Students build a classwide timeline of the history of the Berlin Wall. Then they learn about the revolutions that ended Communist rule across Eastern Europe. Next they examine the factors that contributed to the collapse of these Communist regimes. Finally they research what happened in the various countries in the decade following the overthrow of the Communist governments.
Students read an introduction describing life under Communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the goals of the lesson. They view a visual timeline of the history of the Berlin Wall on The Berlin Wall: A Multimedia History. Each student is assigned a specific year between 1961 and 1990 and contributes to a shared class chart by selecting a major Berlin Wall event from that year and briefly describing it.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, emphasizing that this experience focuses on Eastern Europe rather than the breakup of the Soviet Union itself. Assign each student a year for the Berlin Wall timeline and guide them in entering events into the shared table, modeling how to sort the table by year if helpful. Prompt discussion with questions such as: “What aspects of Communism did the Wall symbolize?” and “Why was the fall of the Wall such a symbolic event?”
Students learn how Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms and abandonment of the Brezhnev Doctrine weakened Soviet control over Eastern Europe. They watch End of Communism: How 1989 Changed Europe to gain an overview of the 1989 revolutions, then read narrative accounts of the transitions in Poland, East Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Romania, including the role of Solidarity, mass protests, and differing levels of violence. They may consult Revolutions of 1989 Chronology and Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1989 to see how events unfolded in parallel. Students then complete a drag-and-drop activity matching each country to a key feature of its 1989 revolution and answer multiple-choice questions about Solidarity, the Brezhnev Doctrine, and the broader revolutions.
Teacher MovesSummarize the key points about Gorbachev’s reforms and the 1989 revolutions, pausing to answer student questions. After students complete the matching and multiple-choice items, briefly review responses to clarify the significance of Solidarity, the meaning of the Brezhnev Doctrine, and the variety of revolutionary paths in different countries. Then divide students into small groups in preparation for the next two scenes.
Students examine Gorbachev’s changing stance toward Eastern Europe and read an excerpt from the conclusion of Soviet Foreign Policy and the Revolutions of 1989 in Eastern Europe to identify six key factors that contributed to the collapse of Communist regimes. Working (often in small groups), they complete a graphic organizer that summarizes each factor and its description. Students then respond to a poll selecting which factor they believe was most significant in triggering the 1989 revolutions and post a small-group explanation on a shared wall, citing evidence from the excerpt.
Teacher MovesSelect and implement a reading strategy for the excerpt (whole-class reading, jigsaw by factor, or small-group reading) to support comprehension. Allow time for students to complete the graphic organizer and discuss the six interrelated factors. Facilitate the poll by having groups reach consensus, then highlight and share interesting or exemplary written explanations with the class. Emphasize that multiple answers can be valid if supported with evidence, and note that one could argue Gorbachev’s reforms were a key trigger since many other factors had been developing for decades.
Students read about the broader context of the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, including U.S. support for democratic reform and initiatives such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and post-1989 exchanges. They then read the assigned section of 1989 Twenty Years On: The End of Communism and the Fate of Eastern Europe and, in small groups, research what happened in an assigned former Communist country during the decade following the overthrow of its Communist regime, using additional information such as Eastern Europe as needed. Each group writes at least one paragraph summarizing its findings on a shared wall and presents its summary to the class.
Teacher MovesAssign each small group a former Communist country outside the Soviet Union, including nations not previously discussed (for example, Albania, Bulgaria, or Yugoslavia). Monitor group research and writing, then have groups present their findings to the class. Guide a debrief discussion by asking students to identify common patterns across countries, such as struggles to establish democratic governments and stable economies or the breakup of states along ethnic lines.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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