Melanie Borson
Topic of the Lesson: Cold War and Anti-Communism
Course: U.S. History
Unit: Cold War
Lesson Objectives:
1. Students will think critically about how the U.S. government operated post-WWII.
2. Students will examine primary sources, such as propaganda and news articles, to see how popular attitudes among Americans toward communism.
3. Discussion will allow students to foster their own opinions and answer questions.
Assessment Tools:
1. Formative assessment by listening to discussion. Each student will contribute two questions and must talk at least once in fishbowl activity.
Classroom Activities:
- Opening: Show clip from “See It Now” broadcast with Edward Murrow showing claims against Senator McCarthy and communism. Show images from propaganda from the U.S. that involve actions fueled by fear of communism. (10 minutes)
- Teacher activity: Foster discussion about the 1950s Red Scare and Anti-Communism in America. Assign student activity requiring each student to come up with 2 questions about the topic to question if the actions were necessary that were taken by some government officials and other people. (5 minutes).
- Student activity: Fishbowl discussion regulated by teacher. Students divided into two groups. Their questions that were turned in are re-distributed to students in the outside circle and chosen at random. Students in outside circle ask questions and students in inner circle discuss. Halfway through the activity the circles will switch and no questions will be repeated. (30 minutes).
- Closing: Students reconvene to conclude their thoughts on the anti-communism and the Red Scare aspect of the Cold War. Students may share their opinion voluntarily of whether they believe the actions taken were necessary or not in this society. (5 minutes).
Pre-planning:
- Materials: Notecards for questions, overhead projections of articles and propaganda posters, computer access with overhead for video clip, questions prepared in case of intervening in fishbowl exercise.
Instructional Strategies to be Used:
- Discussion and Debate (fishbowl discussion format)
Reflection/Notes:
- Make sure students understand both that common Americans feared communism and present reasons for that as well as showing extreme cases in which people were violated or treated badly due to this fear. This should be understood before questions are formed.
Artifacts for the lesson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4LZsDqSSfk&feature=related