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
U.S. Foreign Policy and the Iran-Contra Affair: Was Oliver North a Patriot, a Pawn, or an Outlaw? Lesson PlanU.S. Foreign Policy and the Iran-Contra Affair: Was Oliver North a Patriot, a Pawn, or an Outlaw? Lesson Plan
Publisher
Center for History Education
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
9th - 12th
Subjects
Social Studies & History
2 more...
Resource Type
Lesson Plans
Audience
For Teacher Use
Duration
2 hrs
Instructional Strategies
Direct Instruction
3 more...
Technology
Audio
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
Lesson Plan

U.S. Foreign Policy and the Iran-Contra Affair: Was Oliver North a Patriot, a Pawn, or an Outlaw?

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This U.S. Foreign Policy and the Iran-Contra Affair: Was Oliver North a Patriot, a Pawn, or an Outlaw? lesson plan also includes:
  • U.S. Foreign Policy and the Iran-Contra Affair: Was Oliver North a Patriot, a Pawn, or an Outlaw? (.html)
  • Resource Sheet #1: Background on the Iran-Contra Affair (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #2: Source 1 - Joint Hearing Majority Report, 1987 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #3: Source 2 - Reagan Doctrine, 1985 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #4: Source 3 - Legislation, 1982-1985 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #5: Source 4 - Testimony, Adolfo Calero, 1987 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #6: Source 5 - North Email to John Poindexter, 1986 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #7: Source 6 - Testimony, Fawn Hall, 1987 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #8: Source 7 - Polls, 1986-1994 (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #9: Source Evaluation Sheet (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #10: Assessment Option 1 - Trading Card (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #11: Assessment Option 2 - Song (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #12: Composition Scoring Tool (.pdf)
  • Resource Sheet #13: Iran-Contra Affair Timeline (.pdf)
  • Activity
  • Vocabulary
  • Join to access all included materials

If you had to write a song about Oliver North, would it be a ballad or a dirge? If you had to put him on a trading card, would he be a hero or the bad guy? Young historians decide for themselves after examining documents from the Iran-Contra Affair, including congressional testimony, private communications, and speeches. The thought-provoking resource includes primary sources and scaffolding resources, such as charts and timelines.

3 Views 6 Downloads
CCSS: Designed

Concepts

iran, the cold war, ronald reagan, the presidency of ronald reagan, foreign policy, united states foreign policy, primary source analysis, primary source images, primary sources

Instructional Ideas

  • Learners need some background on the Cold War and the Iranian Revolution before beginning the lesson

Classroom Considerations

  • Use as an in-depth exploration of the foreign policy of the Reagan administration
  • Some items require the ability to play an audio clip

Pros

  • Resource helps unpack a complicated history
  • Assessment options are creative and fun for pupils

Cons

  • At least one link is no longer valid in the assessment items

Common Core

RH.6-8.1 RH.6-8.2 RH.6-8.3 RH.6-8.4 RH.6-8.5 RH.6-8.6 RH.6-8.7 RH.6-8.8 RH.6-8.9 RH.9-10.1 RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.3 RH.9-10.4 RH.9-10.5 RH.9-10.6 RH.9-10.7 RH.9-10.8 RH.9-10.9 RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.3 RH.11-12.4 RH.11-12.5 RH.11-12.6 RH.11-12.7 RH.11-12.8 RH.11-12.9

See similar resources:

Worksheet

Foreign Affairs

Student Handouts
Inform your class about foreign policy during the Reagan administration. The resource includes a reading passage that gives an overview of foreign policy decisions made during the Reagan administration and nine questions for pupils to...
8th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Decoding US Foreign Policy: The Iran-Contra Affair

Curated OER
This is a really good lesson. Learners explore US Foreign Policy, the Reagan Administration, and the Iran-Contra Affair through various documents and readers theater. Worksheets, script, and web links are all included. Teaching can't get...
9th - 11th Social Studies & History
Website

Khan Academy: The Iran Contra Affair

Khan Academy
Ronald Reagan earned the nickname the "Teflon President" since scandals never reduced his popularity. The Iran-Contra Affair was one such scandal that plagued his second term. This source offers an explanation of the scandal, references...
9th - 10th Social Studies & History
Website

Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: Jimmy Carter: Foreign Affairs

University of Virginia
Information on President Carter's foreign affairs including his work with human rights, negotiating control of the Panama Canal, and negotiating peace in the Middle East, all despite his poor image in the media.
9th - 10th Social Studies & History
Lesson Plan

American Social History Proj.: Decoding u.s. Foreign Policy: Iran Contra Affair

City University of New York
Students explore the Iran-Contra Affair using a timeline and related documents, and practice critical thinking about US foreign policy during the late Cold War years, and about the actions of officials of Ronald Reagan's government. They...
9th - 10th Social Studies & History
Website

Pbs: The Iran Contra Affair

PBS
This site from PBS provides a good summary of the Iran-Contra Affair. This is a summary of how this event is covered in the PBS film " The American Experience".
9th - 10th Social Studies & History
Website

Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: Woodrow Wilson: Foreign Affairs

University of Virginia
A discussion of Woodrow Wilson's foreign policies, including Moral Diplomacy, involvement in World War I, and his dream of a League of Nations.
9th - 10th Social Studies & History
Website

Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: Gerald Ford: Foreign Affairs

University of Virginia
Comprehensive look at the foreign policy of Gerald Ford's administration. Topics include: detente with Soviet Union, Soviet-American relationship in general, end of the Vietnam War, the Mayaguez crisis, and the CIA operations.
9th - 10th Social Studies & History
Primary

Fas: Report of the Independent Counsel for Iran/contra

Federation of American Scientists
This page from the Federation of American Scientists links to all chapters of the "Final Report of the Independent Counsel for Iran/Contra Matters" released by the Independent Counsel Office.
9th - 10th Social Studies & History
eBook

American History: Outlines: Foreign Affairs

University of Groningen
Part of a chapter on U.S. Conservatism and a New World Order discusses foreign affairs of the Reagan years and beyond.
9th - 10th 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