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__**This page shows an explanation as well as a lesson plan used for an in class lesson given on the Iran-Contra Affair. **__

**Unit:** The Trend Toward Conservatism, 1972 – 1985, Grade 11.

**Background Statement:** Students have covered Ford and Carter presidencies and have began the Reagan Administration; the students are learning about the conservative nature of the U.S. and the effect of such on foreign affairs during this time in history.

**Key Concepts:** Human systems, foreign policy, military, civil wars.

as well as controversy in the Panama Invasion || The Trend Towards Conservatism, E. 1 p. 154 ||
 * = **Goals ** ||= **NYS Requirements ** ||
 * Inform the students of illegal CIA activities in the Middle East || The Trend Towards Conservatism, E. 2 p. 154 ||
 * Inform the students of illegal CIA activities in Central America

**Key Questions:** Why did the U.S. trade arms with Iran? Why did the Reagan Administration get involved in Central America? Why did the United States invade Panama? What does Manuel Noriega have to do with the Iran-Contra Affair?

**Objectives:** The objective is for the students to understand why the United States was trading arms with Iran through Israel, as well as to understand the Sandinistas and Contras and why the U.S. got involved in the Civil War. The students will also <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">understand why the U.S. invaded Panama to remove Manuel Noriega from power even though he had previously aided the U.S. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">in their involvement with the Nicaraguan Civil War.

> Briefly introduce the background of the time; 7 American hostages held in Iran; Legislation prevented direct trading with Iran; > Reagan Administration supported Contras in Nicaragua; President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, leader of Sandinistas, was > Socialist and fighting the Contras, Manuel Noriega in Panama supported the rebel Contras. > the group while explaining the connections. Have other students map out the involvement of the countries on paper. The teacher may > also have students write out a map of the involvements on the board. Be sure to mention the involvement of Noriega in the Iran-Contra > Affair. > minute mark. Stop at 15:39. Inform the students that the U.N. convicted the U.S. of war crimes in 1989, called invasion a, “flagrant > violation of international law.” > a question. Be sure to instruct them to write back and forth. Students may present their conversation to the class, if desired.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Activities: **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Ask students what they know of the Iran-Contra Affair. Try to aid further development of what they know before lecturing the topic.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Ask for volunteers to act out the parties involved in front the class. Assign one country or individual to a student, and walk around
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Introduce the U.S. invasion of Panama; mention the bombing of residential areas. Show the brief YouTube video starting at the 13:30
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Have students pair up and have a written conversation with a classmate about the invasion. Make sure to start the conversation with

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[] This is the YouTube video of the documentary covering the Panama invasion.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Materials & Resources: **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[] This website provides much information on the Affair. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">More importantly, it provides numerous primary sources for individuals to explore to determine their own interpretation.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Optionally, teacher may create (or have students create) signs to hold up. Could make a sign representing the U.S., Israel, Panama, etc... <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">as well as possibly pictures of the men involved and one with a dollar sign and the other a picture of weapons, to symbolize the trading of <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">weapons and money.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**Assessment:** At the end of the unit the students will remember the parties involved in the Iran-Contra Affair as well as understand the <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">relationships between them. Students will be able to apply the learned concepts when prompted to answer larger questions on essays <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">or tests. Students will be able to analyze the Iran-Contra Affair to determine for themselves the culpability of the various parties involved.

**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">What is this lesson? **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This is a lesson on the Iran-Contra Affair to be taught in a U.S. history class, most likely in 11th or maybe 12th grade. This would not be an introductory lesson but instead a lesson that would occur farther into a unit on The Trend Towards Conservatism during the 1980s. I try to get the students to write as much as possible, however, as this is information which is most likely entirely new to the class, some lecture has to be involved. It is essential that the students not sit idle while being lectured at. Therefore, I use volunteers in the class to act out the roles of the various parties involved in the Iran-Contra Affair, e.g., Iran, Manuel Noriega, Panama, etc. This is in part to prevent the slump of a lengthy lecture and also by including the students I try to avoid the pot-of-knowledge mentality; the teacher bestowing information to those without.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">It is also imperative that the teacher not simply inform the students of the Iran-Contra Affair. It isn't enough that the students remember the names and dates involved with the event. The students must deeply understand what occurred, as well analyze the Affair and form some connection to it. In order to do so, a brief documentary clip is shown which emphasizes the emotional side of the Affair. The Youtube clip enforces that this was a tragedy and not some past event to simply be remembered. By tying an emotional response to the lesson I try to elicit further interest and comprehension of history.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Lastly, after the lesson the students are instructed to have a written conversation with another classmate in order to discuss any questions they have about the events. These questions are an attempt to have the students form their own perspective on the event. By making the conversation quiet and private, dissenting opinions are not made public and therefore not the subject of potential ridicule from other students. This is a very important factor in the lesson. It is encouraged that the students question what they just learned so that they do not see history simply as a record of facts and dates but as a logical interpretation from evidence.

**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">What writing tools are involved? **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**Mapping:** The students utilize mapping in order to understand the convoluted chain of relationships involved in the Iran-Contra Affair. Mapping is an effective tool to get the students to write, and considering the complicated nature of the Iran-Contra Affair, it seems logical that mapping is a writing tool involved. The use of mapping in this lesson allows students to illustrate the associations with the many parties involved.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**Written Conversation:** The intent of the use of a written conversation strategy has two parts. First, as the lesson is a potentially emotional one, a written conversation allows the students to channel that emotional response. This leads to a more personal involvement with the history and hopefully a more interested student. Second, by having a conversation with another individual on the same level, the students are able to reshape what they learned into their own interpretation. The students don't just remember what happened, they are encouraged to form their own opinion. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Article Abstracts <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Web 2.0 Tool: Timeglider <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Web 2.0 Tool: MapSkip <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Web Links