Introduction

In the aftermath of the tragedies that occurred on September 11^th, the United States has been on high alert. Our government has called upon all of our armed forces to protect our land and air space. Those men and women, in the reserves, who work only two or three weeks a year, have been on active duty since the events.

Since the attacks, someone has threatened the lives and health of our people by contaminating our mail with anthrax. Traveling to distant and exotic places is no longer a dream for many, because there is a hesitance to fly. People would rather stay home than to participate in their usual City cultural life. The citizens and residents of the United States are frightened by all that occurred. Unfortunately, these fears are small in comparison to the fear that our Government has about the threat of Nuclear War.

It is now January 1, 2005 and the world is in chaos. Since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon all countries around the globe are in conflict. India and Pakistan, archenemies for years, now have thousands of troops fighting at their borders. Israel and Palestine have been actively fighting for months. Afghanistan will not give up Osama Bin Laden to the United States. The citizens of the World are afraid that we are only a step away from full-blown Nuclear War. The problem you have to solve is how to avoid a nuclear war from endangering humanity.

Task

You are reporters for the Morris High School Newspaper. With the threat of Nuclear Warfare imminent, you must try to explain, to your peers, what this means. It is your job to describe how nuclear energy is created, including weapons used, and the effects of radiation, given off by these weapons, on the environment and its people.

You will have to create and present a Newsletter on the topic of Nuclear Warfare. For this project you will have to use the 6-step public policy approach (http://maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips.html ):

1. Define and describe the problem

2. Gather evidence for this problem

3. Identify causes for this problem

4. Describe and evaluate the existing policy for this problem

5. Develop solutions/policies for the problems for this existing policy

6. Select the best policy for this problem

Process

You must create a newsletter that will be distributed to the entire school during an emergency meeting. This newsletter must explain all the aspects of nuclear warfare. Include your opinion about whether or not all nuclear weapons should be destroyed and the public policy that needs to be implemented to make sure that there is more control.

Objective: The objective of this project is to have students use technology to research nuclear warfare. This project will allow students to learn about the position that Governments take regarding nuclear warfare, the effects of nuclear warfare on the environment and population, and voice their opinions about ridding the world of nuclear weapons once and for all.

Before students receive the Webquest, they will have been introduced to Nuclear Chemistry and the positive and negative effects of radiation. Once they receive the Webquest they will answer the following questions:

Guidelines:

1. Students will work in pairs to answer the research questions.

2. Students will create a one-page newsletter that will be distributed to the entire school during an emergency meeting.

3. The newsletter should be used as a forum to create solutions to prevent nuclear warfare. The solutions will be mailed to the President of the United States. http://www.whitehouse.gov

4. The newsletter must include all aspects of nuclear warfare (use answers to questions).

5. Include, in the newsletter, your opinion about whether or not all nuclear weapons should be destroyed and the public policy that needs to be implemented to make sure that there is more control.

6. Pairs will make presentation of newsletter to class.

Research Questions:

What is nuclear chemistry?
What is radioactivity?
How is radiation created?
Where is radiation created?
What are the parts of the nuclear reactor?
What is nuclear warfare?
How were nuclear weapons created from nuclear energy?
Which weapons are used in nuclear warfare? How?
Why were nuclear weapons created?
What kind of damage can be created by nuclear warfare?
What were the ramifications of the nuclear holocaust that occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
How do nuclear weapons effect the environment?
How do nuclear weapons effect living organisms?
What are the effects of radiation years after war?
What is the position of governments on the control of nuclear energy and nuclear warfare?
What is your opinion about nuclear weapons? Should they be destroyed or used in war?
Create public policy that discusses stricter control on nuclear energy.
E-mail the President of the United States with solutions.