1. World War II on the Home Front

2. Essential Questions
Unit Focus:
When should
the United
States go to
war?
Unit Focus:
What is
required to
achieve victory
in war?
Unit Focus:
How did
America
become a
superpower?
Activity Focus:
What kinds of
opportunities
and hardships
did the war create
for Americans at
home and
abroad?
Unit Focus:
What is the
proper role of the
government in
people’s lives?
Unit Focus: Did
America’s
involvement in
World War II and
the Cold War move
it closer or further
away from its
founding ideals?

3. GOAL
Can you create a newsreel
that explains the kinds of
opportunities and hardships
did the war create for
Americans at home and
abroad?

4. Work with your group to create a newsreel that
you will act out in front of the class. Your newsreel
should highlight the impact of World War II on
your assigned group. It should describe the kinds
of opportunities and/or hardships World War II
created for this group of Americans.

5. Preview:
Copy this table in your notebook:
M
Item
purchased
Daily
stamps
used
Total
stamps
used
T
W
Th
F

6. The government has put a new
policy in effect. You will receive a
stamp book with 100 stamps a
week to purchase your lunches.
You may not pack your own.
Using the menu, complete the
table by listing what you will eat
each day of the week. Then tally
the daily stamps used and the
total stamps used.
Sandwich
15 stamps
Hamburger
20 stamps
Juice
15 stamps
Hot dog
15 stamps
Pasta
15 stamps
Salad
10 stamps
Yogurt
10 stamps
Milk
10 stamps
Bottled water
5 stamps
Piece of fruit
10 stamps

7. What is rationing?
Why might it be difficult for Americans?

8. The list below presents some of the problems the
federal government encountered during World War
II. In your notebook, write a sentence describing
how the government addressed each problem.
• The economy needed to be converted from
consumer production to military production.
• The government needed large amounts of money
to fight the war.
• Inflation and overconsumption threatened the
economy.

9. Step 1:
Assign roles. Review the roles and divide them up among the
members of your group. Make sure everyone understands her or his
responsibilities. Everyone will participate in the newsreel.
 Chief Researcher: You will lead the group during Step 2. Make
sure all group members learn the key content about your topic.
Help brainstorm ideas for the script and participate in the
newsreel.
 Lead Story Director: You will lead the group during Step 3.
Help brainstorm ideas for the script and participate in the
newsreel.
 Human Interest Director: You will lead the group during Step
4. Help brainstorm ideas for the script and participate in the
newsreel.
 Producer: You will lead the group during Steps 5 and 6. Help
brainstorm ideas for the script and participate in the newsreel.

10. Step 2:
Read the section in the Lesson for the topic assigned to
you. Then complete the corresponding Reading Notes.
The Chief Researcher is responsible for making sure all
group members can complete the Reading Notes for
your section.

11. Step 3:
 Brainstorm ideas for a two- to three minute lead story. The Lead
Story Director will lead a group brainstorm about this segment.
The lead story must include
 examples of at least four opportunities or hardships experienced by
the group during World War II.
 all Key Content Terms in your section.
 both sources from your transparency.
 at least one prop.
 After you have determined the content for this segment, decide
which two students will be the wartime news correspondents.
They will deliver the lead story “live” from a “remote” location.
Each correspondent must incorporate one source into his or her
broadcast. If one source is an audio recording, be sure to preview
it first to make sure it will be played at the appropriate time
during the broadcast.

12. Step 4:
 Brainstorm ideas for a two- to three minute human interest
story. The Human Interest Director will lead a group
brainstorm about this segment. The human interest story
must include
 an on-scene interview with an individual who was directly
affected by the war.
 questions about the background and experiences of the
featured individual.
 at least one prop.
 After you have determined the content for this segment,
determine which two students will be the on-scene
reporter and the interviewee.

13. Step 5:
Write the scripts for the lead and human interest stories
and gather props. The Producer should review both
scripts and make sure the props enhance the newsreel.

14. Step 6:
The Producer should lead the group in rehearsing the
newsreel. As you rehearse, the Producer should make
sure that
 everyone is actively involved in the newsreel.
 everyone speaks loudly and clearly.
 the props are well integrated.
 the group of Americans is identified at the beginning
of the newsreel.

15. Terms
 G.I.s
 G.I.
 G.I. Bill of Rights
 Japanese Americans
 Executive Order 9066
 Korematsu v. U.S.
 Internment Camp
 Women
 Double Shift
 Women’s Army Corp
 African Americans
 Double V Campaign
 Tuskegee Airmen
 Executive Order 8802
 Jewish Americans
 Steamship St. Louis
 War Refugee Board
 Mexican Americans
 Zoot Suit Riots
 Bracero
 Pachucos

16. Home Front Newsreel Rubric
Advanced
Proficient
Basic
Below Basic
4
3
2
1
You stayed
focused and ontask during
preparation time.
You stayed
focused and ontask during most of
the preparation
time.
You stayed
focused and ontask during some of
the preparation
time.
Demonstrates
excellent analysis
and knowledge of
historic group.
Demonstrates
analysis and
knowledge of
historic group.
Demonstrates
Demonstrates little
some knowledge of knowledge of the
historic group.
historic group.
Criteria
Focus
X’s 3
Content
X’s 3
X’s 3
Information is
mostly historically
accurate and at
least 3 hardships
and/or
opportunities.
Information has
some historical
accuracy and at
least 2 hardships
and/or
opportunities.
Information is not
historically
accurate and/or
does not address
hardships and/or
opportunities.
X’s 2
X’s 2
X’s 2
Key terms are
poorly integrated
into the newsreel.
Key terms are not
integrated into the
newsreel.
The newsreel flows
smoothly most of
the time, with an
introduction, body,
and conclusion.
The newsreel flows
smoothly
sometimes, and
does not have a
clear introduction,
body, and
conclusion.
The newsreel does
not flow, or is
missing at least
one of the
following: an
introduction, body,
and conclusion.
Tone of voice,
enunciation, and
pace are
appropriate.
Tone of voice,
enunciation, and
pace are
appropriate most of
the time.
Tone of voice,
enunciation, and
pace are
inappropriate some
of the time.
Tone of voice,
enunciation, and
pace are
inappropriate most
of the time.
Superior creativity
and quality of
production.
Adequate creativity Creativity and
and quality of
quality of
production.
production lacking
in certain areas.
Information is
historically
accurate at least 4
hardships and/or
opportunities
X’s 2
X’s 3
Key terms are well Key terms are
integrated into the integrated into the
newsreel.
newsreel.
The newsreel flows
smoothly, with a
clear introduction,
Organization
body, and
conclusion.
Style
You often did not
stay focused and
on-task during
preparation time.
TOTAL SCORE = _________ x
1/2 = ________/20
Creativity and
quality of
production lacking
in many areas.
TEAM GRADE

17. Set up your notes for watching the
Newsreels.
Group
Hardships
Benefits
American GIs
Japanese-Americans
Women
African-Americans
Jewish Americans
Mexican-Americans
Incorporate the following vocabulary: G.I., G.I. Bill of Rights, Executive
Order 9066, Korematsu v. U.S., Internment Camp, Double Shift, Women’s
Army Corp, Double V Campaign, Tuskegee Airmen, Executive Order 8802,
Jewish Americans, Steamship St. Louis, War Refugee Board, Mexican
Americans, Zoot Suit Riots, Bracero, Pachucos

18. Discussion
 What common hardships do you think American
endured during the war?
 What common opportunities do you think Americans
gained during the war?
 Do you believe the American ideal of opportunity was
advanced or restricted during wartime?