21st Century Lesson Cycle Template

Teacher: Maria Keramaris                                       Subject: Global History 12

Unit: The Dynamics of Geo-Political Power

Grade:12                                                                  

Number of Students:  25    

Website Link:  http://education.weebly.com/weebly/main.php 

Driving Question and Lesson Goals:

What are the contributing factors to the start of the Cold War?

Curriculum Outcomes:

SCO’s:

SCO 2.1  Demonstrate an understanding of factors that contributed to the start of the “Cold War” between the “East” and “West”

Prior Knowledge:  Wartime alliances, WWII Allies Conferences, Yalta and Potsdam Conferences

Screencast Link(s):  N/A (Not Yet)

Expected Time: One 80 minute class

Resources:

(Tools & Tech)

Lesson Procedure

Teacher computer

GAFE

LCD Projector

Electronic copy of handout

1 Blank paper

pencil

Playdough: red, green, blue, yellow

Handout

I do:

Before students come into class, rearrange the classroom so that there are groupings of four desks. (If there are more students than multiples of 4, place remaining desks so that some will be in a group of 5.)

On the desks place a piece of paper, a pencil, one small container of: red playdough, blue playdough, green playdough, and yellow playdough.

When students come into the room, they can sit at any of the stations available with the supplies provided.

The LCD Projector will be on and show a link to the NAMREG Activity.  Students may use their phones to access Global History Simulation Activity, or they can follow along from the LCD projector or they can ask for a paper copy.

Begin class by by narrating like a “Games Master”the following: At the end of a long and terrible war, four allied countries decide to occupy Namreg, the nation they have overpowered in order to end military conflict and establish a democratic government. In order to accomplish this, the nations agree to:

  • Divide the country into 4 zones, with each allied country controlling 1 zone

After the first bullet point, stop narration and instruct students to create a country that is land base on the west, south and east (surrounded by other nations) and the North have access to the sea. Students are to draw this map on the blank paper using the pencil provided and then divide the country drawn into 4 zones.  When they are finished, each student is to select a colour playdough that will represent their respective nation. Finally, instruct students to fill in their zone with the playdough colour they have selected.

Time 5 minutes

 critical thinking

 evaluate, leverage

 collaborate, communicate             

Teacher computer

GAFE

LCD Projector

Electronic copy of handout

1 Blank paper

pencil

Playdough: red, green, blue, yellow

Handout

You do:

Students are working on Activity #1 in the Handout. Students can now work on creating their nation with 4 occupation zones.  Students may take their time with this as they are working with the playdough and find this very therapeutic.  Students will typically discuss what zone they want to spread their playdough on.  

15 minutes

 critical thinking

 evaluate, leverage                               

 analyze, synthesize                              

Handout, GAFE, LCD Projector

I do:

During this time some groups will finish more quickly than others.  If so, instruct students to continue with the activity by reading the handout and following the instructions.

Go to each group and read over the Rest of the Background information on their Handout if they haven’t already done so and tell students to proceed to activity #2.

5 minutes for each group if needed.

 find, validate 

Handout, GAFE, LCD Projector

We do:

Students work on Activity #2 & 3

15 minutes 

☐ remember, understand             find, validate                                       

 critical thinking                           evaluate, leverage

 collaborate, communicate    ☐ analyze, synthesize                             

 citizenship                    

Top Secret Envelope

Colour coded in Red, Green, Blue & Yellow

I do:


When students are finished
Activity #2 & 3 remind them that they cannot start Activity #4 until the have received their TOP SECRET Envelope.

1 minute

 find, validate                                      ☐ remember, understand 

Top Secret Envelope

Colour coded in Red, Green, Blue & Yellow

Berlin Blockade Follow-Up questions

We do:

Students read Top Secret Envelope to their respective nation (this is colour coded) and begin Activity #4. Students must conclude the game by all reaching an agreement on how to make Namreg a demilitarized and democratized nation.  Once students have achieved their goal or have come to an impasse they can begin the Berlin Blockade Follow-up questions.

35-39 minutes

 critical thinking                                  evaluate, leverage

 collaborate, communicate                create, publish

 analyze, synthesize                             citizenship

WRAP UP/REMINDERS: Students must complete the questions for homework after the simulation activity is completed.  This can be submitted through google classroom.  Students are allowed to submit one set of answers for the group. The last 4 minutes of class can be used to check in with students and set the homework for that evening. This Simulation has always taken a full 80 minutes.  There has been times where the follow-up activity is conducted on the next day so that students have an opportunity to think and discuss their actions in the game.

Differentiation

Modification:


Students with LD or adaptation who find the simulation activity challenging will work on the key questions from the Textbook (or handout pages 43-35) on the Allied Control Council and why there were difficulties in Democratizing Germany.

Enrichment:

This is an enriched activity that is a follow-up to the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences .

Evaluation:  This is both a formative and summative assessment where students are building the foundations of understanding the conflict between the Geo-Political  powers because of ideological differences.  The the simulation activity is marked out of 10, where the participation and the reconstruction of Namreg is marked out of 2 and the Berlin Blockade Follow-Up questions are each marked out of 2.

During discussion students will be encouraged to discuss the areas of significant challenges in democratizing Namreg.  

A checklist is set up on Grade Book to indicate that students participated in collaborating their ideas giving and accepting feedback.

There will also be two Follow-up assignments (as this is more of a building on understanding the impact of ideology assignment than a stand alone activity).  These assignments include Berlin Blockade Letter and an In-Class essay.  The Berlin Letter Assignment and Rubric are attached.

On-Line Resources: GAFE

Handout and Rubric:                                                                                                Back to Lesson

PART 1 SETTING UP THE GAME

Global History Simulation Activity

Groups of 4

Background

At the end of a long and terrible war, four allied countries decide to occupy Namreg, the nation they have overpowered in order to end military conflict and establish a democratic government. In order to accomplish this, the nations agree to:

  • Divide the country into 4 zones, with each allied country controlling 1 zone
  • Each zone would be treated as a single unit governed by a joint committee of allies
  •  “The headquarters” of the joint committee would be in the capital city (in the blue zone). The committee would be the overall authority.
  • Each zone would have a commander-in-chief. The commander-in-chief was the leader of his army and was the supreme authority in his/her zone. The commanders-in-chief should co-operate.
  • The occupied country was to be treated as a single economic unit.
  • Any action taken would have to be through the unanimous agreement of the joint committee.
  • Each allied zone could establish its own rules.
  • The capital, while entirely in 1 zone would be granted distinct status, it was not considered part of any zone.

·         The city was to be divided by the allied nations. Each ally would appoint a

commander to be in charge of his/her section of the city. These commanders would report directly to the joint committee.

  • One road, one rail line and two air corridors would remain open to give all allies access to the capital. This agreement was never put into writing.
  • The goal is to destroy the former Namreg government.

Activity #1                                                                                                                        Back to Lesson

In groups, design a map where you divide Namreg into 4 sections.  Use your play dough to divide and colour each section.  Each colour on the map represents an allied power; each person should choose to be a different colour. Label your name on the corresponding zone on the map. Include Namreg’s capital city.  YOU MUST place your capital city in the BLUE sector.

Activity #2                                                                                                                       Back to Lesson

As a group, come up with a name for your joint committee and the capital city's governing body. Write this on your paper next to your playdough map.

Activity #3                                                                                                                       Back to Lesson

Look at the background information provided - write a mission statement defining your allied group's ruling philosophy. Write 4 action statements showing how your group plans to meet your mission statement based on the information.

Activity #4                                                                                                                       Back to Lesson

Now that your group has established how it will rule Namreg, you must decide the following: How will you make Namreg a demilitarized and democratized nation?

 

Remember - you have agreed to the above

PART 2 - PLAYER CONDUCT IN THE GAME                                                                          Back to Lesson

TOP SECRET ENVELOPE - Information on how you will play and negotiate terms during the game.

NO ONE CAN SEE THE CONTENTS OF YOUR TOP SECRET ENVELOPE

GREEN:

·         You are democratic.

·         You are capitalist.

·         You want to pull out of Namreg in the next few years.

·         You begin to demobilize troops rapidly, but suspect that BLUE is not doing the same.

·         You believe that if you pull out of Namreg BLUE will take over the area.

·         You cannot control what BLUE is doing, but you can limit or divert supplies to their zone.

·         You want to maintain your role as a world power - you cannot afford to lose face to BLUE.

·         You give money to help rebuild Namreg and other countries damaged by the war because you think this will help ease tensions.

·         You pledge to help any nations that want to become democratic through economic aid.

·         Namreg is a key economic and military position for whoever controls it.

YOU MUST FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY'S POSITION EVEN IF IT MEANS BREAKING THE AGREEMENTS WITH YOUR ALLIES.

YELLOW:

·         You are democratic.

·         You are capitalist.

·         Your country was heavily damaged in attacks by Namreg during the war.

·         Your country has suffered economically as a result of the war with Namreg.

·         You want Namreg to be occupied permanently to keep it from remilitarizing.

·         You want to co-operate with RED and GREEN in the operation of your three zones.

·         You believe that if you pull out of Namreg BLUE will take over the area.

·         Namreg is a key economic and military position for whoever controls it.

YOU MUST FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY'S POSITION EVEN IF IT MEANS BREAKING THE AGREEMENTS WITH YOUR ALLIES.

RED:

·         You are democratic

·         You are capitalist

·         Your country was heavily damaged when Namreg attacked you

·         Namreg occupied your country before losing the war

·         You want heavy reparations from Namreg

·         You want Namreg to be dismembered permanently

·         You believe that if you pull out of Namreg BLUE will take over the area

·         Namreg is a key economic and military position for whoever controls it

 

YOU MUST FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY'S POSITION EVEN IF IT MEANS BREAKING THE AGREEMENTS WITH YOUR ALLIES.

BLUE:

·         You are communist

·         In the past former allies betrayed you and attacked your country

·         You have not said how long you want to continue to occupy Namreg

·         You begin to demobilize your zone in secret.  You will not tell your allies this in case they too try to betray you.

·         You believe that if you pull out of Namreg the safety of you homeland could be compromised

·         You cannot control what your allies do but you can control their access to the CAPITAL

·         You believe GREEN is helping other nations as a way of expanding its military power

·         You believe your allies are trying to contain your sphere of influence and their economic system threatens yours

YOU MUST FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY'S POSITION EVEN IF IT MEANS BREAKING THE AGREEMENTS WITH YOUR ALLIES.

PART 3 FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS                                                                                              Back to Lesson

 

Global History Simulation Activity

Berlin Blockade Follow-Up Questions

Answer the following questions (in full sentences) after you have shared the information in your envelopes with your group members.

  1. Before you began the activity, did you think it would be fairly easy to come to an agreement? Why?
  2. What problems did your groups face in coming to a consensus? Are these problems insurmountable?
  3. Read the information in your text on pp.43-48. Do you believe that the United States and the USSR were on an inevitable path to war given their political and economic ideologies? Explain.
  4. What role, if any, do you believe France and Britain played in the beginning of the Cold War? Explain.

 

Alternative Questions (for students absent from activity)                                         Back to Evaluation

Answer questions in full sentences using the textbook or handout on page 43-48.  Each question is worth 2 points.

 

  1. Who are the Allied Control Council and what is their responsibility?
  2. Why was “the idea of a joint occupation of Germany an ill-considered plan”?
  3. Why did the question of demobilization cause tension between the US and the USSR?
  4. Do you believe that the United States and the USSR were on an inevitable path to war given their political and economic ideologies? Explain.
  5. What role, if any, do you believe France and Britain played in the beginning of the Cold War? Explain.

PART 4 - LIFE FOR BERLINERS LETTER                                               Back to Assignment

LIFE FOR THE BERLINERS

Life for the Berliners was hard.  In the beginning, there was about a month's worth of supplies to be had, but stockpiles were dwindling.  The airlift had not reached its predicted consumption rate yet, and starvation was near.  In addition, when the winter of 1948-49 hit, there was little fuel to run the remaining industry, let alone heat the homes.  Berliners soon found themselves chopping down all of the trees in the city for fuel and learning what grasses could be eaten for food.  In addition, people rummaged through garbage cans for food, but soon found that there was very little of that to go around.  It was a dire circumstance, but they felt that suffering in this manner would be better than succumbing to Soviet control.  They remembered the treatment the Soviet soldiers had given them when the Red Army arrived in Berlin.  Soviet soldiers stole everyone's valuables and systematically stripped the industry of all of the necessary equipment to ship back to Moscow.  In addition, German women faced the possibility of rape and physical abuse from Soviet guards.  German scientists and engineers were sent to Moscow and forced to reveal all of the German technological secrets (the Americans did this too, under Operation Paperclip). Most West Berliners felt that starvation was far better than that treatment.  When it was decided that an airlift would be attempted, Berlin's Lord Mayor Ernst Reuter held a public rally in support of the effort.  Berliners would suffer and sacrifice to make it work.  The German resolve was strong, even in such a desperate situation.

 

West Berlin 1948-49

 

  • Electricity four hours per day
  • Limited coal
  • High unemployment
  • No entertainment i.e. movies or newspapers
  • Harassed if you traveled to East Berlin
  • Random interrogations
  • Identification had to be shown on demand
  • Physical abuse by East Berlin guards

 

The Assignment:

 

You are to write a letter (250-500 words) from the perspective of a young West Berliner living during the airlift to a relative in another country. Explain to the recipient of your letter:

1. what living conditions are like in Berlin

2. what struggles people face rebuilding their city

3. their fears and their hopes for the future

4. at least 6 historical facts from this handout, the text, or what you have learned in class.

Remember that you need to keep your vocabulary appropriate to the time. Try to get a sense of character, place and time in your writing. The reader should feel like this is a primary source document that he/she is reading, not information plunked down on the page.

 

P.S. The Berlin Wall was not built during the Berlin Blockade so please don’t tell me any stories about jumping over the wall.

Assessment:                                                                      Back to Evaluation

 

 

5

4

3

2

1

0

Accurate, relevant historical information

Includes at least 6 facts about the Berlin Blockade

Includes 5 facts about the Berlin Blockade

Includes at least 3-4 facts about the Berlin Blockade

Includes 2 facts about the Berlin Blockade

Includes 1 fact about the Berlin Blockade

No attempt to meet the indicator.

Description of living conditions

Accurate description of living conditions with no errors with excellent detail.

Accurate description of living conditions with minor errors with sufficient detail.

Some inaccuracies in description of living conditions and/or or superficial detail.

Little description of living conditions and/or inaccurate detail.

Almost no description of living conditions and/or major inaccuracies.

No attempt to meet the indicator.

Description of struggles Berliners faced rebuilding the city

Accurate description of struggles to rebuild with no errors with excellent detail.

Accurate description of struggles to rebuild with minor errors with sufficient detail.

Some inaccuracies in description of struggles to rebuild and/or or superficial detail.

Little description of struggle to rebuild and/or inaccurate detail.

Almost no description of struggle to rebuild and/or major inaccuracies.

No attempt to meet the indicator.

Description of fears and hopes for the future

Excellent description of fears/hopes, giving a rich sense of character.

Good description of fears/hopes, giving a strong sense of character.

Adequate description of fears/hopes, giving some sense of character.

Superficial description of fears/hopes, giving little sense of character.

Little description of fears/hopes, and/or giving no sense of character.

No attempt to meet the indicator.

 

Total:             /20

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