worldwar2_webquest

Webquest created by Sue Law || YOUR WORLD WAS AT WAR? ||
 * 
 * WHAT WOULD YOU FEEL LIKE IF[[image:iwojima_flag.gif]]
 * "Flag Raising on Iow Jima," Photo by Joe Rosenthal  ||
 * Imagine that you are 13 years old on December 7th, 1941. Your world is shaken when you hear that Pearl Harbor is attacked. Friends and family members soon leave home to fight in the second world war. Your own brother wants to sign up for the Army, but so far your mother has kept him home because of her fears. To add insult to injury, you’ve been told you have to ration the soap you use & won’t be able to take a bath or wash your hair as often as you like. Momma says only once a week!

**__Part 1 to be turned into your Science teacher:__** Your first goal is to figure out why in the world does the war affect soap of all things? Your mother doesn’t know, so visit the websites in Science Part I and write a letter to your mother explaining what makes soap such a special substance and why it is being rationed. Be sure to explain pH & the chemical terms “hydrophilic” and “hydrophobic” to her in a clear manner because she never went to high school.

**__Part 2 to be turned into your Social Studies teacher:__** Your second goal is to start a scrapbook that will help you remember this unique time in history. It should be detailed with pictures, artifacts and journaling that explain how you lived and how you feel about each of the items you have included. || **__Part 1 Online Resources:__**

[|WHAT IS NITROGLYCERIN?] [] Can you figure out the connection between soap rationing and nitroglycerin, the main ingredient in WWII explosive devices? (Hint: What does glycerin have to do with soap?)

[|ALFRED NOBEL INVENTS DYNAMITE] [] When Alfred Nobel was a teenager, he came across a dangerous chemical that changed his life and the lives of every soldier in WWII. Find out how he tried to make amends after he died.

[|ORIGIN OF SOAP] [] How can two dirty ingredients come together to make soap, a commodity of very short supply during WWII?

[|HOW SOAP WORKS] [] Take a look at these diagrams of soap molecules so you can figure out what makes it so great for cleaning up greasy dirt. Can you imagine what it would be like to have to ration, or limit, your use of soap like they did during World War II?

[|EXPERIMENT ONLINE: PH PANEL] [] You can test 12 common household substances at this website to find out whether they are acids or bases. Record each one in a chart, arranged from smallest to largest pH. Where is soap on the chart?

ACIDS AND BASES [] Do you know why vinegar and lemon juice taste sour? - because they are [|acids]. The term acid, in fact, comes from the Latin term //acere//, which means "sour.” Learn the chemical reactions behind acids and bases and how it relates to pH and why soap will sting if it gets in your eyes.

[|EXPERIMENT AT HOME: MAKE AN ANTI-BUBBLE] [] What's an anti-bubble? Check it out to find out and learn how to do it yourself at home.

**__Part 2 Online Resources:__**

[|A HISTORY OF FASHION AND DRESS] : [] Check out the bottom of this website where the author talks about fashion changes that were due to wartime rationing practices of the 1940's. Click on the links to find pictures and more info.

[[file://localhost/AMERICAN HOMEFRONT/ http/::teacher.scholastic.com:activities:wwII:ahf:life:index.htm [] Family life changed when husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons went to the fighting front, and home front life reflected that change. Wives wrote letters to their husbands overseas, and kids contributed to the war effort by collecting and recycling everything from paper to old pots and pans. Learn about scrap drives and more, as you explore the home front living room and kitchen.
 * AMERICAN HOMEFRONT: ]]

[|PERSONAL STORIES FROM WWII VETERANS] (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS) [] Did you know that dogs were recruited for service during the war... or that the speed limit was reduced to 35 mph in order to save gas and rubber? How long would it take you to get from Oak Forest to the city of Chicago if you couldn't drive 55 mph like we do now?

RATION [|BOOK EXAMPLES] [] Look at these examples carefully to figure out how things were rationed during WWII. What do you think you would do if you were asked to limit your use of soap or sugar to support the current war against terrorism?

[|NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC-REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR] [] Click on the slideshow to view photos, footage and firsthand accounts of the battle of Pearl Harbor.

[|WORLD WAR II PROPAGANDA, CARTOONS, FILM, MUSIC & ART] [] How did the US government promote the “war effort”? || ||