Category: Cold War

American Revolution, Assignment Ideas, Civil Rights, Cold War, Colonial America, Colonization & Settlement, Colonization to Civil War, Help for New Teacher, Post-World War II, Presidents, Progressive Era, Reconstruction, Rise of Industrial America, Roaring Twenties, Roaring Twenties and Depression, Vietnam War, Western Settlement, World War I, World War II

Two Exciting New Products! Lots of US History Help!

I’ve been slaving away behind the scenes to finish something I’ve been working on for a while! The first is a massive list of US History Assignments. I ended up with over 211 assignments and 15 printable templates! I’m breaking them up into 2 separate products based on time period. The first is 101 Assignments for Colonies to Civil War. I’m still putting the finishing touches on the second part, 110 Assignments for Reconstruction to 9/11. I hope to have that one available within the month!

I also have a set of 180 discussion starters and bell ringers I’ve been working on. You can find that here which also includes a link to a free sample download.

Use the code BLOG20 to get 20% off of your purchase!

 

Cold War, Videos, Vietnam War

Vietnam War Videos to Show in Your Classroom

There are a myriad of videos out there about the Vietnam War. Many are great, but they are SO long. Most students do well with a video under five minutes. Here’s a roundup of some helpful videos I use to teach the Vietnam War.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (3:41)

Vietcong Guerilla (3:08)

The Most Dangerous Job in the Vietnam War (1:00)

Why New Soldiers Didn’t Survive Vietnam (0:51)

Tet Offensive (3:47 – This video is part of a History Channel page on the Vietnam War. You may need to scroll down to find the video. It’s worth the scroll!)

What was Significant About the 1968 Tet Offensive? (3:43)

U.S. Veteran Describes Being Prisoner of War in Vietnam (5:32)

 

Don’t forget these 3 videos in my other post which are essential to understanding Vietnam veterans!!

Cold War, Post-World War II, Videos

Three Videos to Help Your Students Understand Vietnam Veterans

Everyone knows that Vietnam veterans had a much different experience coming home than World War II veterans. To be honest, our country let the Vietnam vets down. Still, it’s hard to explain to students why Vietnam veterans had such a hard time coming home. These three Youtube videos, in my mind, give the most simple and understandable explanation as to why the Vietnam veterans seemed to have a harder time getting over the trauma of war than others.

How WWII and Vietnam Veterans Were Treated Differently

The Vietnam Soldier’s War Life. Why PTSD.

The Difference Between a World War II Vet and a Vietnam Vet

 

Cold War

Laika, A Tragic Casualty of the Space Race

You’ve probably heard of Laika, the Soviet dog that was sent into space aboard Sputnik 2. Have you ever thought about what happened to her? Most of us just mention these things in passing as we cover the Space Race. But animals in space? Don’t pass up this chance to use it to engage your students. Laika’s story is sure to pique the interest of almost anyone.

A dog in space? It sounds kind of comical, right? But the reality of the situation was far from comical. Laika’s flight into space ended up being very stressful on her as evidenced by the fact that her heart rate was triple the normal rate! Soviet scientists knew that she would die; they just didn’t expect her to die the way she did. Reports were circulated that Laika would die a quick and painless death by asphyxiation when the oxygen ran out. However, the Soviets didn’t expect the temperature control system to malfunction. The cabin overheated and Laika died from the heat. The Soviets released false reports that Laika lived several days in space, and the truth about the flight was not revealed until many decades later. Even now, Laika’s story stirs up controversy about the use of animals in research.  You can read more about Laika and her training in this fascinating article.

Cold War, Post-World War II, Reconstruction to Present

Have You Touched the Berlin Wall?

Did you know that there are many segments of the Berlin Wall on display in the United States? You can see if there is one close to you by checking here. A couple of years ago, I found out that there was a segment less than 45 minutes from me! I had no clue. It is in front of a German-run business located near the interstate. One day when my family and I were down that way, we stopped by and looked at it. It’s insane to think that we were touching something that was such a huge symbol of such a unique time. It also made me reflect on how blessed I am to be free, and it reminded me of the people who were living under such oppression that they were willing to risk their lives just to get over the very wall we were able to walk up and touch.

Encourage your students to go out and touch a piece of history! It may make a greater impact on them than any worksheet ever could.