Teacher Process

Your students are ready to begin the Task. At this point the groups have been assembled, the roles in each task have been decided, and the theme has been approved at a meeting with the teacher.

The students should be reminded of the purpose of the project and that they will be graded on content, collaboration, and presentation skills. The resources provided below offer them an immediate and focused group of online links and they should be encouraged to use them as their primary sources. Online and/or text encyclopedias are not acceptable sources for Grade 10 work.

A follow-up evaluation form for the teacher is available on the Teacher Resources page. Please use it as a post-task tool to evaluate the 'Propaganda in Black and White' WebQuest.

 

Now that you have met with your group, and you have received the approval of your teacher, you can begin the process of evaluating propaganda for your final report. Remember, the United Nations is depending on you to present a clear, precise vision of how propaganda was used to draw nations into war during the 1930’s. The hope is that we can use this knowledge to see how it is being used by nations and terrorist organizations today. If we can shine the light of truth on such propaganda, perhaps we can neutralize its effects.  

 

1.  As a group you will research analyze THREE different types of propaganda from the World War II era.  The analysis of the propaganda pieces must include a description of the countries involved in the piece, the meaning of the piece, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the piece.

 

2.  There should then be discussion within the group to answer the following question: How will what you learned about propaganda in World War II help us to analyze propaganda in today's world situations?

 

3.  The group must next decide on how to present the information.  Once a group decision is made, one representative should ask the teacher for approval. 

 

4.  Once the group has approval, begin work on the final product. See Process 3 for the description of the criteria for the final product.  Remember to also look at the Evaluation page before starting the final product. 

 

 Final Product: You will present your final product to the class.  The final product must include an evaluation of at least THREE different types of World War II propaganda.  The final product should also include an assessment of the current world situation.  Your final product should answer the following question:  How will what you learned about propaganda in World War II help us to analyze propaganda in today's world situations?

You may choose to present the product in a variety of ways.  The group must decide on how the presentation will be conducted.  Keep in mind that you have to include a technology component – whether it be a power point, short video, or an animation. You may choose to add another component to make your presentation unique by creating a propaganda song for your country, drawing a propaganda poster, etc.  The final product presentation must be approved by the teacher in advance. 

Let's Begin

If you read the definition carefully you will see that two distinct types of propaganda. They are referred to as Black and White.

Black Propaganda is negative and it can be defined as

the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of injuring an institution, a cause, or a person.

An example of it is listed below:

 
"Beat back the Hun with Liberty Bonds"

 

 

It was created by the United States, during World War I, to promote the sale of Liberty Bonds by  demonizing the German army. 

White Propaganda is positive and it can be defined as spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping an institution, a cause, or a person. 

An example is listed below:  


"Milk ... new weapon of democracy!"

It was created by the United States government, in 1949, to bring attention to the Western democracies’ airlift of food and supplies to the western section of Berlin, Germany. The Soviet Army had closed all roads in and out of  Berlin in order to stop all food deliveries to the civilian population. This was done to force the democracies to accept a Communist government for the entire city.

As you look and/or listen to the various examples of propaganda you can use the following questions as a guide. 

  • Is it Black or White propaganda?
  • What is its purpose?
  • Is it effective?
  • In what ways?

It's time to reveal the answer to the quotation question from the Introduction page.. Quotation A is from Great Briatin and quoation B is from Nazi Germany.

 

 'The object is to destroy the morale of the enemy and to sustain the morale of our Allies within enemy and enemy-occupied countries, we must be creating and sustaining the will to victory under whatever pressures the enemy may exert. That is the function of the much abused word "propaganda" ...'

 

– Peter Ritchie Calder, director of the Political Warfare Executive, a branch of the British 'Ministry of Information' during World War II.

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people
from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."

- From Dr. Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda for German government (1933-1945).

Resources

Use the Resources below for your research. They have been pre-screened to ensure excellent and valuable content. Do not waste time by randomly searching the Internet. Do not use Wikipedia or other online encyclopedias. Your research requirements are now beyond such simple tools.

Websites




Joseph M. Bruccoli Great War Collection at University of South Carolina Libraries.