Directions: Cut out the Berlin Wall template below and follow the directions to glue it into your notebook so it

divides your page in 2 halves. On one half, describe what life was like in West Germany while the wall was up

from 1961-1989. On the other half, do the same for East Germany. For both think about the government, the

people, way of life, etc. How did the wall and division affect them? Lastly, research more pictures of the Berlin

Wall and decorate the wall with appropriate graffiti and artwork. A map of Berlin is included at the bottom for

your reference. The Wall is the dark line going through the middle up and down.

East Berlin

West Berlin

Name _______________________________________

Directions: After reading the article, answer the following questions.

1. What question is answered in the first paragraph?

a. Who built the Berlin Wall?

b. How was the Berlin Wall torn down?

c. What was the Berlin Wall like?

d. How could you escape past the Berlin Wall?

2. Why was the Berlin Wall built?

3. In what way did the Berlin Wall symbolize the “Iron Curtain”?

4. What does the word “jubilation” mean in the last paragraph?

a. Horror

b. Joy

c. Disappointment

d. Caution

5. Which group of people do you think wanted the Berlin Wall torn down more – East Berliners or

West Berliners? Explain your choice.

6. What do you think was the best method to leave East Germany and escape to West Berlin? How

would you do it? Be as detailed as possible.

7. Why was the Berlin Wall called a “Canvas of Concrete”?

The Berlin Wall was the 97-mile-long physical barrier that separated the city of

West Berlin from East Berlin and the rest of East Germany from 1961 until the

East German government relaxed border controls in November 1989. The 13-

foot-high concrete wall snaked through Berlin, effectively sealing off West

Berlin from ground access except for through heavily guarded checkpoints.

It included guard towers and a wide area known as the “death strip” that

contained anti-vehicle

trenches, barbed wire, and

other defenses. The wall

came to symbolize the

“Iron Curtain” that

separated Western Europe

and the Eastern Bloc during

the Cold War.

As East Germany grew

more socialist in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, about 3.5 million East Germans fled from East Berlin into

democratic West Berlin. From there, they could then travel to West Germany and other Western European

countries. It became clear to the powers of East Germany that they might not survive as a state with open

borders to the West. Between 1961 and 1989, the wall prevented almost all such emigration.

Among the many attempt to escape included through underground tunnels, hot-air balloons, and with the

support of organized groups of Fluchthelfer (flight helpers). The East German border guards’ shoot-to-kill

order against refugees resulted in about 250-300 deaths

between August 1961, and February 1989.

Demonstrations and protests in the late 1980’s began to build

stress on the East German government to open the city. In the

summer of 1989, neighboring Hungary opened its border and

thousands of East Germans fled the communist country for the

West. The flood of refugees added to the pressure on the East

German government to do something.

The government planned to allow some round-trip crossings

and announced a revised Travel Law on November 9, 1989.

As news broke, thousands of East Germans streamed to Berlin

border crossings. Surprised guards were overwhelmed and

could not stop the crowds that forced the gates’ opening.

Amid scenes of jubilation, people took hammers and chiseled

away the wall piece by piece. Soon large segments were

removed and remnants of the Berlin Wall became souvenirs

all over the world. Larger chunks were shredded and utilized

for road construction in Germany. Today, only a few sections

of the wall can still be seen.

Name ____Answer Key/Teacher’s Guide______

Directions: After reading the article, answer the following questions.

1. What question is answered in the first paragraph?

a. Who built the Berlin Wall?

b. How was the Berlin Wall torn down?

c. What was the Berlin Wall like?

d. How could you escape past the Berlin Wall?

2. Why was the Berlin Wall built?

As East Germany became more socialist, thousands of people fled for freedom in the west.

The government wanted to stop all of its people from leaving so built a wall to keep them in.

3. In what way did the Berlin Wall symbolize the “Iron Curtain”?

The Iron Curtain was a symbolic division of Europe between the communist and socialist

countries and the East and democratic nations in Western Europe. The actual Berlin Wall

divided people in a real, tangible way and could be seen as a barrier to freedom by many.

4. What does the word “jubilation” mean in the last paragraph?

a. Horror

b. Joy

c. Disappointment

d. Caution

5. Which group of people do you think wanted the Berlin Wall torn down more – East Berliners or

West Berliners? Explain your choice.

Open to student opinion. West Berliners might have felt trapped and scared that they might be

taken over by the East at any time. East Berliners would want it torn down so they could be

free and live in a democratic state.

6. What do you think was the best method to leave East Germany and escape to West Berlin? How

would you do it? Be as detailed as possible.

Open to many possible student opinions provided they support their answer.

7. Why was the Berlin Wall called a “Canvas of Concrete”?

It was called a “Canvas of Concrete” because of all the graffiti sprayed all over every part of

it by those on both sides. Much of this artwork was protest slogans and art meant to tell the

world how those on both sides felt about the wall that divided their city.

© Students of History - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Students-Of-History/

I hope you enjoy this resource and that it helped you and your students gain a better insight

into the Berlin Wall and Cold War. Of course there are many different ways it can be used

based on class, grade level, time available, etc.

I usually give the article to students to read for a homework assignment along with the

interactive notebook page. I like them to do this at home because it is more of a “fun”

creative assignment and I get more success rather than the quiz worksheet. Then we’ll talk

about what the students read and get them to share some of their notebook pages. We’ll

then move on to either my Cold War Timeline lesson or Containment presentation

before using the worksheet quiz/questions at the end of class to see how much they recall

about it. I’d love to hear other ways you’d use the lesson in your class though!

Here are some additional resources for teaching about the Cold War that you might find

useful. Just click on any image to be taken to that resource. You can find all my Cold War

teaching resources by clicking here.

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Thanks again and hope you have a great year!