Origins of the Cold War Visual Summary - Hands-on Activity (baggies)

Are you behind with your curriculum when you get to the Cold War? I needed a way to quickly go over the “basics” but keep it active for my students. I came up with this strategy that I call “visual summary” that has worked really well with all levels of my students! I used this when I got evaluated this year and my administrator loved the engagement my students had with the lesson.

I have now used this strategy successfully with middle and high school students!

PLEASE NOTE! This is NOT meant to be an in-depth study of the Origins of the Cold War. It is a summary activity and focuses on the topics mentioned below this description. With my 11th graders, it took about 20-25 minutes to do this activity before I taught the subject more in depth. After this activity, students could quickly make connections and answer my questions (my administrator loved it) due to having the background knowledge! Instant win!

In this lesson, students are put in groups of 2 or 3. Student #1 is the reader of a 2 page summary of Origins of the Cold War, which is included in this purchase. Student(s) #2/#3 are the picture sorters. They hear cues from the reader and sort pictures (you cut them up and put them in baggies) relating to the summary in the order they hear them. After they are finished, they put the summary away and “retell” the story of the Origins of the Cold War to their group using only the pictures. You could extend this easily into a writing assignment.

After they are finished, you can assess their learning with the assessment page (using the visuals) I’ve included.

What your will receive in this purchase:

-detailed instructions for the teacher

-2 page summary (see topics listed below) with picture number cues

-pictures to cut out for students (to be put in baggies for each group)

-assessment

Origins of the Cold War covered:

US/Soviet Union rivalry

Capitalism vs. Communism

Yalta & Division of Germany/Berlin

United Nations

Satellite Nations

Iron Curtain

Containment

Marshall Plan

Berlin Airlift

Nato

Warsaw Pact