Goals & Objectives
Students will critically think about World War II by playing a fun game. Students will be having a good time playing the game, but at the same time having to recall pertinent information that they learned during the World War II unit. Students will play a version of Memory that allows them to use their concentration, but also, once a pair of cards is matched together, that student/team must come up with two important ideas/issues that deal with what is shown on the matched cards. The goal is to have fun playing a game while they’re also thinking critically about information they learned in the lesson.
California State Content and Common Core Standards
10.8 Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II.
10.8.6. Discuss the human costs of the war, with particular attention to the civilian and military losses in Russia, Germany, Britain, the United States, China, and Japan.
10.8.6. Discuss the human costs of the war, with particular attention to the civilian and military losses in Russia, Germany, Britain, the United States, China, and Japan.
Lesson Introduction
The introduction to this lesson will be quick so the students can have as much time as possible to play their game. As students file into the classroom, the teacher will have the theme music from a popular game show playing in the background. Once the song is over, and the students have settled in, the teacher will hand out the rules/instructions on how to play the game.
Vocabulary
All vocabulary learned in the World War II unit can be used during this game. Names, events, actions, etc, can all be used.
Content Delivery (Lecture)
The teacher will read over the rules/instructions of the game aloud with the class to make sure everyone understands the object of the game, and that there is no confusion.
Student Engagement
Student engagement will be the playing of the game. This game can be played with 2-4 players allowing for team, or individual play to occur. Forty playing cards are laid out, faced down on the desk. There are twenty pairs of cards equaling forty total cards. The object of the game is to gather as many pairs of cards as possible. When a pair is found, the person/team that found the matching pair must think back in their studies and recite two facts (ex-what the person on the cards did, what/why the event on the card occurred, etc.) to the other teams playing. IF the person/team with the matching pair is unable to present two facts to the rest of the players in the game, then the cards are set aside, and no one receives credit for those cards. When all the pairs have been found, the winner is the person/team that has the most pairs.
Lesson Closure
The lesson closure will be quick and verbal. The teacher will ask two students what they enjoyed about the game, and two other students what could be changed to make the game more fun, difficult, etc.
Assessment
Formative- The teacher will walk around the room to hear overall thought process during game play. The teacher will be listening in to the critical thinking answers being given when a student/team finds a matching pair.
Summative- Students will pair-share with a member of the class that wasn’t in their group, and share the most important fact they can recall from their game.
Summative- Students will pair-share with a member of the class that wasn’t in their group, and share the most important fact they can recall from their game.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
Allowing students to brainstorm constructively and openly during the group work is a type of interactive instruction that might help students with special needs and striving readers. This activity allows these students to receive instruction by speaking and listening. English learners will benefit from the one-on-one interaction. The activity is supposed to be fun, so hopefully that will do away with some of the fears some students may have regarding speaking to others.
Lesson Resources
Memory Game Photo Example
Memory Game Instructions
Memory Game Instructions