Cold War Era Mini-Projects


  Curriculum Toolkit

Outline
Lesson Plan 1
Lesson Plan 2
Interview Guidelines
Looking Back
Cold War Research Project
Vietnam War Research Project
Project Rubric

Students gain a clearer understanding of the Vietnam Era only if they have knowledge of the events and policies leading up to the Vietnam War. Teamwork is encouraged. (Teams of two to three students seem to work best.) Student mini-projects relating to the Cold War may include some of the following topics:

Cold War Era Project Guidelines

Part I. Choose one of the following topics to research:

  1. Creation of the CIA
  2. Marxist influences on the development of Communism
  3. Bolshevik Revolution
  4. Yalta Conference
  5. Truman Doctrine
  6. Marshall Plan
  7. NATO
  8. Warsaw Pact
  9. Berlin (Crisis/Wall)
  10. Chinese Revolution (1949)/Mao Tse-Tung
  11. Nikita Khrushchev
  12. John Foster Dulles and the Theory of Massive Retaliation
  13. Korean War
  14. SEATO
  15. McCarthyism
  16. The Rosenbergs
  17. The Suez Crisis/Eisenhower Doctrine
  18. Sputnik and America's Reaction
  19. The Domino Theory
  20. The U-2 Incident
  21. Topic of your choice (with teacher approval)

Part II. Suggested resources.

Encyclopedias
Magazines
History books
Maps
Novels
Interviews with Vietnam veterans, former protestors, journalists, etc.
Movies/Videos
Internet websites and databases
Additional resources (SEE YOUR MEDIA SPECIALIST!)

Part III. Oral Presentation. The following requirements must be met:

  1. A detailed outline MUST be turned in, as well as a bibliography (in proper format) including three (3) or more resources. You must also turn in five (5) test questions based on your presentation with the answers for those questions.
  2. A poster, video presentation or skit must also be part of your presentation.