Objectives:
- Describe events that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
- Analyze political, economic, and social factors that contributed to the fall of Communism in the U.S.S.R.
Scene 1 — Engage
Student Activity
Students are introduced to the final years of the Soviet Union and the lesson objectives. They view a video of a song about the fall of the Soviet Union and use a two-column table to record two facts they learned from the video.
Teacher Moves
Discuss the facts students recorded, prompting them to share questions that arise from those facts. Use these questions as guiding questions for the rest of the experience.
Scene 2 — Explore
Student Activity
Students learn more about the final years of the Soviet Union by watching The Collapse of the Soviet Union, reading selected sections of Soviet Union, examining Perestroika, and reviewing 25.12: The Collapse of the Soviet Union: A Timeline of Key Events. They answer multiple-choice questions about glasnost, independence movements in Soviet states, and the consequences of the Soviet Union’s dissolution. They are also directed to a photo collection, 20 Years Since the Fall of the Soviet Union, to visually explore the period.
Teacher Moves
Ensure that students understand the major factors leading to the fall of the Soviet Union, including economic struggles, declining support for Communist ideology, and reforms that encouraged independence movements. Optionally guide students in creating a brief class timeline of key events and direct interested students to additional visual resources on perestroika.
Scene 3 — Explain 1
Student Activity
Students read an extended explanation of five major reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union: Gorbachev’s reforms, failure of Communist ideology, a failing economy, nationalist movements, and Western aggression. They respond to a poll selecting which reason they consider most important and then post a written explanation to a class wall, using evidence from the reading to justify their choice.
Teacher Moves
Highlight and share interesting or exemplary student explanations with the class. Emphasize that historians often interpret causes differently and that historical interpretations can change over time.
Scene 4 — Explain 2
Student Activity
Students read Gorbachev and Yeltsin: Reformer and Terminator to compare the roles and leadership styles of Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin during and after the collapse of the Soviet Union. They post a response explaining the article’s title, using evidence from the text to support their interpretation.
Teacher Moves
Share strong student responses and, as needed, prompt students with questions about which leader is described as a reformer or terminator (and as a destroyer or builder) and why, using the article’s evidence to clarify these characterizations.
Scene 5 — Elaborate
Student Activity
Students read 25 Years Later: 7 Shockwaves from Breakup of Soviet Union, including its video and photo gallery, to examine long-term effects of the Soviet Union’s collapse and the perspectives of ordinary Russians. They then write a letter from the point of view of an ordinary Russian citizen today to a peer in the Western world, describing their thoughts and experiences related to the fall of the Soviet Union, and respond to at least two classmates’ letters with questions or positive comments.
Teacher Moves
Remind students that the article was written in 2016 and note subsequent developments, such as later U.S.–Russia relations and the invasion of Ukraine. Ask students how they might update the article’s content if it were rewritten in 2023.
Scene 6 — Evaluate
Student Activity
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher Moves
Facilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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