Lesson Plan

Nuclear Weapons: What Should Our Policy Be?

Nuclear Weapons

Objectives

In this two-day lesson, students will:

  • Identify the primary challenges posed by nuclear weapons.
  • Using a framework of "policy options," analyze the issues and values framing the debate over nuclear weapons and weapons proliferation.
  • Work cooperatively within groups to integrate the arguments and beliefs of the options into persuasive, coherent presentations.
  • Deliberate with classmates on the merits and tradeoffs of each of the options presented.
  • Articulate their own views on what U.S. policy should be.

Resources

  • KWL Chart: Nuclear Weapons - What Should Our Policy Be?
  • Scholars Online Video Clips (see below) - Additional Scholars Online resources associated with this topic are available.
  • Policy Options: The policy options presented in this material are not intended as a menu of choices. Rather, they are framed in stark terms to highlight very different policy approaches, the values that underlie them, and the critiques. (Note: critiques come from the perspective of supporters of the other options.) It is important that students understand that no one option as it is framed here reflects the views of any one organization or national leader. It is the students' job to sort through the three options, think about their concerns and values, discuss these with their peers, and then frame an "Option 4" that reflects their own views.

DAY I—Exploring Contrasting Policy Options

Introducing the Issue

Use the KWL chart, Nuclear Weapons - What Should Our Policy Be? to chart what students know, want to know, and have learned.

NOTE: These Scholars Online video clips provide a brief overview of a few of the key issues associated with nuclear weapons. For more complete treatment of this issue, see The Challenge of Nuclear Weapons, a one-week unit available from the Choices Program.

1) Have the class brainstorm what they already know about nuclear weapons and weapons proliferation. As ideas are being generated, students should fill in the left-hand column of their chart.

2) Once students have generated a list of things they already know about this topic, have them develop a list of 5 or 6 things they would like to learn to in order better understand the issue.

3) In order to complete the right-hand column of the KWL Chart, have students view the following Scholars Online video clips. With each clip, have students write down at least two things they learned about the issue.

To help students get the most out of the video clips, it is also advisable to debrief between clips. Possible questions include:

  • What are the major threats posed by nuclear weapons?
  • Why do some countries have or want nuclear weapons while others have ended their nuclear weapons programs?
  • How has terrorism added to concerns about the dangers of nuclear weapons?

4) With their KWL charts completed, challenge students to succinctly summarize the issue in 40-50 words.

Note:

Additional Scholars Online video clips on this topic are available. We have selected only a few for this introduction.

Mapping the Nuclear World is an online lesson plan that you may also find helpful as background to this Options lesson.

Preparation and Presentation of the Options

Break your class up into four groups. Assign three of the groups a Policy Option (one for each group). Assign the remaining group the role of the President and his advisors or of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Options Presenters: Their task will be to review their assigned Option, consider the values that underlie it as well as the tradeoffs involved, and then develop a short presentation to give to the class. This presentation should make the best possible case for this Option.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Their task will be to review each of the Options presented in the material and prepare clarifying questions to ask of the "advocates" of each Option after their presentation. The intent is to make sure that the Options, as they are written, are fully understood prior to deliberation on their merits, risks, and tradeoffs.

Foreign Representatives: If your class is large, you may want to assign some students the role of representatives of other nations. They can be asked to present their views on the Options after all of them have been presented.

DAY II—Shared Deliberation and Individual Judgment

With the Options presented and understood, students have a foundation for deliberation on the merits and the tradeoffs of each. Ultimately students will articulate their own perspective on the issue.

Deliberating on the Options: Begin your deliberation by asking students to identify the things they like and the things that concern them about each of the options presented. Encourage students to listen carefully to each other rather than to try to "win" the argument. The intent of deliberative discourse is to see that all perspectives are heard and considered and that all participants have a place at the table. The outcome should involve a more sophisticated understanding on the part of all participating. See Guidelines for Deliberation. You may also find Deliberating "Pros" and "Cons" of Policy Options a useful activity.

Articulating Their Own Views: After students have deliberated together on the merits and tradeoffs of the Options presented in this lesson, give all of the students an opportunity to come to terms with their own views on this issue. What should we do? Have them articulate their own considered judgments on the issue by framing their "Option 4 " using the format of the Options presented. It may help them to use the questions provided with the Options as an organizing tool.

After students have developed their own "Option 4" play the following Scholars Online video clip.

Ask them what they think about Mr. Cirincione's statement on how we should deal with nuclear weapons in the future? In what ways do they agree? In what ways do their views differ. (This could be the topic of a final paper.)

Online Ballot: Students are encouraged to participate in an online ballot activity focused on this topic. Nuclear Weapons: What do you think? provides an opportunity for students to express their beliefs and concerns on this issue.

Let Your Voice Be Heard
Encourage your students to express their views and continue the dialog.

  • Contacting Elected Officials: Students could write letters to elected officials. They can find contact information for the White House at www.whitehouse.gov/contact and their U.S. Senators and Representatives at thomas.loc.gov.
  • Writing Locally: Students could write letters to the editor of a local paper. Or they could write an article for the school or community newspaper.
  • Bringing the Topic to Others: Students could also play a leadership role bringing this topic to other groups. Possibilities include engaging other classes in school in this topic, holding a forum in the school, or sponsoring a discussion with community members in a public setting. [Students who prusue such projects are encouraged to contact the Choices Program at choices@brown.edu. Put "student projects" in the subject line.]

Additional Background Resources from the Web

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace provides extensive resources on the issues surrounding nuclear weapons.

Center for Defense Information is a source for fact and figures as well as the latest international news on nuclear weapons and policies.

Center for Nonproliferation Studies provides comprehensive data on nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons as well as tutorials on the NPT, timelines, maps and numerous links.

Deadly Arsenals: Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Threats is a series of maps reflecting the worldwide proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and their missile delivery systems. It is provided by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Federation of American Scientists' Nuclear Information Project provides factual information and analysis about the status and operations of nuclear weapons, the policies that guide their potential use, and developments in the nuclear fuel cycle.

The Challenge of Nuclear Weapons is a one-week curriculum unit that introduces students to the history of nuclear weapons and the concept of deterrence. It examines arguments for and against nuclear weapons and looks at three challenges facing us today: the leftover arsenals of the Cold War, proliferation, and the threat of nuclear terrorism.

Online Survey: Nuclear Weapons Policy - What Do You Think? provides an opportunity for students to make their views known.

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