Homecourt Publishers Greenville, SC

Activities, Parodies, Games, Jokes, Review Sheets, “3-D Templates”, Cold Reading Passages,

and much more!

• Rising Tensions

• Containment Policies

• Civil Rights Movement

• Space Race &Technology

• McCarthyism

Copyright 2010 by Homecourt Publishers

Can I really make copies of these pages to use as handouts? Yes. That’s why we made them. Please feel free to make copies of the handouts so that your students can learn and enjoy the material. Keep in mind—it is unlawful to use these handouts for sale or profit. Please do not present the material in these handouts as your own original work, as they are protected by all relevant copyright laws. Every effort has been made to make these handouts as complete and accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes, both typographical and in content. Therefore, this material should be used only as a guide and not as an ultimate source of research. Homecourt Publishers shall have neither the liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused by the information contained in these handouts. Okay, now that you’ve got all of the disclaimers out of the way—go have fun!!! For information or comments, contact:

Homecourt Publishers 2435 East North St., #245

Greenville, SC 29615-1442 benbache@homecourtpublishers.com

www.homecourtpublishers.com (864) 877-5123

Managing Editor - Ben Bache benbache@homecourtpublishers.com Lead Editor – Alissa Torzewski Thank you to Joann Wood for contributing ideas, inspiration, and original work to this project. Additional contributions made by Nancy Rechtman and Audrey Cook. Cover illustration by Zach Franzen. Copyright 2010 by Homecourt Publishers

Table of Contents

Section 1 — Favorites 5

Cold War Era (Classroom Game) 6 Civil Rights (Acrostic Poem) 10 The 1960s (Classroom Activity) 12

Section 2 — Information Overload 14

Cold War 15 Civil Rights 16 Controversial Times 17

Section 3 — Pocket Activities 18

Cold War Tensions 18 McCarthyism 19 The Space Race 19 Containment Policies 20 Segregation & Civil Rights 20 A Little Humor (Jokes) 21

Section 4 — Language Arts Integration 22

Cold War Quotes 22 Opening the Iron Curtain 23 Where No Man Has Gone Before 24 One of the Great Speeches of History 25

Section 5 — Printouts, Puzzles, & Games 26

It Happened on Which President’s Watch? 26 Cold War, Civil Rights, Technology (Crossword Puzzles) 28

Section 6 — 3-D Templates 30

The Cold War Era (Hands-on Study Sheet) 31

“A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is

hammering on cold iron.”

—Horace Mann (1796-1859) “The Father of American Public Education”

Page 5

Over the next few pages I will share some of my personal classroom secrets that are sure to engage and excite your students!

Here’s how it works:

The left-hand page includes

the song parody, activity, poem, game, etc. for

you to share with your students.

The right-hand page includes my

personal commentary, including the

reasons I’ve had success with this exercise, any key

directions, and other tid-bits that might be helpful.

***The exercises on the next few pages are great to use for this topic area, but you can easily modify them to use for other topics and even subject areas.

The simple format and extra notes that are provided will really help with this!

Page 6

Classroom Game

Social Studies Game Show – mid-1900s

Cold War “Hot Wars” Civil Rights Technology Everyday America Pop Culture

Using a familiar game board like the one shown above, have your students make selections.

The next two pages feature a selection of questions to use when

reviewing the 20th century. As in the game show Jeopardy, the “answers” are given first, and students must supply the “question.”

Description: A classroom game to review the highlights of the mid-20th century Instructions: This classroom game is based on the popular Jeopardy game show. It can be used as

a comprehensive review, or a more condensed version can be used to review specific units.

Page 7

Cold War (listed from the 100 point question to the 500 point question) Following World War II, this was the fear that Communism was spreading into U.S. society and government (Question: What is the Red Scare?) Speaking at the Berlin Wall, this U.S. President famously demanded, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” (Question: Who is Ronald Reagan?) The act of obtaining secret or confidential information without permission (Question: What is espionage?) Led by a U.S. Senator, this movement accused several high-ranking officials of having Communist ties (Question: What is McCarthyism?) This program was designed to rebuild Europe following the devastation of World War II (Question: What is the Marshall Plan?) “Hot Wars” (listed from the 100 point question to the 500 point question) This conflict lasted three years and ended in an armistice that created a 2.5-mile wide buffer zone (Question: What is the Korean War?) A strategy focused on stopping the spread of Communism worldwide (Question: What is containment?) It involved the U.S., the U.S.S.R., and Cuba—and nearly escalated into a nuclear conflict (Question: What is the Cuban Missile Crisis?) This conflict lasted over a decade under great protest, and it was widely considered a defeat (Question: What is the Vietnam War?) This military strategy, abbreviated M.A.D., deters use of nuclear weapons by threatening an equal retaliation (Question: What is Mutual Assured Destruction?) Civil Rights (listed from the 100 point question to the 500 point question) A Baptist minister and civil rights activist famous for his “I Have a Dream” speech (Question: Who is Martin Luther King, Jr.?) This Supreme Court decision declared that segregation in schools is unconstitutional (Question: What is Brown v. Board of Education?) She refused to obey a bus driver’s orders to give up her seat to a white passenger (Question: Who is Rosa Parks?) A form of protest in which African Americans sat in “white” sections and refused to get up (Question: What are “sit-ins”?) Founded in 1909, this organization’s mission is to protect equal rights and eliminate racial discrimination (Question: What is the NAACP?)

Questions

Page 8

Technology (listed from the 100 point question to the 500 point question) This single-person machine, commonly known as a PC, was first introduced for businesses in the 1970s (Question: What is a personal computer?) This Space Shuttle exploded and killed seven crew members shortly after take-off in 1986 (Question: What is the Challenger?) The name for the technology that has resulted in such popular devices as the iPhone and BlackBerry (Question: What are smart phones?) The type of energy is extremely powerful, but has been used sparingly because of its potential danger (Question: What is nuclear power?) A competition in technology between the USSR & the U.S., resulting in a man landing on the moon (Question: What is the Space Race?) Everyday America (listed from the 100 point question to the 500 point question) A plastic representation of money introduced in the 1950s that revolutionized American consumerism (Question: What is a credit card?) The rise of suburban living following WWII led to the development of these modern, indoor marketplaces (Question: What are shopping malls?) This cooling technology contributed to a large population growth in the hot “Sun Belt” states in the south (Question: What is air conditioning?) As President in 1956, he campaigned for and authorized the formation of the Interstate Highway System (Question: Who is Dwight D. Eisenhower?) This entertainment and telecommunication system surpassed its black and white counterpart in the late 1960s (Question: What is a color TV?) Pop Culture (listed from the 100 point question to the 500 point question) In 1981, it introduced the promotional idea of pairing short videos with popular music selections (Question: What is MTV?) He starred in a classic 1960s comedy, playing the role of a sheriff on the nation’s most popular TV show (Question: Who is Andy Griffith?) This film effect, first used in the 1950s, usually requires special glasses to create an illusion of depth (Question: What is 3D or three-dimensional?) The star character of an iconic series of 22 films depicting British secret agents and Cold War espionage (Question: Who is James Bond?) A cultural and musical icon of the 1950s and 60s, often referred to as the “King of Rock n’ Roll” (Question: Who is Elvis Presley?)

Page 9

Students love to play games—it’s as simple as that. It’s always great when you can find a game that ties in with the standards! This particular game is modeled after Jeopardy, which is a classic (and most students should already know how to play). Also, this activity allows you to cover a lot of ground in a short time.

You can easily display the game board using an LCD projector or an interactive whiteboard, but I prefer creating a physical game board. I write the point value on the back of the piece of paper, and then the “answer” on the front.

Divide your students into three groups, and each group is a game show contestant. A representative raises his or her hand if they know the answer (or you can use makeshift buzzers), and that group must give you the answer. Remind them to be careful because points are deducted if they get the question wrong.

Remind your students that, like in traditional Jeopardy, their clues are the “answers,” and they must supply the “questions.”

Of course, the “questions” provided here are just samples. You can create your own questions to align to what you’re teaching at the moment, or what you’re trying to assess. This is a great review for any subject or topic area.

Page 10

Acrostic Poem

Description: Acrostic poem for the term “Civil Rights” Instructions: Use to review the important events of the Civil Rights Movement

C – Civil disobedience as a way to change society

I – “I have a dream” speech by Martin Luther King

V – Voting Rights Act of 1965

I – Ideal of complete equality for all citizens

L – Lawsuit – Brown v. Board of Education in Topeka to desegregate schools

R – Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on the bus

I – Ideal of desegregating the Armed Forces

G – Going to the South to register black voters

H – Heading the Montgomery Bus Boycott – Martin Luther King, Jr.

T – Terror – the weapon of the KKK against blacks in the South

S – “Selma to Montgomery” march

A sample Acrostic Poem is shown here...

Page 11

This is an easy way to get into the details of the Civil Rights Movement without having to resort to a “textbook” format. This immediately gives you a broad overview of the highlights, and gives you the flexibility to go into further discussion about certain topics as you review the poem.

You can use a pre-made acrostic poem (such as the one on the left-hand page, or one you make yourself), or you can have your students brainstorm and create one as a class. Either way, the objective is to highlight specific details of a certain subject. To put it another way, what do you really want them to remember 20 years from now?

Students love to illustrate these poems and hang them up. The more hands-on they get, the more likely they are to remember the topics listed in your acrostic poem!

Page 12

Classroom Activity

Ask your students to consider the events of the 1960s:

• Vietnam War • Counter-culture (i.e. Hippy Movement) • Civil Rights Movement • Changing Role of Women • Influence of Mass Media • “Pop Culture” • Shift to the Suburbs

Divide your students into groups of 4 or 5. Have each group

create a newspaper from that era. It should be at least 5 pages, with articles regarding the above topics and anything else you would like your students to consider.

The newspaper should have the standard sections of any newspaper:

• Current Events • Community • Fashion • Politics • Editorial Opinion

***Optional sections include advice columns, political cartoons, comic strips, sports, etc.

The Classroom Gazette

Description: Students prepare articles for a newspaper from the 1960s

Instructions: Students divide into small groups and create their own newspaper to reflect the events, political climate, and feelings of the 1960s.

Page 13

This activity is fun, and it allows you to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. More importantly, it gives students a chance to look at history from a different point-of-view (sometimes they forget that we’re learning about real people!). Also, giving them the chance to “create” something taps into a higher level of thinking.

First, bring in some old newspapers. You want your students to really get into the “reporter mood.” This makes the activity more fun, and it also helps them imagine that they have a real job to do.

Break your students into groups of 4 or 5, and each group creates its own newspaper (they will enjoy comparing them with one another). You are the “official editor” for all groups. Before the stories go into the newspapers, they have to be approved by you. This allows you to keep an eye on things, but also gives you the opportunity to challenge students about what facts and perspectives you want to see in their articles.

Not every article in the newspaper has to be about the major events of the time period! Take a look at current newspapers. There are a lot of articles about ordinary people doing ordinary things. Remind your students of this, and it will help them get in touch with the time period. That’s why I like to have a “Fashion” and “Sports” section in addition to the “Current Events” section.

Page 14

The next few pages feature a wide assortment of Primary Sources from this particular time period. These resources will help engage your students and help them understand the “story behind history”.

Feel free to make copies of these “Primary Source” review sheets to give to your students.

What is a Primary Resource? Primary resources are documents or other materials that give a

researcher a firsthand account of a historical event or time period. These sources reflect the experiences, viewpoints, and observations of

individuals who actually lived through certain events.

Examples of Primary Resources

• Letters • Diaries and Journals • Historic Speeches • Census Data • Audio / Visual Recordings •

Primary resources often give a more accurate view of history than secondary resources. Secondary resources are materials that review an event after it has taken place. An example of a secondary resource is an encyclopedia, or even your textbook.

The next few pages contain a variety of primary resources. Each document has been carefully chosen to help explore a unique part of United States

history. We hope you enjoy the materials--& remember…

Have Fun!!!

• Public Records • Firsthand News Reports • Political Cartoons • Original Artwork • Physical Artifacts

Page 15

During the Cold War, the United States and Russia were the two strongest nations in the world—and they didn’t trust one another. As a result, the two world powers spent lots of money developing new weapons and large militaries.

Below are the blueprints for a missile launching site that the United States built in Alaska during the early 1960s. Both Russia and the United States constructed dozens of similar launching sites as Cold War tensions grew.

Nike Hercules Missile Battery Summit Site, Anchorage, AK

Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress. Prints and Photograph Division, Washington, D.C.

At the end of World War II, the nation of Germany was forced to surrender to the Allied forces. Its capital city, Berlin, was divided among several of the Allied Nations (United States, Britain, Russia, and France).

Soon after, the Cold War began, and tensions rose between Russia

and the United States. Russia closed off its section of Berlin, and built a huge wall (known as the “Berlin Wall”) to keep anyone from getting in or out. The sign to the right is a warning to let people know that they are leaving the American portion of Berlin. Notice that it is written in several languages.

As the second half of the 20th century began, the American people set their sights on a far-off goal—space. They wanted the United States to be the first nation to send a man-made object into orbit. Unfortunately, that did not happen. On October 4, 1957, the Russians launched

Sputnik (seen here) into space.

The small vessel circled the earth on a continuous path (shown in the diagram to the left) for three weeks. Shortly after, in January 1958, the United States launched its first satellite into space.

Despite a slow start in the “Space Race,” the United States was able to achieve an even more important goal. On July 20, 1969, American Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. This event was witnessed by millions on live television, and (as seen here) was front-page news all around the world.

a forty-year long staring contest

Page 16

During the Civil Rights Movement, the African American community decided that it was better to express their views with structured protests rather than random violence. They organized rallies, speeches, sit-ins, and a number of other events to deliver their message.

Below are some of the actual signs carried by protesters during the famous 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, DC (led by Martin Luther King, Jr.).

One of the highlights of the Civil Rights Movement was the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (seen here). It abolished the “Jim Crow” laws of the time (Jim Crow Laws were those that enforced segregation), and made it illegal to discriminate in schools, housing, or employment.

…to protect constitutional rights in public facilities and public education, to extend the Commission on Civil Rights, to prevent discrimination in federally assisted programs, to establish a Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity, and for other purposes…

Unfortunately, segregation was a common practice in the South prior to the mid-1900s.

African Americans had to attend different schools, use different bathrooms, and (as seen in this picture) even drink from different water fountains.

Laws that enforced segregation were known as “Jim Crow” Laws.

The name came from the song, “Jump Jim Crow,” that was featured in a popular play from the 1820s. The actor who sung the song was a white man with his face painted black (so that he looked like an African American). The character is seen here.

Page 17

The United States became heavily involved in the Vietnam War during the 1960s. Thousands of soldiers joined the military—or were drafted—to fight in the small Asian country.

Back home, Americans followed the Vietnam War closely. The front pages of newspapers and the covers of popular magazines (such as “Life Magazine”, seen here) often featured pictures and news from Vietnam.

While thousands of young Americans went off to fight in the Vietnam War, many stayed home and lived a very different life than that of a soldier. Many even protested the war.

The “Hippy Movement” of the 1960s focused on things like peace,

love, and music. This was a stark contrast from the violence of the Vietnam War. This cover of “Time Magazine” in 1967 shows how the movement had an impact on the entire nation.

Cover, Time Magazine. 7 July 1967.

Cover, Life Magazine. 12 June 1964.

In 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy gave a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, and claimed that he had the names of several known communists who were working in the State Department. This immediately captured the attention—and fears—of the American public. McCarthy began to travel around the nation repeating his allegation that there were several communists working in high-ranking positions of the federal government.

Before long, people were being brought to trial on the charge of being communist. As people were brought to the stand, it became common for them to “plead the Fifth Amendment,” which gives an individual the right to refuse to say anything that may be incriminating.

Eventually, McCarthy went too far and the public turned on him. Nonetheless, countless reputations had been damaged—and lives ruined—as a result of his hearings.

Page 18

These are quick activities that can be used for class-openers, ice-breakers, attention-grabbers, and so on.

We’ve also added a few jokes to have in your pocket when you’re

really trying to keep students from staring out the window!

Activity — Cold War Tensions

As a class, brainstorm reasons why the tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States were so high during the Cold War. Here are a few reasons:

After reviewing the enormous tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, it seems obvious that the two world powers would have inevitably declared war on each other. Discuss why the Cold War never heated up into deadly violence (basically, both nations respected the other’s military power, and were hoping to avoid war if possible). **Bonus Activity As a class, consider this “What if” scenario. What if the Soviet Union had decided to launch a nuclear attack on the United States (or the other way around) in the decades following World War II? What if the United States had responded by immediately launching a nuclear counterattack on the Soviet Union (as it most likely would have)? What would have been the final result of this nuclear war?

Some believed that a nuclear attack, and the counterattacks that would follow, could conceivably destroy the world. This disturbing stage of events became known as Mutual Assured Destruction, or MAD (i.e. both the Soviet Union and the United States had the power to completely annihilate one another). Have your students write a few paragraphs about what they feel would happen in the event of a nuclear war. Why is it important to keep tight control over the nuclear weapons that exist throughout the world?

• Both nations were strong military powers • Both nations contained weapons of mass destruction • Both nations differed in economic systems and political views • The people in both nations were very proud and competitive • The American people resented the infringements of liberty imposed by the Soviet government onto its people • There was paranoia growing in the United States over Soviet espionage—this became known as the “Red Scare” • The Soviet Union viewed its strict control over nations in Eastern Europe as a legitimate defensive buffer zone from

Western nations

Page 19

Activity — McCarthyism

In 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy captured the attention—and fears—of the American public. McCarthy began to travel around the nation repeating his allegation that there were several communists working in high-ranking positions of the federal government. Discuss with your students why McCarthy was so effective in capturing people’s attention (he was playing on their fears of communism).

Before long, people were being brought to trial on the charge of being a communist. As people were

brought to the stand, it became common for them to “plead the 5th amendment,” which gives an individual the right to refuse to say anything that may be incriminating.

As word got out, McCarthyism gained more momentum, and more and more people were placed on

the stand. As a class, list reasons why the search for communist infiltrators continued to increase. Here are a few ideas:

The McCarthy trials have often been compared to the Salem Witch Trials in the 1600s. As a class, discuss what ways the two were similar (basically, the trials were “guilty until proven innocent” instead of the other way around). Ask your students how they would defend themselves if accused of being communist sympathizers. Would they prepare a defense or plead the 5th amendment?

Activity — The Space Race

Sending man into space was one of the most ambitious and impressive tasks that mankind had ever taken on. For that reason, it is no surprise that the United States and the Soviet Union (who shared a tense relationship with each other during the Cold War) were working around the clock to complete the goal before the other. The resulting competition became known as the “Space Race.”

The Soviet Union, who launched an artificial satellite into space in October 1957,

won the first leg of the Space Race. As a class, discuss why this event was so alarming to the American people. Consider:

After the Soviets succeeded in sending a satellite to space, the American space program vowed to be the first to send a man to the moon. This time, it was successful. Discuss with your students the significance of this event, both from a technological and political perspective. Given the state of “flux” that the United States space program is currently in (there is a debate as to what resources should be dedicated to it), ask your students to write down their predictions about where space exploration will be in fifty years.

• The public was already paranoid about communism • The general belief was “better safe than sorry” • While it’s difficult to prove that someone is a communist, it’s equally as difficult for him to prove he is not one • As the momentum grew, people didn’t speak up for fear they would be labeled communist sympathizers • The continued development of nuclear weapons made the search for communist spies seem credible

• It was a blow to American morale. • The space race had become a measuring stick for comparing communism and capitalism. • It proved that the Soviets were extremely technologically advanced, which created fear about their weaponry. • The United States had already invested millions of dollars on the space program only to be embarrassed by the Soviets.

Page 20

Activity — Containment Policies

In the 1950s, President Eisenhower explained that the only way to keep communism from spreading to new nations was through the policy of containment. In other words, the United States should be willing to go to war to defend even the smallest nations from falling under communist rule.

Ask your students to consider reasons why the United States decided to shift its concentration from nations that were already communist to nations that had the potential of becoming communist. Consider:

Eisenhower’s containment policy would eventually result in the U.S. involvement in unusual places such as Korea and Vietnam. Many Americans questioned whether it was in the best interest of the United States to fight in these distant nations, and they failed to see any obvious gains for America. Others supported the necessity of preventing communism and promoting democracy in all parts of the world.

In the 1960s, the American public became very negative towards the military involvement in Vietnam. While the United States had a vastly superior military, fighting a war in Vietnam proved to be difficult. The North Vietnamese forces used a strategy of guerrilla warfare, where irregular troops attack a stronger force using sabotage, surprise attacks, and harassment.

Ask your students to imagine that they are fighting against guerrilla fighters from North Vietnam. Have them make a list of what they should be on the look out for. Obviously, the North Vietnamese know that a straight-up confrontation will end in an overwhelming defeat, so they will probably get more creative. Here are some of the techniques they might employ:

Discuss how this guerrilla warfare, even though it didn’t seriously injure the United States military, resulted in frustration and shook the American morale. Activity — Segregation & Civil Rights

Since long before the Civil War, African Americans had been citing the injustices of their social status in the United States. When slavery was abolished, they were still not treated as equals. Schools were often segregated, as well as public facilities and transportation. Ask your students to write down three reasons why, after all this time, the Civil Rights movement finally took hold in the 1950s and 1960s. Consider that:

As a class, discuss how Civil Rights has improved in the course of a lifetime (i.e. over the past 60 or 70 years). In what ways does progress still need to be made? Are there other groups besides African Americans that have had to—and continue to—fight for their Civil Rights?

• Americans believed that communism, if it was not allowed to spread, would eventually collapse on its own. • It became the American ideology to defend freedom and promote democracy throughout the world. • Going to war with already established communist nations was a higher risk than preventing new nations from becoming communist. • Through its efforts in repairing post-World War II Europe, the U.S. had already established itself as an “international arbitrator” • If communism began to spread around the world, it would become more powerful and seriously threaten the democracy of the U.S.

• Surprise attacks or ambushes • Random traps in high traffic areas • Sabotaging of equipment • Fighting in inconvenient locations (i.e. jungles or swamps)

• Attacking and then quickly retreating to fight again another day • Long range fighting (i.e. snipers) • Several very small attacks instead of any large ones.

• African Americans were prepared for a long fight (i.e. lengthy court battles and public ridicule) • New leaders rose to the occasion (i.e. Martin Luther King, Jr. , Rosa Parks, Malcolm ‘X’, etc.) • New laws had been passed to guarantee fair treatment of all people • Unlike earlier years, many African Americans had a secondary and collegiate education • The American public was ready to reform the traditional ways • Mass media, like television, helped African Americans get their message out

Page 21

Cold War

During the Cold War, a Russian man is waiting in a long line to get his groceries. It is freezing and the line is barely moving. He shouts, “This is ridiculous! I’m going to go to the Kremlin and give the Russian leaders a piece of my mind!”

After several hours, he elbows his way back into his place in the grocery line. “Well, how did it go?” the people around him ask.

The man confessed, “I got to the Kremlin… but the line to get in was so long that I just came back here.”

(this joke can illustrate how the communist system in Russia resulted in long lines and poor service)

As a result of America’s “containment” policy, a military general finds himself defending a very small country thousands of miles away from the United States.

He is speaking to another officer, who asks, “I hear the Cold War might be coming to an end. What are you going to do when it’s all over?”

The General thinks about it, and then says, “I’m going to take my bicycle and ride it around this entire country.”

The other man looks confused and asks, “So, what are you going to do in the afternoon?”

(this joke is great to show how “containment” forced the U.S. to get involved in small, strange places)

The Space Race

As Cold War tensions grew, the President of the United States was shocked when an assistant stormed into his office and said, “The Soviets have landed on the moon, and they are painting it red like their flag!”

The President decided to stay calm—”Don’t do anything yet. Just tell me when they’re done.”

A few weeks later the assistant came back. He was clearly worried when he said, “The Soviets are finished! They’ve painted the entire moon red, and now it’s like the symbol of communism is shining down on the entire world!”

“Good,” answered the President. “Now, call NASA and tell them to launch a rocket carrying a bunch of white paint. Have them write the words ’Coca-Cola’ on the front of the moon.”

(this is good because it touches on the Space Race, Cold War tensions, and a bit of American culture)

Pop-Culture

Boy #1: What’s green and sings? Boy #2: Elvis Parsley, of course.

(yes, it’s a terrible pun, but all students should know how Elvis defined pop-culture in the U.S.)

Page 22

The next few pages include passages that focus on this historical topic, but can also be used for practice with

Reading Comprehension and other Language Arts skills. Please feel free to make copies.

“An iron curtain has descended across the continent!” Winston Churchill (1946)

On March 5, 1946, a crowd at Westminster College witnessed former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill deliver this legendary metaphor. His reference to an “iron curtain” became a symbol of the Cold War, describing the censorship and isolation policies that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) used to separate the people in Eastern Europe from the rest of the world. The night before the famous speech, Churchill traveled by train to Fulton, Missouri, accompanied by President Harry Truman. The town of Fulton had a population of only 7,000. Over 40,000 came to hear Churchill speak. The message of his address was that Russia, which had been a reliable ally to both Britain and the United States during World War II, was now a major post-war threat. Churchill declared, “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe…”

Eastern Europe remained locked behind the “iron curtain” until the collapse of communism almost fifty years later. Highlighted by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, countries previously occupied by the USSR finally broke through and became united with the rest of the world.

“Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall!” Ronald Reagan (1987)

Throughout the Cold War, the Berlin Wall stood as a symbol of tension between the democratic United States and the communist Soviet Union. Unfortunately, with 299 guard towers, the wall was much more than a symbol for the people of East and West Berlin, whom it kept permanently separated.

On June 12, 1987, Ronald Reagan spoke at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin to a crowd of 20,000, his back to the Berlin Wall. This speech marked the beginning of the end for the Cold War, and the eventual destruction of the Berlin Wall.

General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union had been preaching the concept of “glasnost,” or “openness.” But, in reality, he had done very little to show that he intended to allow Eastern Europe free access to the rest of the world. On this day, speaking to Berliners who had had enough of empty promises, Ronald Reagan personally challenged Gorbachev and the Soviets. “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization. Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Reagan affirmed his belief that the wall would come down, stating, “This wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith. It cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.”

It motivated the German audience. Even loud speakers were placed in a direction that allowed the people trapped in East Germany to hear the president speak. Only two years later, in late 1989, the people of Berlin took it upon themselves to reunite their city and literally tore down the Berlin Wall.

Page 23

Opening the Iron Curtain The fall of the Berlin Wall changes America and the world

As if World War II wasn’t enough trouble. When Germany finally surrendered to the Allied nations in 1945, a foolish optimist may have believed that the world was in for decades of simple—perhaps even boring—peace. Not so.

At the end of the war, Germany and Berlin were split into four occupational zones. By 1949, two completely separate German governments had been created. There was West Germany, set up democratically by the United States, Britain, and France. East Germany, operating under communist rule, was overseen by the Soviet Union.

In the 1950s, the Soviet Union began to enforce strict isolation policies on East Germany and other nations under its control. Anxious to gain back some of their freedom, thousands of East Germans fled

to the democratic Western nations of Europe. To put an end to this, the Soviet Union began to build the Berlin Wall to prevent defectors. The wall eventually covered the entire distance between East Berlin and West Berlin. For decades, as the Cold War fumed between the Soviet Union and the United States, the eastern nations of Europe remained hidden from the rest of the world. The people in these communist European nations were poor, miserable, and yearning for a democracy. Finally, in the 1980s, leaders such as Mikhail Gorbachev rose in the Soviet Union. Gorbachev recognized that his

only hope in salvaging his nation was to issue radical policies such as encouraging openness (glasnost) and calling for a massive restructuring (perestroika).

The result of these new policies was the opening of Hungary’s borders to Austria. Seizing this opportunity, several thousand East Germans used this as an escape route to the west. Left with no other choices, the German government announced that it had plans to lift all travel restrictions in Germany.

On November 9, 1989, a German official was asked when the travel restrictions in Germany would be lifted. Unsure of himself, he answered, “As far as I can see…immediately.” Instantly, large crowds of East Germans rushed to the wall, demanding freedom.

The news of the lifted restrictions spread fast, and the people were even faster to react to it. In a matter of hours, thousands of East Berliners lined up at the border crossing at Bornholmer Strasse, demanding that it be opened at once. The German guard was not certain of his orders, though he could see he wasn’t being offered a choice.

The gate was opened at 10:30 PM, and people fled to freedom in West Berlin. The fall of the Berlin Wall was apparent. By the end of the next day, more than 10,000 Berliners had crossed the wall, and a huge celebration of freedom took place in the streets.

The falling of the Berlin Wall also marked the beginning of the end for the Soviet Union and its ability to enforce communism on the unwilling nations in Eastern Europe. In the next few months, democracy spread throughout Europe. In short, there was a symbolic end to the Cold War (which didn’t “officially” end until a couple of years later with the fall of the Soviet Union). For fifty years, the tension had hung like a fog over the world, stretching from the United States to the Soviet Union. Now, it was as if that fog had lifted over night. Of course, there was also a bit of a “What now?” feeling.

As the war-torn and poverty stricken nations of the Eastern Bloc were opened to the world, massive construction projects and renovations soon got underway. The largest rebuilding took place in Berlin, where a construction project in Potsdamer Platz added nearly twenty buildings and highlighted the reunited city.

Page 24

Where No Man Has Gone Before Neil Armstrong Sets Foot on the Moon Man has always looked up at the moon and the stars with both amazement and question. At one time, they seemed completely out of reach, and were only the subject of stories and legends. Then came technology. By the end of World War II, powerful rockets were being created that certainly made it seem possible to extend exploration into space. Then, in 1957, Sputnik I was launched by the Soviets, becoming the first artificial satellite to enter space. The Americans launched their own four months later. In 1961, the wonders of space came one step closer to being discovered when the Soviets sent Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin to orbit the earth. Again, the Americans were a step behind, sending John Glen up eight months later. While these accomplishments were exciting, it was certainly a bit discouraging to the American space program that the Soviet Union was always one step ahead of them. But there was still hope—the ultimate prize in the “space race” was still up for grabs. And both nations were working desperately to achieve it. That prize, of course, was to put a man on the moon. In 1961, soon after the first man orbited space, President Kennedy made a bold declaration: the United States would put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. He was right. Throughout the 1960s, scientists worked tirelessly on the Apollo program, one of the largest scientific undertakings in history. In all, there were seventeen Apollo missions, and ultimately there would be six lunar landings. July 20, 1969, marks the highlight of the Apollo program. On that day Apollo 11—carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins—made its way to the moon. Armstrong and Aldrin then boarded a lunar module, known as the “Eagle,” which touched down on the moon’s surface. When he climbed down from the Lunar Module, Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon. As he took his last step off of the ladder, he recited this legendary line: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” As people from around the nation, and world, watched this event on live television, the idea of space exploration became a reality. In less than an average lifetime (sixty-six years), the world had seen the Wright brothers fly the very first airplane at Kitty Hawk to Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. It was impossible to guess where this technology would end. After the Apollo missions had given scientists a detailed understanding of the moon’s surface, other areas of concentration were pursued. In 1972, a space station—known as Skylab— was sent into orbit to allow astronauts to stay in space for months at a time. Also, space shuttles were created that could be sent up, return safely, and used for another mission. Other probes have been sent to further distances, such as to Mars and Jupiter, though none of these have been manned flights. Even though he was the champion of the “space race,” Neil Armstrong was able to withdrawal from the spotlight after his famous moon walk. He spent the next decade teaching aeronautical engineering at the Univer-sity of Cincinnati, and was later appointed by President Reagan to serve on the National Commission on Space.

In the event the moon mission had failed, President Richard Nixon already had a speech prepared. The plan was for him to call the families of each of the astronauts stranded on the moon, and then to read the following address to the nation. Fortunately, these words were never delivered:

"Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace. These brave

men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.

"These two men are laying down their lives in mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding. They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.

"In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man. In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our he-roes are epic men of flesh and blood.

"Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.

"For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind."

Neil Armstrong

Page 25

Martin Luther King, Jr.

On August 28, 1963, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered one of the greatest speeches in history. His “I Have a Dream” speech was presented on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, to a crowd of over 200,000 civil rights supporters.

Born in the southern state of Georgia, King dedicated his life to fighting segregation and discrimina-tion. He began his career as an activist while he was a student at Morehouse College, and later followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a minister. He preached against the wrongful treatment of blacks that had existed for years, and he helped to organize the movement that would begin to change that.

In 1963 King and other civil rights leaders combined their efforts and organized the March on Washington. This was an enormous breakthrough for the cause, and people from all over the country joined in to show their support. As the marchers congregated at the Lincoln Memorial, King stood up to deliver his speech. He told the protesters exactly what he was trying to accomplish: “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal.’” His words told the story, but it was King’s powerful delivery that created such a stir throughout the country.

An excerpt from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famed “I Have a Dream” speech:

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are cre-ated equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South.

With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day…

Page 26

• Announcement that U.S. will send man to moon within a decade

• U.S. begins long overdue relationship with China • Martin Luther King, Jr. rallies support as a Civil Rights

leader • MTV network launched and helps define pop culture • United States begins to send troops to Vietnam • Celebrities gather to support Africa with “We are the

World” hit song • U.S. begins its final withdrawal from Vietnam • Personal computers become popular • Cold War shows signs of ending as Soviet Union weakens

Directions: Write each president’s name below the picture. From the collection below, determine which events happened during each presidency. Write the events in the boxes below the pictures.

Name: Name: Name:

• United States dominates at 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles (boycotted by the Soviet Union)

• Environmental Protection Agency is formed • Space shuttle Challenger explodes, stunting space

program • “Bay of Pigs” invasion causes embarrassment for U.S. • First man lands on the moon • Cuban Missile Crisis has world holding its breath • Democratic headquarters burglarized at Watergate

Hotel • Peace Corps is formed

Events:

Page 27

Feel free to make copies of the puzzles to distribute to your students for review

Enjoy!

• Announcement that U.S. will send man to moon within a decade

• “Bay of Pigs” invasion causes embarrassment for U.S.

• Cuban Missile Crisis has world holding its breath

• Martin Luther King, Jr. ral-lies support as a Civil Rights leader

• Peace Corps is formed • United States begins to send

troops to Vietnam

• U.S. begins long overdue relationship with China

• Environmental Protection Agency is formed

• U.S. begins its final withdrawal from Vietnam

• First man lands on the moon • Democratic headquarters

burglarized at Watergate Hotel

• Personal computers become popular

• Cold War shows signs of ending as Soviet Union weakens

• MTV network launched and helps define pop culture

• United States dominates at 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles (boycotted by the Soviet Union)

• Space shuttle Challenger explodes, stunting space program

• Celebrities gather to support Africa with “We are the World” hit song

Name: John F. Kennedy Name: Richard Nixon Name: Ronald Reagan

Page 28

Across 4. The South Asian location of an unsuccessful war

against communism 5. Accusations of communist ties without sufficient

evidence Down 1. A U.S. strategy for slowing down the spread of

communism 2. Divider torn down in 1989 to end the Cold War 3. Type of socialist government spread by the Soviet

Union

Across 4. African American groups that used public

transportation to challenge segregation laws 5. Winner of famous trial against the Topeka Board of

Education to integrate schools Down 1. Muslim preacher who encouraged African American

self-reliance 2. “I Have a Dream” speaker— _____ _____ King, Jr. 3. Inspirational figure of the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Across 2. The name for the first unmanned satellite

successfully sent into orbit 4. First man on the moon Down 1. U.S. President who set a goal for putting a man on

the moon by the end of the 1960s 2. Technology competition between the Soviet Union

and the United States 3. NASA space shuttle that failed and caused a tragic

accident

Page 29

Feel free to make copies of the puzzles to distribute to your students for review.

Across 4. The South Asian location of an unsuccessful war

against communism 5. Accusations of communist ties without sufficient

evidence Down 1. A U.S. strategy for slowing down the spread of

communism 2. Divider torn down in 1989 to end the Cold War 3. Type of socialist government spread by the Soviet

Union

Across 4. African American groups that used public

transportation to challenge segregation laws 5. Winner of famous trial against the Topeka Board of

Education to integrate schools Down 1. Muslim preacher who encouraged African American

self-reliance 2. “I Have a Dream” speaker— _____ _____ King, Jr. 3. Inspirational figure of the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Across 2. The name for the first unmanned satellite

successfully sent into orbit 4. First man on the moon Down 1. U.S. President who set a goal for putting a man on

the moon by the end of the 1960s 2. Technology competition between the Soviet Union

and the United States 3. NASA space shuttle that failed and caused a tragic

accident

Page 30

The Cold War Era (1946-1989)

This template is a great way to break down the different stages of the Cold War Era, politically, socially, and technologically. It also gives students a chance to highlight the key events that shaped the war. This template works as a “timeline,” so it can be easily modified to fit other scenarios. Once completed, the 3-D Template will make a great review sheet!

The template is provided on the next page. Make copies to hand out to your students.

Why 3-D Templates? Our 3-D Templates give students a hands-on way to interact with information.

This kinesthetic technique engages the learner while the information is being presented, and also helps in the processing and cognitive organization of it. To put it another way:

Step 1: Students fold the template along the dotted lines, until it is one long strip. On the front of the strip, they hand-label the words: “The Cold War Era — 1946-1989”)

Step 3: Students unfold the rest of the template, and write specific details for each period of the Cold War Era. Once completed, the template becomes a great review sheet.

Step 2: Students begin to unfold the template. In each section, they write details about that stage of the Cold War Era.

The Cold War Era (1946-1989)

From 1947 to 1951, the U.S. gave over $10 billion to help a

war-torn Europe. The

plan was named for George

Marshall, and it proved to be a

good investment, helping Europe recover much

faster from the war.

Students repeat this step for each section in the template.

From 1947 to 1951, the U.S. gave over $10 billion to help a

war-torn Europe. The

plan was named for George

Marshall, and it proved to be a

good investment, helping Europe recover much

faster from the war.

Fold 1

Fold 2

Fold 3

Fold 4

Rebuilding

Following W

orld W

ar II (Marshall Plan)

D

escribe this period of the Cold

War Era, including a few

key events that defined it.

Containm

ent Policy

Korea / Vietnam

Describe this period of the C

old W

ar Era, including a few key

events that defined it.

Civil R

ights / Segregation

D

escribe this period of the Cold

War Era, including a few

key events that defined it.

The “Space Race”

D

escribe this period of the Cold

War Era, including a few

key events that defined it.

M.A

.D. (M

utually A

ssured Destruction)

& Steps to End C

old War

D

escribe this period of the Cold

War Era, including a few

key events that defined it.

Ecosystems, Habitats, & the Environment

Plants

Animals

The Human Body & Heredity

Cells & Living Things

Heat & States of Matter

Energy & Electricity

Light & Sound

Astronomy

Weather

Earth’s Materials & Processes

Earth’s Biological History

Landforms & Oceans

Chemistry & the Periodic Table

Forces & Motion

Exploration

Settlement

The American Revolution

A New Nation

Westward Expansion

Slavery in America

The Civil War

Reconstruction Era

Late 1800s & Early 1900s

“Roaring Twenties” & Great Depression

The World Wars

Cold War Era

Modern Times

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Number of copies = _____

Science Social Studies

1 copy = $14.95 x ______ total copies = $__________

8% Shipping = $__________ TOTAL = $__________

Please fax purchase orders to (864)-877-5123

Or send P.O. or this form w/ a check to:

Homecourt Publishers 2435 East North St., #245 Greenville, SC 29615-1442

+

For more information, contact: Ben Bache, managing editor (864) 877-5123 benbache@homecourtpublishers.com

If sending this order form with a check, please provide the address where you

would like materials to be shipped:

Ecosystems

Plants

Animals

Human Body

Living Things

Heat & Matter

Energy

Light & Sound

Astronomy

Weather

Earth’s Materials

Biological History

Landforms & Oceans

Chemistry

Forces & Motion

Exploration

Settlement

American Revolution

A New Nation

Westward Expansion

Slavery

Civil War

Reconstruction Era

Late 1800s / Early 1900s

1920s & 1930s

World Wars

Cold War Era

Modern Times