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The Pack contains associated resources for the learning experience, typically in the form of articles and videos. There is a teacher Pack (with only teacher information) and a student Pack (which contains only student information). As a teacher, you can toggle between both to see everything.
Here are the teacher pack items for The Atomic Bomb:
Overview In this experience, students view a historic photo of a nuclear mushroom cloud and write a caption for it. Then they learn about the Manhattan Project and the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan, and they create a chart summarizing three reasons for the decision to deploy nuclear weapons. Next they analyze the sides in the debate over the decision to drop the atomic bomb, including a historian’s presentation of new evidence in support of the deployment. Students explain how historic interpretation changes as new information becomes available. Finally students review some eyewitness accounts of the atomic bombings and write an imaginary diary entry. Objectives
By August 1945, the world had been at war for almost six years. Tens of millions of lives had been lost. Many towns, factories, farms, and much national infrastructure had been destroyed. Refugees were displaced from their homes and countries. U.S. President Harry S. Truman made the difficult decision to deploy the first nuclear weapons ever used against human targets. Did the ends justify the means? This is a question with no definitive answer, even today. In this experience, you will learn more about these two significant atomic bombs.
Objectives
Look at the photo. What is shown? Write a caption describing the photo and identifying its subject. If you don’t know, use your imagination.
A sample correct caption: “Mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of the city of Nagasaki, Japan, Aug. 9, 1945.” All student responses are acceptable, since the purpose is to learn the information, not to get credit for prior knowledge. Tell students that Nagasaki was the second Japanese city destroyed by an atomic bomb. Hiroshima was first, on Aug. 6.
Photos of mushroom clouds have become a part of modern culture since World War II.
Knowing what the photo shows, what do you think or feel when you look at it?
Give the students time to discuss their reactions to the photograph.
