Learning Activity

Happy Anniversary Apollo 11!

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

6

Overview

In this learning activity, students will watch a video of the original Apollo 11 moon landing from July 16, 1969. The teacher will read aloud an article titled "This is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" from The National Interest. After reading the article, the teacher will lead a brief discussion about the rivalry between Russia and the United States referred to as the "Space Race".  Students will then break off into groups and conduct a mock television interview with the three astronauts from Apollo 11.  

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 6

SS10.6.8

Describe how the United States’ role in the Cold War influenced domestic and international events.

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.6.8

Vocabulary

  • Cold War
  • domestic
  • international
  • Iron Curtain
  • communism
  • democracy
  • embargo
  • blockade
  • diplomacy
  • strategic diplomatic initiative
  • proxy war
  • destruction
  • invasion
  • crisis
  • weapons of mass destruction
  • Strategic Defense Initiative

Knowledge

Students know:
  • How the role the U.S. played in the Cold War influenced domestic and foreign policy.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Appraise the value of technological advances during the Cold War.
  • Cite specific textual evidence to analyze the influence of the super powers on cultural, technological, and political changes during the Cold War.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • The United States played an important role in the Cold War and this influenced U.S. domestic and foreign policy.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

The students will be able to describe the impact of the Cold War, specifically the space race, on technological innovations.

Activity Details

This activity would work best if taught after introducing concepts of the Cold War.

Remind the students that it is the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Show the students the YouTube video:  Apollo 11: "The First Landing on the Moon, July 16-24 1969 from ABC."

The teacher will ask, "What if you had a chance to ask those astronauts a question, what would you ask?" Give students time to respond. Then say, "Today, you will sort of get your chance because we are going to 'pretend or role play' that we are news reporters interviewing those three astronauts."

First, let's talk about some reasons Apollo 11 landed on the Moon.

Read the article from The National Interest: "This is How the Space Race Changed the Great Power Rivalry Forever" aloud to the class. After reading the article, lead a brief discussion about the rivalry between Russia and the United States referred to as the Space Race.  

Then distribute the index cards (one per student) and ask the students to write 1 question they would like to ask the astronauts about the moon landing. The students will have 10 minutes to write their question.  

Next, the teacher should choose three students to pretend to be Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins. The rest of the students will pretend to be television news reporters. The students pretending to be news reporters will sit on one side of the room and the students pretending to be the three astronauts will sit at a table at the front of the room facing the news reporters. The teacher will call on the news reporters to interview the astronauts. After a predetermined amount of time, students may rotate positions (astronauts and news reporters if you choose).

Remind students that on a TV interview program, personalities use facial expressions, actions, humor, and props to entertain the audience.  

After most questions have been answered, the teacher will write the following question on the board:  "What impact do you think the Cold War, specifically the Space Race had on technological advances?" Students will write this question and their answer on the back of their index card along with their name and turn it into the teacher (this will be their exit slip).

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Students will be assessed on their exit slip written on the back of their index card. Students should be able to identify at least one way the Space Race impacted technological advancement during the Cold War. 

Variation Tips

You may want to show the students this video of President John F. Kennedy making a speech about the space race: JFK Moon Speech.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

You will need one index card for each student.

Digital Tools / Resources

Apollo 11: The First Landing on the Moon, July 16-24, 1969 from ABC/YouTube
http://www.viewpure.com/N9tIX5-dq3E?start=0&end=0

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

mgsaboyd
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