WORLD WAR II LETTER

A Research & Writing Assignment

YOUR MISSION

As your character, you will write a letter and gather photos of your experiences during the war. You can create a poster or hand in your information as packet.

YOUR TASKS

1.What was your character doing during World War II?

  • Select a situation/occupation from the attached list. If you can think of something that isn’t on the list, just let me know.

2.Research & Bibliography

  • Using the Research Organizer, find a minimum of two book sources and one internet source to help you find information, pictures and photographs for your project.
  • The Bibliography must be completely filled out on the front of your Research Organizer.

3.Write a 1 page (handwritten) letter as if you were your character, describing your experiences during World War II. The following requirements must be included

  • Describe your life during the war, or the particular experience you researched
  • 2 most important events of the war for you
  • How the experiences of the war have changed you
  • Hopes for the future (family, job, the war itself)

4.Photo of your character – what might they have looked like?

5.Propaganda – select one piece of propaganda that would have been important to your character. Briefly explain why you chose it.

WHAT WAS YOUR CHARACTER DOING DURING

WORLD WAR II?

Select 1 from the list below as the basic topic for your letter. Your selection should make logical sense with your character! If you can think of something else, just check with me first.

The European Theater

Operation Torch (North African campaign)

  • Soldier in Tunisia

Operation Husky (Italian campaign)

  • Soldier at Anzio
  • Soldier at Cassino
  • Soldier at Sicily

Operation Overlord (D-Day)

Soldier at the liberation of Paris

Soldier at the Battle of the Bulge

Concentration Camp liberator

Bomber Plane crew

Tuskegee Airman

WAC – Women’s Army Corps

Army Doctor

Army Nurse

Radio news reporter

The Pacific Theater

Sailor on an aircraft carrier

Sailor on a submarine

Soldier at Guadalcanal

Soldier at Iwo Jima

Soldier at Okinawa

Sailor at the Battle of Midway

Navajo Code-Talker

Air Force – on board the Enola Gay

WAC – Women’s Army Corps

Navy Doctor

Navy Nurse

Radio news reporter

The Homefront

Factory Worker

USO performer

Scientist working on the Manhattan Project

Japanese-American sent to Internment Camp

Office of War Information worker (propagandist)

Office of Strategic Services (spying/intelligence)

Neighborhood Rationing and Drives coordinator

Day Care provider

Fashion designer

Student

WORLD WAR II LETTER RUBRIC

A / B / C / D
LIFE DURING THE WAR
Thorough and realistic details; choice is logical for your character; research is thorough / 48 / 42 / 38 / 32
IMPORTANT EVENTS
Events are well chosen; thorough details; realistic personal reaction / 24 / 21 / 19 / 16
HOW HAS THE WAR CHANGED YOU?
Realistic and we—detailed; shows understanding of the impact of World War II
/ 24 / 21 / 19 / 16
HOPES FOR THE FUTURE
Realistic and well-detailed / 24 / 21 / 19 / 16
IMAGES
Photograph is well-chosen, and accurately depicts your character’s life; Propaganda is well-chosen, explanation is logical / 24 / 21 / 19 / 16
WRITING
Writing is fluid; rare mechanical errors; letter format is followed consistently / 24 / 21 / 19 / 16
RESEARCH ORGANIZER
Research organizer is complete; assigned number of sources used; bibliography is complete and correct / 48 / 42 / 38 / 32

TOTAL POINTS = ______out of 225 = _____%