

AC9HH10K01: Understand the causes, outbreak and course of the Second World War and the significance of Australian involvement.
Elaborations include the Treaty of Versailles, the rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany, and the failures of appeasement policies leading to WWII.
Develop historical arguments using evidence and consider multiple perspectives on war and its consequences.
Use primary and secondary sources, including text and visual sources to analyse changes and continuities.

General Capabilities:

Critical and creative thinking: analysing causes and consequences.
Ethical understanding: recognising diverse perspectives and the impact of conflict.
Literacy: reading differentiated texts with clear headings, structuring arguments using graphic organisers.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Describe key causes and consequences linking WWI to WWII, especially the Treaty of Versailles.
Explain how the Treaty of Versailles contributed to rising tensions in the interwar period.
Participate in a role-play demonstrating different perspectives on war participation.
Use graphic organisers to structure historical information clearly.
(Extension) Debate the effectiveness of the Treaty of Versailles with historical evidence.

Differentiation & Support

Reading: Dyslexia-friendly texts with clear headings, bullet points, and simplified language are provided.
Visual aids: Graphic organisers (cause-effect charts, timelines) to assist understanding.
Hands-on activity: Role-play to engage kinaesthetic learners and enhance empathy.
Discussion: Paired and group discussions break down complex ideas into manageable chunks.
Extension: Debate task for advanced learners to challenge critical thinking skills.
Adaptations for specialist levels: Provide word banks and sentence starters. Use clear, step-by-step instructions.

Resources Needed

Copies of dyslexia-friendly reading packs on Treaty of Versailles and interwar tensions.
Graphic organisers: cause and effect charts, simple timeline templates.
Role-play scenario cards representing different countries/perspectives post-WWI (e.g., Germany, France, Britain, Australia, Treaty proponents, common soldier).
Whiteboard and markers or digital projector for visual prompts.

Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Description	Purpose	Differentiation & Support
0-5 min	Introduction & Recap	Quick recap of WWI causes and outcomes. Link to how wars connect. Show simple timeline (1914–1945).	Orient students to prior knowledge & set context.	Use visual timeline, ask simple recall questions.
5-15 min	Reading and Discussion	Students read simplified texts (dyslexia-friendly) about Treaty of Versailles and rise of tensions leading to WWII. Use graphic organiser to note causes/consequences.	Build factual knowledge with accessible texts. Develop note-taking skills.	Graphic organiser scaffold, partner reading, word banks.
15-30 min	Role-play – Perspectives on War	Students are assigned roles from different countries or groups affected by Treaty terms. Short guided scripts or prompts provided. Role-play views on war participation consequences and treaty fairness.	Foster empathy and understanding of diverse perspectives. Engage through kinaesthetic learning.	Simplify scripts for needing support, advanced learners add questions.
30-40 min	Group Reflection & Class Discussion	Discuss how Treaty of Versailles connected WWI to WWII. Prompt with questions: Was the treaty fair? Could it have prevented WWII?	Synthesize learning, develop critical thinking.	Provide sentence starters, model discussion language.
40-50 min	Extension & Assessment	Advanced learners debate Treaty effectiveness (2 teams). Others complete exit slip: “One cause and one consequence of the Treaty of Versailles on WWII.”	Challenge critical evaluation skills (extension). Formative assessment of understanding.	Exit slip can be verbal or visual for students needing support.

Assessment & Feedback

Formative: Observation during role-play and group discussion participation.
Exit slip: Quick write or drawing for lower literacy students to express learning.
Extension: Debate performance assessed informally on argument structure and use of evidence.

Follow-Up Suggestions

Plan for students to research personal or familial war stories or local memorials to deepen connection.
Incorporate digital tools to create timelines or visual cause-effect charts for future lessons.
Use students’ role-play prep sheets as basis for writing a reflective paragraph on different perspectives.

Teacher Notes

For specialist learners at primary reading level, reading materials should be presented in larger fonts, with high-contrast colours and concrete examples.
Encourage active participation but allow alternative roles for students uncomfortable with public speaking (e.g., note taker or summariser).
Use of graphic organisers supports structure for writing and helps breakdown complex causation chains.
Highlight Australian involvement and perspectives to build local relevance.

This lesson plan closely aligns with Victorian Curriculum History AC9HH10K01, emphasising causes and consequences between the World Wars, use of historical concepts and terms, evidence-based explanations, and ethical understanding through perspective-taking and critical analysis . It balances content, engagement, and accessibility to motivate diverse learners including those in specialist settings.

Teaching Instructions