D-Day/Battle of the Bulge

Teacher: Miss DeVido

I.

Grade Level: US HISTORY II 11th grade

Content and Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source;
provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the
key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.6
Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue
by assessing the authors' claims, reasoning, and evidence.

II.

Prerequisites: The Battle of the Bulge was Germanys last ditch effort to stop
the Allied troops from advancing West to Berlin.

III.

Essential Questions (provide a framework): What was the significance of

the Battle of the Bulge in the outcome of WWII?

IV.

Instructional Objective Describe strategic moments during the Battle of the

Bulge. Understand how weather challenged the soldiers who fought on both
sides during the battle

V.

Instructional Procedures: Before: lay the background for D-Day and Battle
of the Bulge. Begin with a clip of Saving Private Ryan, discuss how D-Day
laid the groundwork for the Battle of the Bulge
During: Show the European Theater during WWII to the class. Then have a
class discussion about the strategy of fighting employed by the Allies and Axis
powers. Supplement the video with more information about the battle.
Show the students the different images of the Battle of the Bulge. Each of the
images show certain aspects of the battle. Have the students analyze the
pictures out loud. Discuss with them the timeline of the battle, and the impact

the cold weather had on the fighting. Have the students stick their hand in a
bucket of ice to learn how hard it is to use your fingers when you are very
cold.
After: Have the students pretend to be an American or German soldier who is
writing home describing the battle and their feelings about it. Have them
choose a specific stage in the battle during the initial German offensive that
caught the American forces by surprise or during the American
counteroffensive that drove the Germans back. The letters should contain the
following:
1. Description of the success/failure of the battle at the time the letter was
written
2. A description of the weather conditions and how they affected the troop
and supply movements, as well as troop morale.
VI.

Materials and Equipment: Online VideoEuropean Theater during WWII,

Pictures: M-4 Sherman tank covered in snow, Soldiers settled down in the
snow, pair of mittens with trigger fingers, M-1 rifle, GI helmet

VII.

Assessment/Evaluation: Students will submit their letters. Assessment will

be based on the accuracy of the letters.

VIII. Technology: video on computer, Saving Private Ryan clip