Lesson 12

Lesson: Three Fronts (Part 2)

Objective: Students will be able to describe the events of the war in Europe, including the
Battle of Stalingrad, which was the turning point, as well as the D-Day invasion of
Normandy, Hitlers suicide, and the eventual surrender of Germany.
Common Core Standards:
10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources,
attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide
an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
10.3 Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier
events caused later ones or simply preceded them.
Materials: Tablets, blogs, computer, SmartBoard, YouTube
Directions: Explain to the students that even though the U.S. was fighting the Japanese in
the Pacific throughout the war, most of our efforts and resources were being used in the
war with the Nazis in Europe for the first few years. Have them take out their tablets and
access their blogs, so they can take notes on the next section of the Three Fronts
PowerPoint presentation.
Students take notes as the war in Europe is discussed, including the Battle of Stalingrad,
which was the turning point, the D-Day invasion of Normandy, which was the battle from
Saving Private Ryan shown on the first day of the unit, and the eventual suicide of Hitler
and the surrender of Germany.
Show the YouTube video on the Battle of Stalingrad when you get to that part of the lecture.
The video shows some of the months of fighting, and illustrates the importance of the battle.
It was crucial that the Soviet Union hold the city for its oil reserves, and had the Germans
won the battle, the war may have turned out differently, at least for the Soviets.