Title of lesson: Totalitarianism Type of lesson: Concept Formation

Your Name: Hopper

Length of lesson: 55 minutes

Overview:
This lesson plays on the students background knowledge, with what
totalitarianism means to them, based on what they have learned
previously, or what they have been told from their fami- lies. The
students will be asked to define totalitarianism by based on examples
provided and then be further challenged on their definition.
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
Define totalitarianism in their own words based on their
understanding, using examples
provided in class and by participating in class and group
discussions in order to create a
better basis of understanding.

Effectively question whether or not they would classify something

as totalitarianism in
order to have a better understanding of what encompasses itself in
the world totalitari- anism.
Standards (AZ and Common Core)
Concept 8: World at War
PO 5. Analyze Aspects of World War II:

a. political ideologies
(e.g. Totalitarianism, Democracy)
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary
source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas
develop over the course of the text. (9-10.RH.2)
Materials/Evidence/Sources:
Definition of Totalitarianism o One copy.

o These are included with the materials packet.

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o These are to be used as guides only. Do not feed the students these
examples. Copies of two sets of examples.
35 copies of each, per class.
One set of three (labeled as Examples to Determine Definitions)
One set of three (labeled as Examples to Challenge Definitions)
Concept: Totalitarianism

Definition:
A form of rule in which the government attempts to maintain total
control over society, includ- ing all aspects of the public and private
lives of its citizens
o Definition source(s):
o "Totalitarianism Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary."
Totalitarianism
Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary. Cambridge University
Press, 2017. Web. 04 Apr. 2017.
Critical Attributes:
o Rule by a single party
o Total control of the military
o Total control over means of communication (newspapers,
propaganda, etc) o control of the economy
o Police control with the use of terror as a control tactic

Instructional Sequence:
1.
2.
Give an overview of the lesson information to come, without telling
them the concept that they will be defining. (3 minutes)
1. We will be discussing a concept today that you may have heard of,
but many may not have a polished understanding of what it may mean.
So, I am going to show you an example and have you guess what
concepts we are discussing. We will define this concepts and I will give
you further examples to challenge your definition.
Playing the Video: (7 1/2 minutes)
1. I am going to play a video clip and Id like you all to think to
yourselves,

what this video is about.

2. Play the video clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn20oXFrxxg
Have the
video cued to to start at 1:30.
3. Ask the students, What do you think this video was about? ( 5
minutes)
1. From the video clip they should be able to guess totalitarianism.
However, if
they dont immediately guess terrorism, guide them to the term.
2. Once they guess totalitarianism, ask them to think what this concept:
totalitarianism means.
4. Pass out the first set of examples to the students and have the students
define totalitarianism

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based off of the given examples. (10 minutes)
1. Have the students work in their groups (their desks are already
arranged for
them to work in their assigned groups).
2. They should read all three examples and highlighted the important
similarities between the examples.
3. They should then use those similarities to define totalitarianism
within
their groups.
5. Define totalitarianism as a class. (5 minutes)
1. Bring the class together and ask each group to share what the
important larities between the examples were. Make sure each group
participates.
would come up with some or all of these critical attributes:
simi- Students

Rule by a single party

Total control of the military
Total control over means of communication (newspapers, propaganda,
etc)
control of the economy
control with the use of terror as a control tactic
2. Then ask the students to share the definitions their groups came up
with. 3. Write out the definition on the board.
4. Have the class come to an agreement on the definition.
5. Once the class has agreed, explain to them that you are going to have
them check their definition with three new examples.
6. Pass out the second set of examples to the students and have them test
their definition. (10 minutes)
1. Have the students work in their groups.
2. They should again read all three examples and discuss as a small
group whether or not the examples would be classified as totalitarianism.
7. Discuss the examples as a class. (5-10 minutes)
1. Bring the class together.
2. Ask about each example individually, whether or not it would be
classified as toltarianism or not.
3. Ask them why or why not.
4. Allow for debate on the examples.
5. Ask the students if this definition stand strong or if it should be
changed.
8. Write the final definition that the class comes up with on the board. (1
minute) 1. This should be the definition the students create.
2. Guide them to find this definition but do not give the definition to
them.
totali-
9. Ask the students, Was this an easy concept to define or was it bit
challenging, why? (3 minutes)
1. Show them the found definition. Ask if it aligns with the definition
that the class developed.
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10. Explain where we will be headed with this new unit and how this
concept will play a role. (3 minutes.)
1. We are going to be getting into a new unit that will bring us into the
present and looking into the future. This concept of totalitarianism I is in
the world today and play a huge role on the policies of our government
and will have a huge impact on your world as well.
2. So we will be looking at World War II and the global implications
that this war had on the world during its time and how it still affects us
to this day.
3. Therefore, this concept will help you to empathize with older
generations as well as understand how this concept still effects the
world. It is important for each of you, individually to understand and
determine your own definition.
4. So, think about your definitions. We will touch base on this concept
frequently throughout the Unit to come.
11. Assign the students their homework. (3 minutes)
1. Explain to the students that their homework will be to research and
find another prima- ry or secondary source that is depicting
totalitarianism.
2. The students should bring in a hard copy of their example.
3. They are not to use examples that were given in class today.
4. Remind the students that they are able to use their class materials to
guide
their research.
5. The students will turn in their homework at the beginning of their next
class.
12. Have the students hold onto their materials today.
1. They all have individual folders for this class. Make sure they hold
onto their
materials with their definitions.
2. Explain to them that we will be referring to the materials as the Unit
unfolds. So, it will be important for them to hold onto this.
Assessment:
Informal Assessment: I plan to asses the students based off of the
responses I receive in class. Since there isnt an exact answer, I feel that
it would only make sense to assess that I am guiding the students in the
right direction based off of their participation in the small groups and
whole class discussions. I further plan to activate prior knowledge, from
this lesson plan, before starting the lesson the next class to be sure that
the students do in fact have fully grasped the idea of what this term
means to them.
Formal Assessment: The students will research and bring in their own
primary or secondary source that is related to totalitarianism. This will
help me to see if the students understood the concepts presented today in
class.
Materials:

Totalitarianism:

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Definition:
A form of rule in which the government attempts to maintain total
control over society, includ- ing all aspects of the public and private
lives of its citizens
Definition source(s):
o "Totalitarianism Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary."
Totalitarianism
Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary. Cambridge University
Press, 2017. Web. 04 Apr. 2017.
Critical Attributes:
o Rule by a single party
o Total control of the military
o Total control over means of communication (newspapers,
propaganda, etc) o control of the economy
o controls every aspect of people's lives
o Police control with the use of terror as a control tactic

Key Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn20oXFrxxg start at 1:30 Sources
S. (2011, January 04). Donald Duck - Der Fuehrer's face | eng sub.
Retrieved April 09, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=bn20oXFrxxg
"Totalitarianism Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary."
Totalitarianism Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary.
Cambridge University Press, 2017. Web. 04 Apr. 2017.
Writer, L. G. (2013, October 28). What Are Some Examples of Places
Under Totalitarian Governments? Retrieved April 09, 2017, from http://
classroom.synonym.com/examples- places-under-totalitarian-
governments-10023.html

Examples to Determine Definition:

1. North Korea
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Kim Il-sung ruled North Korea from 1948 until his death in 1994. While
political leadership then passed on to his son, Kim Jong-il, and then in
2011 to his grandson, Kim Jong-un, Kim Il-sung is still considered
North Koreas Great Leader and eternal president. External human rights
organizations repeatedly report systematic human rights abuses
including torture, slave labor, infanticide and public executions. Foreign
aid agencies have estimated that economic mismanagement combined
with natural disasters have caused food shortages resulting in the death
of up to 2 mil- lion people since the mid-1990s. In addition to repressing
its own citizens, the North Korean regime does not cooperate with other
world powers or adhere to international treaties such as restrictions on
the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
2. China
On June 4, 1989, Chinese troops and security police fired on students
who had gathered in Tiananmen Square, in the center of Beijing, to call
for greater democracy, killing hundreds and arresting up to 10,000
people.
Although China in recent years has been making strides to become a
world economic power and show the international community that its
citizens enjoy social and cultural freedoms, political dissidents continue
to face imprisonment and censorship. To protest the lack of religious
freedom, at least 122 Tibetan monks, nuns and civilians have committed
self-immolation between 2009 and 2013. Over the same time period, at
least 53 Chinese across the country have set them- selves on fire to
protest the governments demolition of their homes.
While Chairman Mao Zedong was a totalitarian leader, despite current
examples of political repression, modern-day China is more accurately
described as an authoritarian state, as it does al- low its citizens some
personal freedoms.
3. Iraq
Iraq under Saddam Hussein was a totalitarian government, with
characteristic censorship, propaganda and terror tactics. Human rights
organizations reported hundreds of thousands of civilian executions
during Husseins reign, in addition to deaths caused by Husseins war
with Iran. As Iraq transitions to a democratic regime, human rights
abuses continue, especially against opposition activists and journalists.
Human Rights Watch has reported the torture of prisoners, secret
prisons, and the persecution of women and Shia communities. The
international community continues to work with organizations in Iraq to
establish a democratic society.
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Examples to Challenge Definitions:
1. Considered an absolute monarch, King Louis XIV worked to
increase royal authority, even claiming I am the state. He never
consulted the Estates General, or the council of representatives of
each social class. This meaning, that no legislative body played a
role in checking the royal authority. Louis XIV expanded
bureaucracy, or government officials, and built up the French army.
He regulated trade with mercantilist policies, bolstering the
economy. While Louis SIV exerted great control, he never never
censored the arts or media. Instead, he was considered a great
patron of the arts, they to build French culture.

2. Benito Mussolini came to power with the Fascists party in 1925.

He suppressed rival parties, rigged elections, imprisoned and/or
murdered his political opponents, and used censorship of the press
to maintain control. The state was to be all-important, and much
propaganda was used to influence the people to work in
accordance with state goals. Youth groups were formed to
influence fascist ideas onto children to ensure they followed strict
military discipline, parading around and chanting state approved
slogans, such as, Mussolini is always right. The Fascist party,
under Mussolini, seized control of the economy, controlling
industry, agriculture, and trade.

3. The New Deal was passed under the Presidency of Franklin D.

Roosevelt, who held his presidency from 1933 to 1945. While
President Roosevelt, a Democrat, served a Democratic Congress.
The government created jobs, regulated the stock market ad banks,
and created Social Security to provide pensions for the elderly.
Many critics resented the expansion of the role of the federal
government. While Roosevelt seemed all-powerful, his efforts to
get more Democrats into the Supreme Court were derailed and the
Supreme Court remained in the control of Republican justices.
After, a narrow defeat of the Republican Presidential candidate in
1944, Roosevelt died from a stroke in 1945, and his Vice-
President, Harry S. Truman became president.