Emily Bennett and Liz Varenas

Cold War Assessment Plan

1. Analyze how Dr. Seuss book The Butter Battle Book relates to the Cold War. As a class,
the students will read The Butter Battle Book each with their own personal copies.
Students will participate in a class wide discussion to find connections between the story
and the cold war. Individually, students will complete five discussion question that will
be provided. Each question will be worth 10 points, making the assignment worth a total
of 50 points. The students will be assessed based on the quality of their answers and if
their answers were accurate.
A = 45-50 points; B = 40-44 points; C= 35-39 points, D=30-34 points,
Anything below 30 points is failing.
2. Defend their argument in a letter to Joseph McCarthy and the Supreme Court as to why
they are not a Communist living in the United States. After learning about who Joseph
McCarthy was and what McCarthyism is, students will defend their argument in a letter
as to why they are not a Communist. Students will be graded based on content, spelling
and grammar, providing 4 key details, and creativity. They will be allowed to write or
type the assignment, and will be required to do some sort of planning or brainstorming
before they begin the assignment that will be turned in with the final copy. This
assignment will be worth a total of 100 points, making each section worth 20 points. This
includes turning in the planning sheet as well.
A = 90-100 points; B = 80-89 points; C = 70-79 points, D = 60-69
Anything below 60 points is failing.
3. Solve math problems involving decimals before time runs out to prevent a nuclear missile
from being launched towards the United States. Similar to solving multiplication
problems within a certain time limit, students will work in teams to solve decimal word
problems. Each team will be required to finish the word problem before the timer goes
off to prevent the nuclear missile from being launched. Students will be graded based on
participation and number of problems solved correctly. At the end of the assignment,
students will be able to redo the missed problems in order to regain credit so that they are
not penalized. This assignment will be worth 25 points. 15 points will be given for
answering the questions. There are 5 questions, each worth 3 points. 10 points will be
given for participation.
A = 23-25 points; B =20-22; C = 17-19 points, D = 14-16
Anything below 14 points is failing.
4. Recall the events of the space race and create a timeline. Students will create a timeline
of the key events of the space race in small groups. The timeline will be created on
butcher paper to be displayed in the classroom. Students will print pictures for each
event, as well as having a brief description for each event. They will also need to include
the date/dates of the event. Students must include at least 10 events, with a description,
date, and picture for each. The assignment will be worth 50 points. Each event will be
Emily Bennett and Liz Varenas

worth 5 points. The description will be 3 points, and the date and picture will be worth 2
points.
A = 45-50 points; B = 40-44 points; C= 35-39 points, D=30-34 points,
Anything below 30 points is failing.
5. Compare and contrast life in East and West Berlin during the Berlin Airlift by creating a
Venn diagram. Students will use multiple resources (notes, internet, books, etc.) to create
a Venn diagram that compares and contrasts life in East and West Berlin. This will be an
individual assignment that will be worth 25 points. 20 points will be given for completing
each of the differences of East and West Berlin. 5 points will be given for completing the
similarities of the two.
A = 23-25 points; B =20-22; C = 17-19 points, D = 14-16
Anything below 14 points is failing.
6. Describe and identify key leaders and influencers of the Cold War through a social
studies version of the game Guess Who?. Students will be provided with playing cards
(index cards) that has the names, pictures, and details of key leaders and influencers of
the cold war. Each student will be assigned on key leader. Their partner will try to guess
who the other person was assigned by asking questions giving details to describe their
person. This will be a participation activity. Students will then play it as a class against
the teacher to gauge for understanding. The teacher will call on the students at random.
Each student will be called on once. This activity will be worth 25 points. 15 points will
be awarded for participation with their partner. 10 points will be awarded for class
participation.
A = 23-25 points; B =20-22; C = 17-19 points, D = 14-16
Anything below 14 points is failing.
7. Explore the cause and effect of the Iron Curtain while inputting the information into the
provided graphic organizer. Students will participate in a WebQuest that provides them
with the opportunity to learn all about the causes and effects of the Iron Curtain. Students
will follow the website links provided on the graphic organizer to fill in all of the key
details and information. This will be an individual assignment that will be worth 50
points. Students will be assessed based on the accuracy of their answers to prove they
completed with WebQuest with the provided links. There are five parts to the graphic
organizer, each worth 10 points.
A = 45-50 points; B = 40-44 points; C= 35-39 points, D=30-34 points,
Anything below 30 points is failing.
8. Participate in a debate posing as different countries represented by the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization. Students will be assigned a partner to participate in this class wide
debate. They will draw names from a hat to select the country that they will represent.
The teacher will present the students with a problem, and they must decide how to solve
it from their countries point of view. Students will be allowed to do research to see if
their country would support the issue or not support it. The issue will be assigned is
Emily Bennett and Liz Varenas

Communism, if their country is for or against it. This assignment will be worth 50 points:
10 points will be awarded for participation, but 40 points will be awarded for
quality/accuracy of the information provided.
A = 45-50 points; B = 40-44 points; C= 35-39 points, D=30-34 points,
Anything below 30 points is failing.
9. Design an interactive notebook the summarizes and explains the events of the Cold War.
This will be the end assignment before the post test and will be worth 100 points. The
rubric, with detail, will be posted further down in the assignment. Students will create an
interactive notebook either in Powerpoint or Prezi or as a hard copy in a
notebook/composition book. Students will be required to include 10 key events/leaders,
description of what the event is/who leader was, and some sort of interaction whether it is
a video link, game, matching activity etc. Students will be assessed based on the content,
creativity, spelling and grammar, and links to resources/where info was obtained from.
A = 90-100 points; B = 80-89 points; C = 70-79 points, D = 60-69
Anything below 60 points is failing.

Rubric

Design an interactive notebook the summarizes and explains the events of the Cold War.

0-10 points 11-18 points 18-24 points 25 points

Content- Student included Student included Student included Student included

Include at least 0-2 key 3-5 key 6-9 key 10 key
10 key leaders/events leaders/events leaders/events leaders/events
events/leaders that are relevant that are relevant that are relevant that are relevant
that were a part to the Cold War. to the Cold War. to the Cold War. to the Cold War.
of the Cold War. Major events and Some major Some major All major events
leaders were events and events and and major
NOT leaders were leaders were leaders were
represented. NOT represented. represented.
represented.

Details/Informa Description is Description is Description is Description is

tion- Include a included for 0-3 included for 4-6 included for 7-9 included for each
detailed key key key key leader/event
description for leaders/events leaders/events leaders/events
each Important dates
event/leader. Be Important dates Important dates Most important and locations are
sure to include are not included. are missing. Few dates are included
important dates were included included, some
and locations. missing.
Emily Bennett and Liz Varenas

Creativity-Each 3 or less Interaction Interaction Interaction

key leader/event interaction activity is activity is activity is
needs to have activities are included for 4-6 included for 7-9 included for all
some sort of included. The key key 10 key
interaction: provided leaders/events. leaders/events. leader/events.
video, matching activities are not Provided Provided All activities are
activity, quick engaging and do activities are activities are engaging.
quiz, etc. not hold somewhat engaging.
Notebook is attention. engaging. Notebook is
visually Notebook is visually
appealing. Notebook Notebook visually appealing and
appearance was appearance appealing. holds interest.
messy/unorganiz needs
ed improvement.

Spelling/Gram Five or more Three or four One or two There are no

mar- Ensure that grammatical/spel grammatical/spel grammatical/spel spelling or
all words are ling errors were ling errors were ling errors were grammatical
spelled correctly made. made. made, but it does errors within the
and the not prevent notebook.
assignment has Errors prohibit Errors prohibit comprehension
no grammatical comprehension comprehension of the
errors. of the of the assignment.
assignment. assignment.

Each section is worth 25 points. With 4 sections, each 25 points, there are a total of 100 points to
be earned from this assignment.

A (100-90%) = 90-100 points

B (89-80%) = 80-89 points
C (79-70%) = 70-79 points
D(69-60%) = 60-69 points
F(59% or lower) = 59 points or less

Pre/Post Test

Directions: Read each of the following statements. If the statement is true, underline the
word true. If the statement is false, underline the word false. (2 points each)

True or False 1. The Cold War (1947-1962) describes the period of tension between the
Emily Bennett and Liz Varenas

United States and the Soviet Union, and their respective allies, which
developed after World War II.
True or False 2. NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was created in 1949 to
provide security against the Soviet Union
True or False 3. Nikita Khruschev was an American politician that served as a U.S.
Senator of Wisconsin from 1947 to 1957
True or False 4. The term Iron Curtain was coined when Winston Churchill gave an
address in Missouri in 1946
True or False 5. The western portion of Germany was controlled by the Soviet troops
while the eastern portion of Germany was controlled by the United States,
United Kingdom, and France.

Directions: Read each question carefully. Circle the letter of the ONE best answer for each
question. (2 points each)

6. What was the U.S. response to the Soviet Union placing missiles in Cuba?
a. An economic boycott of the Soviet Union
b. Cut off diplomatic relations with the U.S.S.R.
c. Naval quarantine/blockade of Cuba
d. Military invasion of Cuba led by Cuban nationals
7. Which president is given credit for effectively ending the Cold War?
a. Nixon
b. Johnson
c. Truman
d. Reagan
8. The Truman Doctrine and Marshall plan were examples of--
a. Eisenhowers domino theory
b. Containment policy
c. The arms race
d. Communist ideology
9. What is the name given to a failed attempt, which the United States supported, to take
over a Caribbean nation?
a. The Granada war
b. The Bay of Pigs
c. The Cuban Missile Crisis
d. Iran-Contra
10. During the Korean War, the United States succeeded in--
a. Pushing Chinese troops out of North Korea
b. Unifying Korea under a democratic government
c. Keeping South Korea free from communism
Emily Bennett and Liz Varenas

d. Ending communism in Southeast Asia

Directions: Matching (2 points each)

Match the appropriate term with the definitions. Record your answer on the line to the left
of the definitions. Please make sure that you use CAPITAL letters when recording your
responses.

A. South Korea B. Truman C. Iron Curtain D. The Cold E.

Doctrine War

F. The Cuban G. President H. I. The Berlin J. McCarthyism

Missile Crisis Truman Airlift

___B__ 11. A Cold War policy that pledged U.S. support for free peoples resisting
communism.
___F__ 12. This event put the U.S. on the brink of nuclear war in the early 1960s.
___C__ 13. The imaginary line that divided the capitalist West from the communist East.
___I__ 14. This provided vital supplies to a region blockaded by the Soviet Union.
___J__ 15. The campaign against suspected communists in the US government and other
institutions.
___G__ 16. This person ordered the airlift to save Berlin in 1948.
___A__ 17. In June 1950, the Communists tried to expand into this country.
___D__ 18. This began when the United States offered aid and support to Western
Europe under the Marshall Plan and the Soviets had developed communist
regimes in Eastern Europe.
______ 19.
______ 20.

Short Answer (10 points each): For questions #21-23, answer the questions using one or
two complete sentences.

21. What was the outcome of the Korean War?

Korea remained divided as a communist North Korea and democratic South Korea.

22. What is communism?

Emily Bennett and Liz Varenas

Communism is a style of government in which the state owns all the property and each is
allotted exactly as much as they need. Also, everyone is equal and each gives up their rights
for the good of the state.

23. Commented [1]: ????

Essay Questions (15 points each): Commented [2]: Instructions

24. Describe in detail the feelings and reactions of American people in response to the
Vietnam War. Commented [3]: Where is your response?

25. Explain the origin and the meaning of the term Iron Curtain.