FIVE-STEP LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Grade Level
5 Social Studies:
Unit
Title
Lesson Plan
Date:
Week ___
FIVE-STEP LESSON PLAN
OBJECTIVE.
What is your objective? 
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By the end of the lesson, SWBAT explain how
America tried to contain communism at home and
abroad.
KEY POINTS.
What knowledge and essential skills are embedded in the
objective? 
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Americans did a lot to fight the communist threat at home.
The Soviets spread communism to most of Eastern Europe and
was helping to spread it China.
This started an Anti-Communism movement led by Joseph
McCarthy.
McCarthy insisted that secret communists worked in the U.S. and
were trying to turn the U.S. into a communist state.
He claimed that a lot people were spying for the Soviet Union.
McCarthy made up most of the claims.
However, Congress investigated a lot of names that McCarthy
came up with – writers, actors, teachers.
Many people who were accused lost their jobs and were
“blacklisted” in their industries.
The U.S. also took the lead in trying to prevent the spread of
communism to other countries.
One challenge came when the Soviet supported communists from
North Korea and encouraged them to invade South Korea and
turn that country into communist regime.
The U.S. wanted to contain the spread of communism so they
went to war to protect South Korea.
The UN pushed the North Koreans back into North Korea.
The war dragged on for years, and thousands of Americans died.
By 1953 the two sides finally agreed to stop fighting – the North
remained communist, while the South was democratic.
Vocabulary: Anti-Communism, Joe McCarthy, Korean War,
UN, containment.
Essential Questions: Why was it important for American to
contain communism? Why were people in America so afraid of
communism?
ASSESSMENT.
Describe, briefly, what students will do to show you that they have mastered (or made progress toward) the objective. 
Attach your daily assessment, completed to include an exemplary student response that illustrates the expected level of
rigor. 
Indicate whether you will administer the assessment as the independent practice or during the lesson closing.
During the lesson, Ss will be writing an editorial about Sen. McCarthy and taking an exit ticket on the Korean War and the
concept of containment.
CONNECTION TO THE GEORGIA PERFORMANCE STANDARD
How does the objective connect to the gps? 
SS5H7 The student will discuss the origins and consequences of the Cold War.
a. Explain the origin and meaning of the term “Iron Curtain.”
b. Explain how the United States sought to stop the spread of communism through the Berlin airlift, the Korean War, and the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization.
c. Identify Joseph McCarthy and Nikita Khrushchev.
DETE
RMINI
NG
METH
ODS:
GO
1. OPENING (5 min.)
How will you communicate what is about to happen?  How will you communicate how it will happen? 
How will you communicate its importance?  How will you communicate connections to previous lessons? 
How will you engage students and capture their interest? 
MATERIALS.
FIVE-STEP LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Teacher:

T will hand out the graphic organizer for the day and begin the lesson with the following sponge: “The
Berlin Wall was 155 km and its height was 3.6 meters, convert the length and height of the Berlin Wall
from metric to standard units using the following formula km x .62 = miles: meters x 3.28 = feet.” (Math
integration)

T will the Ss first share their responses with their classmates.

T will have the Ss share their responses with the class.
 T will explain that today we are going to learn about the start of the containment movement and the threat
of communism at home and abroad.
 T will review the objective for the day.
Student
 Ss will share their answers to the Math problem.
 Ss will internalize the objective for the day.
Paper, Pencil
2. INTRODUCTION OF NEW MATERIAL (25 min.)
How will you explain/demonstrate all knowledge/skills required of the objective, so that students begin to actively
internalize key points? 
Which potential misunderstandings do you anticipate? How will you proactively mitigate them? 
How/when will you check for understanding? How will you address misunderstandings? 
How will you clearly state and model behavioral expectations?  Why will students be engaged? 
Teacher:

T will begin the lesson with a brief Power Point on how America tried to contain and stop communism
domestically and abroad. (Key Note/PowerPoint – Lesson 3 – Containment during the Cold War – The
Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement Unit)
 Americans did a lot to fight the communist threat at home.
 The Soviets spread communism to most of Eastern Europe and was helping to spread it China.
 This started an Anti-Communism movement led by Joseph McCarthy.
 McCarthy insisted that secret communists worked in the U.S. and were trying to turn the U.S. into a communist
state.
 He claimed that a lot people were spying for the Soviet Union.
 McCarthy made up most of the claims.
 However, Congress investigated a lot of names that McCarthy came up with – writers, actors, teachers.
 Many people who were accused lost their jobs and were “blacklisted” in their industries.
 The U.S. also took the lead in trying to prevent the spread of communism to other countries.
 One challenge came when the Soviet supported communists from North Korea and encouraged them to invade
South Korea and turn that country into communist regime.
 The U.S. wanted to contain the spread of communism so they went to war to protect South Korea.
 The UN pushed the North Koreans back into North Korea.
 The war dragged on for years, and thousands of Americans died.
 By 1953 the two sides finally agreed to stop fighting – the North remained communist, while the South was
democratic.

T will ask in-depth questions about the subject including: How did McCarthy become so successful? Why
did America defend South Korea? Why was it so important to stop the spread of communism? Why do you
think people felt pressured and scared of Sen. McCarthy? Why do you think Sen. McCarthy did what he
did?

T will take notes on their graphic organizers. (Graphic Organizer – Lesson 3 – Containment during the
Cold War – The Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement Unit)

T will have the Ss discuss these questions with partners and then with the class.
Students:

Ss will fill out their graphic organizers.

Ss will answer questions.

Ss will be cooperative during the brief Power Point
3. GUIDED PRACTICE (30 min.)
How will students practice all knowledge/skills required of the objective, with your support, such that they continue to
internalize the key points? 
How will you ensure that students have multiple opportunities to practice, with exercises scaffolded from easy to hard?

How/when will you monitor performance to check for understanding? How will you address misunderstandings? 
How will you clearly state and model behavioral expectations?  Why will students be engaged? 
Graphic
Organizer,
PowerPoint/
Key Note
FIVE-STEP LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Teacher:

T will have the Ss watch a short film on the Korean War. (Korean War Film – Lesson 3 – Containment
during the Cold War – The Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement Unit)

During the film, Ss will take notes on their graphic organizers. (Graphic Organizer – Lesson 3 –
Containment during the Cold War – The Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement Unit)

While the film is playing, T will hand out two different colored cards to the class.

T will give everyone but one person a blue card (one will get a red card).

T will tell the class to not show anyone the color of their card.

After the film, T will explain the directions and tell the class that for each person you turn into that has a
red card T will give you a piece of candy.
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T will tell the students that they have to hide their cards.

T will give the students three minutes to go around the room trying to figure out who has the red card.
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T will then stop the timer and have the Ss return to their seats

T will ask three random people if they know who has the red card.
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No matter whether it is true or not, T will give out a treat to that person because they supposedly found a
communist influence in class.
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T will stop the game and tell the Ss that this strategy of picking on people is what McCarthy did - it is how
he became famous and popular (at first).

T will have the Ss write a short reflection about the activity (found on the graphic organizer). Questions
include: Why did you feel pressured to find Communists and tell on those people? When you wrote down
communists on your list, did you have any proof? If a person in the class pointed you out as being
communist, how did it make you feel? Why do you think Sen. McCarthy was so powerful, and why do you
think people turned in a lot of names to him? (Graphic Organizer – Lesson 3 – Containment during the
Cold War – The Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement Unit)

T will have the Ss share out their reflections.

T will explain to the kids why witch-hunts can be very detrimental and hurtful for a lot of people.
\Students:

Ss will play the game

Ss will comprehend that witch-hunts don’t really amount to much in the end.

Ss will reflect on the activity and then share out.

Ss will understand how McCarthy became popular, and how he fell so fast.
Graphic
Organizer,
Korean War
Film, Red
Card, Blue
Cards,
McCarthyism
Activity
Reflection
1. INDEPENDENT PRACTICE (20 min.)
How will students attempt independent mastery of all knowledge and/or skills required of the objective, such that they
solidify their internalization of the key points? 
How will you provide opportunities for remediation and extension? 
How will you clearly state and model behavioral expectations?  Why will students be engaged? 
Teacher:

T will then have the Ss write an editorial either supporting McCarthy or denouncing McCarthy and his
actions. (McCarthy Editorial Activity – Lesson 3 – Containment during the Cold War – The Cold War and
the Civil Rights Movement Unit)

T will tell the Ss to think about the consequences of writing an editorial from either point-of-view: ie –
possibly being blacklisted and losing your job if you denounce him, or not having the most integrity if you
praise him.

T will tell the Ss to look at the rubric to see how they will be graded.

After they are done with their editorial, T will have the students complete an exit ticket about the Korean
War and the concept of containment (Exit Ticket – Lesson 3 – Containment during the Cold War – The
Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement Unit)
Students:

Ss will complete the editorial

Ss will complete their exit tickets
McCarthy
Editorial
Activity, Exit
Ticket
5. CLOSING (10 min.)
How will students summarize and state the significance of what they learned? 
If the independent practice did not serve as an assessment, how will students attempt independent mastery of the
knowledge and/or skills introduced and practiced above? 
Why will students be engaged? 
Teacher:

T will have the Ss share out their editorials

T will review the answers to the exit ticket.

T will review the main points

T will preview the class: Ss will learn about the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War

T will ask the Ss if they have any final questions.
Student:
 Students will review questions.
 Students will ask any last minute questions.
 Students will pay attention to topic of next lesson.
McCarthy
Editorial
Template, Exit
Ticket
REINFORCEMENT
FIVE-STEP LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
HOMEWORK (if appropriate).
How will students practice what they learned? 