Communism Lesson Plans

Students explore the Red Scare. In this Cold War lesson, students read accounts of the Rosenberg trial as well as the letter written by the Rosenbergs to their children on the day of their execution. Students conduct further independent research on the trial and analyze the provided photographs of the couple.

Students survey the first decade in 2000. For this lesson, students read an article that highlights the beginning of the 2000 time era, then complete numerous activities that reinforce the reading, such as a vocabulary assignment, class discussion, a quiz, sentence starters and preparing a presentation.

Eighth graders research U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. They view actual footage and Hollywood clips. They form opinions about the war and complete a project from a list of suggestions regarding the war and make presentations to the rest of the class.

Young scholars examine the student protests and subsequent massacre at Tiananmen Square in 1989 and the current petition by victims' family members to open a criminal investigation of the responsible officials.

Young scholars react to copies of leaflets dropped into Chechnya by Russian forces. After reading an article, they examine the historical and present conflicts in the area and answer discussion questions. In small groups, they trace how the conflict has affected various groups of people by using a timeline and newspaper articles.

Students explore various tactics used in advertising by studying the advertising campaigns of well-known companies. They earn about methods of political advertising in China by reading and discussing Political Power Grows From the Point of His Pen.

Students examine tension in Slovakia over issue of the rights of Romas (Gypsies). They compare and contrast situation in Slovakia to other historical examples researched in class.

Students study about wide scale construction and development in Moscow and its impact on cultural and historic preservation. They research the political, social, economic, and cultural changes in the former Eastern Bloc and create a post-Soviet website.

Students read 1984, noting the potential dangers of government. They keep private diaries to parctice freedom of expression. They create political cartoons for a secret publication and design posters and T-shirts with warnings on them.

Young scholars express their opinions about how growth and modernization affect nations. Reading an article on China, they discuss the causes and effects of exponential growth in a single town. They research how China has changed by writing letters to middle class people affected by the changes. They write letters in response.