The Cold War did not begin with a bang, but with a swift tactic that reflected the Soviet Union's growing distrust of its former Allies. High schoolers choose either the USA or the USSR in a role play activity as they analyze why each union made the moves it did during the Berlin Blockade.

Concepts

the berlin wall, the cold war, joseph stalin, harry s. truman, german history, russia, the soviet union, berlin blockade

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Incorporate other world powers (Britain, France, etc.) to participate in the discussions
• Pair learners up and allow each to choose to represent either the USA or USSR; have them reflect on the one-on-one discussions that ensue

Classroom Considerations

• Establish a protocol in the classroom that avoids stereotypes and discriminatory comments during role play
• Requires some amount of prior knowledge on World War II, the Cold War, and Joseph Stalin before beginning the activity

Pros

• Interactive and engaging for learners of all levels
• Incorporates the concepts of multiple perspectives into an historical approach

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.3 RH.11-12.3