Understanding the German Blitzkrieg

Understanding the German Blitzkrieg is essential to understanding how powerful Nazi Germany was in the early years of WWII as well as the response each country had to Germany's actions. Using a spider map, students will reflect the major impacts of the German Blitzkrieg in the early war. They should follow the 5 Ws model to create and answer a “Who, What, When, Where, and Why” style of question and accompany their answer with a visual representation.

Possible Questions

1. Who inspired the Blitzkrieg style of warfare?
2. What was the German Blitzkrieg?
3. When was the Blitzkrieg first used?
4. Where was the German Blitzkrieg most effective?
5. Why was the Blitzkrieg used?

Extended Activity

For this extended activity, students should present their spider maps to their peers with the goal of finding other peers that answered similar questions to the ones that they created and comparing their answers. Giving students a “KWL Chart” prior to this activity is helpful for them to reflect about what they “Know, Want to Know, and Learned” from this activity.

Student Instructions

Create a 5W analysis of the German Blitzkrieg: Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

1. Click "Start Assignment".
2. In the title box for each cell, type Who, What, When, Where and Why.
3. In the descriptions, answer the question.
4. Create an image for each cell with appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
5. Save and submit your storyboard.