Title: Nazi Propaganda Lesson Author: Amanda Chabay, Gennie Costantini, Jeff Pederson Key Words: WW2, Nazis, Anti-Semitism, Propaganda, Adolf Hitler Grade Level: 10 th grade Time Allotted: 90 min. Rationale/ Purpose (so what?) Nature and scope of topic. Why is this significant to the mission of educating future citizens? The coercive nature of propaganda and how that was used by the Nazi party in Germany to promote their beliefs of anti-semitism and Aryan supremacy. One of the hardest concepts for students to grasp with the Nazi party is how, if they were so evil, they were able to gain power and implement their agenda of questionable motives. Background/Context: How does this lesson fit into a unit of study? Looking backwards, looking forwards This would be a lesson in the middle of the unit on the interwar period, and an introduction to what was going on in Germany. It would follow a discussion of the depression and devastation that Germany was left in after WWI, but the introduction to the rebuilding and strengthening of Germany. The students will also be already familiar with the SCIM-C process so this lesson will serve as a quick reminder of it, not a introduction to it. Key Concept(s) include definition: Nazi Party also known as National Socialist German Workers' Party, the political party founded in Germany in 1919 and brought to power by Hitler in 1933 Fascism A governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppression opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism. Propaganda information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, ect. Anti-Semitism - discrimination against or prejudice or hostility toward Jews. 1
NCSS Standard(s) SOL Information *As written in the Virginia SOL Curriculum Framework for the grade level NCSS Theme (s) with indicators: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions. Institutions such as schools, churches, families, government agencies, and the courts play an integral role in people s lives. It is important that students learn how institutions are formed, what controls and influences them, how they influence individuals and culture, and how they are maintained or changed. Students may address questions such as: What is the role of institutions in this and other societies? How am I influenced by institutions? How do institutions change? What is my role in institutional change? SOL* : The student will demonstrate knowledge of political, economic, social, and cultural developments during the Interwar Period by c) examining events related to the rise, aggression, and human costs of dictatorial regimes in the Soviet Union, Germany, Italy, and Japan, and identifying their major leaders, i.e., Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Hirohito, and Hideki Tojo. Essential Knowledge (minimum for SOL Resource Guide) Germany during the Interwar Period Adolf Hitler Anti-Semitism Extreme nationalism National Socialism (Nazism) Essential Skills (minimum for SOL Resource Guide) Use maps, globes, artifacts, and pictures to analyze the physical and cultural landscapes of the world and to interpret the past. (WHII.1b) Guiding Question(s): What led to the rise of Fascism in Europe leading up to World War 2? How were the different Fascist leaders able to gain power in different countries? The day s big question: What effect does propaganda have on societies? Lesson Objective(s): Students will be able to Obj. 1 : Use prior knowledge to decode propaganda symbols in images. Obj. 2 : Analyze propaganda posters for the intent or meaning. Obj. 3 : Understand the components of propaganda posters. Obj. 4 : Reflect on propaganda s effect on society. 2
Assessment Tool(s) to be used- Assessment 1. The SCIM-C and Corroboration charts The important part of the first part of the activity is that the students work together to fully discuss and discover the images. These would be assessed on completion. Assessment 2. Propaganda The poster that the students create will be assessed not on artistic ability, but on whether or not the student incorporated the ideas from the significance cards. The students will need to have a written explanation of their posters, addressing all of the questions. The Tweet will also be a part of this assignment. 3
Materials: Historical Source(s): List here and include copies in materials section below Additional Materials/Resources: List here and include copies in materials section- textbooks etc page numbers, websites etc #1 Powerpoint #2 Significance Cards #3 SCIM C Charts #4 Corroboration Chart 4
Procedure/Process: 1) JUST DO IT! The Hook : Visual Discovery. [AM #1: See first slide of the powerpoint] 2) Instructional sequence: Just do it./objective #1 Use prior knowledge to decode propaganda symbols in images. (5-7 min.) Transition: (7-10 min.) Objective # 2 Analyze propaganda posters for the intent or meaning. (45 min.) Transition: Visual Discovery. Look at the image on the powerpoint. What do you see? What do you not see? Where do you think this picture was taken? When do you think this was taken? The students will think about the questions, trying to use context tools to analyze the picture. [AM #1: See first slide of the powerpoint] After the students have had 3-4 minutes to discuss the pictures, attempt to answer the questions as a class. Ask what you think the people in the picture are saluting. Show the next slide of the powerpoint that has the full image. Ask: How many of you were surprised to see the American Flag? Why? What is the power of images and propaganda? Discuss daily questions, Nazi s, and background on Nazi propaganda. [AM# 1: See slides 3,4,5] While the students are working, float around the classroom. Make sure Divide the class up into groups of 3 or 4. students are on task, and Each group should receive 1 group of moving at a reasonable significance cards [AM #2], 1 SCIM-C pace to get through all of chart per card [AM #3], and 1 the cards. Once the Corroboration Chart [AM #4]. Explain the students have finished all directions. [AM #1: Slides 6 and 7], leave of the SCIM-C charts, slide 6 up on the board for the students to instruct them to work refer to during class. Allow 45 for the together to fill out the students to work together to fill out the corroboration chart. The SCIM-C charts. students should be able to fill up the page with notes, and constructive comments. Now that you are all experts on the Nazi s use of propaganda, it s your turn. Think about the different messages that you learned from looking at the posters, and think about how you would convey that same message. 5
Objective # 3 Understand the components of propaganda posters. (15-20 min.) Transition That s a Wrap/ Objective #4 Reflect on propaganda s effect on society. Pass out 1 piece of plain white paper to each student, or instruct the students to each take out 1 piece of notebook paper. The students are going to used what they learned about Nazi propaganda and create their own poster that Hitler would approve of. Ask the students What messages did you notice in the Significance cards? How were these messages displayed? What tools did the Nazis use to gain attention, keep their messages simple and memorable? What message would you focus on to support? How would you display that message? Why? [AM #1: Slide 8] Modern Technology and Propaganda After the students have created the poster, on the back, the students should write a couple sentences explaining the illustration, who the audience is, and provide a possible campaign slogan for Hitler. Imagine that the Nazi party is around at the same time as modern communication technologies trying to share their ideology. [AM #9] Imagine that you just walked down the street and saw the poster you just drew on a billboard. Tweet your reaction to the message on the poster (not OMG it s my poster, but wow, good point). (Limit of 140 characters including spaces and punctuation.) 3) Closure- Tweeting Reactions to Propaganda. [AM #1: See slide 9 of powerpoint] Modifications/Accommodations for Diverse Learners: The activity is a group based activity so students will have the support of working with one another. The activity is based on analyzing images, so students that are more 6
visual learners will be able to participate fully. Students that are not as visual of learners can focus on the cards with explanations. The more gifted students can focus on translating some of the German on the posters by trying to recognize similar words or sounds from the German words (because English is a Germanic language, many words are similar). The second part of the class with the creation of posters and short written explanations allows the students to take the messages that they learned, and put them into a medium that works best for them. Materials : 7