Lesson 4: Mass Atrocities and Total War
Duration of Days: 3
Lesson Objective
Students will explain how total war and ideological conflict contributed to mass atrocities during World War II.
How did total war affect civilian populations?
Why did genocides and mass atrocities occur during this period?
genocide, Holocaust, total war, war crimes, civilian targeting
APWH Unit 7 Topic 7.6
Skill 4.A
Reasoning Process: Contextualization
Evaluating claims and evidence in complex historical narratives.
This multi-day lecture synthesizes ideological warfare, civilian targeting, and genocide.
Purpose: Deep content understanding and contextualization
DOK: 2–3
Human rights, international law, and genocide prevention.
Students may believe genocides were spontaneous or isolated events.
Carefully curated sources; guided note-taking.
Checkpoint multiple-choice questions and structured reflection.
Lecture slides, survivor testimony excerpts