Reflection on lesson plan Todd Ballif

I chose a topic that was beyond the Civil War time period, as that is where I was in the curriculum at the time. It just seemed more practical for me when pressed for time with my my current online Masters program. I presented this year through the use of Venn Diagrams the important distinctions of the varying governmental models of capitalist democracies, fascism and communism. I have always had a struggle with students being able to maintain the important distinctions between totalitarian regimes. The Venn approach allowed them to grasp and hold onto the important differences regarding religion, private property and the profit motive. These concepts help tremendously when teaching the causes of WWII, the Cold War and The Red Scare and McCarthyism. I will definitely be using this next year as I liked the way that students were able to grasp these somewhat abstract concepts and make sense of the impact that they had on our nation's history.