World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII) were added to the Virginia Studies SOLs with the 2023 History and Social Science SOL update. The Virginia Studies World Wars lessons provide a basic introduction to the world wars to help prepare students for diving deeper into the topic in the next grade level.
As with all my Virginia Studies blog posts, I’m here to share hands-on and engaging activities that pair well with this SOL. By incorporating a variety of my lessons into all of your Virginia Studies units, I’m certain that Virginia Studies will be your students’ favorite subject by the end of the school year!
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Use Primary Sources
As you progress through the Virginia Studies SOLs and into the modern era, it becomes easier to incorporate more primary sources. There are lots of opportunities to analyze primary sources in your World Wars Lessons. For example–
- Read excerpts from Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points
- Watch FDR’s Day of Infamy speech on YouTube
- Examine WWI and WWII propaganda to determine its purpose
- Examine photographs of major events
Incorporating primary sources into your Virginia Studies World Wars lessons will also allow you to cover the History and Social Science Skill, primary source analysis.
Debate the League of Nations
To help students understand why the United States did not join the League of Nations, have students research the pros and cons of joining the League of Nations. Then divide the students into two teams – one in support of the League of Nations and the other in opposition to it.
Visit Pearl Harbor
Virtual field trips are an easy and inexpensive way to explore places and events outside the classroom. When studying the reasons why the United States entered WWII, take a virtual field trip to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial.
When taking a virtual field trip, having students document information is key. I like to have each student create a camera. Then, as they see places and things on the virtual field trip, they draw pictures of what they see to store in their cameras. This activity is especially fun for visual learners.
Complete a Ration Activity
One of the Virginia Studies World War SOLs requires students to explain how Virginians supported the war effort. One of the ways Virginians did this was through rationing.
A rationing activity is an engaging way to incorporate math into your World Wars Lessons. For my ration activity, students receive a list of available items along with their point values. Students must determine what they will buy with their points and plan a week’s worth of meals using the purchased items.
The activity helps students to understand how Virginians had to plan and use limited resources sparingly.
Interview a Veteran
The Virginia Studies World Wars SOL encourages students to spend time reflecting on what veterans have done for our country and how they are honored.
To help students better understand that veterans are American citizens who have made sacrifices for our state and country, I have students interview a veteran for homework. If it would be difficult for your students to complete this activity outside of school, consider inviting veterans to your classroom to share their experiences of serving our country and their military roles.
Virginia Studies Review Activities
My final Virginia Studies World War lesson is always a day for students to play review games. There are two review activities that students always love for this unit: a task card game and an escape room.
Virginia Studies World Wars Task Cards
I like to play a Survivor-style game to get students up and moving during their review of Virginia Studies. For this game–
- Cut out two sets of task cards and flip them over so they are upside down in a large pile.
- Divide students into teams. Each team should form a line.
- When you say “go,” the first person in each line will run to the pile and find a card labeled “1.” They will take the card back to their team, and the team will write their answer on a worksheet.
- Then, the next person in line will take that card back to the pile and find the card labeled “2.”
- The game continues until the teams have found all of the cards and recorded their answers.
- Be sure to review each question and answer as a class.
I have a Virginia Studies: WWI and WWII Task Cards resource. The resource has 28 task cards that feature the types of questions that students will see on the Virginia Studies SOL test. Question types include multiple choice, multiple select, matching, and ordering events. The resource includes a PDF version and a self-checking digital version for Google Forms.
You can find a complete list of games to play with task cards HERE!
Virginia Studies World Wars Escape Room
It is no secret that I love using classroom escape rooms to teach Virginia Studies. I explain more about using classroom escape rooms to make history hands-on HERE.
My Virginia Studies World Wars Escape Room includes six challenges that incorporate math and critical thinking skills. As students complete each puzzle, they are reviewing the important people, places, and events that are part of the Virginia Studies SOL.
I continue to use escape rooms to review Virginia Studies because I frequently hear students discuss how much they enjoy these activities. Anytime a student is having fun learning, they are more likely to remember what they are learning.
At-Home Virginia Studies Review
Don’t forget to give students a study guide, so they can keep reviewing the SOL at home!
My Virginia Studies World Wars Study Guide includes three versions– one completed study guide, one for student completion with review worksheets, and one digital study guide. It also has 10 short-response questions that model the critical thinking questions on the SOL test.
Where to Find Virginia Studies Resources…
The activities described can be replicated in your classroom, but I know planning time is limited. If you’re short on time, I’ve got you covered! You can find all of my Virginia Studies World Wars lessons and activities in my store, including:
- Virginia Studies World War Unit: My unit includes detailed lesson plans, passages and comprehension questions, worksheets, digital activities, and assessments.
- Virginia Studies World War Task Cards
- Virginia Studies World War Escape Room
- Virginia Studies World War Study Guide
All of my Virginia Studies resources are also bundled together for a discounted price.
- Virginia Studies Curriculum Bundle: Includes all of my Virginia Studies unit plans.
- Virginia Studies Task Cards Bundle
- Virginia Studies Escape Rooms Bundle
- Virginia Studies Study Guides Bundle
The Virginia Teacher Club® is a one-of-a-kind program for upper elementary teachers in Virginia. Members receive instant access to a curriculum library of SOL-aligned math, science, social studies, and ELA resources. There are lesson plans, games, assessments, passages, digital activities, and more for EVERY SOL. By using the Virginia Teacher Club®, our members save hours of planning time every month and have access to high-quality, SOL-aligned resources that students love.
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