Topic: The world on the brink of a ‘hot war’

Target group

8th‑grade students of an elementary school

Core curriculum

XXXVI. World after World War II. Student:

2. explains the causes and consequences of the collapse of the anti‑Hitler coalition and describes the beginnings of the Cold War;

7. he mentions conflicts of the Cold War era, including (...) the Cuban crisis.

General aim of education

The student will learn about the international situation when the world was on the verge of a „hot” war.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• what the ‘Red witch hunt’ was in the US;

• when the Korean War broke out and how it proceeded;

• what the Cuban Missile Crisis was, and why it is said that in 1962 the world was on the brink of nuclear war.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. The teacher plays the recording of the abstract. Every now and then he stops it, asking the students to tell in their own words what they have just heard. This way, students practice listening comprehension.

Realization

1. Reading the content of the abstract. The teacher uses the text for individual work or in pairs, according to the following steps: 1) a sketchy review of the text, 2) asking questions, 3) accurate reading, 4) a summary of individual parts of the text, 5) repeating the content or reading the entire text.

2. Discussing information presented on the timeline. The teacher then divides the class into groups - as many as there are events on the axis. Each team works on one assigned issue, deepening the information contained in the abstract. Then the students present their discussions.

3. The teacher together with the students sums up the current course of classes.

4. Students analyze the illustration and execute Task 2. To answer the question, they can use Internet sources or other publications. The teacher checks the correctness of the answer and provides feedback to the students.

5. Students in pairs solve the Exercise 1. The teacher checks if the task has been correctly completed and gives feedback to students.

6. Students analyze the illustrations and execute Task 3 and Task 4. To answer the questions, they can use Internet sources or other publications. The teacher checks the correctness of the answer and provides feedback to the students.

Summary

1. The teacher asks: If there was going to be a test on the material we have covered today, what questions do you think would you have to answer?
   If the students do not manage to name all the most important questions, the teacher may complement their suggestions.

2. The teacher asks a willing student to summarize the lesson from his point of view. He asks other students if they would like to add anything to their colleague's statements.

Homework

1. Listen to the abstract recording at home. Pay attention to pronunciation, accent and intonation. Learn to pronounce the words learned during the lesson.

2. Make at home a note from the lesson, for example using the sketchnoting method.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

The world on the brink of a ‘hot war’

The post‑World War II division of the world into two blocs – the Western centered around the United States, and the Eastern of the Soviet Union – began a period called the Cold War. At that time, both blocks developed their military potentials and enlarged their arsenals (arms race). Communist countries spread propaganda everywhere, informing about their peaceful intentions and the threats from American imperialism. In the US, on the other hand, there was a widespread fear of an invasion by communists and a conviction of their influence on many areas of life. The whole society began to look for real as well as imaginary enemies and spies. The period of the so‑called ‘Red witch hunt’ began, whose victims were often innocent people.

The first area of clashes between the East and the West was the war in Korea in 1950–1953. One side was the army of communist North Korea supported by ‘Chinese volunteers’ (actually the regular Chinese army) as well as equipment and advisors from the USSR. The other was the army of South Korea supported by the UN forces or, in reality, by the American army under the command of Gen. MacArthur. Despite its brutal course and numerous offensives, the war did not provide any solutions, leaving the Korean Peninsula divided along the 38th parallel.

Another ‘hot’ conflict of the Cold War was the so‑called Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Cuba, control over which was assumed by the communists in 1959, underwent radical reforms which led to breaking off relations with the United States and rapprochement with the USSR and China. American attempts to overthrow Fidel Castro, Cuba’s dictator, failed. He began to develop the country’s military potential by placing, in its territory, Soviet ballistic missiles capable of reaching the US. This led to the blockage of the island and the threat of a global conflict. The world stood on the brink of nuclear war. Eventually, the crisis was solved and the war was averted. As a result, Leonid Brezhnev replaced Nikita Khrushchev, who had been considered to be too ‘soft’.