Students explore current military planning policies involving nuclear weapons, develop an understanding of the history of nuclear weapons and express their opinions about the use of nuclear weapons as part of the United States' military...

Delve into the past to understand the opposition to the Manhattan Project. An interesting activity is designed to be completed in pairs, groups, or individually. Scholars analyze historical documents, complete an online worksheet, and...

Cold War tensions led to hostile actions. Scholars use primary sources to understand the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis during President Kennedy's administration. The lesson plan provides primary sources and a graphic organizer...

Recycled Russian nuclear weapons provide 10 percent of the nuclear energy that the United States uses. The short presentation discusses the Teller-Ulam device. It provides a diagram of the parts as well as a description of the four...

Students research the repercussions of the development of the atomic bomb.  In this history instructional activity, students read, reflect and discuss nuclear warfare and how it affected the population when it was introduced, as...

The United States—specifically John F. Kennedy—played a large role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A history resource poses questions that encourage critical thinking as well as in-depth analysis of images from the time period.

A lesson about the Manhattan Project will explode young physicists' understanding of the racial attitudes in the United States during and after World war II. Groups select an African American scientist or technician that worked on the...

In this online interactive history learning exercise, students respond to 8 short answer and essay questions about the Cold War. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive learning exercise.

Students examine China's suspected theft of American nuclear secrets, as a springboard for the creation of a research-based, multi-tiered timeline that traces the development, regulation, and use of nuclear weapons from the 1940's to today.

In this online interactive history learning exercise, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about the accomplishments of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive...

Go get the American Dream lifestyle! The 19th lesson in a 22-part series exploring American history shows learners the post-WWII economic boom. Using primary sources, photographs, and cartoons, groups discuss their findings and present...

A complete activity! The class reads the provided text, then answers the 7 critical-thinking questions. Topics covered are interpreting informational text, reading comprehension, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and US Policy. 

High schoolers explain how E-bomb works. In this physics instructional activity, students simulate the effects of e-bombs on electronic targets. They discuss its potential harmful effects when used as a weapon.

Students examine the concept of nuclear waste storage. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students research Yucca Mountain in order to compare and contrast opposing views regarding the nuclear waste site there. Students compose a letter...

Students explore facets of the Cold War. In this Cold War history lesson, students research a Cold War event in order to write a news story about the events that features direct quotations and images.

Students research the history of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg as a lens through which to consider that cases involving a breach of national security tend to be very complicated. They reflect that problems with national security have...

Students interview an adult that grew up in the United States during the Cold War to develop an understanding of the concept of mutually assured destruction. They focus the interview on how the person dealt with the threat of nuclear...

Students complete a research project.  In this technology lesson, students discuss the term technology and when technology began.  Students work in groups to brainstorm a list of the top ten technological advances in...

Simulate the Situation Room and analyze the US's relationship with North Korea. The plan starts off with a quick review and an examination of a online timeline that updates as the situation continues. Next, the class reads an article and...

Students research how the development of the atomic bomb affected people in World War II, participate in a debate about the bomb's use, and investigate how it has affected people's lives since 1945.

Students examine the Cold War roots of the recent debate over the construction of United States and Russian missile defense shields. They begin by reading and discussing the article, Putin Says Russia Would Counter U.S. Shield.

Here you'll find a fine teacher reference for presenting the film Thirteen Days, a dramatic interpretation of the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Kennedy administration. It includes a brief description of the film, learning...

Oregon State University online exhibit provides information on nuclear weapons testing.