Objectives:
- Analyze major conflicts of the Cold War: Cuban missile crisis, Suez Canal Crisis, Afghanistan invasion, and the Space Race.
- Describe the Cold War strategy of mutually assured destruction (MAD).
Scene 1 — Engage
Student Activity
Students read a brief introduction connecting earlier learning about the Korean and Vietnam Wars to new Cold War crises they will study, then examine a 1951 photograph of a duck-and-cover school safety drill. They respond to a word cloud prompt by identifying the danger the children are preparing for in a word or short phrase.
Teacher Moves
Preview the overall flow of the experience and review the lesson objectives. Invite students to share associations between the historical drill and their own school safety drills, allowing space to discuss fears. Optionally show Civil Defense for Schools: Duck and Cover to illustrate civil defense messaging, then prompt students to consider how effective duck-and-cover would be against a nearby nuclear explosion and guide a brief discussion of their reasoning.
Scene 2 — Explore 1: The Cuban Missile Crisis
Student Activity
Students view an aerial reconnaissance photograph of a missile launch site in Cuba and watch The Cuban Missile Crisis to gain an overview of the 1962 confrontation. Using a graphic organizer, they generate three research-worthy questions about the Cuban missile crisis.
Teacher Moves
Support students in formulating meaningful, focused questions by offering sample inquiry ideas and, if needed, facilitating a whole-class discussion to refine or expand their questions about the crisis.
Scene 3 — Explore 2: Middle East Politics
Student Activity
Students examine a photograph of mujahideen fighters and read background text explaining the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, the creation and independence of modern Middle Eastern states, and how U.S. and Soviet interests led to proxy conflicts in the region. They also read an explanation of proxy wars and are introduced to two Cold War proxy conflicts in the Middle East: the 1956 Suez Canal Crisis and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan with the U.S. response. Using a graphic organizer, they list three questions about Cold War conflicts in the Middle East that could guide further research.
Teacher Moves
Clarify key concepts such as mandates, strategic interests, and proxy wars, connecting them to contemporary examples like the Syrian civil war. Offer sample questions about the Suez Canal, U.S. and Soviet interests, and consequences of supporting the mujahideen, and, if needed, lead a class discussion to help students develop strong, researchable questions.
Scene 4 — Explore 3: The Space Race
Student Activity
Students view an image of Buzz Aldrin on the moon and read about the Cold War competition that fueled the Space Race, including Sputnik, the creation of NASA, and the U.S. goal to land a person on the moon. They watch a video overview titled The Space Race and examine the timeline The Space Race: Soviets and Americans race to the stars. They then post a response explaining why they think the Cold War rivalry also played out in space.
Teacher Moves
Note that Neil Armstrong served as mission photographer, explaining why few photos show him on the moon. Encourage students to connect space exploration to ideas of prestige, technological superiority, and “the last frontier.” Highlight insightful student posts and use them to spark discussion about how the superpowers could compete in space without directly invading each other’s territory.
Scene 5 — Explain
Student Activity
Students reflect on what they have learned and identify what they still want to explore. They select a general topic for their case study (Cuban missile crisis, Suez Canal conflict, Russian invasion of Afghanistan, Space Race, or another approved topic) via a poll. Using a shared wall, they generate potential inquiry questions about their chosen topic, drawing on the “5Ws and H” (who, what, when, where, why, how). Students then draft a written case study on a private wall shared only with the teacher, revise as needed, and publish their final case study to a class wall for peers to read.
Teacher Moves
Guide students in choosing focused, manageable topics and help them narrow broad question lists to one or two strong inquiry questions. If needed, briefly review the steps of the writing process and, when appropriate, direct students to the Guidelines for Historical Research and Writing in the Student Pack. Provide feedback on drafts, support revision, and then allocate time for students to read and comment constructively on one another’s published case studies.
Scene 6 — Elaborate
Student Activity
Students read an explanation of mutually assured destruction (MAD), including how the threat of nuclear retaliation was intended to deter war and how this strategy fueled the nuclear arms race, supported by the article What Is Mutually Assured Destruction? They then imagine themselves as a national leader in a serious military conflict and write a diary entry weighing whether to use nuclear weapons and considering possible repercussions. After posting, they review classmates’ diary entries and respond to at least two with questions or positive comments.
Teacher Moves
Clarify the logic and criticisms of MAD, emphasizing deterrence, arms buildup, and ethical dilemmas. Prompt students to think deeply about the human and political consequences of nuclear use. After students share diary entries, pose the question of whether nuclear weapons still deter conflict if leaders publicly state they will never use them, and facilitate an open-ended discussion without pushing for a single correct answer.
Scene 7 — Evaluate
Student Activity
Students use a rubric to self-evaluate their case studies in five areas: guiding question, content, organization, editorial quality, and layout. They select the description that best matches their work for each category, calculate a total score, and then reflect in writing on what they could improve in their next written case study.
Teacher Moves
Direct students to the rubric in the Student Pack and ensure they understand each criterion and performance level. Monitor as students complete the self-assessment, answer questions about expectations, and encourage honest reflection. Review students’ scores and written reflections to identify common strengths and areas for improvement, using this information to plan future instruction and provide targeted feedback on their historical writing skills.
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