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FDR and Pearl Harbor

Lesson Author
Rains, Keith
Course(s)
American History
Required Time Frame
One week
Subject(s)
World War II
Grade Level(s)
9
10
11
12
Lesson Abstract
Draw conclusions about Pearl Harbor based on primary documents and reasoned discussion.
Description
  • Motion picture
  • Lecture
  • Primary Resources
  • Small group discussions
  • Large group decision
Rationale (why are you doing this?)

I want students to challenge knee jerk reactions to bold statements and rely on evidence and reason to make decisions.

Lesson Objectives - the student will
  • Be drawn emotionally into one of the biggest events in World History
  • Draw conclusions about the event based on primary documents and reasoned discussion.
District, state, or national performance and knowledge standards/goals/skills met
  • Local Standard 2B adopted from common core standards:
  • Creating active and responsible citizens that identify and analyze public problems; deliberate with other people about how to define and address issues; take constructive, collaborative action; reflect on their actions; create and sustain groups; and influence institutions both large and small.
Secondary materials (book, article, video documentary, etc.) needed

Pearl Harbor Movie

Primary sources needed (document, photograph, artifact, diary or letter, audio or visual recording, etc.) needed

http://docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/PSF/BOX34/A315X03.TXT

 

http://www.richardsorge.com/appendices/schuleraffidavit/memo86/themanyversions.pdf

 

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/PTO/EastWind/CNO-411127.html

 

https://books.google.com/books?id=sP4PKj_icmMC&pg=PA128&lpg=PA128&dq=If+the+current+negotiations+end+without+agreement,+Japan+may+attack;+the+Burma+Road;+Thailand;+Mayala&source=bl&ots=0WMAWtH46r&sig=IUs5z1D2s4yFck2EoAfuYeiaW7U&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAGh

Technology Required

Internet

Fully describe the activity or assignment in detail. What will both the teacher and the students do?
  • I do not like to admit it, but “Pearl Harbor”, the movie, is a great tool.  My favorite student finally talked me into watching it; I realized that the personal story pulls students emotionally into the bigger story of Pearl Harbor.
  • I will show the movie in class and stop it after the attack. (I have a movie report and review to go with).
  • I will hand them a Pearl Harbor fact page that includes all the damages.
  • I will then bring up the question: “Did FDR know?”
  • I will divide the class into teams of three and then hand them documents and allow them to draw their own conclusions.
  • They will bullet point their conclusion and then hand it to another team.
  • Each team will critique another team’s conclusion and return it to them.
  • After a short time for reflection, each team will announce to the class what they have concluded.
  • After all have announced, I will lead an examination of each document with the class.
  • This will end day one of the analysis.
  • On the second day, I will open with a review game over the documents.  The winning team will receive team points.
  • Teams will reconvene to reconsider their conclusion.  After about six minutes, each team will report to the rest of the class what they have finally decided.
  • A short class debriefing will be the conclusion of this lesson.
Assessment: fully explain the assessment method in detail or create and attach a scoring guide
  • Some items from the documents will end up in my matching exercise on the next test. 
  • This 10-point essay will be on the test: Please answer the following question: Did FDR know about the attack at Pearl Harbor before Dec. 7th? Explain your answer by citing facts to complement your assertion.