Urban Warfare and S5 Coaching

Starter 22:

What are your perceptions of urban warfare?  How do you think it might differ from the more traditional warfare of WWI?  Think about tactics, weapons, strategy, soldier’s experience.

Siege of Stalingrad Background

1. Part of the Eastern Front:  Germans were pushing Eastwards, and the advance needed to be stopped.
2. On the river Volga, armies engaged.
3. June 1941-March 1942
4. Battle lasted 199 days, killed between 1.7 and 2 million soldiers and civilians.

Urban Warfare

3. Show clip of Enemy at the Gates, have students add to their descriptions of urban warfare. (Scene 2, 15 minutes).  Students look for differences between WWI footage/books and what they see here.
4. As a class, create a Venn diagram that shows the differences and similarities between this type of fighting and the type of fighting you saw in WWI.
5. Quickly review the end of Stalingrad:  11/42, 90% of the city destroyed by Germans, Soviets circle the city and trap Germans.  2/43, Germans surrender because of winter.

Slaughterhouse Five: Coaching

In coaching this text, your group should do the following, in this order.  First discuss, then write.

1.      Go through the book chapter by chapter.  For each chapter, answer the questions below.  Try to go beyond simplistic and concrete answer—dig deep!

a.       What is the most important point Vonnegut makes about war in this chapter?

b.      What is the most important thing you learned about Billy Pilgrim in this chapter?

c.       What questions does your group still have about this chapter?

2.      For the WHOLE BOOK….

a.       What point is Vonnegut trying to make with this book?

b.      What are 3 good discussion questions for the seminar on Monday?  (write these on an index card and give them to Sara)

Slaughterhouse Five: Seminar Prewrite  

Answer the following three questions.  Answers may be typed or handwritten.  The first question may be difficult…do the best you can!

1.      Summarize the plot of the novel in one paragraph

2.      Why does the author choose to include elements of science fiction in this war novel?  What effect is this meant to have on the reader?  Why not tell the story in a more straightforward fashion?

3.      Go through the text, and find what you think are the 5 most important passages.  List the page and paragraph numbers of the passages, with a one sentence explanation of why you think it’s important.

HOMEWORK

Finish Seminar Prewrite (see above for instructions).  Have ready at the start of class- it is your ticket into seminar.  DUE: Wednesday, start of class.