Multiple Perspectives: Discovering the Path to Peace

Multiple Perspectives: Discovering the Path to Peace Through Firsthand Accounts WebQuest Description: In this web-quest students will compare first hand accounts of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with first hand accounts from those involved in the Manhattan Project, Pearl Harbor Survivors, and Soldiers who served in the Pacific theater. Students will then develop their own opinion of the use of Atomic weaponry. Grade Level: 6-8 Curriculum: Social Studies Keywords: Atomic bombing, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Pearl Harbor, World War II, Hibakusha, Manhattan Project, Japan, peace, persuasive writing Published On: 2017-01-05 08:07:30 Last Modified: 2016-08-21 11:49:36 WebQuest URL: http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=327469

When you think of WWII what comes to mind? Most people picture armies attacking, soldiers, and military action. However, the military weren't the only people involved in the war. Have you ever thought about the other people involved? The scientists? The civilians? Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live through events of the war? In particular, to live through the Atomic Bombings? Or what it was like to be part of the group who created a bomb so destructive that it has never been used in any war since? The Dropping of the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki has been a topic of great debate for over 70 years. This lesson will allow you to look at both sides of the bombing through the first hand accounts and make your own decision on the debate.

You have been grouped into special advisory panels to counsel the President of the United States of America. He has tasked you with advising him about the future use of Atomic weaponry by researching firsthand accounts from WWII. Your job is to listen to those who witnessed history and collect information. Each advisory panel will then write a persuasive letter advising the President, citing the information uncovered, either for or against the use of the nuclear weapons in future conflicts. Remember, be specific and cite direct quotes and information from your research.

As a presidential advisor you must listen to as many first hand accounts as possible, then use those accounts and your research to determine your stance on the issue. You will investigate multiple primary and secondary sources both online and hard copy.Follow the directions below to hear first hand accounts about: Pearl Harbor-the major event that caused the USA to enter WWII.The Manhattan Project- the people involved in creating the bomb.Hibakusha- people effected by the dropping of the atomic bombs in Japan. This will be a 6 day project, Advisors will spend time reading the links under the background heading for both USA and Japan.Questions to keep in mind:What caused the USA to enter the war?What justification was given for the dropping of the bombs?Why drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?Did anyone know the effects of radiation at the time the bombs were dropped?How many people were killed when the bombs were dropped?Oral Histories: Each of the advisors will explore the link under the oral history section from both the United States Tab and The Japan Tab. Use the Questions for Active Listening handout in your packet to help organize the information, use one copy for each first hand account you listen to. The link to download the questions is at the bottom of this page.You should listen to the stories of at least four different first hand accounts from both the USA and Japan. Remember, the more sources you explore the better. Take notes/answer the active listening questions as you listen to each account Recommendation letter to the President: Follow the rubric to make sure your letter is fit for the President. Instructions for Persuasive letter:Use the discussion web graphic organizerto organize your group’s thoughts. Each advisory panel will collaborate toadvise the President. Advisors should keep in mind the following:Collaborate to write a five paragraph persuasive letter to the President. Make sure your thesis or goal is specific.Use multiple facts to back up your thesis.Use specific quotes and detailed facts from differing sides of the issue to make your point. Grammar, spelling, and correct business letter format must be used.Use quotation marks for direct quotes.If members of an advisory panel come to differing opinions on the use of nuclear weaponry they will write separate letters each citing the resources needed to make their case

Background Sources:Students should keep these questions in mind while looking into the background:What caused the USA to enter the war?What justification was given for the dropping of the bombs?Why drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?Did anyone know the effects of radiation at the time the bombs were dropped?How many people were killed when the bombs were dropped?The Manhattan Project: Interactive HistoryAmerica Enters the WarAnnouncing of the Bombing of HiroshimaOral History Resources: (use the Questions for Active listening as you explore the resources below)Donald Bryan- Army Air Corps | WWIIPearl Harbor Survivors StoriesHarold A. Dye -  Brigadier General, Army (fast forward to 43:50)Theodore Van Kirk, Navigator for the Enola Gay| WWIIManhattan Project VoicesBen Crawford- Technician Fourth Class, Army WWIIWorld War II Civilian Katherine Secrist  - The Manhattan Project

Background SourcesStudents should keep these questionsin mind while looking into the background:What caused the USA to enter the war?What justification was given for the dropping of the bombs?Why drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?Did anyone know the effects of radiation at the time the bombs were dropped?How many people were killed when the bombs were dropped?Survivors tell their storiesThe Story of HiroshimaThe Story of NagasakiOral History Resources (Remember to use the Questions for Active listening handout)Memories from the AmericasVoices of HibakushaThe Voice of HibakushaHiroshima & Nagasaki RememberedTestimonies- The Atomic Bomb Museaum

Thank you advisors for your letters. I hope that you now understand that war is not just something that effects governments or military. It effects everyone. The President would like you to do one more thing. Take two pieces of Origami paper from the table in the classroom. Using one piece of Origami paper answer the following questions: On one side of the paper define what peace means to you. On the other side, give one suggestion about how the world can better achieve peace. Place your name in the bottom left hand corner of the paper.Clip your definition to the display board in the classroom. Traditionally, in Japan, it was believed that if someone folded 1000 origami cranes, their wish would come true.Write your wish for peace (your definition and suggestion) again on the second piece of origami paper and follow the directions in the link below to fold an origami crane. The class will then string our wishes for peace and display them around the school.

Students will be evaluated using the rubric for persuasive letter writing below. Students are encouraged to check their work against the rubric BEFORE turning it in to the teacher.

Category and Score Below Standards Approaching Standards Meets Standards Above Standards Score Position Statement The position statement The position statement A position statement is There is no position provides a clear, strong provides a clear present, but does not statement. statement of the statement of the make the author's author's position on the author's position on the position clear. topic. topic.

Support for Position Includes 3 or more Includes 3 or more Includes 2 pieces of Includes 1 or fewer pieces of evidence pieces of evidence evidence (facts, pieces of evidence (facts, statistics, (facts, statistics, statistics, examples, real- (facts, statistics, examples, real-life examples, real-life life experiences) that examples, real-life experiences) that experiences) that support the position experiences). support the position support the position statement. statement. The writer statement. anticipates the reader's concerns, biases or arguments and has provided at least 1 counter-argument.

Evidence and Examples All of the evidence and Most of the evidence At least one of the Evidence and examples examples are specific, and examples are pieces of evidence and are NOT relevant relevant and specific, relevant and examples is relevant AND/OR are not explanations are given explanations are given and has an explanation explained. that show how each that show how each that shows how that piece of evidence piece of evidence piece of evidence supports the author's supports the author's supports the author's position. position. position. Category and Score Below Standards Approaching Standards Meets Standards Above Standards Score Sequencing Arguments and support Arguments and support A few of the support Many of the support are provided in a logical are provided in a fairly details or arguments are details or arguments are order that makes it easy logical order that makes not in an expected or not in an expected or and interesting to follow it reasonably easy to logical order, distracting logical order, distracting the author\\\'s train of follow the author\\\'s the reader and making the reader and making thought. train of thought. the essay seem a little the essay seem very confusing. confusing.

Total Score

This lesson should be taught in conjunction with WWII or as a supplement to the WWII history classes. Depending on when students receive initial instruction on WWII they may need brief background information for context. Standards American Association of School Librarians Standards : 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning. 1.1.7 Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, and point of view or bias. 1.3.2 Seek divergent perspectives during information gathering and assessment. 2.3.2 Consider diverse and global perspectives in drawing conclusions. 2.4.1 Determine how to act on information (accept, reject, modify). Common Core Equivalent Standards : CC.8.R.I.3 Key Ideas and Details: Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories). CC.8.R.I.9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation. (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. CC.8.W.1.b Text Types and Purposes: Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CC.8.W.8 Research to Build and Present Knowledge: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. CC.8.W.2 Text Types and Purposes: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. Credits American Library Association. "Learning Standards & Common Core State Standards Crosswalk." 1994. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards/crosswalk. Ibid. Nicholson, Dorinda M. Pearl Harbor Child: A Child's View of Pearl Harbor from Attack to Peace. 11th ed. Kansas City: Woodson House, 2010. Kodama, Tatsuharu. Shin's Tricycle. Translated by Kazuko Houmen-Jones. 2nd ed. London: Walker Children’s Books, 1994. American Library Association. "Learning Standards & Common Core State Standards Crosswalk." 1994. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards/crosswalk. Ibid. Carney, Mathew. "Hiroshima Survivors Share Their Stories for the First Time." ABC. May 8, 2015. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2015/s4287826.htm. "Hiroshima & Nagasaki Remembered." Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembered: The Story of Hiroshima. 2013. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.hiroshima-remembered.com/history/index.html. "Hiroshima & Nagasaki Remembered." Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembered: The Story of Nagasaki. 2013. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.hiroshima-remembered.com/history/index_nagasaki.html. "Manhattan Project: The War Enters Its Final Phase, 1945." Manhattan Project: The War Enters Its Final Phase, 1945. Accessed August 20, 2016. https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1945/war_1945.htm. "Attack on Pearl Harbor - 1941." Attack on Pearl Harbor - 1941. 2016. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.atomicheritage.org/history/attack-pearl-harbor-1941. "Announcing the Bombing of Hiroshima." American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/truman-hiroshima/. "Drop It! - Donald Bryan | WWII: Words of Wisdom." PBS Learning Media. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/b960ee08-7119-4fa9-8902-79d8ace99845/drop-it-donald-bryan-wwii-words-of-wisdom/. "Pearl Harbor (Experiencing War: Stories from the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress)." Veterans History Project. July 23, 2013. Accessed August 20, 2016. https://www.loc.gov/vets/stories/ex-war-pearlharbor.html. "World War II Veteran Harold A. Dye -  Brigadier General, Army (Part 1) | Georgia Oral History." PBS Learning Media. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ff33a295-6df6-4b7c-aaf1-095e584182f5/harold-a-dye- brigadier-general-army/. "Why We Dropped the Bomb - Theodore Van Kirk | WWII: War End." PBS LearningMedia. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/d73b985d-6d3a-4e97-8524-2e95b76b5bf4/why-we-dropped-the-bomb-theodore-van-kirk- wwii-war-end/. "Manhattan Project Voices." Oral Histories. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://manhattanprojectvoices.org/oral-histories?tid=All. "World War II Veteran Ben Crawford  - Technician 4th Class, Army | Georgia Oral History." PBS LearningMedia. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/635bec9d-3fe2-4efc-ab18-90328f05c0f0/ben-crawford-technician-4th- class-army/. "World War II Civilian Katherine Secrist  - The Manhattan Project." PBS LearningMedia. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/989712bb-fffe-4b7c-9178-9ae192386dfb/katherine-secrist-the-manhattan-project/. Garland, Ray. “Pearl Harbor Survivor Bill Leu (USS Neosho) Describes the Attack (1941)”. YouTube video, 0-10:36. Posted [December 2011]. https://youtu.be/fwFVoH_BNEY. Leu, Del. “Pearl Harbor Survivor Bill Leu (USS Neosho) Describes the Attack (1941)”. YouTube video, 0-6:19. Posted [January 2016]. https://youtu.be/fwFVoH_BNEY. New Jersey Advanced Media. “N.J. veteran of the Pearl Harbor attack relives memories of brotherhood”. YouTube video, 0-4:37. Posted [December 2015]. https://youtu.be/mbD1PhZpfp8. Lancaster Online. “Pearl Harbor survivor looks back on attack 70 years ago”. YouTube video, 0-6:54. Posted [December 2011]. https://youtu.be/7fNVAnfqE1c Takeda, Shinpei. "Hiroshima/Nagasaki Memories in the Americas." UN News Center. Accessed August 20, 2016. https://www.un.org/disarmament/education/hibakusha/. Kato, Junko, Junko Kawamoto, and Masako Kubota. "Voice of Hibakusha." Hiroshima Peace Cultural Center. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.inicom.com/hibakusha/. "Hibakusha Stories." Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembered. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.hiroshima- remembered.com/history/hiroshima/page14.html. "Testimonies of the A-bomb Victims and Voices of Support." AtomicBombMuseum.org. 2006. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://www.atomicbombmuseum.org/6_testimonies.shtml. “Takashi Tanemori (Hiroshima Bombing Survivor Documentary)”. YouTube video, 0-11:00. Posted [June 2012]. https://youtu.be/DHzlYbwFHs4 Sokka Gakki International. “Hiroshima survivor, Michiyo Yoshimoto”. YouTube video, 0-5:17. Posted [June 2011]. https://youtu.be/D_VCYkOpP20. “A-bomb victims voice, Yamawaki, Yoshiro”. YouTube video, 0-28:20. Posted [July 2013]. https://youtu.be/7DQC023NSkw. “A-bomb victim’s voice, Murakami, Keiko”. YouTube video, 0-2:30. Posted [July 2013]. https://youtu.be/CELeoAq2yV8. “Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivor Ms. Chiyono Yoneda”. YouTube video, 0-22:22. Posted [September 2012]. https://youtu.be/wMS2rR_NAho. Besser, Ari. "How Paper Cranes Became a Symbol of Healing in Japan." National Geographic Society Blogs. 2015. Accessed August 20, 2016. http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/28/how-paper-cranes-become-a-symbol-of-healing-in-japan/. Shingu, Fumiaki. "How to Make an Origami Paper Crane." My Folding Paper. April 1, 2015. Accessed August 20, 2016. https://myfoldingpaper.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/origami-how-to-make-a-paper-crane.png. Other Extension Activity- Student Debate If there is time have students split into Justified and Unjustified groups. Even if the entire group feels that atomic weapons should never be used it is good for them to look at the opposing view. Students will then engage in a debate using the information they have researched for their persuasive letters. Each group will take 15 minutes to work together to list their points. Students will then determine what order they will present given the structure below. Students can present in groups of two to include everyone with one minute each student if needed. Give each group a copy of the chart below. speaker order time who what What to Discuss 1 1 min PRO Introduction Main thesis/topic 2 1 min CON Introduction Main thesis/topic 3 1 min PRO List Proof Supporting facts, statistics, quotes 4 1 min CON List Proof Supporting facts, statistics, quotes 5 1 min PRO Rebuttal to other group counter arguments, quotes, facts, on your feet response to previous speakers 6 1 min CON Rebuttal to other group counter arguments, quotes, facts, on your feet response to previous speakers 7 1 min PRO Final Summary Last chance at re-rebuttal, summing up. last appeal 8 1 min CON Final Summary Last chance at re-rebuttal, summing up. last appeal