Hexagonal Thinking: Rise of the Dictators and WWII
A hands-on hexagonal thinking activity in which students cut out and connect cards on the Treaty of Versailles, the Great Depression, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and other causes of World War II. Pairs build cause-and-effect, thematic, and chronological links between events and explain each connection, making it a strong fit for a 7th-grade history block of about 45 minutes.
“hexagonal thinking activity”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use this as a collaborative review or introduction to the path to WWII after students have some background on the interwar period, in a 45-minute block with pairs working at tables.
- Discussion question: Which single event do you think made the rise of the dictators most likely, and what connections support your choice?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: provide a short timeline or a word bank of key terms, and have them start by linking only two or three cards before expanding the web.
- Extension for advanced students: ask them to add blank cards for events not listed, such as the Munich Agreement or the Spanish Civil War, and justify where those new cards connect.
- Estimated time: about 10 minutes to cut cards, 25 minutes to build and explain the web, and 10 minutes for a whole-class share-out.
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Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use this as a collaborative review or introduction to the path to WWII after students have some background on the interwar period, in a 45-minute block with pairs working at tables.
- Discussion question: Which single event do you think made the rise of the dictators most likely, and what connections support your choice?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: provide a short timeline or a word bank of key terms, and have them start by linking only two or three cards before expanding the web.
- Extension for advanced students: ask them to add blank cards for events not listed, such as the Munich Agreement or the Spanish Civil War, and justify where those new cards connect.
- Estimated time: about 10 minutes to cut cards, 25 minutes to build and explain the web, and 10 minutes for a whole-class share-out.
Hexagonal Thinking: Rise of the Dictators and WWII
A hands-on hexagonal thinking activity in which students cut out and connect cards on the Treaty of Versailles, the Great Depression, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and other causes of World War II. Pairs build cause-and-effect, thematic, and chronological links between events and explain each connection, making it a strong fit for a 7th-grade history block of about 45 minutes.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free