Using Atomic Weaponry:
From the Vantage Point of those who Survived
Students assume the role of reporters to uncover information from primary sources and write a newspaper article on the consequences of dropping atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki and its effects upon the civilian population. Students will present their findings in a journalistic conference over what the future usage of atomic warfare should be.
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From the Vantage Point of those who Survived
02/13/2012 01:19 PM
#1
From the Vantage Point of those who Survived
This is good, to have students tell of the past as present. You have opportunities for them hear/see what that day was like. So much of what we convey as teachers of History is, to students, the "passed." I hope they convey this event in terms that are shocking to their own ears - many people died. It's a difficult event to teach, because it's the student's own country responsible. How is their writing? Reporting is a difficult skill, you must be very patient! Great lesson!
glopez looking over your mini-lessons I am excited to hear how things turn out. The idea of the newspaper is brilliant. One suggestion is perhaps when showing the Hiroshima and Nagasaki footage possibly including Barefoot Gen for a Japanese anime perspective on how the Japanese experienced the dropping of the bombs. Also, the first 20 minutes of the documentary Atomic Cafe which I believe you can find on youtube is a great source to see how the US got to the point of dropping the bomb. There is even an interview with the pilot who dropped the bomb and his thoughts on the historic event.
elopez Awesome recommendations! Ill check them out. As I was reading folks posts on film reviews I cam across a post on Barefoot Gen – read about and also came to the same conclusion about using this film after reading what had been posted about it. Sounds like a great resource. It also opens to questions about how the past is remembered and recorded. I am certain my students will get a kick (even if a sad one) out of viewing history in such a format. Thanks for the recommendations.
I like how you used the Huffington Post for the most recent pictures. I also noticed that the US attended the 65th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and was welcomed by Hiroshima's mayor at the peace memorial park. According to the Huffington Post, "[font=Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif]Hiroshima was careful to ensure that the memorial – while honoring the dead – emphasized a forward-looking approach, focusing not on whether the bombing was justified, a point which many Japanese dispute, but on averting any future nuclear attacks." This might be a good thing to point out to the students, as well.[/font]
Maybe you can even allow them to make the newspaper into a Manga comic book-like article, for added fun and creativity.