Topic: The United States of America join the war

Target group

7th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

XXV. First World War. Pupil:

3. discusses the specificity of war operations: position warfare, maneuvering, air and sea operations;

General aim of education

Students learn about the role of the United States during World War I.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• to define the reasons why the US joined the war and sided with the Allies;

• to characterize the goals the US government had;

• to describe the results of the USA joining the World War I.

Methods/techniques

• activating

  • discussion.

• expository

  • talk.

• exposing

  • film.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

1. The teacher asks to review information about the war activities of the Allies and central states in 1914‑1916. Students should refer to the knowledge of previous lessons.

Introduction

1. The teacher explains the students the subject, the purpose of the lesson and the criteria for success.

2. The teacher explains to students the reasons for the US to declare neutrality at the beginning of World War I. He explains the reasons for Germany's decision to start an unlimited submarine war in 1916 (it affected a failed and exhausting offensive under Verdun in the summer of 1916).

Realization

1. The teacher asks students to do Task 1 - students watch an animated film depicting the sinking of the steamboat „Lusitania” and answer questions. The teacher discusses with students their reflections on the effects of submarine war. The teacher tells students about Germany's policy towards the US, paying attention to their cooperation with Mexico. He explains the history of the Zimmermann telegram.

2. Then students in pairs do Task 2 and Exercise 1 (they discuss the reasons for the United States joining to war), and then indicate the objectives of US policy in the speech fragment of President W. Wilson (Exercise 2). The teacher takes care of the feedback provided to the students during solving exercises and executing tasks.

3. In English‑language materials on the Internet, students in pairs seek information on the forms of US involvement in the war on the Allied side (they take into account military and financial involvement). They try to assess its size and effects.

4. The teacher talks with students about how President Wilson assessed European diplomacy. What did he want to replace it with? Asking questions, the lecturer remembers that they are to be formulated as the key questions.

Summary

1. The teacher explains to students the relationship between the US participation in the World War I and the actions of Germany aimed at helping the Bolshevik leader, Lenin. (He talks about the fact that in the new diplomatic situation, the German government was the most hoped for a crisis in the change of power in Russia after the February revolution of 1917. Assistance in reaching Petrograd, given to Lenin by German intelligence, was intended to further destabilize Russia and indirectly hit the whole Entente).

2. The teacher assesses the students' work during the lesson, taking into account their input and commitment. For this purpose, he may prepare an evaluation questionnaire for self‑assessment and evaluation of the teacher's work and other students.

Homework

1. The teacher sets homework (it is not an obligatory part of the script): he asks students to listen to the lecture given by prof. A. Chwalba titled „I wojna światowa. Sojusze”.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

The United States of America join the war

When the World War I broke out in Europe, the United States, with the decision of their President Woodrow Wilson announced their neutrality. The breakthrough happened when Germany introduced the unlimited submarine warfare, lead without regard to the interests of neutral countries, which was announced to their governments. Atlantic trade routes became so dangerous because of German actions that the situation became a threat to American economy. Their policy and the actions against the USA Zimmermann Telegram”) caused that on 6th of April 1917, with the support of the Congress and supported by the citizens, President Woodrow Wilson announced that the USA will join the war siding with the Allies. The Americans started fighting by using their navy. Financial and material aid was sent to Europe. Many months later, the American forces began fighting on land. This meant a great reinforcement for the Allied forces.