A World War II Webquest:

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For grades 9-12

Table of contents• Title page• Introduction• The essential ques

tion• Objectives • Process • Extrapolate• Conclusions• Evaluate• resources

Teacher’s Page

Introduction

• Most Americans have seen “Saving Private Ryan”, but how much do most people really

know about World War 2 and its’ effects? Historians agree the Second World War is

among the most significant events in modern history. A working knowledge of the War is

essential to understanding our world of today, and to explore this idea, we will consider one

of the great turning points of the War, and how it might have ended differently.

Contents Objectives Question Introduction 2

On June 6, 1944, the combined armies of the United States, England, and Canada, reinforced by Belgian,

Polish, and Free French forces, stormed the beaches of Normandy, France as part of the largest amphibious

invasion in history-

Operation Overlord. This was the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe, and the

beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Adolf Hitler. Most Americans know this simply as

D-Day.Our question then, is this :

Introduction 2

Contents Question

What would have happened if the D-Day invasion had

failed?

The Essential Question:

Contents Objectives Introduction

Objectives:

• Should understand how dangerous and uncertain the invasion was, and how it

could have ended very differently.

• Should understand what happened as a result of the invasion’s success.

• Should understand the relevance of WWII to their world today.

When this Quest is complete, the student(s):

Contents Question Introduction

Your task will be to assume the role of an historian writing a brief history of

the world since 1944, in a world where the D-Day invasion had failed. Use the

provided resources to research the state of the war in 1944, what

happened on D-Day, and what would have happened differently if it had

failed. Your world would be a different place-how different?

Process 1

Contents Question Process 2

Process 2

Construct a series of linked PowerPoint slides or linked Web pages showing theoretical timelines and a project

conclusion. Include an introduction and brief overview of the historical timeline as it

actually happened. This will provide the context and knowledge base on which to base predictions about how the post-war world could have otherwise developed.Contents Question Process 3

Process 3

• The following pages should present timelines and projected major events for the alternate histories that you have developed. A great

deal of detail is not necessary-it’s more important to see general trends. Use a

different page to lay out each likely possibility, and include maps and pictures

when appropriate. Contents Question Process 4

Process 4

• There are no wrong answers, so be daring! Don’t be afraid to speculate! Speculation

based on fact is the core of the exercise. Just make it as logical and plausible as you can,

and, for your conclusion, highlight the differences between our world today and the alternate worlds you have created that might

have been.If working in a group, all students should read

all process steps, then each group member develop their own unique scenario.

Contents Question Objectives Extrapolate

Extrapolate:What would the world be like

today?• A European Nazi empire, armed with jet fighters

and V-2 missiles, allowed to rebuild and strengthen, would have completed the Holocaust

in Europe and threatened the entire world.• Soviet conquest of all of Europe would have isolated the US, and exchanged Nazi tyranny for

Communist tyranny.• A nuclear strike on Germany could have led to

war with the USSR as well as untold death and environmental destruction.

• There are countless other possibilities- what do YOU think?

QuestionContents Objectives Conclusions

conclusions

• The range of possible outcomes is endless, from no significant difference to total nuclear war. Ballistic missiles, nuclear

weapons, jets, the UN, the space program, and the Cold War are all part of the legacy of World War 2, along with countless other elements of today’s world. How does the war affect you today? How would it affect

you if it had turned out differently? Summarize your position with a clear thesis

statement and supporting facts.

Contents ObjectivesIntroduction Extrapolate

resources

Contents

World War II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of Normandy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WikiAnswers - What if Germany had won World War 2

BBC NEWS | UK | What if D-Day had failed?

Armchair General Magazine: Interactive Military History

Cold War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WWII Maps, Stats, Timelines

“How to Create a Hypertext Organizer”, http://www.techlearningtools.com/P2_PowerPoint.doc

Overview of World War 2

Overview of D-Day

Presentation Technology

Maps, Statistics, and extras

Extrapolate

Scenario 1

Scenario 2

Scenario 3

Pass in Review:The Evaluation Rubric

Contents

Topic

Poor Fair Good Excellent

1 2 3 4

Score

Undefined, poorly presented, irrelevant, inappropriate.

Conceptually sound, flawed execution

Clearly stated, appropriate and relevant

Topic is engaging and inspiring

Lesson Objectives

Lesson objectives undefined

Objectives are vague, or not measurable.

Objectives are defined and achievable

Objectives provoke interest, and make their importance plain

Essential Question

Question missing or irrelevant

Question present, but closed and requires no critical thinking

Question is clear, relevant, and requires critical thought

Question is compelling and a challenge

Process Steps absentUnclear or inefficient

Focused and productive

inspired creation of new processes

Rubric 2Conclusion

Pass in Review 2:The Evaluation Rubric

Contents

Poor Fair Good Excellent

1 2 3 4

Rubric 1

Score

EvaluationRubric not included

Present, but criteria is unclear

Criteria appropriate and comprehensive

Includes student feedback

Resources None provided Inadequate number or quality

Plentiful and appropriate

Inspires hunt for new resources

Spelling 4+ spelling errors 3-4 spelling errors 1-2 spelling errors No spelling errors

Grammar 4+ grammatical errors

3-4 grammatical errors

1-2 grammatical errors

No grammatical errors

Conclusions Absent or irrelevant Unsupported or incomplete

Are supported and logically defensible

Are a synthesis of acquired knowledge and critical thought

Presentation disorganized and ineffective

Unclear relationship between data and conclusions

Data is clear and supported

Applies knowledge in new ways

Feedback

Rubric 3

Fair Good Excellent Score

1 2 3 4

Pass in Review 3:The Evaluation Rubric

Contents Rubric 1 Rubric 2

Poor

Student understands the danger and uncertainty of D-Day

Student understands the relevance of WW2 to the world today

Student understands what happened on D-Day, and possible alternatives

Teacher’s Resource Page 1

This assignment is geared toward the History student, grades 9-12.It can be found on the Internet at http://toseeclearly.pbwiki.com. The password to edit the page is “Webquest”.In the interests of making the most efficient use of the students’ time, all resources have been vetted for accuracy and appropriateness. Teachers should review both the standard and expanded versions to determine what is best for their unique students.

It may be desirable or necessary to modify or revise this lesson to fit specific circumstances. Suggested revisions include:

•Eliminating the presentation software aspect of the Quest in technology-limited classes and allowing students to work on paper, so that the student at least gains the benefit of the historical exercise.

•Adapting the Quest to the advanced needs of AP students by demanding higher levels of detail, stricter standards of logic, and longer-ranged predictions. Also, for AP or advanced students, it is recommended that the quest be given in it’s basic form, while less-advanced students may benefit from the use of the additional material in the expanded version.

•Adapting the Quest by translating it into whatever language is called for.Teacher’s Page 2Contents

•The role of the all African-American 332nd Fighter Group, the famed “Tuskegee Airmen”, who played such a critical role in helping overcome official racism in the US Armed Forces and integrating the Services after the War.

•The cultural conditions that made it possible for so many former Nazis to find refuge in South America after the War.

•The likely results of German occupation of the Middle East and Caspian Sea oil fields, both on the overall military situation and on the peoples and cultures of the region.

•The war between Japan and China.

•The effects of the War on the British and French colonial empires, particularly in Africa, India, the Middle East, and Indochina.

•The effects of the Cold War that produced the War on Terror.

Contents Teacher’s Page 1

•Shaping the Quest by focusing on specific types of predictions, such as possible political, technological, military, or cultural trends. The scenarios in the expanded version may be helpful in this instance.

Some additional cultural aspects that can be introduced include the following:

Teacher’s Resource Page 2

Teacher’s Page 3

The results of submitting this Webqest to checklist analysis indicate it scores very well in critical thought categories, having clear objectives while still being student-centered and demanding a high degree of analysis and context. It also scores well in effective instruction, uses pop culture as a starting point, and draws a line directly to the present world. This makes it relevant, provides opportunity for emotional involvement, and should help make this Quest a very useful instructional tool. It includes a wiki page where students and teachers alike are free to reflect and leave feedback.

Thank you for your interest, and I hope you like the Quest!

Ron Arbisi

While none of these were direct factors in D-Day, they were factors that contributed to its success, or parts of its legacy, and are avenues of research that would be very informative to the student who would benefit by a revised lesson.

Teacher’s Resource Page 3

Contents Teacher’s Page 1 Teacher’s Page 2 Title Page