The Cold War and the Period of the “Thaw“. Peaceful Coexistence? (Bilingual Teaching Unit in History)

Lesson Plan , 2016 , 7 Pages , Grade: 1,0

World History - Modern History

The key concept of this teaching unit is “Global Interactions”. The reason for this concept becomes clear when you take into account that nowadays, global interaction continues to impact the world. Globalization, interdependence, and new media connect the people of most nations. Global interactions have also a magnificent impact on students as they transform everyday life (for example music, products, medical treatments and so on). These interactions broaden our view of the world. Furthermore, global interactions affect more than our personal lives. They also transform or destroy relationships among nations. Some effects are minor, but some bring significant challenges to our economic, political, and social systems. To make the impact of global interactions clear we will have a closer look on the international relations during the cold war, more precisely during the period of the “thaw”.

Content:

1. Subject and Grade Level

The planned teaching unit about the period of so called “thaw” is given in the 12th grade.

2. Topic

As you can see on the “Lehrplan”^[1] the greater topic of this unit is “The East-West Conflict: The Cold War”^[2]. The unit’s topic is “Friedliche Koexistenz”.

3. Time Frame

The teaching unit will take two teaching hours (90 minutes).

4. Unit Question

The main question of this unit is: Peaceful Coexistence?

Concepts:

1. Key Concept

The key concept of this teaching unit is “Global Interactions”. The reason for this concept becomes clear when you take into account that nowadays, global interaction continues to impact the world. Globalization, interdependence, and new media connect the people of most nations. Global interactions have also a magnificent impact on students as they transform everyday life (e.g. music, products, medical treatments etc.). These interactions broaden our view of the world. Furthermore, global interactions affect more than our personal lives. They also transform or destroy relationships among nations. Some effects are minor, but some bring significant challenges to our economic, political, and social systems. To make the impact of global interactions clear we will have a closer look on the international relations during the cold war, more precisely during the period of the “thaw”.^[3]

2. Related Concept

The related concept of this unit is “interdependence”. As we have said, global interactions have a great influence on the relationship among states. If you want to understand why these actions are important for specific outcomes, you have to take into account the global interdependence.

3. Areas of Interaction

The area of interaction in this case is “community and service”. The students should compare the two types of political systems interacting in the cold war. The aim of the unit is that the students will be able to differentiate the two communities.

4. Approaches to Learning

In this unit the skill of critical thinking will be developed.

Assessment:

Which Criteria will be addressed?

1. Knowledge and Understanding

2. Thinking Critically

Resources:

1. Technology

The main technology sources will be a white-board and OHP. The students will bring their results to the white-board after finishing their exercises.

2. Classroom Environment

The classroom is 20qm² big. The seating arrangement looks like a U open to the white-board’s side. Grouping is possible but not needed for this unit.

Teaching Strategies:

1. Teaching Methods

- Description of a caricature

- Think – Pair – Share

- Discussion

2. Making Thinking Visible

The thinking of the students will be make visible by collecting it on the white-board. Therefore, the students will present their results orally to the plenum while the teacher is writing the key facts on the white-board.

Unit’s timetable:

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^[1] Lehrplan Gemeinschaftskunde: Sek II. (Bilingual – Englisch) URL: http://lehrplaene.bildung-rp.de/schulart.html?tx_abdownloads_pi1%5Bcategory_uid%5D=118&tx_abdownloads_pi1%5Bcid%5D=5785&cHash=5855972dd389a795065a91fadfb8e8df (Last time used: 07. July 2016)

^[2] Lehrplan Gemeinschaftskunde Sek II. (Bilingual – Englisch), 5.2.2 Jahrgangsstufe 12, S. 36.

^[3] Modern World History Unit 11.1: Global Interaction. 2008, S. 3. URL: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/curriculum/socialstudies/high/grade11/Web%20Preview%2011.1.pdf (Last time used: 07. July 2016)

• College: Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Historisches Seminar)
• Course: Bilinguale Zusatzausbildung
• Grade: 1,0
• Author: M.Ed. Christoph Grave (Author)
• Publication Year: 2016
• Pages: 7
• Catalog Number: V370460
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668502673
• ISBN (Book): 9783668502680
• Language: English
• Tags: peacful coexistence, Cold war, Kalter Krieg, Friedliche Koexistenz, Chruschtschow, Amerika, UdSSR, Soviet, USA