Lesson Plan

The Iran Hostage Crisis

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

While the Iranian Hostage Crisis was a watershed moment, few history classes take on the complex series of events leading up to it. Using declassified documents, including a hostage's diary, young historians create their own reports to the CIA on the events around the crisis. A background essay brings the instructor up to speed on the events that precipitated it. 

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Use as a capstone lesson to discuss the Iran Hostage Crisis
  • Offer as a final project, using the report to the CIA as an assessment
Classroom Considerations
  • Lesson is dated and may require some updating of the content
Pros
  • Activities offer an in-depth look into a moment of history that often only gets a mention
  • Background essay is thorough and helps contextualize the crisis
Cons
  • Teaching procedure is missing but can be reconstructed with the included materials
  • Teacher will need to prep learners extensively on the documents, as they require context to understand