Brinksmanship: Gorbachev in 1989

http://cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/23/game/

Description: You are Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. It is 1989, and the anti-communist Solidarity trade union has won Poland's first free elections in a generation.But a Solidarity-led government could mean the end of communism in Poland, a key member of the Warsaw Pact. What action should you take? Standards 10.9.5, 11.9.2, and Civics 12.9.7

Author: CNN Cold War

Lesson ID: 161

Is the Ruble Becoming Rubbish?

http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM177

Description: In this lesson, students evaluate the phrase "the value of the dollar" by discussing the dramatic devaluation of the Russian ruble. Students will create tables comparing costs of American products to what items would cost in Russia today and appraise how their own spending habits would be affected by monetary devaluation. Standards 10.9.7, 11.9.5, and Economics 12.1.3, 12.6.4

Author: National Council on Economic Education

Lesson ID: 586

Nothing to Buy

http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM177

Description: In two groups, students compare the Soviet-era marketplace and the present-day Russian marketplace. With an appropriate "wallet" and list of goods to buy, each group must purchase enough goods to support their family of five for one week for the amount of time and money available. With only one Saturday to do their shopping (8 hours,) the many long lines of the Soviet era will put a damper on purchases. (This is a great lesson for Language Learners.) Standards 10.9.7, 11.9.5, and Economics 12.1.1, 12.1.3, 12.2.1 general.

Author: Cross-Curriculuar Connections, EconEdLink

Lesson ID: 763