Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits

Introduction

It is the fall of 1961. You work for an international magazine based in the neutral country of Switzerland.  The Berlin Wall has recently been constructed.  Both the East and the West are using the Wall as a propaganda tool. What is the truth about the Berlin Wall?  Are there differing views on the purposes of the Berlin Wall?
 
 

Your editor has assigned you and three other colleagues to investigate the crisis in Berlin regarding the construction of the Berlin Wall.  Each member of your team is to focus on a specific group involved in and affected by the construction of the Wall and then interview them. The 4 categories of people to be interviewed include political and/or governmental figures along with ordinary citizens of both sides. Using these sources, your team will compose an accurate, non-biased journalistic account of the Berlin Wall.

1. First you'll be assigned to a team of 4 students.
2. You'll then decide which segment of the population you'll interview for the article. The 4 choices you have are East Berlin citizens, West Berlin citizens, East German/Soviet Union governmental officials, and West German/US governmental officials.
3. You'll use the Internet to gather information on your specific category of people.
4. Once you've gathered enough information on your subjects, you'll share this information with your team members.  Remember, some of your interviewees may be biased and could be using this as an opportunity to spread propaganda. Try to detect such instances.
5. Finally, working cooperatively with your other team members, compose an unbiased editorial piece for your magazine.  Be sure to include the views of all 4 segments of the population.

US and/or West German governmental officials 

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/09/script.html

http://www.newseum.org/berlinwall/

http://www.newseum.org/cybernewseum/exhibits/berlin_wall/index.htm
 
 

East German and/or Soviet governmental officials

http://www.newseum.org/berlinwall/

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/09/script.html

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/09/1st.draft/izvestia.html

http://www.newseum.org/cybernewseum/exhibits/berlin_wall/index.htm

West Berlin Citizens

http://www.wall-berlin.org/gb/ombre.htm

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/09/interviews/hosseini/

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/09/script.html

http://www.newseum.org/cybernewseum/exhibits/berlin_wall/index.htm

East Berlin Citizens

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/09/script.html

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/09/interviews/heym/

http://www.newseum.org/cybernewseum/exhibits/berlin_wall/index.htm
 
 
 
 
 
                                     

Each team will be evaluated according to the following project rubric. 

Note to AACPS teachers: This lesson falls under the World Civilizations Core Learning Goal Indicator WH1.1.3 (The student will explain significant changes considered turning points or benchmarks in world history from historical, political, and social perspectives).
 
 
 

	Beginner 1	Novice 2	Intermediate 3	Expert 4	Score
Content/Topic	Includes little or no essential information.  Many instances of factual errors.  Evidence that very little researched was conducted, if at all.	Includes some essential information.  Factual inaccuracies are present.  Little evidence of in-depth research	Includes essential information  with factual accuracy.  Evidence that topic was moderately researched.	Covers topic completely and in depth. Content is accurate and appears to be well researched.
Written Presentation Skills	Includes more than 5 grammatical errors, misspellings, punctuation errors, etc.	Includes more than 4 grammatical errors, misspellings, punctuation, errors, etc.	Includes 1 or more  grammatical errors, misspellings, punctuation, errors, etc.	The paper contains no grammatical errors, misspellings, or other mistakes.
Cooperative Group Work	Evidence that the assignment was completed by only 1 team member.	Evidence that work was completed by only two team members	Evidence that at least one member did not participate equally.	Each member of the group appears to have contributed to the assignment.

By completing this activity, you'll have had the opportunity to analyze how propaganda was used to create different public perspectives on the same issue or event.  In addition, you'll have gained experience in the area of detecting bias based on a person's role in the situation.  Is propaganda still used effectively  by governments around the world? What examples can you provide?

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/09/

http://www.wall-berlin.org/gb/berlin.htm

http://www.newseum.org/berlinwall/
 

Burkhardt, Heiko.  Photo Berlin Wall at Zimmerstrasse/Markgrafenstrasse, 1961.  Copyright 2001.