Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Communists?

Fellowship Lesson 2008

Krista Ruud

Champaign County Archives

Lesson 1 - Introduction to Communism

To download this lesson in PDF format, click here.

Length: 1 class period

Set-up: Individual work

Procedures:

§ Introduce the unit to the students. Give students a brief overview of how the Cold War began, emphasizing that the United States and the Soviet Union really did not like each other and there was a continual threat of nuclear war. You may want to point out that each assignment/assessment students do, whether in groups or individually, will help them complete the final unit project.

§ Hand out the Definition Chart (1 per student). Go over the definitions with students then allow them time to create their own sentences and pictures for each word. This will provide background information for students and also help them understand some words that they will frequently encounter in the unit.

§ Now, if possible, view a large Cold War era world map as a class or find a copy of a Cold War era world map.

o If using one large map for the entire class… identify the nations that were Democratic and those that were Communist. Sticky notes or wet erase markers on an overhead can allow the teacher or students to mark the areas.

o If using a Cold War era world map copied for each student… students should each have two colored pencils/markers (preferably red and blue, but any two different colors will do). Have students color Communist nations one color (red) and Democratic nations/US Allies another color (blue). Non-aligned nations may be kept white. You may have students look in book resources on their own or you may provide a master copy for students to use. The following websites can be used as keys:

§ http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/coldwar1.htm

§ http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/communis.htm

§ In the last few minutes of class discuss with students

o What was the Cold War? Communism? Democracy? Containment?

o In what areas of the world did Communist nations exist? Democratic nations?

Assessment: Students will have completed the Definition Chart. Students may either keep this or the teacher can collect and keep the work. It will be helpful later in the unit.