Lesson Plans using the Conversations with History Archive

The global threat posed by nuclear weapons was a lifelong concern of the late Alan Cranston. As an activist, a political leader, a United States Senator, and as a private citizen who founded the Global Security Institute, Senator Cranston worked to control and abolish these weapons of mass destruction. Shortly before his passing, high school students at Lowell High School in San Francisco, using the Conversations with History archive, were able to study Senator Cranston's work and ideas. Then they were able to interview him via e-mail. The lesson plan and the students' preparatory work, e-mail exchanges, and follow-up thoughts can be found at http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/PubEd/CSW/casestudy1.html.

Other Lesson Plans

From the New York Times Learning Network: "One Step Closer to a Treaty: Discussing Nuclear Disarmament in the World History Classroom" (August 1998): http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19980812wednesday.html

From the New York Times Learning Network: "Explosive Knowledge: Tracking Six Decades of Nuclear Weapon Development, Use, and Regulations" (March 1999): http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990311thursday.html

From the New York Times Learning Network: "Defense Mechanisms: Exploring the Recent History of Nuclear Diplomacy Between Russia and the United States" (June 2001): http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20010620wednesday.html

From PBS "America Responds" [to September 11, 2001 attacks]: "Classroom Resources: Taming Terrorism": http://www.pbs.org/americaresponds/tamingterrorism.html

From the Purdue University Extension Knowledge to Go: "Terrorism and Children" (September 2001): http://www.ces.purdue.edu/terrorism/children/

From the New York Times Learning Network: "Killing for a Cause: Exploring Terrorism in the Social Studies Classroom" (January 2001): http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20010117wednesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

From the New York Times Learning Network: "The Power of Words: Exploring Responses to the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001" (September 2001): http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20010917monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons