Topic: Hitler's state

Target group

7th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

7th‑grade students of elementary school.

XXVII. Europe and the world after World War I. Pupil:

3 ) characterizes the face of totalitarianism (Italian fascism, German national socialism, the Soviet system): ideology and practice.

General aim of education

Students learn about German national socialism during Hitler's rule (Nazism).

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• about the organisation, culture and economy of the Third Reich;

• about the characteristics of the National Socialist system;

• about the main stages in the process of Hitler gaining power.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• 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 the students to repeat the information from the previous lesson. He also recommends them to collect illustrations, photos, drawings, symbols, press clippings that they associate with the topic of the planned lesson.

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. Students read the description of Adolf Hitler from the encyclopedia and on this basis solve the puzzle (Exercise 1). Then they analyze the election results of 1932 (Task 1). The teacher asks the students about their opinions about factors that influenced Hitler's rise to power. He provides feedback to the students.

Realization

1. The teacher explains to the students that the purpose of this part of the lesson will be to map the phenomenon of Nazism. The students make notes during the exercises.

2. Students perform the tasks assigned by the teacher in pairs and in the order proposed by him: they indicate the restrictions introduced by the law for protection of the nation and state (Exercise 2), they explain the concepts related to Nazism and the repressive nature of the law in the Reich (Task 2‑5). Analyzing the photo in Exercise 3, they answer a question about the Crystal Night. Then they get acquainted with the character of Joseph Goebbels and propaganda used by the Nazi Germany (Task 6 and Task 7). During the work they discuss thei answers.

3. Students draw a mental map on one sheet of paper. They use home‑made illustrations, photos, drawings, symbols, press clippings - respectively, placing them on the map, searching for the appropriate context for them. The teacher takes care of providing feedback to students..

Summary

1. The teacher assesses the work of the pairs of students, paying attention to such elements as the substantive value of the work and its originality. Artistic qualities should not be evaluated.

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

Homework

1. The teacher tasks willing students with homework: Look for information about contemporary fascist movements. To which ideology, Italian or German, they refer? Refer to three examples.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Hitler's state

Adolf Hitler wrote a book entitled Mein Kampf in which he presented his views, which would later form the basis of the Third Reich’s ideology called National Socialism (Nazism). His opportunity to assume power came with the political promotion (entry into parliament) of the Nazi Party (NSDAP. Although Hitler lost the presidential election, in January 1933 President Hindenburg made him the chancellor of Germany. Soon enough, Hitler started repressing his opponents. Concentration camps were set up, and Hitler’s political opposition, unionists and clergymen were the first to be sent there. The most severe repressions were suffered by German Jews. In pursuit of his idea of a racially homogenous nation, in 1935 Hitler passed the Nuremberg Laws, which deprived Jewish people of most of their civil rights. The apogee of the anti‑Semitic policy was the so‑called Kristallnacht (Crystal Night), which took place on the night of the 9–10 November 1938. During that night, tens of Jewish people were killed and hundreds were assaulted. Almost 300 synagogues were burnt down. The propaganda machine was activated and continued to function very efficiently throughout the existence of the Third Reich. Hitler made effort to quash any opposition within his party. In 1934, during the so‑called the Night of the Long Knives, he had the leaders of the SA murdered. Thus, the SS became the most important military organization of the Nazis with Heinrich Himmler as its leader. The state has been fully controlled over all areas of life. Political Police - Gestapo watched over order and security in the Third Reich. Hitler fully subjected society to the Nazi ideology. State supervision encompassed culture as well, which was also meant to support National Socialist concepts. Moreover, the state took control of the economy.