Lesson 1 from the acclaimed teaching pack ‘Dial M For Missile: Exploring Themes Around the Cuban Missile Crisis’.

The lesson enables students to learn the chronology of the Cuban Missile Crisis - situating it in the context of the Cold War - by getting them to piece together the timeline in small groups. Students discuss which events were particularly significant, and could also present their timelines to the class, thus developing their critical-thinking and spoken language skills. The lesson plan includes differentiation, extension and enrichment suggestions.

The lesson is relevant to the curriculum and exam syllabuses of History, Citizenship, Government & Politics, and English, as well as helping to meet SMSC, Prevent and British Values requirements.

To view and download the other lessons from the Dial M For Missile Pack pack, and the pack as a whole (including endorsements), go to