Camp Hearne Learning Resources
Camp Hearne offers educators the opportunity to teach outside the classroom in a controlled environment that reinforces our US and Texas histories during an extraordinary time. Topics need not be limited to history. Planting a victory garden has plenty of learning opportunities in nutrition and earth science. Navigating to the prisoner-built fountains opens the door to mapping and math. Discussing the Geneva Conventions is a chance to review governments and social studies. Examining a 1942 world map in the exhibit can lead to a geography lesson.
We have included only a few initial lesson plans for 5th, 7th, and 11th grade students. We plan to develop many more. We hope you not only consider these plans and visit our historic site, but let us help you design programs that best meet the needs of your students.
Each plan will provide pre-visit preparatory suggestions, a day-visit itinerary with student learning activities and a post assessment/evaluation. With your ideas and help, our partnership will help many teachers and students attain an exceptional visitor experience and learning opportunity.
FIFTH GRADE: World War II on the Home Front: How Americans United to Win the War
Students will learn about the herculean efforts Americans at home made to conserve and collect materials and turn them into the essentials of war (weapons, uniforms, consumables) and how they housed enemy POWs in their own backyards to keep them off the field of battle.
Click here for Lesson Plan (PDF)
SEVENTH GRADE: How Texans Helped to Win the War: Texans in WWII
Students will learn that Texans made a significant contribution to the US war effort in World War II. Whether home front support in materials, manpower or agriculture or wartime heroes, Texans responded and served gallantly.
Click here for Lesson Plan (PDF)
Click here for Map Activities (PDF, 3 Mb)
ELEVENTH GRADE: The World Goes to War: Causes and Key Players of World War II
World War II was truly a global conflict of unparalleled proportions. In this lesson, students will learn about the scope of World War II and the lessons it still teaches today by studying the war’s causes and its major players from heads of state to leaders on the fields of battle, both land and sea.
Click here for Lesson Plan (PDF)
Texas Historical Commission Learning Resources
The Texas Prisoner of War Camps Lesson Plan In this lesson correlated to 7th grade TEKS, learners analyze the establishment, operation, and economic impact of Texas WWII prisoner of war camps located at Camp Hereford, Camp Huntsville, and Camp Swift.
The Prisoners of War in Texas Lesson Plan In these four lessons correlated to high school U.S. History TEKS, learners analyze the role of the Geneva Convention in the establishment of Texas POW camps during WWII, the treatment of POW camp prisoners, and the economics of POW camps to understand the immediate and continuing legacy of these camps in both Texas and U.S. history.
Rationing on the Home Front In 1942, the United States was in the middle of World War II. That year, the U.S. government implemented rationing programs that limited citizens’ personal food and supplies in order to provide adequate provisions and supplies for soldiers abroad. In this grade 7 activity from the Eisnehower Birthplace State Historic Site, learners experience the history of the rationing programs and the challenge of buying food and supplies with ration coupons and a limited budget.
Other Student/Educator Learning Resources
The National WWII Museum (New Orleans, LA)/ Students & Teachers website
US Library of Congress – Classroom Materials