Target Ages: 12+
Be aware: Some original quotes contain mature language.
Book Description
WWII may have ended, but tensions were growing. With the introduction of the atomic bomb, and a race to create weapons with even more power to destroy, the world was on pins and needles. Communism was on the rise, and the U.S. was determined to stop it.
The period following World War II was filled with spies, a space race, surveillance, and the constant fear of nuclear war. In this non-fiction account of the Cold War, Steve Sheinkin will have you on the edge of your seat with each page turn.
Communism Versus Democracy
Learn about communist and democratic systems via the links below. Then, argue, orally or in writing, which system you’d prefer to live under. Support your argument with at least three strong facts, being sure to cite where you found those facts.
Watch It: Capitalism, Communism, and Political Economies | 12:00
Watch It: What Is Communism? | 04:00
Read It: What Is a Communist, and What Do Communists Believe?
Watch It: Democracy – A Short Introduction | 03:00
Read It: Overview: What Is Democracy – Principles of Democracy
Nuclear Fusion in Space
This is a fun and easy science experiment you can perform to see how nuclear fusion, the same process used in the detonation of the hydrogen bomb, occurs in space.
Do It: Nuclear Fusion
Top Secret CIA Museum
Learn about some key items used in intelligence over the years.
Watch It: The Secret CIA Museum YOU CAN’T Visit | 10:00
Do It: Research an interesting spy gadget, and write a paragraph about how it was used and/or developed by the CIA. Include an image (drawn or photograph), diagram, or model of the item.
Do It: Design your own spy gadget. Draw a diagram of how it would work and include a paragraph describing it.
Top One-Time Pad
Watch It: The ULTIMATE One-Time Pad Tutorial | 15:00
Do It: Check out these full math lessons about various codes and cyphers from the Center for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching. Scroll down for the lesson on One-Time Pads.
Codes and Ciphers Teaching Resource Website
Do It: Read your own codes and cyphers using this One-Time Pad Generator
The United Nations
Watch It: Learn about the history and organization of the United Nations: The United Nations Explained: How Does it ACTUALLY Work? – TLDR News | 10:02
Read It: Learn more about the UN, its members, locations, and current issues. You may even be able to catch a livestream of a UN session: United Nations
Launch of Sputnik
Watch It: The Day America Looked Inward and Changed Forever | 56:00
Watch It: On This Day: The Launch of Sputnik | C-Span Classroom | Several clips totaling 12:00
Do It: Pretend you were alive to see Sputnik launch. Write a journal entry for that day. It may include drawings, diagrams, poems, and as much or as little writing as you see fit.
Sinews of Peace
Listen To It: Listen to Winston Churchill’s full speech. Winston Churchill – Sinews of Peace | 45:00
Read It: Follow along with the full transcript while you listen. The Sinews of Peace
Watch It: See a live recording of the portion of his speech in which Churchill talks about the iron curtain Sir Winston Churchill – Sinews of Peace (Iron Curtain) Speech | 03:00
Timeline Binder
Fallout is filled with famous people and events surrounding the Cold War. Use the list below to find topics to research and write about for your Timeline Binder. Here are some options for how to structure your writing.
Daily Quick Writes: Nothing formal here, write a comfortable amount about one person or event per day.
Weekly Research: Choose one person to research and write a paragraph (or a few).
Research Project: Pick one person or event to research and write a longer, more in-depth paper on.
People
- Rudolf Abel
- James Bond
- Fidel Castro
- Winston Churchill
- Lona Cohen
- Dwight Eisenhower
- Yuri Gagarin
- Ian Ivanovich
- John Kennedy
- Nikita Khrushchev
- Robert McNamara
- Robert Oppenheimer
- Oleg Penkovsky
- Francis Gary Powers
- Harry Seidel
- Alan Shepard
- Joseph Stalin
- Edward Teller
- Harry Truman
Places
- Area 51
- Bay of Pigs
- Berlin (wall)
- Cape Canaveral
- Kremlin
- Los Alamos
- Mount Weather, VA
- Naru Island
- Red Square
- West Wing
Events
- Cuba Missile Crisis
- Testing of the first hydrogen bomb
- Lucky Dragon explosion
- First man to orbit the Earth
- Red Scare
- Space Age
- Launch of Sputnik
More Books and Resources
Books:
- Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin | Historical Fiction | 9-12
- Cloud and Wallfish by Anne Nesbet | Historical Fiction | 10-14
- The Cold War: A World History by Odd Arne Westad | Nonfiction | Adult
- Cold War Correspondent: A Korean War Tale by Nathan Hale | Graphic Novel | 9-12
- The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy | Fiction | Adult
- A Night Divided by Jennifer A Nielsen | 8-12
- Tucky Jo and Little Heart by Patricia Polacco | Picture Book | 8+
- Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt | Historical Fiction | 10-13
YouTube Videos and Resources:
- The Hollow Coin (1958) | 15:00
- Duck and Cover (1951) Bert the Turtle | 10:00
- BBC playlist of several documentaries: Cold War – Comrades
- A series of short, interesting videos from the CIA that explains different artifacts and missions from the history of the CIA including mysteries of espionage. The Debrief
- YouTube Channels: The Cold War TV and Central Intelligence Agency
Other Resources:
- Fallout Discussion Questions
- Chess – You can use any chess set, but a great one for beginners is No Stress Chess by Winning Moves Games
- Bridge of Spies | 2015 | PG-13
Free PDF Download
Bonus: Free Vocabulary Resources
Find out more about how to use these resources on our blog post, “Yes, You Do Need to Teach Vocabulary.”
