TECHNOLOGY IN THE

NEW YORK CITY CLASSROOM

PRESENTERS:

Harry S Truman High School and TIPS present…

A UNITED NATIONS DEBATE

Is the U.S. justified in keeping its PUBLIC POLICY OF MAINTAINING ITS Nuclear weapons?

Atomic or Nuclear weapons are the world’s deadliest threat to humanity’s existence. However, these weapons of mass destruction have only been used in one war in the last fifty years. You are a United Nations delegate whose job, as part of a committee, is to research and argue your position to the following question: Is the United States justified in keeping its public policy of maintaining its Nuclear weapons? Your participation in the United Nations committees will help decide future peace in the world.

This question has many possible arguments.

However today we will investigate this question

from a historical

perspective. Based on what we now understand about the event

of 1945, your task is to consider the validity of keeping the

nuclear weapons. Your task will be to consider to what extent

it is valid for the United States to continue their policy of

maintaining nuclear weapons. Each group will be responsible

to make a four minute presentation that clearly validates their position to which they were assigned. The presentation must be based on facts acquired through internet sources. You will also be responsible to argue your opinion in a class debate.

Students will be assigned to a group and will be assigned the task of defending or rejecting the United States policy on Nuclear weapons.

You will complete the TASK by following the steps:

1. You will be assigned one of two groups

2. You will use the internet to research and use the internet to validate your position. You will use the resource section to gather information to complete you TASK.

3. You will record your findings on the worksheet that will be given to you. As a group you will share research to complete parts a, b, c and d.

4. Your group will be responsible for an in-class four minute presentation and subsequent debate. Each group will choose a presenter to make their group’s case before the class.

5. Each member will be given a specific assignment to be determined in your group based on the information below.

6. Each student will be given a debate sheet to be completed during the presentation.

7. Each group must use the following five GHHPA worksheets to evaluate the United States public policy of dropping the bomb as evidence for the United States to continue its current maintenance of a nuclear arsenal. All groups will use the worksheets as part of the United Nations debate presented by each group.

· Identify Problem

· Gather the Evidence

· Determine Causes

· Evaluate the Policy

· Do a Comparative Analysis

GROUP I

Group I will represent a United Nations committee whose members are in favor of the United States maintaining its weapons of mass destruction based on the evidence of its successful use at the

conclusion of World War II. Each group member must choose an assigned role from the following list:

A. charts, graphs, data

B. government documents

C. personal testimonies

D. historical and current secondary sources

GROUP II

Group II will represent a United Nations committee

whose members are against the United States maintaining

its weapons of mass destruction based on the evidence of

its destructive use at the conclusion of World War II. Each group member must choose an

assigned role from the following list:

A. charts, graphs, data

B. government documents

C. personal testimonies

D. historical and current secondary sources

All groups will answer the following GHHPA worksheets to complete the assignment. All five public policy worksheets must be submitted as part of a final grade for the group project.

· Identify Problem

· Gather the Evidence

· Determine Causes

· Evaluate the Policy

· Do a Comparative Analysis

INTERNET RESOURCES

Once you know your position (for or against) and specific task (a,b,c, or d), use the chart below to research your argument and complete the worksheets provided.

	Against the Bombing	For the Bombing
A. Charts, Graphs, Images, Polls	Charts and Maps html A poll for or against	Charts and Maps html Estimated Casualties
B. Government Documents	League of Nations against Civilian Targets Scientists Against the Bomb Undersecretary of the Navy Government Leaders Against the Bomb	Truman letter to Richard Russell Psychological Damage
C. Personal Testimonies	I COULD NOT FORGIVE A-Bomb survivor Student survivor	Harry S. Truman, Diary, July 25, 1945 Final days of war in Japan
D. Secondary Documents	Appeal of President Roosevelt, September 1, 1939 Needless Tragedy or Prudent Military Decision?	No apology for dropping the bomb august 2002 A-bomb saved millions of people in Asia. Hiroshima : Was It Necessary ? Decision to drop the Bomb: Impressing the Soviets

The decision to drop the bomb by the

United States on Japan in 1945 still

influences policy makers today. As

members of the United Nations committee

on Nuclear Arms reductions you have

evaluated the use of the atomic weapon by

the United States in World War II and

have reached a decision on whether or not

the United States is justified in maintaining

their weapons of mass destruction. You have also experienced how international bodies debate

public policy. You have made a difference in the creation of global public policies.

Thanks for your participation.

YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE!

HARRY S TRUMAN HIGH SCHOOL

Presentation Rubric

Name: ________________________

Teacher: Mr. Niebergall/Ms. Parsons

Date of Presentation: ____________

Group Number: ___________________

Criteria

Points

	1	2	3	4
Organization	Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information.	Audience has difficulty following presentation because student jumps around.	Student presents information in logical sequence which audience can follow.	Student presents information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow.	____
Content Knowledge	Student does not have grasp of information; student cannot answer questions about subject.	Student is uncomfortable with information and is able to answer only rudimentary questions.	Student is at ease with content, but fails to elaborate.	Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required) with explanations and elaboration.	____
Delivery	Student mumbles, incorrectly pronounces terms, and speaks too quietly for students in the back of class to hear.	Student incorrectly pronounces terms. Audience members have difficulty hearing presentation.	Student's voice is clear. Student pronounces most words correctly.	Student used a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms.	____
				Total---->	____

Grade of A--10-12 Grade of B--7-9 Grade of C--4-6 Grade of F--1-3

Harry S Truman High School Global Studies

THEMATIC ESSAY QUESTION

Directions: Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several

paragraphs addressing the task below, and a conclusion.

Theme: Public Policy

Throughout global history, there have been major public policies that have impacted our world. Recently the United States policy of maintenance of Nuclear weapons is the subject of intense debate.

Task:

Write an essay in which you complete the following task:

• Explain the arguments in favor of the United States policy to continue to maintain their nuclear weapons.
• Explain the arguments against the United States policy to continue to maintain their nuclear weapons.
• Evaluate both arguments on the issue of policy of the United States policy to continue to maintain their nuclear weapons

Suggestions:

You are to discuss evidence in your essay from the following sources acquired from the Web Quest: Charts, Graphs, Images, Polls, Government Documents, Personal Testimonies, and Secondary Documents.

You are not limited to these suggestions.

Guidelines:

In your essay, be sure to:

• Address all aspects of the Task
• Support the theme with relevant facts, examples, and details
• Use a logical and clear plan of organization
• Introduce the theme by establishing a framework that is beyond a simple restatement of the Task and conclude with a summation of the theme

Essay will be graded using the Global Regents Rubric.

NEW YORK STATE

STANDARDS ADDRESSED:

An Interdisciplinary Approach

Standard 1:   History of the United States and New York

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.

Standard 2:   World History

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.

Standard 5:   Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.

Standard 3:   Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.

Standard 4:   Language for Social Interaction

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their views.