Lesson+Plan

LESSON PLAN

=Title: Reds in the house= =Grade Level/Subject: 11th grade, US/AZ History = This lesson is designed to be a part of a larger unit on the beginning of the Cold War and the prosperity of the United States following the end of World War II. It is meant to show the panic and fear that were increasingly disruptive to America. The students will learn how these fears culminated in a modern day “witch hunt” that affected American politics, military, and society at large. As a result, many Americans lost their jobs and livelihood, while others paid the ultimate price. An underlying theme is the effect of mass hysteria and misinformation on public opinion, politics, and social interactions.
 * Overview/Purpose **

=Standards=

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According to Arizona State Standards for U.S/AZ History this lesson covers: Strand 1, Concept 9, PO 4. For NCSS standards this lesson covers: SSHS-S4C4- “Addresses issues of globalization (e.g., widespread use of English, the role of the global media, resistance to 'cultural imperialism', trade, outsourcing);” and SSHS-S4C2- “Examine geographic issues (e.g., drought in Sahel, migration patterns, desertification of Aral Sea, spread of religions such as Islam, conflicts in Northern Ireland/Ireland, Jerusalem, Tibet) in places and world regions” and “Analyze the differing political, religious, economic, demographic, and historical ways of viewing places and regions.” =====

=Time= -Anticipatory set: approx. 20 mins. -Simulation debriefing: approx. 30 mins. -PowerPoint: approx. 30 mins. -Journal Entry: approx. 10 mins. -Total class time: 1 hour and 30 mins.

=Materials= -PowerPoint of sections -Video clips -Simulation results and new map of post-WWII Europe based on results (STUDENTS) -Anticipatory set briefing materials -Books (STUDENTS) -Journals (STUDENTS) -Music -Pencils/Pens (STUDENTS)

=Objective(s)= Students will understand the topic being presented such that they will be able to discuss, in both written and oral form, the issues surrounding the Red Scare in America. They will know how it felt to be accused of being a Communist, how it affected one’s social and personal life, as well as how it changed and manipulated the American way of life at the time. This will tie into the ideas of fear that pervaded throughout the Cold War and changed the way that people viewed the world and governments throughout the world. All of this will be tested at the end of the unit through paragraphs that explore the cultural, societal, and political effects of these fears and the political movements that may have led to them.

=Procedures= -Anticipatory set will commence immediately at the beginning of class, video clips will start it off. -Materials for set will be distributed during the clips -Students will begin discussion following the clips and teacher led intro to discussion topic -Students discuss and vote on who is communist is taken -Tensions over accusations will be discussed and this will lead into topic of the day -PowerPoint presentation on Sections 1 and 2 of Chapter 19 -Journal entries will take up the last ten minutes of class with assignment sheets being handed out for the night’s homework.

=Assessment/Evaluation= The assessment for the topic will be through the journal entries that the students write, as well as the homework assignment that will be given out at the end of the class. The class is based on writing and analyzing information in paragraph form. Thus, the teacher will evaluate students’ comprehension of the material primarily through their written assignments.

=Extensions/Enrichment= This lesson can be extended through the use of court documents and televised hearings that show the persecution of individuals for supposed communist sentiments. These documents and first-hand accounts will show the students how many people were treated and accused of “crimes” and social infractions that they did not commit. All it will help the students learn to analyze social movements and the effects of political and media propaganda. It will create a valuable lesson in which students will begin to understand the larger themes of: (i) cycles of public opinion and agenda; (ii) subconscious biases that are held by everyone, including elected officials and trusted public figures; and (iii) mass hysteria.

Several modifications can be made in order to best serve a variety of learning and skill levels. For gifted and varied skill learners, the think/pair/shares and writing assignments at the end of the lesson will allow them time to cultivate their own ideas and analyze the information given during the lesson in their own manner. For children with learning disabilities, the lesson can be modified even further to give them more opportunities to slow down and talk about what information had just been presented (such as using more think/pair/shares, group discussions, or extended time to write in their journals).
 * Differentiated Instruction for Special Needs Students **

Lists of difficult or strange words can be passed out to the students along with the context and usage of the term so that the students will have a baseline of knowledge on what terminology was used during that time period. Allowing students time to discuss the words that were common or important during that time period as a part of linguistics activity with a partner or group. Give the students extended time on each slide of the PowerPoint in order to ensure more complete understand and explain each slide thoroughly.
 * Second Language Strategies **