Lesson 2: Contemporary Global Conflicts & Strategic Interventions
Duration of Days: 5
Lesson Objective
Students will recommend a strategic foreign policy intervention based on a comprehensive review of a real-time global conflict.
What are the unintended consequences of geopolitical interventions? How should humanitarian needs be balanced with national interests?
CT Civics/Gov (Dimension 4 - INQ 9–12.12); CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.1.
Day 41: Current crisis brief 1 (Geopolitical flashpoints).
Day 42: Current crisis brief 2 (Cybersecurity and informational warfare).
Day 43: Investigating humanitarian crises triggered by conflict.
Day 44: Deconstructing ideological points of view driving global instability.
Day 45: Simulating a National Security Council meeting.
Students engage in a mini National Security Council simulation, arguing whether the US should use diplomacy, economic sanctions, or humanitarian aid to resolve a simulated geopolitical crisis.
Purpose & DOK Level: Synthesis and real-time problem-solving; DOK Level 4.
Assignment of roles optimized for varying student skill sets; structured decision-matrices provided.
Executive Policy Memo outlining a recommended strategy based on the simulation.