Summary
This lesson introduces students to the impact of the Cold War within the United States. This lesson is meant to be taught after students have been introduced to World War II content and can be used in tandem with other cross-curricular lessons in LEARN. Using hands-on activities, discussions, and research, students will explore how the Cold War affected citizens in the United States.
Essential Question(s)
How did the Cold War affect citizens of the United States?
Snapshot
Engage
Students recall prior knowledge of the effects of the Cold War using the I Used to Think…But Now I Know strategy.
Explore
Students explore one effect of the Cold War in the United States by analyzing an article with the S-I-T strategy.
Explain
Students watch a video and summarize information using an inverted pyramid graphic organizer to support their understanding of the effects of the Cold War.
Extend
Students use the Jigsaw strategy to read an article and compare and contrast similar Cold War effects across different time periods.
Evaluate
Students complete the I Used to Think…But Now I Know strategy to demonstrate understanding.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
I Used to Think… But Now I Know handout (attached; one per student)
S-I-T handout (attached; one per student)
Video Notes handout (attached; one per student; print two-sided)
Jigsaw Article handout (attached; one per student)
Jigsaw Notes handout (attached; one per student)
Pencils
Engage
10 Minute(s)
Use the attached Lesson Slides to guide the lesson. Begin with slide 2. Introduce the Cold War and its effects. Review slides 3–4 to introduce students to the essential question and learning objective.
Display slide 5. Have students use the I Used to Think…But Now I Know strategy utilizing their previous knowledge of the effects of the Cold War within the United States. Pass out the attached I Used to Think…But Now I Know handout, or have students divide a piece of paper into two columns. The left-hand column should be labeled "I Used to Think," and the right-hand column labeled "But Now I Know." Students should individually record what they know about how the Cold War affected people in the United States in the left-hand column.
Have students share their thoughts with an Elbow Partner, or if there is time, in a large group discussion. Have students set the handout aside as they will complete the right-hand column at the end of the lesson.
Explore
20 Minute(s)
Display slide 6. Allow students to get familiar with the S-I-T strategy. Pass out the attached S-I-T handout. Ask students to look for one Surprising fact or idea, one Interesting fact or idea, and one Troubling fact or idea as they read the Cold War Article, located on the handout
Have students use the S-I-T handout to read the article and add their responses. Ask students to share their responses with an Elbow Partner. Provide time for volunteers to share their responses with the class.
Explain
20 Minute(s)
Display slide 7. Pass out the attached Video Notes handout to each student. Alternatively, students can draw an upside-down pyramid with three sections on notebook paper. Let students know that as they watch the clip, they should jot down the following: the most important information (the 5 Ws) on the top of the pyramid, followed by essential information (story details, background information, and evidence) in the middle, and the extras (interesting facts, connections to other events or personal experiences) at the bottom.
Students may reference the Video Notes handout while they watch the clip to provide reminders of what to write in each section of the pyramid. Display slide 8 and play the Some Hoosiers Carry Permanent Reminder of ‘Operation Tat-Type’ video.
After watching the video, have students complete the inverted pyramid and share their analysis with a small group or the entire class.
Extend
30 Minute(s)
Display slide 9. Pass out the attached Jigsaw Article and the Jigsaw Notes handouts to each student. This article examines instances in different regions and time periods in which governments tattooed people. Place students in groups of four, and using the Jigsaw strategy, assign members of each group a number that corresponds with the portion of the article they will read. The numbers are as follows:
Person 1: Punjab Police (India)
Person 2: Australian Convicts
Person 3: China
Person 4: Ancient Greece (Athens)
As they read, they should write down important information in the appropriate row that reflects the correct region. They then answer the following questions: What happened in this location? (left-hand column) and How is it similar to or different from what happened in the Cold War? (right-hand column).
After students have become "experts," display slide 10, and have them meet with their group to share what they learned in their portion of the article. As each member shares, students should add to the Jigsaw handout until it has been completed.
After a few minutes, when the mingling is over, have a brief class discussion about each portion of the article. Encourage volunteer representatives from each group to share their findings.
Evaluate
10 Minute(s)
Display slide 11. Have students finish their I Used to Think…But Now I Know handout in the right-hand column. Students should individually record what they now understand about how the Cold War affected citizens of the United States.
Have students share their thoughts in either a small-group or whole-class discussion.
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.). Elbow partners. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/116
K20 Center. (n.d.) I Used to Think... But Now I Know. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/137
K20 Center. (n.d.). Jigsaw. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/179
K20 Center. (n.d.). S-I-T (Surprising, Interesting, Troubling). Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/926
K20 Center. (n.d.). The Gift of Life. 5E Lessons. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/lesson/1530
WTIU. (2019, July 5). Some Hoosiers carry permanent reminder of 'Operation Tat-Type' [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjitM34Fr1w
