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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Was the United States ready for Pearl Harbor?

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/13/g912/ready.html

A lesson plan for grade 11 English Language Arts and Social Studies

Provider: National Geographic


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In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore the United States’ level of preparedness for the attack and think about what the U.S. could have done to be better prepared. Activities in this lesson engage students in whole class discussion, online research, and writing assignments.

Students will:

  • describe what they already know about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor;
  • hypothesize the reasons why the United States suffered such severe losses at Pearl Harbor;
  • conduct Internet research on Pearl Harbor, and answer some questions about the United States’ level of preparedness for the attack; and
  • imagine that they can go back in time, and write letters explaining to American military commanders at Pearl Harbor what they can do to prepare for a Japanese attack.

Xpeditions provides detailed directions for completing the lesson, suggestions for assessment and extension activities, discussion questions, and links to helpful web resources.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 11

  • Goal 1: The learner will demonstrate increasing insight and reflection to print and non-print text through personal expression.
    • Objective 1.02: Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
      - discover multiple perspectives.
      - investigate connections between life and literature.
      - explore how the student's life experiences influence his or her response to the selection.
      - recognize how the responses of others may be different.
      - articulate insightful connections between life and literature.
      -consider cultural or historical significance.
  • Goal 2: The learner will inform an audience by using a variety of media to research and explain insights into language and culture.
    • Objective 2.03: Respond to informational texts by:
      - using a variety of strategies for preparation, engagement, and reflection.
      - paraphrasing main ideas and supporting details present in texts.
      -explaining significant connections among the speaker's/author's purpose, tone, biases, and the message for the intended audience.

Social Studies (2003)

Grade 11–12 — Advanced Placement United States History

  • Goal 13: World War II (1930-1945): The learner will trace the reemergence of the United States in world affairs, including analyzing the causes and effects of the United States involvement in World War II.
    • Objective 13.01: Examine world events during the 1930s, rise of totalitarian states, and the U.S. role to promote relationships with our American neighbors.
    • Objective 13.02: Identify the causes of World War II and trace the events that led to the US entry into the war.
    • Objective 13.03: Describe the military, political and diplomatic turning points of the war and evaluate their significance to the outcome.

Grade 11–12 — United States History

  • Goal 10: World War II and the Beginning of the Cold War (1930s-1963) - The learner will analyze United States involvement in World War II and the war's influence on international affairs in following decades.
    • Objective 10.01: Elaborate on the causes of World War II and reasons for United States entry into the war.
    • Objective 10.02: Identify military, political, and diplomatic turning points of the war and determine their significance to the outcome and aftermath of the conflict.
    • Objective 10.03: Describe and analyze the effects of the war on American economic, social, political, and cultural life.