They were highly skilled and extremely deadly; they were the snipers of World War Two.

In this one-time class, we will critically analyze the lives of five famous snipers from World War Two: Vassili Grigoryevich Zaitsev, Roza Georgiyevna Shanina, Matthäus Hetzenauer, Simo Häyhä, and Lyudmila Mykhailivna Pavlichenko. Although some may be remembered as heroes for their war effort, many would be horrified over their certain set of skills.

We will take a glance at their training, skillsets, and how they managed to become known around the world for their sharpshooting abilities. Were they remembered as heroes or as murderers? Did they survive the war or did they meet their own deadly fate? Were they willing or forced into the position of a sniper? How do ordinary people go from hunting animals to hunting the enemy? These are some of the questions we will consider when critically analyzing these soldiers. 

Students will be guided through a slideshow presentation to learn about each of these five World War Two snipers. This lesson is intended to be educational but to also encourage discussion. Students are not required to have any previous knowledge on the topic. Please let me know if you have any questions in advance.