Cold War Lesson Plan: World History 

Grade Levels: 6-8, 9-12

*Click to open and customize your own copy of the Cold War Lesson Plan.

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Cold War, and supports the standard of analyzing the origins and impact of the Cold War. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Ask students: 

  • What does the term “Cold War” bring to mind?
  • What do you know about related conflicts happening today?

Step 2: BUILD BACKGROUND

  • Read aloud the description on the Cold War topic page. 
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Have students read one of the Related Reading articles. Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: ENGAGE

Students express what they learned about the Cold War while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Produce a mini-documentary explaining the significant events and political ideas that resulted in the Cold War. (Essential Literacy Skill: Determine central ideas)
  • Make-a-Map: Make a concept map comparing and contrasting the actions of the Soviet Union, the US, and Europe throughout the Cold War. (Essential Literacy Skill: Summarize key details)
  • Creative Coding: Code a newscast announcing the construction of the Berlin Wall. (Essential Literacy Skill: Cite specific evidence to support conclusions drawn)

Step 4: APPLY & ASSESS 

Apply: Students complete the Time Zone X: Cold War learning game, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Assess: Wrap up the lesson with the Cold War Quiz. 

Step 5: EXTEND LEARNING

World History Unit: Continue to build understanding around global connections and conflict with more BrainPOP topics. 

Additional Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Related:

    Filed as:  6-8, 9-12, BrainPOP, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.6, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.6, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.6, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.6, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7