Curated OER
Fall of Soviet Union/Rise of Chinese Communism
Ninth graders examine the reasons for the fall of communism in the Soviet Union and the rise of communism in China. They listen to a lecture and complete slot notes, listen to and read the lyrics to the song "We Didn't Start the Fire"...
Curated OER
The Cold War (1945-1991): An Ideological Struggle
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...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Sources of Discord, 1945-1946
From Allies to enemies within a year. Scholars research the falling out between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1945-1946 in the first lesson of a three-part series. Using primary source materials, group work, and interactive...
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...
Curated OER
NATO and Russia: Will the Expansion of NATO Cause a New Cold War?
Eleventh graders role play as participants in a NATO meeting focused on inviting a number of independent republics from the former Soviet Union to become members of NATO. They represent their countries after researching them.
Student Handouts
End to the Cold War
Introduce your class to topics relating to the Cold War through a brief reading selection. Class members read the passage and answer four questions, which are provided on the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
The Russian Revolution
Well, well, we have come to the very interesting topic of the Russian Revolution. A highly-engaging slide show tells the tales of Lenin, Nicolas II, Alexandra and Rasputin, and the double revolutions of 1917. World War I and the move to...
Curated OER
The Cold War
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 since the...
University of California
The End of the Cold War (1979-1991)
Scholars use primary and secondary documents, as well as video evidence, to investigate the end of the Cold War. After completing the final installment of an eight-part series, class members better understand the issues surrounding the...
Curated OER
Should Britain Leave the EU?
Tenth graders analyze the reasons to why Great Britain wants to leave the European Union. In this European Union lesson, 10th graders read an article and answer comprehension questions. Students participate in a debate on the European...
Curated OER
Memorandum of a Conference with President Eisenhower after Sputnik
Students use the National Archives to research how the United States and the Soviet Union south to maintain its supremacy after World War II.
Curated OER
Investigation of the Aral and Salton Seas
Students become more environmentally conscious. They see that it may be too late to "save" the Aral Sea, but there is still hope to prevent the ecological collapse of the Salton Sea.
Curated OER
Teacher Notes
Gathering information, distinguishing between arguments, preparing an oral presentation; these skills are fostered as 10th graders explore aspects of global trade and politics. They use the Internet to gather information about NATO, The...
Curated OER
Case Study of a Campaign
Students read a case study of one campaign to discover how political campaigns addresses the needs of the voters. In groups, they answer questions related to the case and discuss how the commercials affect society as a whole. They use...
Curated OER
World Religions
Ninth graders investigate the symbols and historical figures of the five main religions of the world. They participate in a class discussion, listen to a lecture and take notes, and write five Haikus, one about each major religion of...
Curated OER
The Legacy of the "Great War"
Students study how the map of Europe changed as a result of the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I. They examine the results of the end of the Cold War.
Curated OER
Pictures of the Berlin Airlift: Primary Sources (Photos and Cartoons) to Motivate Learning
Tenth graders describe cartoons and photos from the Berlin Airlift and put them into a historical context. After a lecture/demo, each pair of students be asked to describe what they see in the photos. They then write a caption for each...
Curated OER
Russia's Conversion From Communism to Capitalism
Students study Russia's conversion from a communist nation to a capitalist nation.
Curated OER
Pope John Paul II
Learners discover the accomplishments of Pope John Paul II. In this world history lesson, students research selected websites about the history of Poland, the accomplishments of Pope John Paul II, and the responsibities of the...
Curated OER
Yulia Tymoshenko
In this famous person activity, students read a passage about Yulia Tymoshenko and then complete a variety of in-class and homework activities to support comprehension, including partner interviews, spelling, cloze, synonym matches, and...
Curated OER
Troop Surge vs. Redeployment
Students explore American foreign policy regarding the war in Iraq. In this Iraq debate lesson plan, students examine videos and documents about the pros and cons of keeping American troops in Iraq.
Curated OER
Korean War
Pupils visualize where the Korean Peninsula is located and what are some neighboring countries. They read a handout giving background information on Korea's 20th centuy history and Truman's Statement and answer questions in their notebook.
Curated OER
The Berlin Wall
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...
Curated OER
Exploring the Aral and Salton Seas
Students investigate the environments of the Aral and Salton Seas. They use images taken from the space shuttle, the U2 spy planes, and remote sensing satellites to learn more about what is happening in each region. Students discuss the...