Lesson Plan

What Should President Truman Do?

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This What Should President Truman Do? lesson plan also includes:

After reading the article Choices: Truman, Hirohito, and the Atomic Bomb, class members engage in a simulation, assume the role of President Truman or one of his advisors and discuss the options open to the president. The exercise concludes with a writing activity in which individuals discuss whether or not they believe Truman made the right decision.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Extend the lesson by having class members read John Hersey's Hiroshima
Classroom Considerations
  • The lesson assumes that class members have a basic understanding of World War II events
Pros
  • The carefully scaffolded plan includes links to the primary source documents, discussion questions, role cards for the simulation, and a writing prompt
  • A plan suitable for middle school classes is attached
Cons
  • None
Common Core