CultureGrams
German Unification Challenge
This month marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on 11.9.89. The event paved the way for the unification of former East Germany and West Germany as a single country less than one year later, on 10.3.90.
To emphasize the significance of the event, have students analyze the challenges Germany unification presented. Then have them examine similarities and differences between two separate countries and imagine a hypothetical scenario in which they merge. What challenges would the new country face? How would the country benefit?
World Conflicts Today
Obama and the Nobel Peace Prize
In October, President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009. In announcing its decision, the Norwegian Nobel Committee cited Obama's "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," and emphasized in particular "Obama's vision of a work for a world without nuclear weapons."
Do you think President Obama deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize? How do you think the prize will affect his dealings with today's world conflicts? Would you have awarded Obama the prize?
In order to answer these questions, pretend you are on the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Break into groups of five and assign each committee member a conflict that involves the United States from World Conflicts Today.
Question: How would the resolution of this conflict, or progress toward such a resolution, positively affect prospects for world peace? When (if ever) might the use of force be necessary to do so?
Explore more timely, history-related themes inside Retroview and History Happenings, ProQuest's hands-on social studies email newsletters.
Spotlights & Challenge Quests
Native Americans are an integral part of American history, culture and character.
During National American Indian Heritage Month, SIRS honors Native Americans and promotes cultural understanding in this month's SIRS Spotlight of the Month.
Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski labored for years carving the image of the Sioux leader Crazy Horse into a mountain peak in South Dakota.
SIRS asks: When did Ziolkowski begin his massive artistic and historical undertaking?
ProQuest Historical Newspapers
Symbolic End of the Cold War
November 9 marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall that divided the Communist East and the Democratic West Germany. Berlin was located in East Germany; and the wall separated and contrasted the freedom of the western sector with that of the communist system of the eastern sector.
When President Ronald Reagan told Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down that wall," many were skeptical it would actually happen. However, the growing wave of public demand for reform swept through East Germany and forced the wall down in November of 1989. It would signal the beginning of the end of the Cold War and ushered in changes throughout Eastern Europe.
Students: How did the policies of Ronald Reagan help end the "Cold War"? How did life in the eastern sector differ from life in the western sector of Berlin? How did the fall of the Berlin Wall impact the rise of democracy in countries behind the Iron Curtain?
Cultures in Focus
CultureGrams can help broaden your students' understanding of the world. Visit
Washington in our
States
Edition.
Did You Know? 100+ Orca whales reside in the San Juan Islands during summer?
Top 3 Websites
Each month, our SIRS team scours the Internet for top-quality websites for schools and students. Dive into this month's selections: Maps, Nobel Prizes,
Space Turkey?
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