Dropping of the Atomic Bomb
Students will analyze whether the droppings of the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima were justified by analyzing primary and secondary sources in teams and presenting the findings in a TV Show Chat discussion
Goals and Objectives
Goal: Students will decide whether or not the United States decision to drop the atomic bombs was a good or bad.
Objective: Students will analyze whether the droppings of the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima were justified by analyzing primary and secondary sources in teams and presenting the findings in a TV Show Chat discussion.
Objective: Students will analyze whether the droppings of the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima were justified by analyzing primary and secondary sources in teams and presenting the findings in a TV Show Chat discussion.
California State Content Standards
11.7 Students analyze America’s participation in World War II
7. Discuss the decision to drop atomic bombs and the consequences of the decision (Hiroshima and Nagasaki)
7. Discuss the decision to drop atomic bombs and the consequences of the decision (Hiroshima and Nagasaki)
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy, RH. 11.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy, RH. 11.9. Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy, WHST. 11.9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy, RH. 11.9. Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy, WHST. 11.9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Driving Historical Question
Should the United States have dropped the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima?
Lesson Introduction
The lesson will begins by having students take a quick gallery walk around the classroom. Before the students arrive to class the teacher will have set up a gallery of photographs around the class these photographs will consists of American soldiers dying at the hands of the Japanese, crimes that the Japanese committed during the war, scientists working on the Manhattan Project, images of the atomic bombs, atomic bomb victims (both dead and alive) and images of the Allies celebrating the end of the war. Students will be given an opportunity to walk around the classroom, as they view all these photographs they will think about what the photographs mean to them and also to think of any prior knowledge that they might have about the topic. After the students are done walking around the room, the teacher will randomly select students to share their thoughts about the photographs with the class. This activity is designed so that students become curious about the dropping of the atomic bomb. Because of the photographs students will have conflicting emotions about the dropping of the bombs, which will prepare them for the upcoming lesson in which they take a closer look at why the bomb was dropped and the effect that it had on Japan and the Japanese people.
Vocabulary
- Manhattan Project
- Atomic Bomb
- Kamikaze
- Little Boy
- Fat Man
- Nagasaki
- Hiroshima
- Radiation
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction)
Students will learn about the dropping of the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima and whether the United States made the right decision by dropping the bombs on the two Japanese cities by participating in a discussion.
- First, the teacher will divide the classroom into two-halves and will assign each half as “In Favor” or “Against” the dropping of the atomic bombs.
- Second, teacher will explain to the students that they will receive an “Atomic Bomb” worksheet in which they will documents all the information that they have gathered. Their worksheet will have two column “In Favor” and “Against” the dropping of the bombs, each column will also have four discussion questions that they will be required to discuss and answer with the help of their groups members. Students will complete this worksheet as they analyze their sources and as they listen to their classmates present.
- Third, once all rules have been explained the teacher will begin the Thinking Hat Activity. During the Thinking Hat activity each group will receive a packet of primary and secondary source documents both in favor and against the dropping of the atomic bombs (This packet will contain photographs, reading material (primary and secondary), journal entries, military reports and will have documents from both the American and Japanese side). The teacher will then give each person a different colored bookmark (not a hat because high school students think they’re “to cool” to wear hats). Each bookmark color will represent the way in which the student will analyze the documents:
- White Bookmarks: Students with this bookmark will focus on the data available. Look at the information they have, and see what they can learn from it, including parallels and past experience.
- Red Bookmark: Students with this bookmark will focus look at problems using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion. Also they will try to think how other people will react emotionally. Try to understand the responses of people who do not fully know your reasoning.
- Black Bookmark: Students with this bookmark will look at all the bad points of the decision. Looking at it cautiously and defensively.
- Yellow Bookmark: Students with this bookmark will think positively. It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps them see all the benefits of the decision.
- Green Bookmark: Students with this bookmark will try to come at the central question in an imaginative way, are there any alternatives – different ways of doing things.
- Blue Bookmark: Students with this bookmark will be for process control. They can act as a facilitator pulling together the groups thinking.
- Fourth, once students have discussed all the primary and secondary sources with their groups and have answered/discussed their discussion question a TV Chat Show activity will begin. During this activity students will have to argue their point: Whether they are “In Favor” or “Against” the dropping of the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
- The “In Favor” group will present first. As a group they will nominate one person to act as a representative. At the beginning of the ‘show’ each representative comes to sit at the front with the host and introduces his or her groups position. The audience (which will be the “Against” group will then be invited to ask questions* Asking questions will help student further understand the dropping of the atomic bombs as well as advance their own argument by pointing out information that the opposing team failed to acquire.
- The ‘Against: group will be present second. As a group they will nominate one person to act as a representative. The audience (which will be the “In Favor” group will then be invited to ask questions* Asking questions will help student further understand the dropping of the atomic bombs as well as advance their own argument by pointing out information that the opposing team failed to acquire.
- During the TV Chat Show the teacher will make sure that the eight discussion questions that were written on the worksheet have been discussed in order to ensure that students have a complete understanding of the event (the dropping of the atomic bombs)
- * Note: The teacher must make it clear that the audience members are free to answer or question each other as well.
Dropping of the Atomic Bomb Worksheet
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities)
Students will remain engaged in the activity by participating in a Thinking Hat and TV Chat Show discussion activity.
- The classroom will be divided into two-halves, one side will be “In Favor” of the dropping of the atomic bombs and the other side will be “Against” the droppings of the atomic bombs. As students work in the Thinking Hat Activity they will be analyzing all the primary and secondary sources that they have been provided with in order to gather information and answer the discussion questions that the teacher has provided for them. Students will not only discuss the discussion question but they will record (on the worksheet) information and supporting evidence from the reading material that has been provided to them.
- The teacher will walk around the classroom in order to listen in to the group conversations and ensure that all group members are participating in the source analysis and are helping to answer the discussion questions. Note: Even though students will only be arguing one point of view (In Favor/Against) it is important that students discuss all 8-discussion questions.
- Once students are done analyzing the sources, they will then participate in a TV Chat Show in which one group will be presenting and the other group will be asking questions (the audience) They will then make arguments in favor of their position with the help of the discussion questions.
- Example: The teacher will pose the discussion question (Did the nature of the war the Japanese fought justify dropping the bomb?) The group that is presenting will then argue their point by using supporting evidence from the material that they have analyzed. They could say something along the lines of, “Yes, because the Japanese soldiers were Kamikaze warriors which meant that they were willing to fight till the death. As a result of this war would have continued on for much longer and thousands of more people would have died.” The audience will then get a chance to ask questions.
- The teacher will be the one leading the discussion and making sure that both groups discuss all 8-discussion questions. First, with the “In Favor” group getting an opportunity to present their evidence and secondly with the “Against” group getting an opportunity to present their evidence.
- Discussion Questions:
- What about the argument that we saved lives by dropping those bombs?
- Did the atrocities and intensity of conflict all around in WWII justify dropping the bomb?
- Did the nature of the war the Japanese fought justify dropping the bomb?
- Was the bomb much worse than the conventional bombs we dropped on Germany and Japan? (Is dropping one bomb that kills tens of thousands different than dropping thousands of bombs?)
- Why not wait until the Soviets put pressure on Japan and our blockade becomes tighter?
- What would have happened if we had not bombed civilians?
- Would we have killed less civilians by an invasion? By blockading the home islands?
- Was three days too short a time to get the Japanese to surrender? (We dropped the bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6 and Nagasaki Aug. 9)
Lesson Closure
After the Thinking Hat activity and the TV Chat Show discussion is over students will have a formative assessment in which they will have to one-paragraph response answering the question that is written on the board. Question: Should have the United States dropped the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima? Use evidence to support your answer.
Assessments
Formative: As students are working in their groups the teacher will be walking around the classroom listening to their conversations and asking them questions. By asking students questions the teacher will give students an opportunity for deeper thinking and provides teachers with significant insight into the degree and depth of student understanding. Questions of this nature engage students in classroom dialogue that expands student learning. Additionally, students will complete their “Atomic Bomb” worksheet in which they will write arguments for and against (with evidence) the dropping of the atomic bombs.
Summative: Students will write a two-paragraph (5-7 sentences) response to the question (“Should have the United States dropped the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima? Use evidence to support your answer.”) The student’s grade on the paragraph response will not be based on whether they choose a specific position; instead their grade will be based on how many pieces of historical information and evidence that they have used to support their position.
Summative: Students will write a two-paragraph (5-7 sentences) response to the question (“Should have the United States dropped the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima? Use evidence to support your answer.”) The student’s grade on the paragraph response will not be based on whether they choose a specific position; instead their grade will be based on how many pieces of historical information and evidence that they have used to support their position.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
- Students will have the discussion question in order to guide them while they analyze their primary and secondary source documents
- Students will working in groups at all times. Thus, ensuring that all students are provided with support through out the entire course of the lesson
- Students will be allowed to use their Discussion Question worksheet when completing their formative assessment.
Resources
- Photographs for the Gallery Walk
- Atomic Bomb worksheet
- Primary and Secondary source resources (in favor of the dropping of the bomb)
- Primary and Secondary source resources (against the dropping of the bomb)
- Color-coded bookmarks for source analysis work