About This Lesson
Bring World War Two History to life with film! Teach about the Second World War using tools that work: strong visual storytelling in films that capture students’ attention and imagination.
Teach about World War II history using primary sources, personal stories, and the visual storytelling power of film. Featuring the codebreakers of Bletchley Park, the Tuskeegee Airmen, women at war and more, these award-winning documentary films and discussion guides work in classes across the curriculum for powerful project-based learning. They're great for teaching History, US History, UK History, and WWII History — and also Computers and IT, Health, Psychology, Trauma and Mental Health, Women’s History / Women’s Studies, and more.
These classroom-ready discussion guides include background information, questions for writing or discussion, and additional resources. Pick and choose what you want to use.
These are great resources to teach with on V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day, on May 8.
Index
- Breaking Enigma: A World War II Game Changer explores Code Breaking in War, Bletchley Park's Ecosystem of Success, Using Historical Spaces as Primary Sources, and The Legacy of Code Breaking in World War II. It also introduces the women who worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park. This WII History film is also useful for teaching with primary sources about Computers and IT, History, Social Studies, Women’s History, Women in Computing, and World History.
- Day of Days: June 6, 1944 introduces The D-Day Mission, and explores What Makes a Hero?, The Lingering Effects of War Trauma, and The Power and Importance of Personal Narratives. It's also useful for learning about trauma, mental health and mental wellness. [Note: This film deals with the realities of armed conflict. We recommend it for age 15+.]
- Her War, Her Story: World War II explores the variety of women's experiences in the war and features firsthand accounts from a cross section of women from the United States, England, France, and Germany.. The discussion guide includes sections on U.S. Women Recruited for the War Effort, How Identity Shaped Women’s Wartime Experiences, Code Breakers. and What Happened to Women After the War. This film is useful for teaching with primary sources bout Women's History, and it pairs well with Breaking Enigma .
- Miles, Morale, and Memories: Bob Hope and World War II introduces students to the amazing wartime entertainment efforts of Bob Hope who who performed for troops at U.S. bases around the world. The discussion guide explores the use of humor to build morale during difficult times and ways we can serve and support each other in hard times. It's a great tool for teaching about media literacy, laughter as medicine, morale, mental wellness and social-emotional learning!
- The Tuskegee Airmen: Return to Ramitelli highlights how the Tuskegee Airmen's courage in the skies not only contributed to Allied victory, but also challenged stereotypes at home, paving the way for racial integration in the U.S. military and influencing the broader Civil Rights movement. It's a powerful tool for or teaching with primary sources about Black History, Civil Rights, History, Social Studies, US History, and World History.
Get information on teaching with these films and where to watch them from Journeys in Film.
To learn more about teaching with primary sources in history classes and across the curriculum, check out our free webinar series Stories That Connect: Using Film and Primary Sources to Build Belonging.
