Curated OER
The Cold War: Civil Defense or Nuclear Disarmament?
Students research the positions of civil defense and nuclear disarmament during the Cold War era. They participate in a class debate to support a given position.
Historical Thinking Matters
Spanish-American War: 1 Day Lesson
After analyzing newspaper articles portraying different perspectives of the explosion of the Battleship USS Maine, your young historians will take a stand on which position is the most believable in both discussion and writing.
Curated OER
The Vietnam War
Students analyze U.S. involvement in Vietnam. In this Vietnam War lesson, students listen to their instructor present lectures regarding the Cold War as well as the conflict in Vietnam. Students study U.S. involvement in the armed...
Curated OER
What Is War?
What kinds of human activity do we define as "warlike"? Middle and high schoolers examine various definitions of war and types of warfare, especially as these descriptions relate to the kinds of war we are witnessing at the beginning of...
Curated OER
The Technological Impact on 1950's Culture
Learners examine the impact of technological advancements on Cold War America. In this 1950's America lesson, students research politics, Cold War society, suburbia, and consumerism during the decade in order to better understand...
Curated OER
America in the 1950's
In this America in the 1950's worksheet, students read about housing, education, entertainment, and the Cold War in the 1950s. Students then answer 5 questions about this time.
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
Afghanistan Today: Civil War and Human Rights
Students examine the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. They analyze the role of religion and cultural identity in shaping governments. They also examine the United States foreign policy.
University of California
Anti-Communism at Home
Have you ever been accused of something without cause? The sixth installment of an eight-part series asks scholars to create a museum exhibit on the anti-communist activities in the United States at the start of the Cold War. To make...
DocsTeach
Letter to Truman about the Manhattan Project
Delve into the past to understand the opposition to the Manhattan Project. An interesting activity is designed to be completed in pairs, groups, or individually. Scholars analyze historical documents, complete an online worksheet, and...
The New York Times
Kiev in Chaos: Teaching About the Crisis in Ukraine
Provide a historical context for the political unrest between Russia and Ukraine that began in late 2013. Learners review their prior knowledge and chronicle new understandings with a KWL chart, watch a video explaining the Ukrainian...
US Department of State
The Marshall Plan: The Vision of a Family of Nations
The European Recovery Act (aka the Marshall Plan) was designed to bring together and develop a spirit of cooperation among European nations after World War II. Class members examine the materials from the Marshall Plan exhibit and assess...
Penguin Books
A Teacher's Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of The Crucible by Arthur Miller
A 20-page guide is a must-have for any instructor, seasoned veteran, or first year-teacher, using Arthur Miller's The Crucible as an anchor text. The guide begins with extensive background information about Miller and the McCarthy era...
Teach It History
Crisis in Berlin: Decisions Game!
The Cold War did not begin with a bang, but with a swift tactic that reflected the Soviet Union's growing distrust of its former Allies. High schoolers choose either the USA or the USSR in a role play activity as they analyze why each...
DocsTeach
Nixon Visits China: The Week that Changed the World
Sometimes one trip shakes up the entire world. When President Richard Nixon traveled to China, he defied international and political boundaries. Nixon was the first American president to visit mainland China, which was a communist nation...
Curated OER
The Cold War: Planning for Survival
Students prepare a documentary-style dramatization about government and personal measures taken to ensure survival in the event of nuclear war.
Curated OER
Geographic Context for War
Students explore the geography of Korea. In this Korean War instructional activity, students examine maps of the country and label landforms, bodies of water, climate, population centers, and neighboring countries to determine the...
Curated OER
1950's Popular Culture
Students gain a basic understanding of Capitalism and Communism, the ideologies that fueled the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Curated OER
Literature and the "Age of Anxiety" (1920s and 1930s).
Students examine historical events of the 1920s, World War II and the Cold War. They discover how literature reflects the economic, political, social, religious and historical concerns of a culture. Students compare literature writings...
Curated OER
Foreign Policy: Containment
Students examine opinions regarding the American policy of containment. In this Cold War instructional activity, students read articles by George F. Kennan and Walter Lippmann. Students compare the perspectives of the 2 men on U.S....
Curated OER
Cuban Missile Crisis
Eleventh graders determine how causation shaped the Cuban Missile Crisis. For this Cold War lesson, 11th graders examine photographs and documents related to the crisis and analyze the television address that President Kennedy made to...
Curated OER
McCarthyism: The Political Cartoons of Herb Block
Young scholars examine McCarthyism. In this Cold War lesson, students analyze 6 political cartoons by Herb Block that capture the essence of the Red Scare. Young scholars discuss the cartoons and the fear of communism that permeated...
McGraw Hill
Study Guide for Hatchet
Use this packet as a companion to your study of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. The resource breaks the novel up into several chunks, and for each chunk provides activities, background information, vocabulary, graphic organizers, and response...
US House of Representatives
Legislative Trends and Power Sharing Among Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1977–2012
Bilingual education, voting rights, and Congressional redistricting come up often in the news. Explore these topics from another view—the perspectives of Hispanic members of Congress. Activities include an article with comprehension and...