The document provides an activity for students to learn about totalitarian regimes like fascist Germany or communist Soviet Union. Students must pick one regime and analyze aspects like one party rule, human rights violations, secret police, and state supremacy over individual rights. They will be graded based on answering questions about modern American views of these issues and putting themselves in the role of Hitler or Stalin to explain their techniques. Students can complete a movie, children's book, skits, newspaper article, or other approved project. They must also submit a rubric evaluating their perspective and work quality.

1. Name:____________________________
Totalitarianism Activity Menu
What:
Students must pick either fascist Germany or the communist Soviet Union and look at:
- One party rule
- Systematic violation of human rights
- Secret police
- State supremacy over individual rights
- Role of private property
- Class structure
Perspective:
Students will be graded based on the information above and how they answer these questions:
- How do the majority of people today in the United States view the issues/techniques
above?
o Why do people feel that way?
o Have Hitler and Stalin influenced those feelings?
- Put yourself in the role of Hitler or Stalin.
o Why are you going to use the techniques above and how did they use them?
Activities:
Make sure that no matter which activity you pick, you answer the questions above.
You may pick from the following:
Create a movie using Write a children’s Create a series of
animoto.com (They book about what life skits that show each
can be full-length would be like for a technique in action
movies). See Mr. child experiencing and explain each one.
Lehr for these issues.
information.
Write an editorial Your Choice: Write a rap or song
newspaper article as Come up with your about Stalin or
if you lived during own unique way to Hitler and the
that time and talk show what you know. techniques they
about each (See Mr. Lehr for a used.
technique. list of projects and
you must get the
okay from Mr. Lehr
first!)

2. This must be turned in with your project!!
Enlightened Philosophers Rubric
Perspective – Credible
- How do the majority of people today in the
United States view the issues/techniques 15 points possible
above?
o Why do people feel that way?
o Have Hitler and Stalin influenced
those feelings?
- Put yourself in the role of Hitler or Stalin.
o Why are you going to use the
techniques above and how did they
use them?
Insightful: a penetrating and novel viewpoint;
effectively critiques and encompasses other plausible
perspectives
5 = A = 95%
Thorough: a revealing and coordinated critical view;
makes own view more likely by considering
the likelihood of other perspectives
4 = B = 85%
Considered: a reasonably critical and comprehensive
look at all points of view in the context of one's own;
makes clear that there is a likelihood to other points of
3 = C = 75%
view.
Aware: knows of different points of view and
somewhat able to place own view in perspective, but
weakness in considering worth of each perspective or
2 = D = 65%
critiquing each perspective, especially one's own
Uncritical: unaware of differing points view; prone to
overlook or ignore other perspectives; has difficulty
imagining other ways of seeing things
1 = F = 55%
Wiggins, Grant, and McTighe. Understanding by Design. 1st. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, 1998.

3. Ways I will do quality work for my project:
1. _____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
What I did that was quality work:
What I would do differently next time:
Student Grade: Teacher Grade:
Kryza, Kathleen. Practical Strategies for Differentiating Instruction. 1st. Bellevue, WA: Bureau of Education and Research, 2006.