Lesson Plan

MARKING TIME

Teacher Name: Nancy H. MullerGrade level(s): 8Course: Social Studies 20th century

Describe the classroom or homework activity to be performed(individual assignment, cooperative learning, cross curricular, technology based, using artifacts and/or primary sources, etc.)

Students will create a timeline of the period 1950-1989. This will be used at the beginning of the unit on the latter part of the 20th century. It will be an ongoing project as we work through the unit. The actual timeline will hang in the middle school hall. This will be a class project, but each 8th grader will be responsible for a portion of the timeline. These years were chosen because they include the beginning of the Korean War and end with the fall of Communism in Europe.

Rationale (why are you doing this?)

  • A timeline is an effective way in which students may participate in history. This “Marking Time” timeline will be ongoing and student-centered. It is a way to catapult students into this period of history. I would like to give the students a skeleton of this period (the timeline), then build on the skeleton. Since this year is the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, we will be honoring our veterans on Veterans’ Day (November11), with special tribute being paid to the Korean vets. The timeline, which will be hanging in the hall, will help prove to our vets that history is an important part of our curriculum. It will be an effective method to get through this part of the 20th century. This will also segue into the lesson plan “Bomb Shelter,” also to be used with 8th graders.
  • Required time frame:two 45-minute class periods, work ongoing throughout the unit, plus homework. Because of the nature of the project, total time lapse will be six weeks.

Where in the teacher conference did you get the idea for this activity or assignment(speaker, document,photograph,activity, audio recording, other)?

  • I began thinking about this activity as I was reading Gary Hess’ book Presidential Decisions for War” before the class. As I listened to each speaker, particularly from the presidential libraries, the idea of a timeline seemed logical and useable with many of the materials that I had at my disposal. Because this course connected so many of the events from 1950 to the present, I thought it was valid to have students create a timeline of the period. It will help students see the connections as the unit unfolds.

Lesson objectives – the student will:

  • Identify major events within a certain period of history
  • Identify people who were significant in the time period
  • Identify differences in ideologies

District,state, or national performance and knowledge standards/goals/skills met (be specific when referencing):

  • Show-Me Standards: #2 In Social Studies, students in Missouri public schools will acquire a solid foundation which includes knowledge of relationships continuity and change in the history of Missouri, the United States and the world. (As students work through the timeline, they will understand how the United States provided the continuity factor for the world, yet they will see change as the attitude of the US changes.)
  • NCSS: #VI Power, Authority & Governance “f: identify and describe factors that contribute to cooperation and cause disputes within and among groups and nations” (As students work on the timeline, they will see examples of countries differing in opinion and going to war over the differences)
  • National Geography Standard Essential Element IV: Human Systems: Standard 13 “How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth’s surface” (As students work on timeline, they will see how cooperation and conflict, in fact, change boundaries –EG: 38th parallel).

Secondary materials (book, article, video documentary, etc.) needed – cite title and other detailed information:

  • “Killed in Korea: The Untold Story,” VFW magazine Korean War Special 60th Anniversary Issue, June-July, 2010, pages 18-19

Primary sources (document, photograph, artifact, diary or letter, audio or visual recording, etc.) needed – cite detailed information:

  • Harry Truman on Korea
  • Ronald Reagan’s “Tear Down that Wall” excerpt
  • Pictures of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan

Fully describe the activity or assignment in detail. What will both you and the students do?

  • On SmartBoard, display Korean War Memorial in Washington, DC. Possible link:
  • Review terminology “Truman Doctrine,” “communism,” USSR,” “containment,” domino theory.” Use definitions in textbook.
  • Introduce unit by reading “Killed in Korea” The Untold Story” with class.
  • Play clip : Harry Truman on Korea”
  • Play clip: Reagan: Tear down this wall speech.
  • Discuss the connection of these two clips. (Truman is just venturing into South Korea, trying to save it from communism. Reagan, at the other end, sees communism in Europe as a failure and is asking the Soviets to get rid of the line that divides.)

Divide students into small discussion groups (3-4). For five minutes, ask students to brainstorm about Korean War, Vietnam War, Iranian Hostage Crisis and anything else 1950-1989. At the end of that time, brainstorm on board or SmartBoard. From this list, choose 2 or 3 items/people that could be used on a timeline (EG: Dwight Eisenhower becomes president 1952).

Explain the concept of the timeline as an ongoing study line through this unit.

On 3x5 cards, write decades 1950-60, 1960-70, 1970-80, 1980-90. Have enough cards made so that each student will have a choice of a decade. Student will be responsible for one event and one person in that decade that is different from the other students’ choices. Student will hand in short explanation of the choice. When that has been approved, he/she will submit a short essay (1-1 ½ pages), explaining why this person/event is of importance to its decade.

Each student will be issued two pieces of pre-cut foam board, approximately 2’ x 1’. On the boards, the student will prepare his/her addition to the timeline. This might include artwork, symbols, pictures, date, and explanation of the chosen person or event chosen. Timeline will be ongoing throughout the unit.

Assessment: fully explain your assessment method in detail or create and attach your scoring guide:

  • There will be two assessments: one on the actual contribution to the timeline, and one on the short essay. These can for both the event and person contributions.