Troup County School System - History Lesson Plan Database

Title:
Factory Overview: Women during World War II

Author:
Heather Brooks

Linked Essays:
Women of World War II_Brooks

Overview:
This lesson will focus on the role of women in the factories during World War II. When learning about World War II and American history in general, often times the focus is on the great men of history and their accomplishments. This activity allows students to focus on the women of the American Home-front during World War II. Many of the women, who worked in the factories, were those who wanted to contribute to the war effort and do their part. While some chose to work, other women had to work in order to support their families while the men were fighting. All of the Rosies who entered the workforce helped to make it possible for women to work today. Through Internet research, personal interviews in their communities, and a Round Robin group activity, students will gain a more indepth understanding and appreciation of women who left traditional roles to work in factories during wartime.

Materials:

. Handout titled "Women and children at War" comes from:

Brinkley, Alan. American History: A Survey. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995 (pages 755-757).

2. "We Can Do It" poster - www.teacheroz.com/WWIIHomefront.htm

3. "Rosie the Riveter" - www.stg.brown.edu/projects/WWIIWomen/Rosie.html

4. Interviews - www.rose.edu/EOCHR/Rosie

www.rose.edu/EOCHR/Rosie-Cabanis,H.htm

www.rose.edu/EOCHR/Rosie-Grant,K.htm

www.rose.edu/EOCHR/Rosie-Loftin,L.htm

www.rose.edu/EOCHR/Rosie-Clark,M.htm

www.rose.edu/EOCHR/Rosie-Lee,W.htm

Transparencies

Transparency pens

Internet

TV that can display Internet for the Rosie the Riveter poster and the We Can Do It poster.

Tape

Colored markers

Bulletin board paper

Sample Rosie the Riveter stories.

Projected Time:
1 90 minute block

Lesson Plan Sequence:
1

Essential Question:

Essential Question:

How does war impact the role of women in society?

Content Specific Question:

What was life like for factory women during World War II?

Bell Assignment:
Frayer Diagram (box divided into 4 equal divisions, with the term circled in the middle). In the first square the students need to write the definition of the word. In the second square, students need to list characteristics of the term. In the third square, students need to list examples of the term and in the fourth square, they need to list non-examples. A suggested term for this lesson would be Rosie the Riveter.

Activating Strategy:

Display Norman Rockwell's "Rosie the Riveter" and "We can do it"posters. Ask students to jot down some observations about each poster. Discuss their observations.

These pictures can be accessed at:

www.teacheroz.com/WWIIHomefront.htm

www.stg.brown.edu/projects/WWIIWomen/Rosie.html

Instructional Activities:

1. At least two weeks prior to this unit, assign students a living history document project. They should interview someone from the WWII generation and find out what they were doing during World War II and what they can remember about it. If a student is unable to find an interview source, he can go to www.trouparchives.org, which provides interviews from Troup County residents. After entering the website, go to Holdings and Data Bases, then to Digital Archives.

2. K-W-L: Have the students take a sheet of paper and divide it into three columns. They should label the three columns KNOW, WANT TO KNOW, and LEARNED.

3. Have them fill out the first two columns with everything that they know about women during World War II. Then have them to jot down what they would like to know. Discuss what they have listed. Have students keep the sheet until the end of the unit.

4. Have them read an excerpt from Alan Brinkley's American History: A Survey. The section is titled Women and Children at War, pages 755-757. (See Linked Files.) Discuss the article with the students and tell them to add to their KWL charts. They can add to the WANT TO KNOW chart if the document raised more questions for them and add to their LEARNED chart if they had any of their questions answered.

5. Group work: Round Robin Activity. Divide the class into five assigned teams. Provide each team with access to an interview with a woman who worked in the war industries during World War II (a website where interviews can be found is provided under the Materials heading for this lesson), poster paper that can be taped to the wall, and a colored marker. Instruct them to write the woman's name who was interviewed at the top of their paper. Each team will have a different person. Each poster needs to be hung around the room.

6. Have each team read the interview and record two facts that they found interesting about that woman's situation while working in the industry. They should record the facts on the hanging poster.

7. Call time (after 3 to 5 minutes) and tell the groups to move one poster to the left. They should be at the poster of a different lady. Again, have them read over the document and write down two facts on the poster. Have each group to do this for each of the five women. One group may not repeat what another group has already written on the poster.

8. Discussion time: Have a class discussion about the five women's experiences and achievements. Each group should return to the woman that they began with. That group should describe the woman discussed on the poster. Other groups should add comments or information that they found interesting about her situation. Move to the second group and discuss and continue until each woman has been discussed.

Summarizing Activities:

Have the students assume the persona of a Rosie the Riveter. Have them write a letter as a Rosie to a family member or a friend describing her typical day or circumstances with which women who worked in the factories had to deal.

Have the students take out their KWL charts and add to their categories.

Alternative idea: Have the students to role play a typical day in a factory. Have the students invent roles for the play and create a setting. As a class, develop dialog for the characters. Once that is completed, have the students act out their play.

Notes:

Sources and Suggested Readings:

1. Handout titled "Women and children at War" comes from: