A Series of Lessons on Wilmington, NC, WWII Heritage City

The Launching of the SS Charles Pinckney on May 10, 1942 by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Co. in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Courtesy of New Hanover County Public Library

Introduction

All three lessons, and the culminating lesson, support the development of understanding the significance of Wilmington, NC as a WWII heritage city: its contributions to home front efforts such as defense manufacturing, civilian involvement, and Armed Forces presence. The lessons highlight specific Wilmington area landmarks and contributions but connect to larger themes and understandings of the U.S. home front during wartime.

A collection of standards covered in the lesson collection is listed beneath the lesson links. Objectives for each lesson, materials, and resources are listed within the lesson. Each lesson also integrates information and encourages understanding of the impact of segregation in the South during wartime and the contribution of African Americans. Women’s home front roles are also highlighted.

The first three lessons listed can be taught individually or collectively, in any order. The final lesson supports students in combining learning across the three lessons, and/or comparison to other WWII home front cities in a culminating activity.

Lessons (with WWII home front topics):

N.C. Shipbuilding Co.

• Defense manufacturing

Armed Forces Presence

• Camps, airfields, civil defense preparedness

United Service Organizations, Inc. (U.S.O.)

• Wartime recreation, volunteer participation

Wilmington, NC: Comparing and Connecting

Positioning these Lessons in the Curriculum

Time period: World War II
Topics: World War II, segregation, women’s history, African American history
United States History Standards for Grades 5-12
This lesson relates to the following National Standards for History from the UCLA National Center for History in the Schools:
Era 8: The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945)
Standard 3: The causes and course of World War II, the character of the war at home and abroad, and its reshaping of the US role in world affairs
Curriculum Standards for Social Studies
This lesson relates to the following Curriculum Standards themes for Social Studies from the National Council for the Social Studies:
Theme 2: Time, Continuity, and Change
Theme 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions 
Theme 8: Science, Technology, and Society
Theme 9: Global Connections
Relevant Common Core Standards 
This lesson relates to the following Common Core English and Language Arts Standards for History and Social Studies for middle and high school students:

Key Ideas and Details
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-12.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY. RH. 6-12.2

Craft and Structure
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-12.4

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-12.7
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-12.9

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH. 6-12.10
 

For more information see Places of WWII History in Wilmington, North Carolina (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).