Lesson Plan | Socioemotional Learning | World War I: Background

Objectives

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this stage of the Socioemotional Lesson Plan is to provide a clear and structured overview of what will be addressed during the lesson, allowing students to understand the importance of the topic and the skills they will develop. By defining specific objectives, a focused learning environment is created, facilitating the connection between historical knowledge and the development of students' socioemotional competencies.

Main Goals

1. Understand the historical background that led to the outbreak of World War I.

2. Identify the main conflicts and alliances formed before and during World War I.

3. Analyze the impact of World War I in the post-war period and its socioeconomic and political consequences.

Introduction

Duration: (20 - 25 minutes)

Emotional Warm-up Activity

Guided Meditation for Focus and Concentration

The chosen emotional warm-up activity is Guided Meditation. This practice involves directing students' attention to the present moment, using breathing and visualization techniques to calm the mind and prepare students for learning. Guided Meditation helps promote focus, presence, and concentration, essential elements for a productive and meaningful class.

1. Preparation of the Environment: Ask students to sit comfortably in their chairs, keeping their backs straight and feet flat on the floor. Instruct them to close their eyes to avoid visual distractions.

2. Initial Breathing: Have students take a deep breath in through their nose, filling their lungs completely, and then slowly exhale through their mouth. Repeat this process three times to help relax.

3. Attention Guidance: Begin to guide them with a calm and soft voice, asking them to direct their attention to their breathing. Instruct them to feel the air entering and exiting their nostrils, noticing the movement of their chest and abdomen.

4. Visualization: Lead a simple visualization, such as imagining themselves in a peaceful place, like a beach or a flower-filled field. Describe the details of this place, the colors, sounds, and sensations.

5. Gradual Return: After a few minutes, ask students to start bringing their attention back to the classroom environment. Instruct them to slowly move their fingers and toes, and when they feel ready, to open their eyes.

6. Reflection: Ask students how they feel after the meditation, encouraging them to share their experiences and sensations.

Content Contextualization

World War I was one of the most impactful events of the 20th century, affecting millions of lives and radically transforming global society. Understanding the background of this conflict is crucial to comprehend how political, economic, and territorial rivalries can escalate into major tragedies. Analyzing this period helps develop social awareness and empathy, as it allows students to reflect on the emotions, motivations, and decisions of the individuals and nations involved.

Furthermore, by exploring the background of World War I, students will have the opportunity to develop self-awareness and social skills, by recognizing how emotions and past decisions echo in the present. Understanding these historical and emotional aspects can inspire a more responsible and critical stance regarding the decisions we make today, both individually and collectively.

Development

Duration: (60 - 75 minutes)

Theoretical Framework

Duration: (20 - 25 minutes)

1. Historical Context of the Late 19th Century and Early 20th Century: Explain the political, economic, and social situation of the major European powers at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Highlight imperialism, heightened nationalism, and rivalries among powers.

2. Alliance System: Detail the alliance system formed in Europe, such as the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, Russia, and the United Kingdom). Explain how these alliances aimed to ensure security but also heightened tensions.

3. Pre-War Crises: Describe the crises leading up to the war, such as the Moroccan Crisis (1905 and 1911), the Balkan Wars (1912-1913), and the Bosnian Crisis (1908-1909). Explain how these events contributed to increasing tensions among European powers.

4. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand: Relate the key event that triggered World War I, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist.

5. Declaration of War and Expansion of the Conflict: Explain how the assassination led to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia and how the alliances formed resulted in the expansion of the conflict into a world war. Detail the mobilization of troops and the initial confrontations.

6. Consequences of World War I: Address the immediate and long-term impacts of the war, such as economic devastation, territorial changes in Europe, the Russian Revolution, and the establishment of the League of Nations.

Socioemotional Feedback Activity

Duration: (30 - 35 minutes)

Debate on the Emotions and Decisions in World War I

Students will be divided into groups to discuss the emotions and decisions of the leaders and nations involved in the events leading up to World War I. They will analyze how these emotions influenced the decisions made and reflect on how different decisions could have changed the course of history.

1. Group Division: Divide the class into groups of 4 to 5 students.

2. Role Distribution: Each group will receive a specific role (for example, Germany, France, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Serbia) and will need to analyze the emotions and decisions of that country at the time.

3. Analysis and Discussion: Ask the groups to discuss the predominant emotions (fear, distrust, nationalism) and how these emotions influenced political and military decisions.

4. Decision Comparison: Instruct the groups to imagine how different decisions could have changed the course of events. For example, what might have happened if Austria-Hungary had not declared war on Serbia?

5. Presentation of Results: Each group will present their conclusions to the class, highlighting the identified emotions and the possible changes in historical events.

Group Discussion

After the presentations, guide a group discussion using the RULER method. Start by asking students to recognize the emotions they identified in the leaders and nations during the pre-war events. Then encourage them to understand the causes of these emotions and their consequences on the decisions made.

Ask students to name the emotions accurately, discussing whether they were emotions of fear, distrust, national pride, etc. Encourage them to express their own emotions and reflections on what they learned from the activity and how it relates to their own experiences and decisions. Finally, discuss ways to regulate these emotions effectively, both in the historical context and in their personal lives, promoting more responsible and balanced decision-making.

Conclusion

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

Emotional Reflection and Regulation

Suggest students write a reflection or participate in a group discussion about the challenges faced during the lesson. Ask them how they felt addressing the background of World War I and how they managed the emotions triggered by the debates and activities. Encourage them to think about how emotions influenced their decisions and interactions during the lesson.

Objective: The objective of this subsection is to encourage self-assessment and emotional regulation. By reflecting on the challenges faced in the lesson and how they managed their emotions, students can identify effective strategies for dealing with challenging situations, both in the academic context and in their personal lives. This promotes the development of self-awareness and self-control, essential competencies for emotional intelligence.

Closure and A Look Into The Future

At the end, ask students to set personal and academic goals related to the lesson content. Explain that these goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, an academic goal might be to deepen their study of one of the pre-war events, while a personal goal might be to work on regulating emotions during debates.

Possible Goal Ideas:

1. Deepen the study of a specific event that preceded World War I.

2. Work on the regulation of emotions during debates and group discussions.

3. Develop a presentation on the socioeconomic consequences of World War I.

4. Practice identifying and naming emotions in different historical contexts.

5. Collaborate with classmates on a research project about alliances formed before the war. Objective: The objective of this subsection is to strengthen students' autonomy and the practical application of learning. By setting personal and academic goals, students are encouraged to continue developing their socioemotional competencies and historical knowledge in an autonomous and proactive manner. This also helps consolidate the learned content and promotes continuity in their academic and personal development.