Cold War Responsibilty Lesson Plan
Goals & Objectives
Goals:
Students will work in small groups to analyze Primary Source documents from the Cold War.
Students will be able to use their understanding of the origins of the Cold War and determine who, either the U.S. or Soviet Union, is more responsible for starting the conflict.
Objectives:
Working in small groups, students will demonstrate their understanding of responsibility for the Cold War through a jigsaw type discussion using Primary Source documents.
Following the jigsaw discussion, students will independently receive instructions for a mock newspaper article determining responsibility for the Cold War using evidence from the primary sources used in the discussion.
Students will work in small groups to analyze Primary Source documents from the Cold War.
Students will be able to use their understanding of the origins of the Cold War and determine who, either the U.S. or Soviet Union, is more responsible for starting the conflict.
Objectives:
Working in small groups, students will demonstrate their understanding of responsibility for the Cold War through a jigsaw type discussion using Primary Source documents.
Following the jigsaw discussion, students will independently receive instructions for a mock newspaper article determining responsibility for the Cold War using evidence from the primary sources used in the discussion.
California State Content Standards
11.9.3 - Trace the origins and geopolitical consequences (foreign and domestic) of the Cold War and containment policy, including the following: • The era of McCarthyism, instances of domestic Communism (e.g., Alger Hiss) and blacklisting • The Truman Doctrine • The Berlin Blockade • The Korean War • The Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis • Atomic testing in the American West, the “mutual assured destruction” doctrine, and disarmament policies • The Vietnam War • Latin American policy.
Common Core Literacy Standards
- RH1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
- RH 9. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
- WHST 1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
- Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counter- claims, reasons, and evidence.
- WHST 5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades 11–12.)
Driving Historical Questions
- Was the U.S. or Soviet Union more responsible for starting the Cold War?
- What evidence can be used to support your claim?
- Can these documents accurately determine who is primarily responsible?
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 5 minutes
Hook: The class will watch a short YouTube video summarizing several key figures and statistics regarding the U.S. and Soviet Union’s involvement throughout the Cold War.
Following the video, students will work in pairs to complete a short timeline activity written in their notes, that has them place specific Cold War events into chronological order. This is ungraded, but I want to assess their holistic understanding of important Cold War events.
Events include: Yalta Conference, Japanese WWII surrender, Marshall Plan announcement, Berlin blockade beginning, NATO treaty ratification, Chinese communist takeover, Korean War, Warsaw Pact, Cuban Missile Crisis, and Bay of Pigs Invasion.
Following the video, students will work in pairs to complete a short timeline activity written in their notes, that has them place specific Cold War events into chronological order. This is ungraded, but I want to assess their holistic understanding of important Cold War events.
Events include: Yalta Conference, Japanese WWII surrender, Marshall Plan announcement, Berlin blockade beginning, NATO treaty ratification, Chinese communist takeover, Korean War, Warsaw Pact, Cuban Missile Crisis, and Bay of Pigs Invasion.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖ Time: 10 minutes (homework)
As homework students will be instructed to input the unit’s vocabulary and academic language terms into their Quizlet account and create a set of online flashcards they can use to review the terms anywhere they have an electronic device. Students must show the teacher the completed Quizlet cards the following day.
Unit Terms include:
Unit Terms include:
- Coalition
- Animosity
- Antagonism
- Subsumed
- Monarchist
- cogently
- indignation
- Guerilla
- United Nations
- Satellite Nations
- Iron Curtain
- Containment
- Truman Doctrine
- Berlin Airlift
- Marshall Plan
- Yalta Conference
- NATO
- Warsaw Pact
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) ‖ Time: 30 minutes (Same as Student Engagement)
Small group discussion – Jigsaw Method Communication – The teacher will instruct students as to how the jigsaw discussion will work before students are split into predetermined groups. Students will become part of two small groups, preferably four students each, with an “expert group” where they begin the activity and a “teaching group” where they teach other students about the significance of their primary source. This discussion method is useful because students feel more accountable when they know they are responsible for teaching the content to other peers. Student grouping will be predetermined by the teacher to promote participation from all students and balance the dynamic of each group so that each group contains selected ELL, average and gifted students, striving readers, and students with special needs. These balanced groups will highlight the skillset that each student brings to the discussion and ensure deeper engagement.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) ‖ Time: 30 minutes
Students will closely read and evaluate one of four primary source documents in their first group. Each student in the first group has a different document to analyze. These documents include an excerpt from each of the following: Winston Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech, the Truman Doctrine speech, a telegram sent from a Soviet ambassador to Moscow, and a letter from former Vice President Henry Wallace to President Harry Truman. While in their expert group, students will spend time reviewing the document and answering written questions on a worksheet, see attached.
Once all students have sufficiently completed their written questions for their source, students will move into their “teaching group” and will spend time teaching their group members about the significant aspects of their source. Each student will have time to teach their peers about their particular document. When students are not “teaching” they will be listening closely to the speaker, thinking of questions to ask about the document, and answering written questions associated with the other three documents. All four students will complete each of the written questions with their group so that by the end of the discussion each student should be an expert on one source document, and relatively knowledgeable of the other three. Students will turn in written question after the activity is completed. After each student has completed the written questions accompanying all four documents they will return to their seats and receive instructions for a new writing assignment.
Once all students have sufficiently completed their written questions for their source, students will move into their “teaching group” and will spend time teaching their group members about the significant aspects of their source. Each student will have time to teach their peers about their particular document. When students are not “teaching” they will be listening closely to the speaker, thinking of questions to ask about the document, and answering written questions associated with the other three documents. All four students will complete each of the written questions with their group so that by the end of the discussion each student should be an expert on one source document, and relatively knowledgeable of the other three. Students will turn in written question after the activity is completed. After each student has completed the written questions accompanying all four documents they will return to their seats and receive instructions for a new writing assignment.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 10 minutes
The lesson will close with students receiving a rubric, see attached in DUP, detailing the requirements of a mock newspaper article they will write. Students will understand that they will be using the primary sources they just analyzed to respond to a writing prompt asking, “Using specific evidence from the four primary source documents, write an article answering the question, ‘Who was primarily responsible for the Cold War?’, choosing either the U.S. or Soviet Union.” Students will spend the rest of class time completing a questionnaire that asks which country they chose as most responsible and to quickly explain in two complete sentences why that country was chosen. Students are not bound to writing the article about their choice on the questionnaire. It will be collected though so I can roughly estimate how many students chose a particular country and why they felt they were responsible.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
- Formative: Informal checking of timeline activity completion following “hook” video.
- Summative: Formal – I will collect the written answers to the document analysis questions.
- Summative: Informal – I will collect the questionnaires to estimate how many students chose a particular nation for the article.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
- For Striving Readers and students with special needs I will provide audio versions of the Iron Curtain and Truman Doctrine speech. These audio versions are accessed via YouTube using an electronic device that either a myself or a student possesses.
- I will preemptively email the documents and links to audio versions to the instructional aide, as well as, my ELL, striving readers, and students with special needs at least one day prior to beginning this lesson.
- Myself and the instructional aide will provide direct instruction during the discussions for any students who need assistance reading the documents or answering the written questions.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAPJ1UbTQA0 - Hook Video hyperlink
Documents for Analysis - Sourced from Stanford University History Education Group