US History · Week 24 · The Great Depression and World War II

The Atomic Decision

Students weigh the arguments made for and against dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and practice holding a difficult decision with care and humility.

Responsible decision-makingGrade 11About 20 minutesGrade 11

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Students will: Students weigh the arguments made for and against dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and describe the consequences, integrating evidence from multiple sources.
SEL skill: Weigh competing arguments and hold a hard decision with humility
What it looks like: Students practice holding a difficult decision with care and humility, and consider perspectives that differ from their own.
Content focus: The atomic decision
Format: Structured discussion

Responsible decision-making

Responsible decision-making means thinking through ethics, safety, and consequences, and treating hard choices with care. More responsible decision-making activities

What you get

A teacher guide with what to say, step by step, plus student pages and a supports page for students with diverse learning needs, including those with IEPs. Print or Project it, or assign it in Google Forms and Google Docs for Google Classroom. Your first 10 activities are free.

Standards

11.7.7: CA History Social Science Content Standard, Grade 11: United States History and Geography: Continuity and Change in the Twentieth Century (standard 11.7, item 7)
CA HSS Analysis Skill: HREP1 Distinguish valid arguments from fallacious arguments in historical interpretations. (Historical Research, Evidence, and Point of View)
C3 Framework (national): D2.His.16.9-12 Integrate evidence from multiple historical sources and interpretations into a reasoned argument about the past.
Literacy in history: RH.11-12.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.

Fits these textbook chapters

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More responsible decision-making activities for US History

Freedom of Conscience Responsible decision-makingStudents examine the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses and the ongoing debate over church and state, weighing several perspectives before forming a view.
Titans of Industry Responsible decision-makingStudents weigh whether leaders like Carnegie and Rockefeller were captains of industry or robber barons and practice judging evidence rather than labels.
Becoming a World Power Responsible decision-makingStudents map the Spanish American War and expansion in the Pacific, including Filipino and Native Hawaiian perspectives, and weigh the costs of a choice for everyone it affects.
New Deal Debates Responsible decision-makingStudents weigh arguments for and against New Deal programs, including the Central Valley Project that reshaped California water, and practice evaluating a policy by its intended and unintended effects.

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