TASK -

For this webquest you will have the benefit of history to make your decision. You will be able to examine first-person accounts of the atomic bombings of Japan, among other resources. You will know what happened after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and then make your decision before the bombs are dropped. Think of this lesson as a Magic 8-Ball view into the future, from your perspective in the summer of 1945. You will need to make a decision regarding whether or not to drop the atomic bomb. You cannot simply state that you do not know. You will be required to write a one page response stating what you would do and what resources you used to help you come to your decision.

 

A Picture of Hiroshima Before the Bomb	A Picture of Nagasaki After the Atomic Bomb

 

 

The Process -

1. Get into groups of 3 or 4 students and discuss prior knowledge of the atomic bombing of Japan and initial reactions. Would you have dropped the bomb?

2. Now examine the resources for the webquest given below. Pay careful attention to noting resources from both American and Japanese perspectives. Examine what was known about the bomb before and after it was dropped (i.e. radiation, amount of damage caused). Write down what you are thinking about each website as you visit it. Examine your initial reactions (shock) to graphic pictures and accounts of the event.

3. Re-examine your initial beliefs in your groups. Ask yourself, has your decision changed? If yes, what caused your opinion to change?

4. Individually, as homework or at the end of class, write a 1/2 page evaluation of your group discussions. Additionally, write a one-page letter addressed to "The People of the Earth" stating whether or not you chose to drop the atomic bomb and why. Support your decision with the resources.

 

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