Gorbachev's Reforms: Glasnost and Perestroika
Evaluate the impact of Mikhail Gorbachev's policies of Glasnost and Perestroika. Students will debate whether these reforms accelerated or delayed the collapse of the Soviet bloc.
About This Topic
Evaluate the impact of Mikhail Gorbachev's policies of Glasnost and Perestroika. Students will debate whether these reforms accelerated or delayed the collapse of the Soviet bloc.
Key Questions
- What were the intended goals of Glasnost and Perestroika?
- How did Gorbachev's reforms inadvertently lead to the dissolution of the USSR?
- What role did nationalism in the Soviet republics play in the collapse?
Active Learning Ideas
See all activities→Activities & Teaching Strategies
See all activities
Planning templates for History
5E Model
The 5E Model structures lessons through five phases (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), guiding students from curiosity to deep understanding through inquiry-based learning.
Unit PlannerThematic Unit
Organize a multi-week unit around a central theme or essential question that cuts across topics, texts, and disciplines, helping students see connections and build deeper understanding.
RubricSingle-Point Rubric
Build a single-point rubric that defines only the "meets standard" level, leaving space for teachers to document what exceeded and what fell short. Simple to create, easy for students to understand.
More in The End of the Cold War
Economic and Political Decline of the USSR
Analyse the systemic economic weaknesses and political stagnation within the Soviet Union by the 1980s. Students will explore how these internal factors contributed to the eventual collapse.
2 methodologies
The Role of the USA and the Collapse of the Soviet Bloc
Assess the role of US foreign policy under Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush in ending the Cold War. Students will also examine the peaceful revolutions in Eastern Europe.
2 methodologies