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We are adding inquiry-based lessons every week and constantly seeking those that are already out there by others. If you have one to contribute, email us at remedialherstory@gmail.com.
Inquiries are provided in chronological order. Click here for How to Teach with Remedial Herstory Lessons. |
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The World War II Era: Women and the War Effort
"Nazi Propaganda Ideal of Motherhood." Neues Volk. Library of Congress. Last modified September 1937. Retrieved from United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/photo/nazi-propaganda-ideal-of-motherhood?parent=en%2F4164.
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Was Nazism anti-women?
Students will examine sources from historians and primary sources who discuss women in Nazi Germany before and during the war. How do they describe Nazi policies? How did Hitler and the Nazi's treat women? Helen Stephens, one of the sources included gave an oral history. You can listen or read the interview of her experience as an Olympian and witness to Nazi Germany here. 
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"No job for a woman: the women who fought to report WWII," NARA, photo, last modified 2013, https://www.neh.gov/news/press-release/2013-03-25.
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What were the human sacrifices on D-Day?
D-Day was the largest sea to land invasion in world history. It cost thousands their lives. In this inquiry, students examine primary source accounts from three women who were witness to the events of that day: Martha Gelhorn, Marie Louise Osmont, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Martha Gelhorn's full book is linked here, and Marie Louise Osmont's full diary is linked here.
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Lessons from Others
- Rosie the Rivetter
- Clio: Rosie the Riveter is one of the most iconic images from World War II. She represents women who took on industrial work for the duration of the war. Students will look at poster art to examine how women on the home front were represented as patriotic workers during World War II. They will learn about one of the most extraordinary propaganda campaigns in American history.
- Gilder Lehrman: Although often understated, the social, economic, and political contributions of American women have all had profound effects on the course of this nation. For evidence of this, one needs to look no further than the many roles that women have played during wartime. From the Revolutionary War's "Molly Pitcher" to the thousands of women serving the United States military today, women have not only had a direct impact on the conflicts of their times but have also successfully transformed such experiences into opportunities for future generations. Never was this more apparent than during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, more than 200,000 women served in the United States military, while over six million flooded the American workforce. Furthermore, countless women—single and married—supported the Allied war effort through activities like civic campaigning and rationing. Many American students are aware that women played a role in the Second World War. Unfortunately this knowledge is often limited only to images of "Rosie the Riveter" and the wives and mothers left to manage households on their own. This lesson is designed to introduce and promote an interest in the many essential roles that women carried out during World War II and how they did so with great success. The driving force of this lesson is a student project entitled "The Faces of War" (see both Activity Three and the Extension Activity of this lesson for further details).
- Clio: Rosie the Riveter is one of the most iconic images from World War II. She represents women who took on industrial work for the duration of the war. Students will look at poster art to examine how women on the home front were represented as patriotic workers during World War II. They will learn about one of the most extraordinary propaganda campaigns in American history.
- Women in the Service:
- Edcitement: In this lesson, students will explore the contributions of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during World War II. They will examine portrayals of women in World War II posters (and newsreels) and compare and contrast them with personal recollections of the WASPs. Students will gain an understanding of the importance of the WASP program, which enhanced careers for women in aviation. Students can also explore the EDSITEment Learning Lab collection "Breaking Barriers: Race, Gender, and the U.S. Military" to learn more about the contributions of women to multiple U.S. war efforts.
- Edcitement: In this lesson, students will explore the contributions of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during World War II. They will examine portrayals of women in World War II posters (and newsreels) and compare and contrast them with personal recollections of the WASPs. Students will gain an understanding of the importance of the WASP program, which enhanced careers for women in aviation. Students can also explore the EDSITEment Learning Lab collection "Breaking Barriers: Race, Gender, and the U.S. Military" to learn more about the contributions of women to multiple U.S. war efforts.