A Guide to Primary Resources for U.S. History : The Concept of Rationing Rutgers University: World War II Paraphenalia, from The Oral History Archives of WWII Why Ration? The Persuasion Campaign Northwestern University Library: World War II Poster Collection The Rationing Challenge British Broadcasting Corporation: The Children of World War II This exhibit presents digital artifacts of the rationing campaign (rationing books, ration tickets, etc.) mounted during World War II to insure the availability of U.S. goods for the overseas campaigns. (Primary source material). Students can look through the Concept of Rationing artifacts and respond to the following questions (in a journal entry, think-pair-share): a) Among the items listed in these artifacts, which would you find the hardest to give up? Which surprise you? b) If we had to begin rationing today for some reason, how do you think the rationed items would be different? Students can do the "Rationing Challenge" to get a sense for what it was like to buy groceries during WWII. The website is from the BBC, so the teacher would have to explain that the specifics of the rationing system were different in England and the United States, but the concept was the same.

The Concept of Rationing
Rutgers University: World War II Paraphenalia, from The Oral History Archives of WWII

Why Ration? The Persuasion Campaign
Northwestern University Library: World War II Poster Collection

The Rationing Challenge
British Broadcasting Corporation: The Children of World War II

Description: This exhibit presents digital artifacts of the rationing campaign (rationing books, ration tickets, etc.) mounted during World War II to insure the availability of U.S. goods for the overseas campaigns. (Primary source material).

Teaching Tips:

"Do Now" Suggestion

Students can look through the Concept of Rationing artifacts and respond to the following questions (in a journal entry, think-pair-share): a) Among the items listed in these artifacts, which would you find the hardest to give up? Which surprise you? b) If we had to begin rationing today for some reason, how do you think the rationed items would be different?

Suggestion for Using this Resource as Part of a Lesson

Students can do the "Rationing Challenge" to get a sense for what it was like to buy groceries during WWII. The website is from the BBC, so the teacher would have to explain that the specifics of the rationing system were different in England and the United States, but the concept was the same.