PBI Unit Project

Nuclear Energy: What is it good for?

Sean O'Leary, Ryan Searle, Annie Fitzgerald

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Lehman Block Fall 08 Home

5E Lesson Plan # 4
AUTHORS’ NAMES: Annie Fitzgerald
TITLE OF THE LESSON: Cold War Simulation
TECHNOLOGY LESSON (underline one): Yes      No
DATE OF LESSON: Day 10
LENGTH OF LESSON: 50 min
NAME OF COURSE: United States History 1877- Present
SOURCE OF THE LESSON:            http://www.trumanlibrary.org/educ/haywoodLesson%20Plan-cold%20war.doc
TEKS ADDRESSED:
c(6)
(D) describe U.S. responses to Soviet aggression after World War II, including the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the Berlin airlift;
(E)  analyze the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam and describe their domestic and international effects;
(G)  analyze reasons for the Western victory in the Cold War and the challenges of changing relationships among nations; and
(H)  identify the origins of major domestic and foreign policy issues currently facing the United States.
CONCEPT STATEMENT: by allowing the students to experience how important decisions were during this time, they will have a better understanding of the tension in that time period.
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
SWBAT:

Recall previous knowledge of current events, presidential powers, and from other classes.
Apply the different decisions made during the cold war to a long list of causes and effects of those decisions.
Experience the decision making process used during times of high stress.
Evaluate the role of the president in the constitution, during the Cold War, and now.

RESOURCES: http://library.thinkquest.org/10826/amer76.htm
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:
SUPLEMENTARY MATERIALS, HANDOUTS: General’s Resume and Timeline of events.

Engagement		Time: 5 min
What the Teacher Will Do The teacher will put the warm up question on the board: List all of the roles and powers you know of for the president. Which one would you least enjoy and which one would you most enjoy?	Probing Questions Think about other classes you have taken. Think about things you have heard on the news and things you think a president would be able to do.	Student Responses Potential Misconceptions They might be confused on what I mean. The students might not understand what I mean by roles.

Exploration

Time: 10 min

What the Teacher Will Do

Lead the discussion of the focus question.

Probing Questions
What were the things on the list? Look in the back of the book in the section listing the powers of the president. What did you leave out? What did you say you would enjoy? What did you say you wouldn’t like?

Student Responses
Potential Misconceptions
Veto, appointing Supreme Courts, picking their cabinet, commander in chief. Left out budget, altering punishment for crimes, emergency powers.

Explanation

Time: 7-10 min

What the Teacher Will Do

I will introduce the online simulation that’s object is to avoid nuclear holocaust, WWIII or a revolution. We will as a class vote on each question. We will do this three or four times to see if we can achieve peace.

Probing Questions

What do you want to pick for this answer? Please don’t talk to your neighbor about it, and we will decide the democratic way.

Student Responses
Potential Misconceptions
They can only pick yes or no. But they could be confused by the question or interpret history the wrong way.

Elaboration		Time: 7-10 min
What the Teacher Will Do Each time we fail we will go back and see what we would do differently. They will then split into groups of two and either discuss what actually happened or find it in the book.	Probing Questions Did anyone know the answer? Did anyone need to look it up? What did you find? Why was it important?	Student Responses Potential Misconceptions This depends on what they missed and what the outcome was. They could not be able to find or understand what actually did happen and why it is different than the simulation.

Evaluation

Time: 15 min

What the Teacher Will Do
I will pass out the second simulation and explain what they will need to do. They need to read both of the papers and consider the powers of the president. Then they need to write a half a page with their decision and explain why they chose it. Then they will have to write another half a page about whether or not they think the powers of the president have grown or shrank since then

Probing Questions

What are the original roles of the president? What has happened in the past that would change them? Why would the General do what he did? What outcome would your decision have on the country or on your political party.

Student Responses
Potential Misconceptions
They would fire him, demote him, and strip him of all of his titles. They would forgive him but force him to retire early. They might not understand the roles of the president properly, so they may not know how to answer the question.

SIMULATION A: (Macarthur’s resume with name changed and date omitted)

GENERAL BEST’S RESUME

Ignatius Martin Best, born on January 26, the son of a former war hero and military governor
Graduated with highest honors from the U.S. Military Academy
Toured the Orient and served as his father’s aide for fourteen years
Aide to U.S. President and U.S. Army Public Relations Officer
Attained the rank of General
Won honors for heroism and leadership
Served as Superintendent of West Point
Held position of Army Chief of Staff for five years-longer than any predecessor
Chief Military Advisor to a foreign government for six years
Recalled to active duty in U.S. military and given command of troops in the nation he
served as military advisor
Ordered to withdraw by direct Presidential order
Retook country with military invasion and promoted to General of the Army
Appointed Supreme Commander of the Winning Powers and accepted the
surrender of the losing nation
Implemented social, economic and political reforms of the newly liberated nation
Ran for nomination of his party to be their candidate for U.S. President

SIMULATION B

COUNTRY AB WAR TIMELINE

6/25/Year 1           War breaks out
                              Country A (hereafter known as CA) invades County B (hereafter
                                          known as CB)
6/27                       United Nations security Council (UN) approves aid to CB
6/30                       United States troops enter Country AB War
7/8                         General I.M. Best is named UN commander to Country AB War
7/Year 1                General Best writes speech to be delivered to VFW convention.
                                          The speech contains his war plan. The U.S. President
                                          and his advisors are not happy with the General’s views
                                          or the publication of war plans.
                                          Read Primary source #4 here.
9/15                       General best lands in CB and begins liberation
10/1                       CA is driven out of CB by general and his troops
10/9                       U.S. President asks general to meet him half way to U.S.
10/10                     General responds with change of location—closer to front
                                          Read Primary source # 1 and #2 here.
10/14                     President meets general at location of general’s choosing
                              President asks general about possible involvement of Country C
                                          (hereafter CC)
                              General assures President CC will not intervene, but also states,
                                          “There is no substitute for victory.”
                                          Read Primary source # 3 here.
11/1                       CC enters war on side of CA
11/19                     General requests permission from President to enter CC and be
                                          allowed usage of between 30 and 50 nuclear weapons.
                              President responds with emphatic, “No.” President fears such
                                          action might draw a fourth country into the war. The
                                          President clearly states he wants to wage a “limited war”.
3/7/Year 2             General complains he is prevented from striking at CC
3/14                       General Best announces he believes we should fight for,
                                          “unification of Country AB.”
3/24                       U.S. President make effort to negotiate a cease fire between CA
                                          and CB
                              General thwarts effort by calling publicly for attacks on CC
5/5                         General best’s letter written to U.S. Congressman Joseph Martin
                                          criticizing the Presidential policy on Country AB War is
                                          read on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

You are the President of the United States in this situation. What will you do with this general? Also, ponder the political fallout your actions might create for your party and the general at home in the U.S.