Students will gain an understanding of the NATO military alliance, why it was formed, and why individual countries agreed to sign the treaty to become members. Working in pairs or small groups, students will be assigned a country to represent. Students will first review the global political context by examining sources related to the Berlin Airlift. Students will then locate their country on a map and use the map to assess whether or not joining a military alliance would be a good idea. What does joining the NATO alliance mean? Does an alliance make war more or less likely?

By examining primary sources related to the Little Rock Crisis, students will learn about the relationship between state and federal Constitutional powers, as well as the relationship between the executive, state, and local levels of government. By “grading” the president and governor of Arkansas, and justifying their grades using primary sources, students will better understand the responsibilities of the state versus the federal government.

Students will examine primary sources from Dwight Eisenhower’s early life, focusing on his time as a cadet at West Point and his early military career. Using these sources students will think critically about the role of resilience, Eisenhower’s options, and how these options were shaped by the historical context. To investigate these questions, students will analyze primary sources and place them on a physical timeline using chronology and sequence to infer conclusions about Eisenhower’s life and commitment to public service.

During both World War I and II, many resources like food were scarce because America needed to focus on getting our soldiers the resources they needed to win the war. During those times, people were encouraged to grow “Victory Gardens” to lesson the strain on the commercial food supply, ensure that everyone had access to nourishment, and provide a morale boost by allowing Americans on the home front to aid the war effort (and loved ones who were soldiers fighting far from home).

Extreme planning was required to coordinate the 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes, over 150,000 soldiers, and all the supplies required for the D-Day invasion. General Eisenhower relied on information from weather forecasters and other scientists to determine the best time to successfully invade. One of the six meteorologists, Lawrence Hogben stated, "The outcome of D-Day, perhaps the whole future of the western world rested on those forecasts . . .”

Learning to research and speak effectively are essential skills in today's world. It matters in both our personal and professional lives. It can be a powerful tool for change and is critical to democracy and the safety of each of us. This project utilizes archival documents and steps students through developing and delivering an informative speech.  

Student Research Files

A month after President Eisenhower was inaugurated, one of the most important discoveries in the scientific field occurred. The discovery of DNA's chemical structure -- the double helix -- by Francis Crick and James Watson altered molecular biology forever. In this program, students will be introduced to scientists racing towards this discovery, as well as problem-solve to recreate the structure of DNA just as Watson and Crick did.

Julius and Ether Rosenberg, members of the Communist Party living in the U.S., were convicted of passing secrets to the Soviet Union in 1945 and sentenced to death.  Controversy surrounded the case, as many claimed the decision was the result of Cold War hysteria, not facts. In this program, students examine primary documents from persons both inside and outside of the Intelligence Community, as well as stepping into President Eisenhower's position to decide whether or not to grant executive clemency to the Rosenbergs.

The best deception is attained by feeding an opponent with falsehoods which he wants to believe. Using code names such as Fortitude, Bodyguard, Quicksilver, and Double-Cross, General Eisenhower commanded a series of covert operations that played a crucial role in the victorious Allied invasion of Europe. Students examine primary sources to gain an understanding of D-Day deception plans.

It is said that the defeat of Nazi Germany was sealed on Omaha Beach. One hundred and sixty-thousand troops landed within 24 hours on a 50-mile front. Students are introduced to the overall objective of D-Day and how its story is preserved through primary sources. They then apply that knowledge through examination of documents and artifacts from Omaha Beach.