The activities in this set for the IBDP History classroom provide students with a dynamic and comprehensive approach to understanding the causes, key events, and outcomes of the lead-up to World War II. Through simulations, debates, mapping exercises, and creative projects, students engage deeply with the political, social, and economic factors that shaped the global conflict. These tasks foster critical thinking, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of the complexities of international relations during the 1930s.

Activity Names and Summations:

1. Timeline of Aggression
   Students create a timeline tracing the key events and acts of aggression by Japan, Italy, and Germany, leading up to World War II.
2. Debating Appeasement
   Students debate the policy of appeasement, exploring its motivations, consequences, and effectiveness in delaying the outbreak of war.
3. Role-Playing the Munich Conference
   Students simulate the Munich Conference of 1938, negotiating the fate of Czechoslovakia and exploring the dynamics of diplomacy.
4. Propaganda Analysis
   Students analyze propaganda from Japan, Italy, and Germany in the 1930s, examining how it justified expansionist policies and influenced public opinion.
5. Causes of War Jigsaw Activity
   Students collaborate to research economic, political, social, and ideological causes of the move toward global war, sharing findings in a jigsaw format.
6. Map the Expansion
   Students create maps illustrating the territorial expansions of Japan, Italy, and Germany during the 1930s, analyzing the global impact of these actions.
7. Simulation of the League of Nations
   Students participate in a simulation of the League of Nations, representing countries and negotiating responses to aggression by Japan, Italy, and Germany.
8. Documentary Project: From Manchuria to Munich
   Students create a documentary tracing the key events leading from Japan's invasion of Manchuria to the Munich Agreement, connecting events in Asia and Europe.
9. Economic Sanctions Case Study
   Students research a case study of economic sanctions imposed by the League of Nations, analyzing their effectiveness in preventing conflict.
10. Biography of a Dictator
    Students research and create a biography of a key dictator involved in the move toward global war, focusing on their actions, ideology, and impact.
11. The Road to War: A News Broadcast
    Students create and present a news broadcast reporting on a key event leading to World War II, simulating a modern news format.
12. Treaty Violations Timeline
    Students create a timeline documenting Germany's violations of the Treaty of Versailles in the 1930s, exploring how these actions contributed to the outbreak of war.
13. Comparative Analysis: European and Asian Aggression
    Students conduct a comparative analysis of the aggressive policies of Germany, Italy, and Japan in the 1930s, examining similarities and differences in their motivations and impacts.
14. Impact of the Great Depression on Global Conflict
    Students research the role of the Great Depression in shaping political and economic conditions that led to the rise of totalitarian regimes and global conflict.
15. Ethical Dilemmas: Choices Leading to War
    Students explore the ethical dilemmas faced by leaders in the 1930s, analyzing key decisions that contributed to the escalation of global tensions and the onset of World War II.