| Lesson start ideas | Give a creative idea how to begin a lesson |
| Which subject | History |
| What age group | Year or Grade 9 |
| What topic | Cold war |
| Quantity | 1 |
| Any other preferences |
The objective of this lesson is to introduce students to the Cold War and the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union during the mid-to-late 20th century. By the end of the class, students will have a better understanding of the political and cultural tensions between these two superpowers and how historical events have influenced our world today.
Today, we will be exploring the Cold War, a period of political and military tension between the United States and the Soviet Union that lasted for over four decades. But before we dive in, let's play a quick mind-reading game.
Students will be asked to think of an object that is important to them, something that they use every day or perhaps something that has sentimental value. After a moment of contemplation, the teacher will ask the students to share their object of choice with the class.
As the students share their objects, the teacher will ask follow-up questions to understand the story behind each object. Why is it important to them? Where did they get it? What does it represent?
The goal of this activity is to get students thinking about how history and culture influence our daily lives. By exploring the personal significance of seemingly mundane objects, students will be able to better understand the cultural tensions and political ideologies that drove the conflict during the Cold War.
After the mind-reading game, the teacher will transition into a discussion about the historical events that led up to the Cold War. The teacher will provide a brief overview of the following key events:
As the teacher discusses each event, the students will be asked to question how it contributed to the tension between the two superpowers and how it may have changed the course of history.
As we wrap up our first lesson on the Cold War, we have explored how historical events shape our world today. We have learned about the political and cultural tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and how it led to one of the most significant conflicts of the 20th century. The next time we use our personal objects and see the world around us, we can remember how history has influenced our lives.