How are Regional Conflicts of interest to the United States?

High School Lesson Plan:

Unit Question: What should the U.S. role be in World Affairs?
U.S. Involvement in Regional and Ethnic Conflicts in the
Post-Cold War Era.
Application Question: What are U.S. interests in the world
and to what ends should the United States be involved in
regional conflicts?
So What?
The beginning of the 21st century has been marred by ongoing
regional conflicts of a sectarian nature, and acts of terrorism by
non-state actors. One such group that has gained attention in
the international community is ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and
the Levant). The emergence of this group has created
considerable tension in the Middle Eastern region, sparked
concerns on the role of religion in war and politics, from a
place that once served as a strategic battle ground for the
former two superpowers the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. during the
Cold War era. After ten years of war and occupation with no
firm results, American citizens need to understand current
issues in the Middle East in order to determine the best reasons
for making decisions on supporting national leaders regarding
political and military intervention.
NCSS Thematic Strand: Global Connections; Power, Authority
and Governance; People, Places, and Environments; Culture

a) Individuals, organizations, nations, and international

entities can work to increase the positive effects of
global connections, and address the negative impacts of
global issues. (NCSS, 2010, p. 59)
b) The solutions to global issues may involve individual
decisions and actions, but also require national and
international approaches (e.g., agreements, negations,
policies, or laws) (NCSS, 2010, p. 59)
c) Mechanisms by which governments meet the needs and
wants of citizens, regulate territory, manage conflict,
establish order and security, and balance competing
conceptions of a just society (NCSS, 2010, p47)
d) Factors that contribute to cooperation and conflict
among peoples of the nation and world, including
language, religions, and political beliefs (NCSS, 2010,
p35)
e) The behaviors, values, and beliefs of different cultures
can lead to cooperation or pose barriers to cross-cultural
understanding (NCSS, 2010, p27)
Ohio Academic Content Standard
Modern World History
Topic: Globalization (1991-Present)
-Regional and ethnic conflicts in the post-Cold War era have
resulted in acts of terrorism, genocide and ethnic cleansing.
(Ohio Department of Education, 2010, p. 35)
Grade Level: 10th-12th Grade
Class Periods Required: One Fifty (50) Minute Period.

How are Regional Conflicts of interest to the United States?

Purpose, Background and Context:

Students are likely to be aware of the ongoing Middle East
crisis but may not be aware of what the U.S. intent is or
purpose for intervening, which could have repercussions on the
U.S. economy in addition to inviting terrorists attacks on the
U.S, mainland. This lesson is designed to take a look at past
U.S. regional intervention goals and determine if reasons for
intervention remain consistent or should change. Students will
be exposed to a video which describes past U.S. regional
intervention activities and objectives, view images from the
current conflict, and work in groups to discuss what criteria
should guide U.S. decision making for intervening in the
conflict. The main focus of the lesson is analyzing and
agreeing in democratic fashion on a common set of criteria that
should guide intervention into a foreign crisis.
Goals/Objectives/ Student Outcomes/Performance
Expectations
Students Will:
-Analyze connections between the legacy of the Cold War in
the Middle East and the modern-day crisis in the Middle East
-Analyze news articles that give insight or alternate perspective
on U.S. intervention
-Theorize the current problem, evaluate the value of
intervention, and determine purposes for intervening in
regional conflict
-Develop criteria for U.S. intervention in a regional conflict
dealing with ISIL

Materials
-Movie (access to internet and projector for all the students to
be able to see the film)
-Computer
-2 copies of each article for each group of 4 students
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27828595
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29052144
http://english.dohainstitute.org/content/6a355a64-5237-4d7ab957-87f6b1ceba9b
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/americatonight/articles/2014/6/19/how-isil-isremakingitsbrandontheinternet.html
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4567128,00.html
-A PowerPoint with the slides to address to students what they
will be doing next
-Students will need their notebooks and something to write
with
-The photos enlarged (either on a PowerPoint or poster) of the
opening images from the ISIL conflict
-Colored markers and one to two pieces of poster paper for
each group of four.
Procedures:
1) Hook: Use the photographs of the ISIL conflict in order
to stir emotion in the days topic. Ask the students
their opinions of the photos and what they thought
was surprising or captivating about the images.
Time: 5 min
2) Use the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=lWAau8gm2D0) to segue into the connection of the

How are Regional Conflicts of interest to the United States?

past to the present. Include a brief cold war review and

the connection between the events of the Cold War and
the instability in the Middle East. Ask the students
what connections or issues exist between the Cold
War and the instability causing the present crisis in
the Middle East today.
Time: 10min
3) Think-pair-share: students will get into groups of 4 and
review articles on the current ISIL situation in the
Middle East. Then, students will discuss the current
situation, and using information from the article and the
movie they will develop their own criteria for U.S.
intervention in the ISIL conflict. Students will write
down their criteria in their notes but will work together
to put their criteria on poster paper. Make sure you tell
the groups that one person will be called on at random
in their group to present the groups criteria and reasons
for them. (Ensure a map of the Middle East is posted
for viewing for reference) Assess student learning and
understanding by listening in on small group
conversations.
Time 20 min
4) Come together as a class and discuss the various group
criteria. Make sure you allow time for students to
justify their answers and prompt them if they do not.
Time: 10 min
5) Introduce the written response homework (assessment)
to the students in which the students will have to
explain their personal opinions on the criteria that
should be used to decide whether or not the U.S. should
intervene in the ISIL conflict. Have students comment

on whether or not their opinions differed from that of

the groups. The students explain their opinions with
evidence from the days activities of past lessons.
(Review homework assignment for value judgment
formation)
Time: 5 min
Assessment of Outcomes:
Students will:
-Evaluate and assess relevance of Cold War issues to
modern day regional crisis
-Examine news articles to understand alternate perspectives
on the Middle East crisis
-Evaluate what cause(s) allow tensions to continue in the
Middle East
-Develop and justify criteria as a group consensus in
determining U.S. intervention in the ISIL crisis; students
will individually write a short paper outlining their criteria
and justification for Middle East intervention
Extension and Adaptations:
Students with learning and behavioral disabilities and
disorders:
ADHD- Make sure the directions are clear and easy to follow,
in order for the students to know precisely what is coming.
Make sure the
Emotional Disturbances- Be sure the images are appropriate for
all your students and those more sensitive make sure the
content will not be overwhelming.

How are Regional Conflicts of interest to the United States?

Autism- Make sure there is a clear flow of events with very

clear expectations, and that directions are big enough on the
board to read. Make sure the video projected on a large enough
medium so that all of the students are able to see the images.
Students may also be given the reading ahead of time
Dyslexia: More time can be given for reading materials. Also,
students may be given an extra day to write out their
homework assignment. Students may be given audio links to
the news articles the day before so they are more prepared for
class.
ESOL: Adaptations
-More time may be given to students to engage in the readings/
-Provide the news articles in the native language of the speaker

-Give the students the readings in advance in order to be

prepared for class with the articles already understood.
Resources:
National Council for the Social Studies. (2010). National
Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: A Framework for
Teaching, Learning and Assessment. Silver Spring, Maryland.
National Council for the Social Studies.
Ohio Department of Education. (Adopted 2010). Ohios New
Learning Standards [Social
Studies Standards]. Retrieved from
http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Ohio-s-NewLearning-Standards/Social-Studies/SS-Standards.pdf.aspx