Realizing that the Cold War is a topic that often is neglected as time runs short at the end of a school year, a group of University of Kansas (Lawrence) educators sought to create effective classroom materials for secondary/community college instructors to teach about the Cold War. The group's main goal was to create a flexible model that encouraged study of the topic for the amount of time available. This Cold War learning packet provides materials and directions to guide students through a research and decision-making activity. Following a brief review of the Cold War period, the materials in the packet lead students to analyze a key Cold War event from both a Soviet and U.S. point of view, using a variety of primary sources. The key event is analyzed using the packet's Cold War Def Con model. The students decide to what level of conflict the event brought the superpowers. The final analysis phase uses this understanding and places the key event into the context of the entire time period, through a series of questions, including, "Who Won?" Included in the learning packet is one event example about the Korean War and copies of primary source documents for the appropriate categories. The packet includes a suggested performance assessment; extension ideas; the Def Con Model; an overview of the Cold War; a timeline of key Cold War events; a Cold War glossary; an extensive Cold War bibliography; instructions to students; various activities; and primary sources (reading materials). (BT)

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