51ºÚÁÏ

This is a venn diagram activity designed for IBDP History to review the concepts of fear, aggression, and ideology in the origins of the Cold War.

This resource, last updated on 10 June 2025 allows teachers to review their student’s subject knowledge and also chronological understanding of the events 1945-1949.

The main purpose of the activity is to activate their student’s conceptual understanding of fear, aggression, and ideology by looking at key Cold War events through these lenses using a card sort. This activity is designed for pair work or small groups.

The first page of the activity includes the Venn Diagrams, the second page of the activity includes the instructions to the students, the third page of the activity includes notes for teachers, and the fourth and fifth pages include suggested answers.

I use this activity by getting the students to cut out the cards on page two, divide them into if they are American or Soviet policies to review comprehension, then I ask them to complete the main activity which is to stimulate discussion about key policies of the time period. There are other suggested activities such as arranging the cards into chronological order, and a reflection activity about the challenges involved in placing the cards, and also an extension activity for faster learners. I use this activity near the end of my Origins of the Cold War unit as a review of all the content. If there is a double period, I feel this is a helpful way to review content before practicing a timed essay.

I have found this resource is an excellent way to stimulate discussion based learning on this topic.