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.
Curated OER
Intro to the Cold War
Eleventh graders examine the Cold War. In this American History instructional activity, 11th graders develop answers to comprehension questions about the song "We Didn't Start the Fire". Students write a persuasive essay at the end of...
Curated OER
Cold War into Guerilla War
Students examine the Cold War and the War on Terror. In this American history lesson, students research print and nonprint resources regarding both wars. Student compare the experiences of youth at the time so both the Cold War and War...
Curated OER
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Students explore facets of the Cold War. In this Cold War history lesson, students research a Cold War event in order to write a news story about the events that features direct quotations and images.
Center for History Education
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Cold War tensions led to hostile actions. Scholars use primary sources to understand the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis during President Kennedy's administration. The lesson plan provides primary sources and a graphic organizer...
New York State Education Department
US History and Government Examination: August 2013
While the United States is now one of the strongest countries in the world, at its founding, it was plagued by controversies over the ratification of the Constitution, the Louisiana Purchase, and the expansion of slavery. Using a...
Curated OER
The Russian Years: Back in the USSR
Learners examine communist Russia. In this lesson on changes in politics, students work in small groups to compare and contrast soviet communist era citizen rights to those of the US. They participate in discussion of a film and create a...
Curated OER
The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Provide your class with a context and series of events that has led to the conflict in the Middle East. They read 4 separate passages and answer 1 critical thinking question for each. Four more questions are posed at the bottom of the...
Curated OER
1950's Popular Culture
Young scholars gain a basic understanding of Capitalism and Communism, the ideologies that fueled the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
The New York Times
The Cold War: Crossword
This crossword puzzle focuses on clues related to The Cold War. It also has unrelated clues that would be a challenge to middle schoolers, but should be manageable to secondary students; particularly juniors taking US history. There are...
Curated OER
What Was the Cold War?
A study of the Cold War can helps students learn about history through interviewing people who lived through this period.
Curated OER
Cold War - The Space Race
In these Cold War worksheets, students read about the space race between the United States and Russia. Students also read about the first man on the moon and answer 8 questions about the texts.
Clark County School District
Hollywood's Take on the Cuban Missile Crisis: Thirteen Days
Watching the film Thirteen Days is an engaging way of acquainting learners with the Cuban missile crisis, and this learning exercise is the perfect accompaniment for viewership! It includes 15 questions for your young historians to...
Curated OER
Chapters 30 (sections 1 & 5) – The Cold War
In this U.S. history worksheet, students read assigned textbook pages on different topics associated with the Cold War and respond to 50 short answer questions.
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
Post-WWII De-Colonization
The end of WWII brought big changes around the world, not the least of which occur in the increasingly decolonized continent of Africa. This slideshow details the developing countries of Ghana, Kenya, Congo, Nigeria, and South Africa, to...
Smithsonian Institution
Cuban Missile Crisis
The United States—specifically John F. Kennedy—played a large role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A history resource poses questions that encourage critical thinking as well as in-depth analysis of images from the time period.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Refugees From Vietnam and Cambodia
The United States may have pulled its troops from the Vietnam War in 1973, but the conflict was far from over for the citizens living in Asia at the time. An informative resource lets learners know about the wave of over 220,000...
Curated OER
Foreign Policy: Containment
Students examine opinions regarding the American policy of containment. In this Cold War lesson plan, students read articles by George F. Kennan and Walter Lippmann. Students compare the perspectives of the 2 men on U.S. foreign policy.
National Endowment for the Humanities
How "Grand" and "Allied" Was the Grand Alliance?
Learn more about the Grand Alliance with a scaffolded lesson plan that includes four activities. Class members use primary sources to complete a map exercise, understand the goals and objectives of each individual nation, and participate...
Curated OER
Resolving Kennedy's Legacy
Eleventh graders investigate the medical condition that plagued John F. Kennedy throughout his life. In this US History lesson, 11th graders read and analyze uncovered documents in relation to Kennedy. Students write a report on John...
Curated OER
The Cuban Missile Crisis: A Lesson in Decision Making
In this American History worksheet, 11th graders analyze different scenarios and create possible solutions.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
The Cuban Missile Crisis: How to Respond?
For 13 days, the United States stood on the edge of nuclear War. The Soviet Arms buildup in Cuba is the focus of an activity that asks groups to analyze how the governmental role each of John F. Kennedy's advisors played went on to...
Curated OER
Afghanistan and Its Neighbors: Model Summit
Students examine the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. They discover the role of religion and cultural identity in the war in Afghanistan. They explore the arguments for and and against...