World War II
Teacher Resources

World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb

Illustrated by Sam Carbaugh
Why did the world find itself immersed in another global conflict only two decades after World War I? World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb introduces kids ages 12 to 15 to the political, military, and cultural forces that shook the globe from 1939 to 1945 and beyond. Middle school students examine the events leading up to, during, and after WWII and the repercussions of these events on populations around the world, from Germany's invasion of Poland to the resulting domino fall of events that engaged several countries and caused the deaths of 60 million people, including 40 million civilians. They also see how the dark side of Hitler's ideology was always present, eventually resulting in the Holocaust, the systematic murder of 11 million people, including 6 million Jews and other populations. Through primary sources, essential questions, and engaging text, readers gain a comprehensive understanding of the politics, the economics, the strategy, and the human experience of this global conflict. What did the world learn from World War II? Could World War II ever happen again? Try these hands-on projects and investigations!
  • Deconstruct patriotic songs of the era
  • Examine maps of Europe, Asia, and Africa during different time periods
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Reviews

The Children’s War Blog
"Why is World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb such a stand out book for teaching upper middle grade and high school students about WWII? Like all the books in the Inquire & Investigate series, this is an interactive text that gives enough information about each topic, designed to get kids to explore more in depth and to help them understand the causes, the aftermath, and consequences of a war of global magnitude. Along with photographs and maps, each chapter has sidebars with additional information and vocabulary labs, key questions, and prompts for more exploration. There are also pages with projects about different aspects of the war to inquire and investigate.

Pair this this with The Holocaust: Racism and Genocide in World War II by Carla Mooney and Great World War II Projects You Can Build Yourself Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt for an in-depth study of WWII.

If you are a teacher or just interested in WWII history, I can't recommend these books highly enough." Read the entire review online. 

Praise for other books in the series

The Holocaust
Booklist
"This informative history of the persecution of the Jewish population during WWII begins by covering anti- Semitism from its beginnings through the Holocaust. It recounts Hitler's rise to power, his founding of the Nazi party, and the increasing prejudices shown during that period toward Jews and others, such as the Romani people. It explains how these prejudices led to the Final Solution, the systematic mass murder of the Jews in concentration camps.  Readers will gain an understanding of why they must ensure that genocide on any scale never happens again. This is a good overview of the topic for middle-grade history classrooms."

The Children’s War Blog
“This history of the Holocaust is such a complicated, often confusing history that teaching it can be difficult - especially to upper elementary/middle school students. Most students have read novels that take place during World War II and the Holocaust, and while they certainly help to explain things, teaching the facts can still be difficult. How do you reckon the intentional destruction of 11 million people, including the attempted extermination of the entire Jewish race, 6 million of whom did indeed die at the hand of the Nazis, with the desire of one man bent on achieving his own ends of creating a master race.

So what makes this book different? The Holocaust: Racism and Genocide in World War II is not a book where the student passively receives information. This is an interactive book that helps readers understand the Holocaust using the Inquire and Investigate section found at the end of each chapter. Students are taught the use and value of primary sources, and there are activities for them that pertains to the particular chapters being studied. . .” Read the complete review online.

Human Migration
National Science Teachers Association Recommends
"I highly recommend this well written book. It covers topics in all of the sciences, from anthropology, to environmental science to biology as well as history and geography. This would be an excellent resource book for the middle school teacher."

Publishers Weekly
"The story of human migration is an old tale, far older than the written world," explains Cummings in this exploration of the global movements of people throughout history, part of the Inquire and Investigate series. Alongside playful comic strip entries from Casteel, Cummings looks at migratory patterns that include early Homo sapiens leaving Africa, scientific debate over how humans traveled from Asia to Australia, and the colonization of the New World. Throughout, Cummings notes how archaeological finds shed light on people's patterns of movement and highlights the motivations behind migration, whether forced or voluntary. Sidebars, reader-directed questions, and activity ideas offer additional ways for readers to consider how recent instances of migration from countries like Syria compare to those from centuries past. A timely and useful resource."

 

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Detailed Book Description

Why did the world find itself immersed in another global conflict only two decades after World War I?

World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb introduces kids ages 12 to 15 to the political, military, and cultural forces that shook the globe from 1939 to 1945 and beyond. Middle school students examine the events leading up to, during, and after WWII and the repercussions of these events on populations around the world, from Germany's invasion of Poland to the resulting domino fall of events that engaged several countries and caused the deaths of 60 million people, including 40 million civilians. They also see how the dark side of Hitler's ideology was always present, eventually resulting in the Holocaust, the systematic murder of 11 million people, including 6 million Jews and other populations.

Through primary sources, essential questions, and engaging text, readers gain a comprehensive understanding of the politics, the economics, the strategy, and the human experience of this global conflict. What did the world learn from World War II? Could World War II ever happen again?

Try these hands-on projects and investigations!

  • Deconstruct patriotic songs of the era
  • Examine maps of Europe, Asia, and Africa during different time periods
Available In:
Hardcover, $22.95
9781619306554
Paperback, $17.95
9781619306578
Includes: Table of Contents | Timeline | Maps | Glossary | Resources | Index
Specs: 8 x 10 size | 4-color interior | 128 pages
Subject: Social Studies
Content Focus: World History

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Timeline

Introduction
What Was the Second World War?

Chapter 1
The First World War

Chapter 2
Hitler’s Rise to Power

Chapter 3
The War in Europe

Chapter 4
The Bombing of Pearl Harbor

Chapter 5
War in the Pacific and Asia

Chapter 6
War’s End

Chapter 7
Legacies of World War II

Glossary
Resources
Index