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Subjects
  • Arts & Humanities
    Art History, Language Arts, Visual Arts

  • Social Studies
    Current Events, History (U.S., World), Sociology

Grades

3-5, 6-8

Brief Description

Students learn about the roles women played during World War II and design a recruiting poster telling women of the ways in which they can serve their country today.

Objectives

Students will
  • study the role of women in World War II,
  • design a recruiting poster telling women of the ways in which they can serve their country today.

Keywords

women, World War II, recruitment, military, war, history

Materials Needed

  • print and/or view online resources about women during World War II, such as
    --- Rosie the Riveter (Read one woman's story)
    --- Women and the Home Front During World War II
    --- Women Airforce Service Pilots Killed in Service
    --- It's a Woman's War Too
    --- Women in World War II: We Can Do It
    --- Recruiting Posters for Women from World War II
    --- Rosie the Riveter (Wikipedia)
    --- Women and World War II
    --- What Did You Do in the War, Grandma?
    --- Women and WWII (about.com)
  • poster paper
  • crayons or markers

    Lesson Plan

    Explain to students that they are going to learn about women's roles during World War II and their possible roles today.
    • Ask students to use print and/or online resources to research the roles of American women during WWII.
    • Brainstorm with students a list of the ways in which women supported their country during WWII. Ask: What roles did women play at home and abroad during WWII? How did the roles of women in the United States change before, during, and after that war?
    • Brainstorm with students a list of the ways in which women support their country today. Compare the two lists. Ask: What roles do women play at home and abroad today? How are those roles different from the roles women played during WWII? What impact do you think WWII had on the lives of women today?
    • Ask students to create a poster encouraging women to support their country today. Invite them to present their posters to the class and to discuss why they chose the messages their posters represent.

    Assessment

    Evaluate students on their awareness of the roles played by women during World War II and today as demonstrated in class discussions and their posters.

    Lesson Plan Source

    Education World

    Submitted By

    Linda Starr

    National Standards

    FINE ARTS: Visual Arts

    • GRADES K - 4
      NA-VA.K-4.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
      NA-VA.K-4.2 Using Knowledge of Structures and Functions
      NA-VA.K-4.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
      NA-VA.K-4.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
      NA-VA.K-4.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others
      NA-VA.K-4.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines

    • GRADES 5 - 8
      NA-VA.5-8.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
      NA-VA.5-8.2 Using Knowledge of Structures and Functions
      NA-VA.5-8.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
      NA-VA.5-8.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
      NA-VA.5-8.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others
      NA-VA.5-8.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
    LANGUAGE ARTS: English SOCIAL SCIENCES: U.S. History
    • GRADES K - 4
      NSS-USH.K-4.1 Living and Working together in Families and Communities, Now and Long Ago
      NSS-USH.K-4.3 The History of the United States: Democratic Principles and Values and the People from Many Cultures Who Contributed to Its Cultural, Economic, and Political Heritage

    • GRADES 5 - 12
      NSS-USH.5-12.8 Era 8: The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945)
      NSS-USH.5-12.9 Era 9: Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970s)
      NSS-USH.5-12.10 Era 10: Contemporary United States (1968 to the Present)
    See more lessons at Celebrate Women's History Month!

    Return to the Women's History lesson plan page.

    Originally published 03/08/2002
    Last updated 01/18/2010