Learning Experience Plan

Subject: Social Studies Grade level: 8th Grade

Unit: Foreign Policy and Communism Length of LEP: 1 Day/25 Minutes

Topic: Understanding Containment

Content Standards:

8.7 FOREIGN POLICY: The period after World War II has been characterized by an
ideological and political struggle, first between the United States and communism during
the Cold War, then between the United States and forces of instability in the Middle East.
Increased economic interdependence and competition, as well as environmental concerns,
are challenges faced by the United States.
8.7b The United States based its military and diplomatic policies from 1945 to 1990 on a policy
of containment of communism. Students will examine the policy of containment and its
application in the postwar period, including the Marshall Plan, the Korean War, the Cuban
missile crisis, and the Vietnam War.

Literacy Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate
summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

Learning Experience Outcomes Learning Experience Assessments

Students will: Narrative Summary Board
Articulate the meaning and Paragraphs or essays answering the
origins of the strategy of guiding questions.
containment. Kahoot
Describe the positions taken by
supporters as well as critics of
this policy.
Explain the origins of the
Truman Doctrine and how it fit
into the strategy of
containment.
Explain the origins of the
Marshall Plan and how it fit into
the strategy of containment.

Differentiation (What will you do to meet the needs of students at these different levels?)

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Approaching
For students on this level, in
the independent practice, they
will be asked to answer one of
the questions asked in 1-2
paragraphs.
Curriculum Integration (Does this lesson correlate with any other content area? Describe.)
On-level
For students on this level, in
the independent practice, they
will be asked to answer all the
questions in 1-2 paragraphs.
Beyond
For students on this level, in the
independent practice, they will
be asked to answer all the
questions in one single longer
essay answering the question:
Analyze the policy of
containment. What were its
strengths and weaknesses?
What steps did the Truman
Administration take to
implement it?

Materials Procedures/Strategies
Day 1
Kahoot Sponge Activity

Power When the students enter the classroom, there will be an entrance ticket on their desks
Point asking them to come up with their own definition of containment

Primary Anticipatory Set

Sources
What was "containment" and how was it applied in 194748?
Narrative
Summary Activating Prior Knowledge
Outline
Students will be asked to write down everything they know about Communism;
Homewor countries, Communist leaders, or wars that involved Communism. The teacher will
k sheet for write Communism on the board and each student must come up and write at least one
approachi thing that they wrote down in the board.
ng
students Direct Instruction

Homewor A Power Point presentation that outlines definitions of Communism and Containment
k sheet for will be shown to help students better understand. The Power Point will also outline
students Communists wars, countries, and leaders and Americans involvement.
on-level
Guided Practice
Homewor
k sheet for Students will read two primary sources that explain what containment is. For both
beyond sources, students will fill out a Narrative Summary Frame and then write a 2-3
students sentence summary for the document. This will help students understand who was
involved and when containment first became important to the U.S.

Independent Practice

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 For homework, students will have to answer a certain amount of questions in a
designated format. For those who are approaching, they will pick one of the four
questions and answer them in 1-2 paragraphs. For those who are on-level they will
have to answer all four questions in 1-2 paragraphs. For those who are beyond, they
will have to answer all four questions in a long essay in which they also answer the
question: Analyze the policy of containment. What were its strengths and
weaknesses? What steps did the Truman Administration take to implement
it?
The main four questions are:
What did George Kennan mean by "containment"? Why did he think it
would be a successful strategy?
What was the Truman Doctrine and how did it come about?
What was the Marshall Plan and how did it come about?
How had U.S. policy toward Europe changed by the end of 1947? Why
did this change occur?

Closure

To end class, we will play a game of Kahoot that covers the definitions of communism
and containment, as well as identifying communist countries, leaders and wars.

References:
https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/strategy-containment-1947-1948#section-16288

https://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/coldwar/documents/index.php?
documentdate=1946-09-24&documentid=4-1&studycollectionid=&pagenumber=1

http://www.historyguide.org/europe/kennan.html

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Containment Homework:
Name_________________________

Instructions:
Please answer all four questions regarding the Containment in 1-2 paragraphs. These can either
be completed on this sheet or typed and attached.
What did George Kennan mean by "containment"? Why did he think it would
be a successful strategy?
What was the Truman Doctrine and how did it come about?
What was the Marshall Plan and how did it come about?
How had U.S. policy toward Europe changed by the end of 1947? Why did this
change occur?

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Containment Homework:
Name________________________

Instructions:
Please choose from the list of four questions and answer one question in 1-2 paragraphs. This
paragraph may either be answered on this sheet of paper or typed and attached.
What did George Kennan mean by "containment"? Why did he think it would
be a successful strategy?
What was the Truman Doctrine and how did it come about?
What was the Marshall Plan and how did it come about?
How had U.S. policy toward Europe changed by the end of 1947? Why did this
change occur?

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Containment Homework:
Name_________________________

Instructions:
Please type a 5-6 paragraph essay answering the question: Analyze the policy of containment.
What were its strengths and weaknesses? What steps did the Truman Administration take to
implement it?
Within your response these four questions must also be addressed:
What did George Kennan mean by "containment"? Why did he think it would
be a successful strategy?
What was the Truman Doctrine and how did it come about?
What was the Marshall Plan and how did it come about?
How had U.S. policy toward Europe changed by the end of 1947? Why did this
change occur?

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