Causes of World War II

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Lesson Overview

Unit Title: World War II Uncovered
Lesson Title: Introduction to World War II: Causes and Context
Curriculum Standards: Key Stage 4, History, Edexcel/ AQA GCSE

• Edexcel GCSE History Specification (Paper 1, Section B): Understanding tensions leading to global conflict.
• AQA GCSE History (8729): Power and Conflict – Impact of political ideology, worldwide economic disparity, and the legacy of the Treaty of Versailles.

Learning Objective: Students will examine the key political, social, and economic causes of World War II, including how these factors precipitated the global conflict. By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Understand the complex causes of the war (e.g., Treaty of Versailles, Great Depression, rise of totalitarian regimes).
2. Make connections between historical evidence and the broader context of the 1930s.
3. Begin critically analysing primary sources.

Time Frame: 60 minutes
Class Size: 30 Year 10 students

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Materials Required

• A timeline handout (highlighting key events from 1918 to 1939).
• Primary source excerpts handout (Key portions of speeches by Adolf Hitler and Neville Chamberlain; snippets of the Treaty of Versailles; an editorial from a 1932 British newspaper).
• PowerPoint slides (visuals of events like the Wall Street Crash, Hitler’s mass rallies, and maps of Europe post-Treaty of Versailles).
• Colour-coded sets of “Cause Cards” (political, economic, and social factors).
• Interactive whiteboard or projector.
• Student notebooks/pens.

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Lesson Structure

Starter Activity (5 Minutes): Introduction to the 1930s

1. Visuals That Speak Volumes: Display three impactful images side-by-side on PowerPoint:
   • German civilians in front of a barrow of inflated currency.
   • A 1929 Wall Street trader during the stock market crash.
   • A political rally in Nazi Germany.
2. Think-Pair-Share Discussion: Ask students to hypothesise what these three images might suggest about the global atmosphere leading to World War II. Each student shares their ideas with a partner before selected students present to the class.
3. Transition to explain that today's focus will be on dissecting how these elements contributed to the war.

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Main Activities (40 Minutes)

Activity 1: Building Context (15 minutes)

1. Mini-Presentation (PowerPoint):

   • Cover three key areas:
     • The Treaty of Versailles: Focus on the terms and German resentment. (Visual: Clemenceau, Wilson, & Lloyd George.)
     • The Wall Street Crash and Great Depression: Explain connections between global unemployment, social unrest, and fragility. (Visual: News headline juxtaposed with breadlines.)
     • The Rise of Totalitarian Leaders: Highlight Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin’s rise to power as a response to chaos. (Visual: Hitler’s rally in Nuremberg.)
   • Ensure presentation is punctuated with questions, e.g., “Why might economic collapse cause people to support leaders with extreme ideas?”

2. Guided Class Reflection: Use an interactive familiarisation task:

   • Students match listed historical events (e.g., hyperinflation in Germany, Great Depression, Nazi Party’s rise) with relevant causes.
   • Use a quick thumbs-up/thumbs-down to indicate agreement/disagreement for answers, fostering participation.

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Activity 2: Primary Source Analysis (15 minutes)

1. Set the Scene: Divide the class into six groups (5 students per group). Issue each group a primary source, such as:

   • A snippet of the Treaty of Versailles.
   • Hitler’s speech at the 1938 Sudetenland Crisis.
   • A 1934 British newspaper lamenting the Depression’s impact.

2. Analysis Task:

   • Guiding Questions for source analysis:
     • Who created this source and when?
     • What does this source suggest about the climate of the 1930s?
     • How reliable is this source?
   • Rotate groups every 5 minutes to tackle the next source. By the end, each group will have completed three sources and presented a mini-summary to their peers.

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Activity 3: The Great Debate (10 minutes)

1. Positioning Opinions: Create a spectrum on the interactive whiteboard with “Economic Causes” to one side and “Political Causes” to the other.
2. Explore Opinions: Ask students to stand physically in the classroom on the spectrum where they think the key cause of World War II lies. (Allow flexibility if they believe it is a blend of factors.)
3. Mini Debate: Pick two opposing students (or groups) to present why they believe their viewpoint is the key cause. Encourage students in the middle to challenge both sides by contributing their opinions.

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Plenary (15 Minutes): Consolidating Understanding

Exit Ticket Task:

Distribute an “Exit Slip” question sheet, with the following prompts for reflection:

1. What surprised you most about the causes of World War II today?
2. Which cause do you believe was most significant and why?
3. What question do you still have about the period we’ve discussed?

Use these slips to inform areas of misunderstanding to address in Lesson 2.

Extension Discussion (Optional):

For more engaged students: Explore whether learning lessons from the 1930s can have relevance today. Make a direct connection to their world.

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Homework Assignment

1. Research Task: Select one of the key terms discussed today (e.g., Treaty of Versailles, hyperinflation, Great Depression) and create a 200-word summary in your own words, explaining how it contributed to the outbreak of World War II.
2. Challenge Question: Begin researching the role the League of Nations played in the 1930s. What were its weaknesses, and how did this contribute to war?

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Differentiation Strategies

• For Students Requiring Extra Support: Provide a simplified summary sheet alongside the source analysis handout. Pair with peers who can guide them through the higher-level analysis.
• For High-Achieving Students: Include more complex primary sources (e.g., excerpts from Roosevelt’s speeches). Challenge them to explore comparisons between Britain’s and Germany’s economic struggles.
• Classroom Behaviour Management: Assign clear roles in group work (scribe, spokesperson, researcher). Use a timer during discussions to manage transitions effectively.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment during group work by circulating and questioning students.
• Class participation and responses during the "Great Debate".
• Review Exit Slips to determine overall grasp of today’s material.

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Teacher Reflection Post-Lesson

• Were students able to effectively differentiate between economic, political, and social causes?
• Did the collaborative learning strategies (source analysis, debate) improve engagement and deepen understanding?
• Are there areas of repeated misunderstanding that should be revisited in Lesson 2?