Lesson The Atomic Bomb: Should we use it? Name Gene Traynom: Raleigh High School Standards Honors World History W.51: Analyze the decision to use nuclear weapons to end World War II. Lesson Length One 55 Minute Period Objectives After completing this lesson, the students will be able to: Analyze the decision to drop the atomic on Japan. Pick a side, whether or not we should have dropped the bombs, and defend it. Analyze alternative choices that the United States could have made instead of the decision to drop the bombs. Procedures Introduction At the start of the class I will discuss the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. We will review the damage and destruction that dropping the bombs caused Japan. We will look at the physical, emotional, economical, and environmental impacts. Readings After the review, I will pass out four different readings about the dropping of the atomic bomb. The readings are a mix of primary and secondary sources (the handout is attached). The students will read the readings as a class. When the students finish the readings they will complete a chart giving me three reasons why they should not have dropped the bomb, and three reasons why they should have dropped the bomb (the chart is attached). The students will then have a discussion over their reasons to drop or not to drop the bombs. After the short discussion, the students will then pick a side and defend their choice. They will write down their choice and their reasons for picking that choice on the chart. After the
Lesson The Atomic Bomb: Should we use it? Name Gene Traynom: Raleigh High School Standards Honors World History W.51: Analyze the decision to use nuclear weapons to end World War II. Lesson Length One 55 Minute Period Objectives After completing this lesson, the students will be able to: Analyze the decision to drop the atomic on Japan. Pick a side, whether or not we should have dropped the bombs, and defend it. Analyze alternative choices that the United States could have made instead of the decision to drop the bombs. Procedures Introduction At the start of the class I will discuss the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. We will review the damage and destruction that dropping the bombs caused Japan. We will look at the physical, emotional, economical, and environmental impacts. Readings After the review, I will pass out four different readings about the dropping of the atomic bomb. The readings are a mix of primary and secondary sources (the handout is attached). The students will read the readings as a class. When the students finish the readings they will complete a chart giving me three reasons why they should not have dropped the bomb, and three reasons why they should have dropped the bomb (the chart is attached). The students will then have a discussion over their reasons to drop or not to drop the bombs. After the short discussion, the students will then pick a side and defend their choice. They will write down their choice and their reasons for picking that choice on the chart. After the
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