WEB QUEST

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & CONFLICT

Global History and Geography

Mr. Noonan & Mr. Santos

mrsantos@hotmail.com

sallymax@aol.com

INTRODUCTION: Throughout history weapons have been created in order to gain an upper hand in warfare. Whether we are talking about a wooden club during the Neolithic Revolution, or the Atomic bomb used on Japan during World War II, the proliferation of arms and the potential for mass destruction continues to grow. During the course of the twentieth century, the world was faced with innumerable conflicts. In the midst of these conflicts scientific and technological advances played an extremely significant role in the outcome of these wars. As a response to these advances, and the possibility of mass destruction, the Geneva Convention was established. You have just been invited to the Geneva Convention as a representative of the United States. As a representative you will determine whether or not the amount of weapons in the world is a problematic issue.

TASK: As a representative you will work in groups of three in order to:

1) Determine the nature of the problem (are there to many weapons being produced)

2) Research and gather evidence about the problem

3) Identify causes of the problem

4) Evaluate existing policies concerning this problem

5) Develop several of your own policies for this problem

6) Determine the best policy for the problem

Each group will then be responsible for a four component presentation dealing with their research.

Examples of Possible Weapons That Can be Studied:

Machine Guns and Explosives

Chemical warfare

Tanks and other military vehicles

Air power

Sea power

Nuclear Weapons and Missiles

PROCESS:

STEP 1: Groups must determine if the abundance of weapons, in our society, is a social problem.

STEP 2: Students will then research the history of various weapons (each student is responsible for the history of one modern weapon).

STEP 3: As a group students will identify the causes for the proliferation of weapons.

STEP 4: Students are then responsible to research and evaluate the existing policies concerning weaponry.

STEP 5: Individually students will create their own policies concerning this issue.

STEP 6: As a group they must then decide which policy is most efficient.

STEP 7: Students will then work together to complete the following project:

- Oral presentation— Each student in the group will stand on the stage in the auditorium and present a section of the group’s conclusion.

- Written report— Each student will be responsible for a three page typed report defending the groups position.

- Timeline/Visual— Poster Board timeline illustrating the origin of the weapon and ending with the Geneva Convention.

- Power Point— Each student in the group will be responsible for three slides which emphasize their research.

ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS MUST BE RELATED TO THEMES IN GLOBAL HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY.

RESOURCES:

SIX STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/PPA/ghppai1.html

GENEVA CONVENTION

http://www.asociety.com/geneva1.html

http://www.msnbc.com/modules/geneva_convention/

http://www.ukans.edu/carrie/docs/geneva.html

http://www.icrc.org/eng/party_gc

Weapons of Mass Destruction http://www.infowar.com

Biological warfare http://www.sciam.com/1296issue/1296cole.html

U.S nuclear weapons http://www.fas.org/nuke/new/usa/

Weapons of the Korean War http://www.irt66.com/~korteng/Smallarms/arms.htm

U.S Biological warfare history http://www.stimson.org/cwc/bwushis.htm

History of Chemical Warfare http://www.whyfiles.org/025chem_weap/3.html

Military History http://www.cfesc.dnd.ca/links/milhist/tech.html

History of Biological warfare http://www.neravt.com/left/biochem.htm

Modern Weapons http://home.att.net/~sdr210/military.htm

Weapons in World War II http://utenti.tripod.it/Dauntless/old2.html

Modern weapons http://home.att.net/~sdr210/military.htm

Weapons of World War I http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWweapons.htm

American Weapons http://www.alhn.org/topic/topic/weapon.html

RUBRIC & EVALUATION:

1) Each component of the project will be worth 25% of your grade.

- Oral Presentation 25%

- Written report 25%

- Timeline/Visual 25%

- Power Point presentation 25%