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
Russia's Conversion From Communism to Capitalism
Students study Russia's conversion from a communist nation to a capitalist nation.
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...
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
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...
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
Pope John Paul II: Triumph Over Communism
Students discover the background of Pope John Paul II. In this modern history lesson, students research the life of Karol Joseph Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) in order to understand how his past paralleled his papacy.
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
Yulia Tymoshenko
In this famous person instructional 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,...
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
Pope John Paul II
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Korean War
Students 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...
Curated OER
The Berlin Wall
Middle schoolers 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...
BBC
Bbc: The Soviet Union's Last Stand
1991 was a tumultuous year for the Soviet Union, filled with reform, an attempted coup, and eventual collapse of the empire. In this series of articles, explore the final days of the ailing Soviet Union.
BBC
Bbc: News: Collapse of the Ussr 10 Years On
Extensive information about the collapse of the USSR. Includes an interactive timeline from 1985 through 1991, an interactive map of the countries of the USSR with country profiles and timelines, eyewitness accounts of the collapse of...
Steven Kreis, PhD
The History Guide: Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev
Biographical account of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, reformer of the Soviet Union. Includes information regarding Gorbachev's ascension to power with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and his role in reducing the Cold War...
Digital History
Digital History: Collapse of Communism
Overview of the collapse of communism at the end of the 1980s and early 1990s ushered in by Mikhail Gorbachev and his reforms.
Other
Economic Reasons for the Collapse of the Soviet Union
This complicated essay describes the fall of the Soviet Union in economic terms, with an emphasis on the lack of production.