Roles of Women in the United States during World War II

Name: Kori Kivley
Date: April 15th-17th, 2008
Subject: 6th Grade Social Studies
60 minute class period


National or State Benchmarks Addressed:
Taken from the Minnesota Academic Standards in History and Social Studies:
I.I.4. Students will evaluate the impact of World War II on the home front and on American culture, including Japanese internment, Tuskegee Airmen, and “Rosie the Riveter.”

Key concepts/skills/values: equality, women’s job positions before and after WWII

Objectives: By the end of this lesson, student will be able to:
1. Identify the different jobs women held during World War II.
2. Classify the differences between women before and after World War II
3. Define the term, “Rosie the Riveter”
4. Create a recruiting poster contributing to the war effort.

Provisions for Individual Differences:
The first provision was made for a student with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. She learns well visually, so the videos and poster making were incorporated into this lesson. Her aid may also be present doing this time if need be.
The second provision was made for an ESL student. With the videos I will be showing the students from You Tube, and my DVD collection, he will be able to see the material presented in different ways.

Materials:
1. Notebook paper for the Venn Diagram
a. Compare/contrast women before & after World War II
b. See Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_home_front_during_World_War_II#Civilian_consumption_and_rationing
2. Magazine & newspaper clippings, clip art, and other images related to World War II (i.e., President Roosevelt & other leaders tanks, airplanes, battleships, submarines & soldiers, Statue of Liberty)
3. Examples of War time poster – World War II for Kids p. 24
a. Rosie the Riveter
b. phone & gas companies
c. army recruiting
4. Video Clips
a. Rosie the Riveter:



b. “A League of Their Own”:
i. Time: 4:12 – 5:45 minutes




Sequence of Learning Activities

Anticipatory Set:
Have the students pull out their notebook, & begin by making a Venn diagram. One bubble should be Pre-War Women, and the other Post-War Women. The overlapping of the bubbles will be what has stayed the same for women. Have the students try to put information they already know in the two bubbles. Give them about 15 minutes. We will come back to this at the end of the lesson to demonstrate what the have learned.

Frame:
Provide an overview of the lesson by talking about what women did pre & post World War II.
Personally ask the students what they think the term “Rosie the Riveter” means. Make a consensus on the blackboard. The “Rosie the Riveter” concept began once women began working in the factories, since the men went off to war. They were needed in particular factories that made war time products, like rocket nozzles, for example. My great grandmother was a Rosie the Riveter, and she did this very job – show rocket nozzle. Women did continue to hold habitual jobs, like waitressing. They were also given the opportunity to work as bank tellers and different types of sales jobs. Many women also became pilots, helping the United States Air force, so the male pilots were able to be on the front lines. Most women were continued to hold the role of a housewife on top of working a full time job. Many did struggle with this change.
-From Wikipedia

Procedures and Strategies:
1. Show the students the video clips from You Tube & “A League of Their Own.”
a. This should take about 7-8 minutes
2. Discuss any questions they might have.
3. Students will choose a particular job women did during World War II
a. Create a recruiting poster
i. Examples: factories, nurses, pilots, women’s baseball
b. Students will look through magazines, newspaper and resources on the internet
i. Give them 15-20 minutes to do so
c. Students will have the chance to find photos at home
i. Posters will be due on April 17th.
4. Come back together as a class, revisit Venn diagram – write it on blackboard for students to copy down on notebook paper (10 minutes)
a. What are the types of jobs that women held?
b. Which one did you chose to do your poster on & why?
c. What are some of the differences between women before & after World War II?
5. Finish up by answering any final questions (5 minutes)
a. Students will hand in their Venn diagram for participation points
b. Revisit the term “Rosie the Riveter” and ask them the question again
c. Hand out the worksheet to be completed with their poster





Assessment

Objective 1 will be graded based on the class discussion we have after watching the video clips. I will mentally take note of who is paying attention and sharing their answers with the class. As the teacher, I will make mental note of who is struggling, and who is succeeding.

Objective 2 will be graded based on participation in the discussion as a class, as well as handing in a completed Venn diagram. The Venn diagram should have everything on it that the blackboard has. It will show they were paying attention.

Objective 3 will be graded based on the videos and class discussion as well. Students should be able to show and tell me what Rosie the Riveter means. Students will be able to show me this concept through their Venn diagram and posters. As the teacher, I will keep track of what each the students said, by what I have written on the blackboard.

Objective 4 will be graded based on their completeness of their poster. Students should express a clear idea through their slogan and 3 photos/pictures. Students will also be asked to present this poster, and I will be taking notes on this process as well.