Curated OER
Activity on United States Moon Landing: Apollo 11
Students use the World Wide Web to access additional information needed to complete a set of questions. They demonstrate an understanding of latitude and longitude by interpreting a lunar map.
Curated OER
The Missiles of October
High schoolers explain why the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba was a matter of concern to the United States. They discuss each of the options available to the president in this situation, as well as the advantages and disadvantages...
Curated OER
Decline and Fall of the Romanov Dynasty of Russia
Use this quiz and let your class show what they know. There are seventeen multiple choice questions related to the Russian Revolution and the fall of the Romanov Dynasty. Use to prep for a state exam or at the end of a unit.
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.
Curated OER
Turning the Tide in Europe, 1942-1944
Learners identify the reasons why the U.S. government decided to focus on the defeat of Germany and Japan and assess the wisdom of this decision. They analyze the magnitude of the U-Boat threat in the Atlantic.
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
History of Modern Cuba
Set the context for the often-strained relationship between the US and Cuba with this informative and entertaining presentation. From political cartoons to photographs of Fidel Castro and Fulgencio Batista, as well as heartbreaking...
Curated OER
"Police Action": The Korean War, 1950-1953
Students investigate facts about the war in Korea in the 1950's and attempt to classify American foreign policy as a triumph or a failure. Why the U.S. became involved and the unpopularity of the war in America forms the focus of this...
Curated OER
Fill-In - October Event in History
A lot has happened in the month of October in the past 100 years or so. Kids fill in the blank for 31 events, each of which occurred on a day in October. Each event can be found in a New York Times article from the past 100+ years....
University of California
The Cold War (America)
The Cold War—with its roots in World War II—impacts the world today. Using an extensive curriculum, scholars consider its impact through primary sources, including speeches and propaganda, as well as other skills-enhancing activities. An...
Curated OER
Kennedy Assassination: Cutting through Conspiracies
First exploring the facts about the John F. Kennedy assassination, this impressive presentation dismantles many popular conspiracy theories about that fateful day. From Jack Ruby's motives to "the magic bullet" to Fidel Castro, the...
Curated OER
Chapter 9: The Cold War Years
Students take a quiz on The Cold War Years of the 1950's and 1960's. This 20-slide presentation covers a variety of world-wide and domestic topics, and includes slides which give hints as to what the correct answers are.
Curated OER
Prowling Polar Bear
Students show their support for preserving threatened and endangered species by creating and sculpting a replica of a polar bear. They discuss the agreement that the United States, Canada, Denmark, Norway and the Soviet Union signed in...
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...
Curated OER
Nation Building
Ninth graders examine the role of the United States in nation building. In this World History activity, 9th graders evaluate the role of the United States in building nations in other parts of the world.
Curated OER
Defense Mechanisms
Students examine the Cold War roots of the recent debate over the construction of United States and Russian missile defense shields. They begin by reading and discussing the article, Putin Says Russia Would Counter U.S. Shield.
Curated OER
Communism and Containment
Students "discover" top secret documents that describe the "Patriot" program. They are assigned the task of educating the American people about the threat of Soviets taking over America, including the key points of the Truman Doctrine...
Curated OER
Terminating the War between the Allies and Japan
Ninth graders examine the arms race that took place in the period leading up to and during World War II that produced the atomic bomb. They analyze differing perspectives on terminating the war between the Allies and Japan. They ...
Curated OER
Life and Death in the Camps
Students state the difference between death camps and concentration camps used during the Holocaust. Using primary source documents, they summarize what life in the camp was like. They describe the final solution used by the Nazis.
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...
Penguin Books
An Educators' Guide to Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Books can help teens understand complex global issues. A helpful educator's guide introduces readers to what it's like to be a refugee. Lesson components for the novel Shades of Gray include an anticipation guide and writing and research...
Humanities Texas
Primary Source Worksheet: Excerpt from Reagan's Speech to the National Association of Evangelicals
Ronald Reagan's 1983 speech to the National Association of Evangelicals (also know as the "Evil Empire Speech") offers readers with an opportunity to practice their skills at reading informational text, specifically primary source...
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...
Curated OER
Space Exploration
Students explore the significance of the four space programs: Sputnik, Apollo, Viking, and Voyager. In this space exploration instructional activity, students view a space exploration slideshow and complete an included chart of space...