NYCDOE: Passport to Social Studies – Grade 11 Unit 5 Guide
Note to Teachers: To help with remote learning, student graphic organizers for this unit are available on the NYCDOE TeachHub in a Google Drive folder along with Passport to Social Studies lessons that have been adjusted for remote learning. Access these materials by following these instructions.
In this six-week unit, World War II and the Cold War (1935–1990), students explore the continued emergence of the United States as a world power in the second half of the twentieth century to answer the Essential Question: To what extent have America’s responses to foreign policy challenges been successful? They examine the participation of the United States in World War II as a transformative event for the nation domestically as well as how the war influenced the United States’ role in the world. As situations overseas deteriorated, President Roosevelt’s leadership helped to move the nation from a policy of neutrality to a pro-Allied position and, ultimately, direct involvement in the war. The United States’ involvement in World War II had a significant impact on American society and the outcome of the war. In the period following World War II, the United States entered an extended era of international conflict called the Cold War that influenced foreign and domestic policy for more than 50 years.
Students will study continuity and change during this period, writing historical narratives, and explaining the historical relationships between documents and/or events and ideas. At the conclusion of the unit, students write two short essays based on the expectations of Regents Exam explaining historical relationships between documents and a narrative essay answering the question: How did American foreign policy between 1935 and 1990 reflect continuity and change? This guide includes multiple components:
- Overview
- Day-by-Day Planner
- Model Lesson
- Unit Assessment (and rubric)
- Historical Thinking Tools and Analysis Strategies
- Key Standards
- Connections to the Regents Exam in United States History and Government and Civics for All
To evaluate student mastery of content knowledge, cognitive processes, and critical thinking skills, this unit includes opportunities for formative assessments and a performance-based unit assessment. Please note that the NYCDOE 9-12: Passport to Social Studies materials also include a separate student Text Set for each unit.
