National Woman's History Museum
Breaking Through Gender Roles: The Women of NASA
Whether recognized or not, extraordinary women were integral to breaking gender barriers and putting Americans into space. For Women's History Month, explore a series of video clips and biographical information that profile these...
New York State Education Department
US History and Government Examination: January 2013
While the 1950s seemed to be a time of peace and prosperity, Sputnik, the Korean War, and the Montgomery bus boycott were symptoms of the turmoil that loomed under the surface. Using documents, class members investigate what these events...
Curated OER
The Early Cold War: 1947-1970
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...
Mr. E. Science
Manned Spaced Exploration: From Start to Gemini
Seven percent of Americans believe the moon landing was staged. The presentation covers manned space exploration from the beginning of the space race through the Gemini missions. The lesson is the 23rd in a set of 26.
Curated OER
The Kennedy Years
Eighth graders read text and view films about the Kennedy administration. In this preseidential administration lesson plan, 8th graders interview someone who lived during Sputnik, write summaries of lectures, and create posters...
Curated OER
Space Exploration
Students explore the significance of the four space programs: Sputnik, Apollo, Viking, and Voyager. In this space exploration lesson, students view a space exploration slideshow and complete an included chart of space exploration.
Curated OER
Sputnik
Students study Sputnik and what it looks like. In this Sputnik lesson students complete several activities while in groups.
Curated OER
Just a "Fellow Traveler" in the Human Experience
Pupils connect the events of early space exploration to their lives today. After viewing a teacher created gallery, they discuss how the launch of Sputnik and how space exploration in general has positively or negatively affected their...
Curated OER
Space Exploration
Sixth graders identify and interpret the following: What is space?, Space Race, Living in space?, Man on the Moon, Astronaut training; students compare/contrast US and Russia space exploration. Students write a letter of application to...
Curated OER
Memorandum of a Conference with President Eisenhower after Sputnik
Students document and list excerpts from a document that shows how calmly officials reacted to the launching of Sputnik. They research contemporary magazines and newspaper articles of the day as well.
Digital History
Digital History: The Space Race
In October 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite. The 184-pound, 22.5-inch sphere orbited the earth once every 96 minutes. Sputnik transmitted radio signals for 21 days and later burned up in...
![Phs: Section 4: Eisenhower's Cold War Policies [Pdf] Activity](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Phs: Section 4: Eisenhower's Cold War Policies [Pdf] Activity")
Other
Phs: Section 4: Eisenhower's Cold War Policies [Pdf]
A chapter from a Glencoe textbook which covers Eisenhower's Cold War actions. Read about his ideas for massive retaliation, the military hardware necessary for the Cold War, the international crises occurring during his presidency, and...
Other
Southwestern Academy: Eisenhower's Foreign Policy [Pdf]
A well-organized look at President Eisenhower's Cold War policies throughout his two terms as president. Find out about his policies toward the USSR, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East.
Flow of History
Flow of History: The Height of the Cold War (1957 72)
The events surrounding the Cold War at its very height are the focus. Text plus a colored graphic flowchart make the topic visually appealing and of interest to both students and educators.
NASA
Nasa: Sputniks 1, 2, and 3
NASA provides a paper that "deals with the politics, planning and technology of the period 1946-1958" in the Sputnik program.
NASA
Nasa: The International Geophysical Year
This site from NASA outlines the Sputnik program and the political underworkings that allowed it to reach fruition.
NASA
Nasa: "Pravda" Press Release
NASA provides the full text from the tersely worded "Pravda," the Russian national newspaper, that announced the successful launch of Sputnik.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Teaching Math & Science in Age of Sputnik
Why did the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik throw the fields of mathematics and science into tremendous demand in the United States? Find the many ways this revolutionary event impacted children from the 1950s to become the...
OpenStax
Open Stax: Post War Prosperity and Cold War Fears 1945 1960: The American Dream
Looks at the policies of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, both at home and abroad. Also examines changing gender roles in the 1950s, and the impact of suburbanization on America.
NASA
Nasa Star Child: Space Travel (Level 2)
This site has the history of space travel. Includes President Kennedy's speeches on the Apollo program that can be downloaded. Many graphics, and a very complete history of space travel with links to more detailed information.
University of Wisconsin
The Why Files: Sputnik's Legacy
This exploratory article (published September 11, 1997) outlines the history of the Sputnik Space program, but also includes the response within the United States educational system to speedily ramp up the study of science, math and...
Have Fun With History
Have Fun With History: The Cold War
Videos, activities and links to related resources for teachers and students learning about the Cold War. Students can find out about Joseph McCarthy, Berlin Airlift, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Sputnik and the nuclear scare through...
Have Fun With History
Have Fun With History: Space Race: Nasa Space Program
Learning module with multi-media resources, activities and videos on NASA, the Kennedy space program that dominated the 1960s.
PBS
Pbs: Red Files: Secret Soviet Moon Mission
PBS offers biographies and stories from the early days of the Soviet Space program, which prompted the Space Race and nuclear arms race between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union.