Overview                                                        Back to Navigation Bar

Objectives

Students will:

·        identify the efforts and sacrifices that civilians made on the home front during World War II.

·        investigate possible ways  those needs were communicated to the citizens of the United States

·        identify conservation needs in the present

·        design a communication tool to educate today’s citizens about what they can do to conserve

Recommended time frame

10—12 days

Grade level

8^th grade

Curriculum fit

Language arts

Materials

·        • Interview worksheet

·        • Are WE Doing All We Can? worksheet

·        • Overhead transparencies and projector

·        • Examples of WWII posters, magazines, photographs, photographs of artifacts, etc. (Prepare a Power Point presentation or provide URLs for student use)

·        • Materials for projects (poster board, markers, computers, video camera and TV/VCR, costumes)

·        •Rubrics

Nevada Schools Learning Standards          Back to Navigation Bar

Language Arts:

Standard 1: Uses the writing process to write clearly and concisely

  • Benchmark: Writes in a variety of formats

Standard 2: Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions

  • Benchmark: Uses correct capitalization and punctuation

Standard 3: Uses a variety of print and non-print resources to locate and gather information

  • Benchmark: Uses sources appropriate to the task

Standard 5: Demonstrates competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning

  • Benchmark: Organizes ideas for oral presentation

  • Benchmark: Uses verbal and non-verbal skills to communicate

Procedures                                                     Back to Navigation Bar

Day One:

• Students will be given the Interview Worksheet.  Ideally they will interview a grandparent or someone of that age group or older.  It can be a face-to-face interview or phone interview.  If an older adult isn’t available, students could interview a parent.  (Arrangements could also be made to have students interview people in nursing homes or retirement villages.) Allow a few days (3-4) for this to occur since some students may have difficulty making arrangements to complete the interview.  It could be assigned before completing a previous unit.  Plan B: Since it might be difficult to find people to interview, it might be necessary to skip to Day Three and look at the examples located by the teacher or provide URLs for students to explore on their own.  Students could complete the interview worksheet based on that information. The lesson plan will need to be adjusted if this option is used.

Day Two:

• Students will compare the results of their interview with another student in the class.  They should take turns sharing and check off matching ideas; in addition, students should add new ideas to their list (things they didn’t discover in their interview).

• Students will share their results with the entire class to create a “master list.”  Teacher will record list on an overhead transparency as ideas are generated.  Each student will add to his/her list as ideas are suggested if it isn’t already on their list.

Day Three:

•With the complete list of sacrifices in front of them, students will discuss with a partner how the government let civilians know what they could do to support the war effort. (What types of media would have been most commonly used between 1941 – 1945?)

Discuss possibilities with entire class, again adding to students’ lists while teacher compiles a list on an overhead transparency during class discussion.

•Look at examples (See Library of Congress primary sources link.) of the needs and types of communication from the WWII time period provided in class and compare to both lists.  The examples could be prepared in a PowerPoint presentation, or students could go to provided web sites to search on their own or with a partner. What were the needs?  How were those needs communicated to the public?  Add to the “master list”.

Day Four:  Are WE Doing All We Can?

•In small groups, brainstorm areas where rationing (conservation/recycling) is needed today. Students should make a list of the ideas generated on the worksheet; in large group, the teacher could record ideas on an overhead transparency with students adding to their lists. 

•After that list is compiled, have students suggest what forms of communication could be used to let people know what they could do to help.  Students complete their list as suggestions are made. Of those, which ones could reach the most people?  (It is expected that students will suggest posters, pamphlets, magazine or newspaper articles, poems, TV or radio ads, or speeches.)

•Introduce project.  Students will be asked to choose a topic and develop a communication tool to educate citizens about the need and inform the citizenry how they could assist in the effort.

Day Five – Nine

Allow work time in class to research and complete the project (approximately five days).  It is also expected that students will need to work outside of class to complete project on time.

Day Ten+

Students will present projects to classmates.  Time will vary depending on number of groups.

Evaluation                                                      Back to Navigation Bar

Three rubrics have been provided since students have the choice of final product.  One rubric is designed for a writing project (pamphlet, magazine or newspaper article); another is for acting/speaking (TV or radio ad,  speech); and a third is for drawing/designing (poster).

Extension                                                        Back to Navigation Bar

This isn’t really an extension activity, but it is expected that the written projects, at least, will be displayed in prominent places around the school and community (public library, local stores).  Consider venues where the acting/speaking projects could also be showcased.

The class could also choose an area of concern and actively pursue implementing a change.

Either before starting the project or after Day Three, serve one of the sugarless recipes from the Kitchen-Klatter Magazine.  Watch and listen for responses from students to see if substituting corn syrup or honey in the recipe affects the taste.

Image

Description

Citation

URL

Wartime food demonstration. A new and important home front activity, the wartime food demonstration is rapidly becoming a nation-wide institution. Wives of war workers in Alexandria, Virginia meet weekly to hear about best ways of ration-point spending, food conservation, etc., under the leadership of Ida Lansden, home economist.

“Wartime Food Demonstration.”  Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [Reproduction number: LC-USE6-D-009434].

American Memory

http://memory.loc.

gov

/cgi-bin/query/

b?ammem/fsaall:

LC-USE6-D-009434

:collection=fsa

].

Poster encouraging citizen participation in salvage for the war effort, showing seaplanes and a man welding.

“Are You Helping with Salvage?” Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division.  By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943 collection [Reproduction number: LC-USZC2-1179 DLC].

http://memory.loc.

gov/cgi-bin/query/

r?ammem/wpapos:

@field(NUMBER%

2B@band

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Poster asking Americans to conserve meat during the war.

“Americans! Share the meat as a wartime necessity.” Print (poster). U.S. Government Printing Office, 1942. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D. C. [Reproduction number: LC-USZC4-4430].

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/
query/r?pp/ils:@filreq(@field(NUM
BER%2B@band(cph%2B3c21359))%2B@fie
ld(COLLID%2Bcph))

Forty-two keys to victory. They're practically luxury items today, these typewriters which formerly were manufactured at the rate of about 800,000 per year. With typewriter factories now undergoing conversion to war production, there's an urgent need for all privately owned, non-essential typewriters of recent vintage to be turned over to the armed forces.

“Forty-two Keys to Victory.” Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [Reproduction number: LC-USF35-1326]

http://memory.loc.

gov/cgi-bin/

query/r?ammem/

fsaall:@field

(NUMBER%2B@band

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Poster. Do with less--so they'll have enough. Poster released by the Office of War Information to bars and taverns, high schools, hotels, libraries, war plants, post offices.

“Do with Less – So They’ll Have Enough.” Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division, Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Mar. 1943  [Reproduction number: LC-USE6-D-009233].

http://memory.loc.

gov/cgi-bin/query/

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Fuel oil conservation. Here's blackout insulation--a twofold combination to save you money! Use sections of board for the top half of the window and the bottom half. The board for the upper half of the window, which should be weatherproofed board, can be nailed in place on the outside of the window frame and half-drawn shades will conceal this piece from the board for the lower half can be attached at night from the inside. Not only are these practical blackout shields, but you'll save one gallon of oil for each square foot of board used.

“Fuel Oil Conservation.” 

Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division, Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Sept. 1942 [Reproduction number: LC-USE6-D-006222].

http://memory.loc.

gov/cgi-bin/query/

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Rubber reclamation. Scrap tires mobilized for Victory. Millions of discarded casings cover more than 100 acres at one Midwest recovery plant. Systematic piling and sectional arrangement reduce fire hazard. Special processes will separate metal from the tires and tube bodies. The reclaimed material will be used to manufacture thousands of essential mechanical rubber products. Firestone.

Palmer, Alfred T., photographer.  “Rubber Reclamation.” Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division, Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information Photograph Collection.

Created/published Dec.1941 or 1942. [Reproduction number: LC-USE6-D-003769].

http://memory.loc.

gov/cgi-bin/query

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Poster for the Philadelphia Salvage Committee encouraging scrap drives to aid the war effort.

“Save Scrap for Victory.”  Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division, Work Projects Administration Poster Collection, Penna [Pennsylvania] Art WPA, between 1941 and 1943. [Reproduction number: LC-USZC2-5676 DLC].

http://memory.loc.

gov/cgi-bin/query/

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@field(NUMBER

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Woman standing with hoe and basket of vegetables.

“War Gardens for Victory—Grow Vitamins at your Kitchen Door.” Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.  Copyright by J. H. Burdett, director, National Garden Bureau. Created/published between 1939 and 1945. [Reproduction number: LC-USZC4-4436].

http://memory.loc.

gov/cgi-bin/query/

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Sugar rationing. Mrs. Henry Wallace, wife of the Vice President, learns how millions of American householders will register for their sugar rationing cards from May 4th through May 7th. She's getting the information from a teacher and pupil at Western High School, Washington, D.C..

“Sugar Rationing.” Photographed by Albert Freeman, Alfred T. Palmer or George Danor.

Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.

Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection.  1942 or 1943. [Reproduction number: LC-USE6-D-010488 DLC].

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?
pp/PPALL:@field(DOCID+@lit(oem
2002008907/PP))

Gasoline rationing poster. Poster distributed to gasoline stations and garages to educate motorists on need for fuel rationing.

“Gasoline Rationing.” Gasoline rationing poster. Bureau of Publications and Graphics. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.

Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection. Aug. 1942. [Reproduction number: LC-USE6-D-005468 DLC].

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/
i?pp/fsaall:@FILREQ(@FIELD(DOCID+@LIT
(oem2002004065/PP))+@FIELD(COLLID+fsa))

Preparation for point rationing. Miss Elizabeth Law, who teaches an adult homemaking class at Mckinley High School, Washington, D.C., explains the use of war ration book two to a group of homemakers at the school. The relationship of balanced diets to point-rationed foods is taught to adult classes open to all D.C. homemakers.

Palmer, Alfred T. “Preparation for Point Rationing.” Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.

Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection.  Feb. 1943. [Reproduction number: LC-USE6-D-008748 DLC].

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/i
?pp/fsaall:@FILREQ(@FIELD(DOCID+@LIT
(oem2002007213/PP))+@FIELD(COLLID+fsa))

A poster based on an equitable rationing plan for war-time emergency. Printed in three colors -- red, black and blue -- it was distributed to retail stores, selling with sugar and to local rationing boards.

“Ration for Victory.”  Office of War Information. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.

Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection.

May 1942. [Reproduction number: LC-USE6-D-004105 DLC].

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/
i?pp/fsaall:@FILREQ(@FIELD(DOCID+@LIT
(oem2002002779/PP))+@FIELD(COLLID+fsa))

Meat rationing preview. Reporters make their own news. Washington correspondents get preview of meat rationing in operation with Office of Price Administration officials behind counter. In left foreground is Mrs. Philip Crowlie, OPA's "typical housewife," explaining the system to a woman reporter, while Harold Rowe, food rationing chief, figures point values on the scale.

Palmer, Alfred T. “Meat Rationing Preview.” Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.

Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection.

Mar. 1943. [Reproduction number: LC-USE6-D-009397 DLC].

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/
i?pp/fsaall:@FILREQ(@FIELD(DOCID+@LIT
(oem2002007841/PP))+@FIELD(COLLID+fsa))

Press conference on meat rationing. J.H. Westing (left), assistant director of Office of Price Administration's (OPA) Food Rationing Division, and Leon Bosch, head of Point Control Development show reporters, at press conference held March 20, papier-mache meat cuts to illustrate point values.

Palmer, Alfred T.  “Press Conference on Meat Rationing.” Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.

Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection.  20 Mar. 1943. [Reproduction number: LC-USE6-D-009399 DLC].

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/i?pp/fsaall:@FILREQ
(@FIELD(DOCID+@LIT(oem2002007843/PP))
+@FIELD(COLLID+fsa))