German Prisoners of War in Alabama

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

Overview

Students will read, analyze, and annotate a secondary source, World War II POW Camps in Alabama. They will use the information to write one to two paragraph summaries (postcards) from German POW perspectives. The summaries will include information about the camps in Alabama, daily routines, prisoner treatment, educational and work opportunities, and how the cities and people of Alabama were affected by the camps.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.

Phase

After/Explain/Elaborate

Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 6

SS10.6.7
Identify changes on the American home front during World War II.

Vocabulary

internment camp
rationing
Birmingham steel industry
Port of Mobile
Tuskegee Airmen
retooling

Knowledge

Students know:

The types of rationing that occurred in the United States during WWII.

Skills

Students are able to:

Cite evidence to support changes on the home front using primary and secondary sources.
Evaluate the contributions of significant individuals and/or groups in the US during WWII.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Many changes occurred in the United States during WWII.

Learning Objectives

Students will write one to two paragraph summaries, describing life within the Alabama Prisoner of War camps.
Students will discuss how the home front, including farms and nearby towns, were changed by the establishment of German POW camps in Alabama.

Activity Details

The teacher should ask the students what they thought happened to the thousands of prisoners that the Allies captured.
The teacher should ask if the students would consider having a POW camp in their town. Would there be any benefits? Disadvantages?
Distribute the article about the Alabama POW camps and tell the students they will be writing summaries from a German's perspective (postcards).
Encourage the students to highlight and annotate details about the location of the camps, the daily routines, work and educational opportunities, and how the camps affected the cities and Alabamians.
Allow the students to share their thoughts with a partner before leading a class discussion. What was most interesting? What was surprising? How do the WWII POW camps differ from war camps today?
Distribute a 5x7 inch index card to each student. Allow time for the students to write a postcard home from a German POW's perspective, describing the camp, their daily routine, and work and educational opportunities. They should also include any information about the nearby cities and any Alabamians they would have encountered.

Assessment Strategies

After students have finished writing, allow them time to share with a partner.
Ask for volunteers to share their postcards with the class.
Teachers may document/grade article annotations.
Postcards may be graded for accuracy and thoroughness of information, creativity, and grammar.

Variation Tips

If computers and printers are available, students may print Camp Aliceville POW camp photographs for the fronts of the postcards.
Students may illustrate their own postcards.

Background / Preparation

Students should have some background information about the capture of prisoners by both the Axis and Allied powers.
Students should be introduced to World War II military bases in Alabama.

Encyclopedia of Alabama: World War II POW Camps in Alabama

http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1418

Approved Date

2018-07-13

Owner (Author)

lesaroberts

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