Transcript To Drop or Not to Drop? That is the Question.

To Drop or Not to Drop?
That is the Question.
A WebQuest for 9th- 12th Grade (Social Studies)
Designed by
Alex Proctor
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Lauren Malone
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Maddie Daley
mailto:[email protected]
INTRODUCTON
•
On August
6th and 9th in 1945,
The United States dropped two
atomic bombs on the Japanese
cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Almost one month later on
September 2, 1945 The Japanese
formally surrendered to The
United States. The decision of the
United States to drop the bombs
made world leaders question the
ethics of the United States and
the necessity of their actions.
TASK
•
For this Webquest you will be enacting a mock
trial of President Truman for his decision to drop
the bomb.
• Your class will be evenly divided into two teams
which will consist of the prosecution and
defense. Each team will be attempting to develop
an argument based on historical facts, defending
or condemning the actions of Harry Truman. The
end product of this webquest will be a verdict
decided by the teacher.
Procedure
• Step 1: Select your
student roles
– Student Roles
• Lawyers
• Lawyer’s
Assistant
• Witnesses
• Reporters
Lawyers
• Develop an argument for your case
through research
• Work with witnesses on the questions
you will ask
• Be prepared to cross examine
witnesses
Lawyers’ Assistants
• Do extensive research on opposing
view
• Do research on opposing side's
witnesses
• Develop cross examination questions
Witnesses
• Do research on your character
• Prepare for the cross examination
questions that you will be asked
• Work on questions with the lawyers
• Help aid in research
Reporters
• Take detailed notes through out the trial
• Help with research for your side
• Based on the evidence presented create a
short essay stating who you thought won the
trial
Step: 2
• Based on roles do research to prepare
for the trial
– Your research should be based on
historical facts
– Be sure to check the validity of your
sources
Step: 3
• Bring all the research together with your
team members to begin forming the
foundation of your argument
•
•
•
•
Develop opening and closing statements
Create questions for your team's witnesses
Create cross examination questions
Be prepared to defend your position
Step: 4
• Perform mock trial
– The classroom will be arranged in a court
room setting
– Guide to Conducting Mock Trials
Step: 5
• Word process and turn in required
information
Lawyers
• Must word process their opening and
closing statements
• Word process a two page paper of the
foundation of your argument
Witnesses
• Word process and turn in a one page
paper on the character you are being for
the trial
Lawyers Assistants
• Word process cross examination
questions
• Create a Works Cited page of all
resources your team used
Reporters
• Must word process their notes from the
trial
• Word process a short essay on who you
thought won the trial
General Resources
•
•
•
•
Atomic Bomb: Decision Documents
The National Security Archive
Nuclear Damage
Documents Relating to American
Foreign Policy
Witness Resources
• Japanese Survivors
• Scientific Data for Nagasaki
• Possible Witnesses
Evaluation
• Rubric
Conclusion
• After this assignment, you will be able to:
– Think critically
– Plan and organize arguments
– Make decisions about controversial issues
– Take on the role of a given character
– Work in teams
– Have a better understanding of the inter-workings
of a trial,
– Have a better understanding of the post World
War II era