NEVADA STATE COLLEGE

TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM

LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Cold War Part II: McCarthyism and The Lottery

Description of Classroom:
Diverse classroom
Regular and Special Education mixed
Male/Female
Ages 15-18
90 minutes

Background:
Students have looked at US and USSR relations, the Korean War, the Bay of Pigs invasion and the
Cuban missile crisis. Students have previously taken down vocabulary terms relating to content
presented. Students have also looked at McCarthyism with previous unit.

Content Objective(s):
SWBAT:
Better understand the McCarthy trials and blacklisting through personal reflection.
Compare the The Lottery to McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare.
Understand Key Terms during the time of the Second Red Scare

Language Objective(s):
SWBAT:
Communicate the differences between the activity and blacklisting
Communicate the differences between The Lottery and McCarthyism
Read and make connections to McCarthyism during the second Red Scare

Common Core State Standards (Math & ELA Content) and/or Nevada Power
Standards (with standard numbers referenced):
5.2 - Students will describe the key people, ideas, and events of the Cold War era and analyze their
impact on economic and political policy in the United States by utilizing one of the big 11 social
studies skills.
6.5 - Students will critically analyze messages in the media to detect propaganda, censorship, and
bias in order to describe the fear of communism in the United States during the early Cold War,
including McCarthyism, the House un-American activities committee, and the loyalty review board by
utilizing one of the big 11 social studies skills.
6.6 - Students will discuss the role of government agencies to limit communism at home and how
these affected Americans everyday lives including identification of historical myths and facts by
utilizing one of the big 11 social studies skills.

Key Vocabulary:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Berlin airlift
Sputnik
National Defense Education Act
Dtente
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)

Best Practices: (put an X next to those that you address in your lesson)

X
X
X
X

Preparation
Adaptation of content
Links to background
Links to past learning
Strategies incorporated

X
X
X
X

Integration of Processes
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing

X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

Scaffolding
Modeling
Guided practice
Independent practice
Verbal scaffolds
Procedural scaffolds
Application
Hands-on
Authentic (Meaningful)
Linked to objectives
Promotes engagement

X
X
X
X
X
X

Grouping Options
Whole Class
Small groups
Partners
Independent
Assessment
Individual
Group
Written
Oral

Teaching Strategies:
Relating to students
Hands-on activities
Discussion
Lecture/presentations
Use of media/videos
Checking for understanding

Warm Up Activity:

Students will look over scenario instructions, and understand how to win the game while attendance
is taken

Lesson Sequence:

Warm-Up: Read over instruction (5 min)

Activity: Students were handed a card at the beginning of class which will determine their
secret identities (red dot and no red dot). They will them attempt to form groups based on
these secret identities. (15 min)
o Nondots: win the game by forming the largest group of students who are all nondots.
o Students can ask each other whether they are dots or nondots, but players may not
reveal their slips of paper during the game.
o You do not have to join a group, but you cannot win the game unless you are in a
group of at least two people.
o Dots: win the game by being the only dot in a group.
o You can be a part of a group only if that group agrees that you are a member.
o If you suspect that someone is a dot, report your suspicion to the teacher. He or she
will deal with the accusation appropriately.

Discussion: Making connections (20 min)

o After the activity, as a class we will discuss how they felt throughout the activity

o What strategies did they use to deceive the group (dots)?

o How did they feel when they were blacklisted (dots)?
o The teacher will present the McCarthy trials (which students already have background
to).
o Teacher should cover such topics as the McCarthy hearings and blacklisting.

Reflective Discussion: We will either read, watch, and review The Lottery (50 min)
o The class will compare the randomness of the fictional lottery to what they know
about blacklisting and McCarthy hearings.
o They should be able to provide details from the story to support their assertions.
o Students will be asked to make note of these comparisons for they may appear on the
test
o Students are given a worksheet with the reading and a couple discussion questions.
o Discussion questions will be reviewed as a class.

Accommodations:
Activity and discussion allow all students to patriciate by reflecting on personal experience.

Supplementary Materials:
Papers with No Dot or Red Dots, The Lottery clip and reading worksheet

Review/Assessment:
Discussion and Student Journals

Reflection:
This is an activity Im hoping students respond well to. It does require some motivation and
enthusiasm, but overall I hope students may be able to successfully reflect on the activity and the
presented story which links with a reading familiar to what they may have seen in their English
classes.