Berlin Wall Teacher Resources

Here is a very informative video on the origins of the Berlin Wall, how it effectively divided Berlin, and the events that led to its demise and the reunification of the German people. This would be an excellent video to show during any...

When East and West Germany were divided, people swam lakes, climbed trains, and jumped out of windows in an attempt to reach West Berlin. Why was the wall erected? Show your high schoolers this moving video.

Many walls came down at the end of the 1980s. Not only was the Berlin Wall finally taken down, but communist control in East Germany ended, too. Watch this short video clip to illustrate the emotions that the German people had due to...

On June 26, 1963 President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech close to the Berlin Wall at the Rudolph Wilde Platz. On June 12, 1987 President Ronald Reagan Delivered his famous "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down...

The Berlin Wall divided a city.. Using clips of discussions between historians, segments from contemporary films, interviews with political operatives, and speeches, learners consider what it was like to look over a wall and behind the...

Do fences make good neighbors? Do walls offer a solution to political and social problems? A video that traces the building of and destruction of the wall that divided the West and East German sections of Berlin offers viewers a...

Covering the main topics of the Cold War, including some excellent discussion points on the methodologies of the Soviet and Eastern Bloc nations versus the US and Western Democracies, this presentation is a good way to introduce the...

A slideshow of famous pictures walk us through important achievements around the world, including the first man on the moon and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. Your students will enjoy this calming video to kick off your next lesson.

Through a series of readings and handouts, learners will study the shifts in perception that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. The history lesson focuses on periods of change in post WWII German history that led to a changed...

Provide learners with an excellent resource focused on the Cold War Era. Starting in 1945 and going all the way to 1991, the Cold War Era included major historical events, such as the Berlin Wall, Warsaw Pact, the Korean War, and the...

Students examine the events behind the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the continued struggles to truly unify the former East Germany and West Germany.

A lot happened to European economics, policy, and social systems after WWII. This 24 page social studies packet provides images, reading passages, comprehension questions, and critical thinking questions regarding all things Europe from...

You have just entered the Cold War Zone, with 96 slides at your disposal. From changes in government in China, The Marshall Plan, and the Iron Curtain, to the Vietnam War and Ronald Regan, this presentation will help you cover it all. A...

What fate befell the city of Berlin after World War II? The lesson shares two speeches from US presidents regarding the Berlin Wall and the Cold War. Pupils read primary sources, work in groups, and complete written activities to better...

With a combination of images, maps, and valuable information, this presentation is a strong resource for a history class that is coming out of a WWII unit and into a Cold War unit. Some points are outlined for students, while others are...

The best part of this presentation about the Cold War is the various pictures, photos, and maps throughout the slides. The timeline of this time period is difficult to follow in the presentation, as well as the details about several main...

Young scholars outline the history of the Berlin wall and explain its significance, identify, analyze and interpret artists' work on the wall, predict the future of paintings on the wall, and compose a short research paper. This lesson...

Students enter the classroom and observe a wall that is set up with desks, bookshelves, or anything else available. to create a barrier that they cannot cross during the class. The class then is divided into East and West Berlin with the...

Covering the main events of the Cold War, this (mistitled) presentation includes photographs, political cartoons, and amusing graphics to illustrate its points. The information on the slides is helpful for an overview of the Cold War,...

Students study the relationship between Cold War politics, the people who were affected by it, and the artists who examined it. They create their own "walls" using a spray paint graffiti procedure.

President Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech, delivered on June 12, 1987 before the Berlin Wall, provides class members with an opportunity to examine three key aspects of informational text: author bias, the use of facts and...

Tenth graders explore the origins of the Cold War.  In this Cold War lesson, 10th graders analyze selected songs and identify what historical events they reference.  Students create a musical collage or timeline for the period...

What was the Cold War? Often dated from 1947-1991, it was a war between the Western world and the Communist world. Flashing their nuclear power, these sides fought for decades to establish power. This quirky resource provides commentary,...