Cuban Missile Crisis Lesson Plan VITAL INFORMATION Lesson Topic: Cuban Missile Crisis Aim: How did Kennedy respond to the continuing challenges of the Cold War? Objectives: SWBAT 1. Identify the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis 2. Explain U.S. actions against Cuba during the Missile Crisis Standards: 1. NYSS: 1,2, 3, 5 2. CCLS 9-10: RHS: (1, 3) WHST: (2, 9) MATERIALS AND RESOURCES Instructional Materials: 1) Top Secret Worksheet Electronic Resources: 1) Smart-board 2) Cuban Missile Crisis History Channel Clip (7 th Period/Extra Time) IMPLEMENTATION Development Lesson Time Teacher Students 3 Min 1) Do Now a. Regents based questions on previous lesson: i. The Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) were all part of foreign policy of 1. Neutrality 2. Isolationism 3. Containment 4. Progressivism ii. In the Truman Doctrine, President Harry Truman pledged to 1. support Greece in its fight against communist aggression 2. fight hunger in Africa and Asia 3. strengthen the United States nuclear arsenal 1) Do Now a. Complete Do Now
4. reject a policy of containment iii. In the 1950 s, Senator Joseph McCarthy was most closely associated with issues related to 1. Communist infiltration and the denial of civil liberties 2. farm problems and taxation 3. military preparedness and foreign aid 4. collective bargaining and the rights of unions 2) Mini-Lesson (Power-Point Presentation) a. Teacher will review DO NOW and what students already know about the Cold War. i. Teacher will do Pop Corn with the following terms Cold War, Truman Plan, Marshall Plan, Korean War, NATO. 2) Mini-Lesson a. Students will follow along on handout & SB b. Teacher will explain that the Cold War continued for decades continuing into the presidencies up until the 1980s. Teacher will tell students that today we will discuss the Cold War and JFK s Presidency. c. Teacher will ask a student to read the AIM aloud: i. How did Kennedy respond to the continuing challenges of the Cold War? d. Teacher will instruct students to look at the worksheet that was passed out after DO Now. As class they will read Background of the Situation. Teacher will display visual images to correspond with topics discussed. e. Teacher will next be interrupted by the TOP SECRET AUDIO/VIDEO, and explain what students will do for the day. (Explain that they will form Ex. Committees and advise President Kennedy on what course of action to take against Cuba and the Soviet Union) f. Teacher will display groups (committee members) on the smart-board and students will move to their groups. i. Students groups are mixed ability (reading levels/group cooperation/comprehension levels) ii. Each group has a designated reader and spokesperson (chosen by teachers)
3) Group Work a. Teachers will instruct students that in their committees they must: i. Read the Important Opinions to Consider section of their worksheet. ii. Choose one action the President should take (everyone will vote on one action, and the action with the most votes is the committee vote) iii. Provide two pieces of evidence to support the committees decision. 3) Group Work a. Students will vote on decision and fill out worksheet b. Students will support their committees decision with two pieces of evidence. b. Teachers will inform students they have 10-15 minutes to come up with a group decision. 4) Share Out & Exit Ticket a. Teachers will next take a poll on decisions of student groups. b. Teachers will tell students to move back to their seats. c. Teachers will next share with students the real action President Kennedy took and the significance of the Cuban Missile Crisis. (See Key Information Below) d. Key questions teachers can ask to further discussions. i. Did Kennedy respond the way you expected? ii. Why was the U.S. worried by Soviet Missiles in Cuba? 4) Share Out & Exit a. Students will share out responses b. Students will write the real action and significance on worksheet c. Students will complete exit ticket iii. Was the U.S. or the U.S.S.R. more to blame for the Cuban Missile Crisis? e. Teacher will instruct students to complete the exit ticket.
Key Information 1) Castro in Power: a. In 1959, Fidel Castro and his guerilla fighters overthrew Cuba s dictatorship. Castro promised the Cuban people democracy, but once in power he nationalized business and executed his opponents. The United States reacted by 2) Bay of Pigs: a. In 1961, Cuban exiles, trained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, invaded Cuba at the Bay of Pigs to overthrow Castro. President Kennedy refused to supply the rebels with air support to carry out the attack and their effort failed. 3) Cuban Missile Crisis a. U.S. Action: In response to Soviet/Cuban threat, President Kennedy ordered a naval blockade of Cuba, and threatened to invade if the missiles were not withdrawn. The world stood on the brink of nuclear war. Khrushchev finally agreed to withdraw the missiles in exchange for a pledge that the United States would not invade Cuba. b. Significance: The Cuban missile crisis demonstrates how geographic location plays an important role in determining foreign policy. Kennedy did not tolerate a Soviet presence in the Western Hemisphere just 90 miles from Florida s shores.
Executive Committee of the National Security Council Background of the Situation: TOP SECRET: EX-COMM OFFICIALS ONLY The Situation: The Cuban Missile Crisis 1. Communism has now spread to the Western hemisphere. In 1959 Cuba became a Communist country lead by Fidel Castro. The United States has stopped all trade with Cuba, and the USSR is the only country that supports Cuba. Cuba is located only 90 miles from the coast of a U.S. state. 2. In 1960 John F. Kennedy was elected to the presidency. As the new president he promised tougher defense polices. He is direct competition for control of the world with Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushechev. 3. A failed invasion has made the U.S. look weak. In 1961, Cuban exiles, trained by the U.S. CIA, invaded Cuba at the Bay of Pigs to overthrow Castro. The Presidents refusal to supply the rebels with air support to carry out the attack caused the rebels efforts to fail. Area of Concern: Important opinions to Consider (Modified) 1. John McCone The situation [missiles in Cuba] cannot be tolerated. However, the United States should not act without warning and thus be forced to live with a Pearl Harbor indictment for the indefinite future. I would therefore: Give them 24 hours to commence dismantling and removal of the missiles, notify the American public and the world of the situation created by the Soviets, and if Khrushchev and Castro fail to act at once, we should make a massive surprise strike. 2. Robert McNamara After a blockade, the United States should negotiate for the removal of the strategic missiles from Cuba I believe that issuing an ultimatum, to the effect that we would order an air attack on Cuba if the missiles were not removed, is too risky. I am prepared to tell Khrushchev that we consider the missiles in Cuba as Soviet missiles and that if they are used against us, we will retaliate by launching missiles against the USSR... 3. Dean Rusk I do not think we should initiate such a strike because of the risk of escalating actions leading to general war. I doubt that we should act without consultation of our allies. A sudden air strike has no support in the law or morality, and, therefore, must be ruled out. I urge that we start the blockade and only go on to an air attack once we know the reaction of the Russians and of our allies. 4. Robert Kennedy I think it would be very, very difficult indeed for the President if the decision were to be for an air strike, with all the memory of Pearl Harbor and with all the implications this would have for us in whatever world there would be afterward. For 175 years we have not been that kind of country. A sneak attack is not in our traditions. Thousands of Cubans would be killed without warning, and a lot of Russians too.
Name: 1. Your Decision: CIRCLE ONE 1. Based on the facts above, which action should the President take: 1. Do nothing; ignore the missiles in Cuba. 2. Open direct negotiations with Khrushechev asking that the missiles be withdrawn. 3. Order a blockade of Cuba until the missiles are removed. 4. Send a warning to Castroand Krushechev, and if the dismanteling of the missile sites is not underway within 24 hours, order an air strike against the sites. 5. Order an air strike against the missile sites with no prior warning. 2. Support Your Decision With Two pieces of Evidence From the Background of the Situation and Important Opinions to Consider 1. 2. 3. The Real Out-Come of the Cuban Missile Crisis: 1. 4. Significance of Cuban Missile Crisis: 1. 2. Exit Ticket Do You Agree With The Real Outcome of The Decision? Why or Why Not. Use The Background of the Situation and The Important opinions to consider To Support Your Answer.