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Lesson Plans > Social Studies > Grades 9 - 12 > World War I: Strategic Alternatives Simulation
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Technology Integration

World War I: Strategic Alternatives Simulation

Understand the alternatives that may have prevented the Great War

Grade Level: 9-12

Concept: Understand the alternatives that may have prevented the Great War

Estimated Duration: 50 minutes
 
Objectives
Students will be able to:
  • assess the choices that several European nations faced on the eve of World War I
Materials
Textbook chapter on World War I
Transparency made from Setting the Stage 
Notepaper
Pencils
Map of Europe in 1913
Markers
Card stock
 
Differentiated Strategies
  • for visual learners Visual learners: incorporates maps and visual aids
  • for auditory learners Auditory learners:  encourages small-group and whole-class discussion
  • for kinesthetic learners Kinesthetic learners:  students will move around the class to to discuss content
Key Vocabulary
militarism
alliances
revolution

Procedures

Before the Lesson
  • Homework: The day before the lesson, assign text reading related to the causes of World War I.
Warm-up
  • for auditory learners Ask if any person can remember making a bad decision. Did it seem wrong at the time? When did you know it was bad? Give a personal example of a decision that had long term effects.
Direct Instruction
  • for auditory learners Explain that World War I affected the whole 20th century in very negative ways.
  • Tell the class that this simulation will help them understand the alternatives that each nation faced on the eve of the war.
  • for visual learners  On an overhead, use the Setting the Stage transparency to explain the conditions that existed before the war began.
Practice
  • for auditory learners Divide the class into seven approximately equal groups. Distribute the correct country description to each group: England, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Russia and Serbia(download from Teaching Today). Each group should use a piece of card stock to make a sign with its country’s name on it. Make it large enough so that all can see.
  • for visual learners Display the map of 1913 so students gain a geographical context for the situation.
  • Tell each group that it should seek to reach some or all of the objectives on its country description. Groups should not share their information with other countries, unless they do so for strategic reasons.
  • for auditory learners Allow time for each group to discuss its objectives.
  • for auditory learners Tell the class that each group will have to make decisions and respond to any crisis in order to fulfill its objectives. Any decision that a group makes will have to be reported to the teacher before it is announced to the class. For example, a declaration of war, the breaking of an alliance, or any military threat must first be presented in writing to the teacher. Selected students may move and negotiate with other nations. Of course, secret agreements will not be shared with the class.
  • for visual learners for auditory learners Display on the overhead and read the following news bulletin to the class (found on the Setting the Stage download). “Today, the Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife Sofia were shot to death while riding in a motorcade. The Austrian government believes that the heir to the throne was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist.” 
  • for auditory learners Tell Austria-Hungary that they have five minutes to announce their response to the attack. Ask each group to discuss the implications of the actions.
  • for auditory learners After Austria-Hungary announces what it will do, tell Serbia that it has five minutes to respond.
  • for auditory learners Allow time for any group that has an announcement to bring it to the teacher. Make the announcements as news bulletins.
  • Set deadlines 3-5 minutes for any group’s actions.
  • If the countries enter into any agreement that prevents war, the simulation ends, successfully.
  • for auditory learners Discuss the options that each nation had and the conditions that may have prevented compromise and led to war.
  • If war breaks out between two nations, allow time for other nations to decide whether to intervene.
  • If several nations go to war, the game ends.
Assessment
  • for auditory learners Discuss the options that each nation had and the conditions that may have prevented compromise and led to war.
  • for auditory learners Discuss the reasons that the nations had for going ahead with declarations of war or for trying to preserve the peace. What decisions were difficult for each nation to make?
Closure
  • for visual learners for auditory learners Display a post-WWI Map of Europe and discuss the implications of the war on each country involved in the simulation.
Comments (3)
Tim Reed wrote at Jan 10, 2008 11:55 am:
Where are the downloads of "Setting the Stage" and Descriptions of the Interests of Seven European Nations"?
Annie Little wrote at Jan 31, 2008 12:07 pm:
I also cannot find the attachments for "Setting the Stage" and descriptions of the interests. Can someone please direct me to the right location. This activity sounds interesting and I think my students would enjoy it.
Lorraine Gill wrote at Feb 3, 2008 6:10 am:
This simulation looks really good but without the downloads it is difficult to try.
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