Courtesy of Wikipedia

Katy Perry’s album cover for ‘Hot N Cold’

It’s third period in history teacher Kirk Abe’s world history classroom, and a group of sophomores — one dressed as 1980s-era president Ronald Reagan — are all singing along to a Katy Perry tune, as they prepare for an upcoming performance. 

This isn’t your average history class. In Abe’s class, sophomores found themselves facing an unexpected challenge: to transform the lyrics of Perry’s infamous song “Hot N Cold” into a song about the Cold War. Students are tasked with blending history and pop culture to showcase their understanding of one of the most pivotal periods of the 20th century with innovative lyrics.  

Working in groups of three to four, students must rewrite the entire song, incorporating key Cold War events, figures and places — with at least five references in each category. From the Berlin Blockade and the Cuban Missile Crisis to leaders like Krushchev, Kennedy and Reagan, students have to find clever ways to blend history with catchy songwriting. Once the lyrics are complete, the real test begins: performing the parody in class. 

Alma Garniek, Elisa Erbay, Morgan Li and Neha Sharan, who are performing the second section of the song, have started working on their Cold War remix. 

Each group is assigned a specific section of the song to perform. Abe films each group individually, and the performances will later be stitched together into one full class video. Students must also incorporate at least two props into their act, adding a theatrical twist to the assignment. 

“I think the song ‘Hot N Cold’ by Katy Perry is super popular, and the project is a fun way to put a spin on it, while simultaneously remembering history,” Shivanshi Saund said. “It forces us to actually understand the Cold War so we can explain it in a way that makes sense.”

While many students were eager to dive into writing their original lyrics, they were encouraged to hold off until they had a stronger grasp of the historical events. Every class, students learn new key moments and figures from the Cold War, which ran from April 4 to May 6, ensuring they have the historical knowledge needed to rewrite the lyrics with depth and accuracy.  

Performances are set for May 24, giving the sophomores ample time to perfect their lyrics, rehearse their performances and finalize props. 

“When I first heard we were doing the project, I wasn’t thrilled because singing isn’t something I usually do,” Anya Taneja said. “However, as my group started to work together, I actually found it really fun and educational because it was a lot more interesting than a lecture but I still learned a lot.”