National Museum of Nuclear Science & HistoryHalf-Life Activity
This activity compliments the teacher’s lesson on half-lives of radioisotopes.
High School
High School
Prisoner's Dilemma and Deterrence Activity
This activity complements the teacher’s lesson on deterrence and nuclear weapons during the Cold War. Students will learn the logic behind deterrence theory and Mutually Assured Destruction. In the advanced version, students will look closer at today’s U.S. deterrence strategy.
Terms Learned: game theory, Prisoner’s Dilemma, Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), deterrence, deterrence by force, deterrence by denial, deterrence by force, Nuclear Triad, extended deterrence
Secondary Terms: rational actor, second-strike capabilities
Atom Lesson Plan
This activity compliments the teacher’s lesson on the atom. In the basic version, students learn about the atom, its structure, the particles. They will also learn how to calculate the atomic mass and find the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons. In the advanced version, students learn about isotopes and ions.
Atomic Culture
Students explore various aspects of atomic culture and create their own artifact.
Exhibiting the Bomb
Students design parts of a fictional Manhattan Project exhibit by consulting primary sources and identifying relevant artifacts.
Living with the Bomb
Students will research the bomb and design a poster-board that explores the geopolitical context of dropping the bomb as well as its tragic effects.
The Arms Race
Students read "The Butter Battle Book" to examine more complicated themes of nuclear weaponry.
Reporting on Hiroshima
Students will report on the dropping of the bomb as journalists.
Surviving the Bomb
Through various creative writing assignments, students examine the complicated history of bomb survivors.
Petitioning Against the Bomb
Students simulate scientists involved in the protest agains the bomb.
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