Lesson Planet
Search educational resources
  • Sign In Try It Free
  • AI Teacher Tools
    • Discover Resources Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more
    • Curriculum Manager (My Content) Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders To Access the Curriculum Manager Sign In or Join Now
    • Browse Resource Directory Browse educational resources by subject and topic
    • Curriculum Calendar Explore curriculum resources by date
    • Lesson Planning Articles Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom
    • Our Story
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Pricing
  • School Access
    • Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet — with no cost to teachers
      Learn More
  • Sign In
  • Try It Free

Hi, what do you want to do?

Create a lesson plan
Create a lesson plan
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Find a teaching resource
Find a teaching resource
The Cuban Missile Crisis Lesson PlanThe Cuban Missile Crisis Lesson Plan
Publisher
Center for History Education
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
9th - 12th
Subjects
Social Studies & History
1 more...
Resource Type
Lesson Plans
Audience
For Teacher Use
Duration
2 hrs
Instructional Strategies
Discussion
2 more...
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
Lesson Plan

The Cuban Missile Crisis

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This The Cuban Missile Crisis lesson plan also includes:
  • The Cuban Missile Crisis (.html)
  • Resource Sheet #1: Letter from Fidel Castro to Khrushchev (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #2: Letter From Kennedy to Khrushchev, October 22, 1962 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #3: State Dept. Telegram of Kennedy's Oct. 23 Letter (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #4: Letter From Khrushchev to Kennedy, October 24, 1962 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #5: Letter From Khrushchev to Kennedy, October 28, 1962 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #6: Memo from Under Sec. Bowles to Sec. Rusk, March 31, 1961 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #7: Commencement Address at American University (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #8: Photo: MRBM Field Launch Site (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #9: Missile Range Map (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #10: Mapping an Event (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #11: Mapping an Event (.pdf)
  • Activity
  • Vocabulary
  • Join to access all included materials

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 provides primary sources and a graphic organizer to help academics understand what led to the crisis and how it resulted in the removal of nuclear weapons from Cuba. Historians also participate in group discussion to understand how the fear of communism and nuclear weapons shaped the event and its outcome. 

12 Views 18 Downloads

Concepts

american democracy, american history, america, the united states, the cold war, tension, the cuban missile crisis, the bay of pigs, john f. kennedy, the presidency of john f. kennedy, the soviet union, fears, nuclear war, nuclear weapons, cuba, fidel castro, military history, the military, primary source analysis, primary source images, primary sources, historical analysis, historical context, historical documents

Instructional Ideas

  • Compare President Kennedy's and Eisenhower's responses to Cold War tensions  
  • Have learners create a political cartoon about the Cuban Missile Crisis 

Classroom Considerations

  • Lesson takes one to two class periods 

Pros

  • Lesson includes an assessment to gauge pupils' understanding 
  • Resource includes background information to help educators guide the lesson 

Cons

  • None

See similar resources:

Worksheet

Hollywood's Take on the Cuban Missile Crisis: Thirteen Days

Clark County School District
Watching the film Thirteen Days is an engaging way of acquainting learners with the Cuban missile crisis, and this worksheet is the perfect accompaniment for viewership! It includes 15 questions for your young historians to...
9th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Cuban Missile Crisis

Smithsonian Institution
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.
11th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Cold War Roots and Events

Curated OER
Ninth graders examine the causes and major events of the Cold War. They listen to a lecture and fill in the blanks on a handout, and in two groups develop a proposal to deal with the Cuban Missile Crisis.
9th Social Studies & History
Lesson Plan

The Iran Hostage Crisis

Center for History Education
While the Iranian Hostage Crisis was a watershed moment, few history classes take on the complex series of events leading up to it. Using declassified documents, including a hostage's diary, young historians create their own reports to...
9th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
PPT

The Early Cold War: 1947-1970

Curated OER
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...
9th - 11th Social Studies & History
Instructional Video

Cuban Missile Crisis, The 20th Century, World history

Khan Academy
With a collage format that lends well to note-taking, this presentation allows your students to see the context and implications of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The narration is casual and conversational, as well as informative, and history...
19 mins 8th - 11th Social Studies & History
Lesson Plan

Kiev in Chaos: Teaching About the Crisis in Ukraine

The New York Times
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...
3 mins 8th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Designed
Instructional Video

On This Day: Iranian Hostage Crisis

C-SPAN
The history behind the Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis is long and complicated. The hostage crisis directly affected a presidential election, and it played into Cold War fears of a global crisis. Using video clips of an historian...
3 mins 7th - Higher Ed Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Video

The History of the Cuban Missile Crisis

TED-Ed
Who was Vasili Arkhipov and how did he save the world? What did he have to do with the Cuban Missile Crisis and Black Saturday? Get the stories behind the story of the 13-day face off between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev.
5 mins 7th - 12th Social Studies & History
Worksheet

Western Civilizations, Chapter 27: The Cold War: Global Politics, Economic Recovery, and Cultural Change

Curated OER
Keep your scholars organized using this study plan and progress report tool, one of many great learning strategies featured in this online western civilizations resource! Although designed for use alongside the Western Civilizations...
10th - Higher Ed Social Studies & History
Try It Free
© 1999-2026 Learning Explorer, Inc.
Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources

Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter

Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Health
  • Language Arts
  • Languages
  • Math
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts
View All Lesson Plans

Discover Resources

  • Our Review Process
  • How it Works
  • How to Search
  • Create a Collection

Manage Curriculum

  • Edit a Collection
  • Assign to Students
  • Manage My Content
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use