Research the music of 1945 to 1991 looking for songs that tell the story of the major events and ideas in the Cold War such as the Truman Doctrine, the Korean war, McCarthyism, Sputnik and the space race, Cuban missile crisis, Kennedy assassinations, Vietnam War, SALT treaties, Iran hostage crisis and the end of the Soviet Union. Some choices might be Sting's "Russians" or Billy Joel's "Leningrad," "Goodnight Saigon," or "We Didn't Start the Fire." Assemble a collection of music that recounts the history of this period and create a recorded anthology of the songs in chronological order of the events they recall.
Photographers, both professional and amateur, record the events of their time from their perspective. Looking at how the events of the Cold War era were recorded in newspapers, magazines and family photo albums of the era gives a glimpse into the photographers' varying viewpoints. It showcases their feelings and opinions on key issues of the day and how real people responded to what was happening around them and on the news. Create a poster, mural or digital collage of pictures from the Cold War era that depict both well-known events and ideas and their effects on the lives of ordinary people.
Find someone who remembers growing up in the Cold War. It could be a parent, a grandparent, aunt or uncle, a family friend or someone in your community who is willing to share her experiences. Set up an interview appointment and ask the person's permission to record the interview on audio or video. Prepare a list of questions about their personal memories. For example, ask what they heard about nuclear bombs when they were young and how they felt about it; or what ideas they had about "the enemy."
Form a "Presidential Advisory Committee" with other class members to study key conflicts such as the 1945 Yalta Conference, the rampant paranoia of the McCarthy era, the Cuban missile crisis, peace and civil rights marches and demonstrations or the Iran hostage crisis. Identify social, political, military and economic issues that were at stake in the chosen situation. Write a letter or make an oral presentation for the President at the time recommending a course of action based only on the knowledge available then. Consider how your advice would be different knowing what subsequent history has revealed and write another recommendation as a time traveler from the 21st century.