Summary
In this lesson, students examine why the Cold War came to an end. Students watch video footage of the fall of the Berlin Wall, identify reasons the Cold War ended by analyzing data and a reading, and extend their understanding by working in groups to create pie charts that detail the many reasons the Cold War came to an end. Students then summarize their learning by writing a six-word memoir about the end of the Cold War.
Essential Question(s)
Why do governments collapse?
Snapshot
Engage
Students view footage from the fall of of the Berlin Wall and identify things they notice and wonder about the video.
Explore
Students analyze a chart comparing demographics of the USSR and the USA around 1980 to identify possible issues within the USSR.
Explain
Students annotate a reading about the various issues that faced the Soviet Union then discuss how those issues contributed to the fall of the USSR.
Extend
Students work in groups to create a pie chart that illustrates the main reasons for the end of the Cold War, justify how they determined which reasons were most important, and review their classmates’ charts and reasoning.
Evaluate
Students create a Six-Word Memoir that summarizes what led to the end of the Cold War.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
USSR and USA Comparison handout (attached; one per pair)
The End of the Cold War Reading handout (attached; one per student)
End of the Cold War Student Example document (attached)
Pens or pencils
Markers or colored pencils
Large sticky pad paper or poster board (one per group)
Glue sticks or tape
Cardstock
Rulers
Scissors
Sticky notes
Highlighters
Engage
15 Minute(s)
As class begins, give each student one sticky note. Use the attached Lesson Slides to guide the lesson.
Display slide 3 and introduce the I Notice, I Wonder strategy. Tell students that they should watch the video clip and think of something they notice about the video and something they wonder. Play the video on the slide, Nov. 10, 1989: Celebration at the Berlin Wall.
After the video, have students reflect on something they noticed and a question they have. Have them write their thoughts on their sticky notes. Invite a few volunteers to share what they wrote.
Move to slide 4 and read the essential question. Tell students to think about this question as they complete the lesson, then move to slide 5 and review the lesson objective with students.
Explore
20 Minute(s)
Organize students into pairs and pass out one copy of the attached USSR and USA Comparison handout to each pair.
Move to slide 6 and introduce the WIS-WIM strategy. Tell students to examine the data on the handout and think about how the data might have contributed to issues within the USSR. For the “What I See” portion of the strategy, have students circle or highlight specific pieces of data. Then, have students describe “What It Means” by writing in the margins how each data point may have led to issues in the USSR.
Have each pair then join with another pair of students and share what they saw. Then, invite a few volunteers to share out their thoughts.
Explain
15 Minute(s)
Tell students they will next read more about the reasons for the Soviet Union’s collapse. Have students remain in groups of two and pass out one copy of the attached End of the Cold War Reading handout to each student. Display slide 7 and introduce the Why-Lighting strategy. Have students highlight passages that offer possible reasons for the end of the Cold War. Have them explain why they chose to highlight that section in the margins.
Allow time for students to complete the reading. Then, have each pair of students find another pair and compare what they highlighted. Invite volunteers to share what they highlighted and how it contributed to the end of the Cold War.
Extend
25 Minute(s)
Organize students into groups of four and provide each group with a piece of large chart paper or poster board. Display slide 8 and share the Dividing the Pie strategy. Tell students that they should create a pie chart that divides up the reasons for the end of the Cold War into percentages that equal 100%. Around the pie chart, they should add the reasons for assigning each piece a certain percentage. Tell students to create a rough draft of the pie chart before creating a final version on the large chart paper. Encourage students to be creative and add a title and illustrations to their final chart.
Hang the completed pie chart posters around the classroom and provide time for students to view each group’s pie chart. Have students compare the different percentage weights that each group decided upon and tell students to look for commonalities between charts.
Evaluate
15 Minute(s)
Tell students to return to their desks after viewing the posters. Invite volunteers to share out similarities and differences they noticed between pie charts.
Give each student one sticky note. Display slide 9 and introduce the Six-Word Memoirs strategy. Tell students to think of why the Cold War ended and summarize their thoughts into just six words. Draw students attention to the example Six-Word Memoir on the slide to help them think of their own. Have students write their memoirs on their sticky notes.
Invite a few volunteers to share their memoirs. Have students then post their sticky notes on the classroom door or wall as they leave for the day.
Resources
ABC News. (2009, November 4). Nov. 10, 1989: Celebration at the Berlin Wall [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snsdDb7KDkg
K20 Center. (n.d.). Canva. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/612
K20 Center. (n.d.). Dividing the pie. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/1867
K20 Center. (n.d.). Google slides. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/2335
K20 Center. (n.d.). I notice, I wonder. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/180
K20 Center. (n.d.). Padlet. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/1077
K20 Center. (n.d.). Six-word memoirs. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/75
K20 Center. (n.d.). Why-lighting. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/128
K20 Center. (n.d.). WIS-WIM. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/1201
