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Education

Approaches to Nuclear Nonproliferation Lesson Plan

Length
One 45-minute period
Grade Level
High School

Learning Objectives

  • Students will analyze various policy tools for nonproliferation and then apply them to hypothetical situations.

Homework

  • Students will complete Part 1 and 2 of the guided reading handout.

Class

  1. (15 Minutes) Homework Debrief: Focus on Part 2, and consider the following: Which policy tools have been used most often in nonproliferation efforts? Which policy tools seem most effective in limiting proliferation and why? Can these policy tools get us to a world free of nuclear weapons?
  2. (20 Minutes) Complete: Part 3 of the Guided Reading Handout related to South Africa: Why Countries Acquire and Abandon Nuclear Bombs. Share key takeaways about why South Africa chose to abandon its weapons.
  3. (10 Minutes) Pass out the Nonproliferation Scenarios and explain the instructions. Students will read over these for homework and be ready to discuss in the next class.

Homework

  • Students will read the Nonproliferation Scenarios and be ready to discuss during the next class.

Vocabulary

TermDefinition
alternative energyenergy sources that are not fossil fuels. Derived from biofuels, solar, wind, geothermal, tidal, or even nuclear power, these sources release few to no greenhouse gas emissions.
atomicrelating to an atom, a microscopic particle that forms the smallest unit of an element. The term also refers to the energy released using nuclear fission. An “atomic bomb” (using fission) is one type of nuclear weapon. Another type is the hydrogen bomb, which uses the fusion of two varieties of hydrogen to release energy.
communisma political and economic system in which private property is eliminated in favor of common, public ownership of the means of production (such as factories), natural resources, and more, leading to the creation of a stateless, classless society.
disarmamentthe renunciation of given weapons, or all weapons, by states or other entities that possess them. One provision of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) calls for countries with nuclear weapons to take steps “in the direction of nuclear disarmament,” or the elimination of their nuclear arsenals.
normcommonly accepted standard of behavior. Because international law is not always binding, international relations is highly influenced by norms.
sanctiona tool of statecraft, frequently involving economic measures such as asset freezes and trade restrictions, used to exact a certain behavior or outcome from another party.
nuclear enrichmenta process, generally using centrifuges, by which uranium is processed into enriched uranium suitable for nuclear reactions. Low-enriched uranium can be used for nuclear power; highly enriched uranium is needed for nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) attempts to monitor this process as part of its efforts to ensure that nuclear technology is limited to peaceful uses.
nuclear reactora container in which a controlled nuclear chain reaction can occur. Nuclear reactors form the core of nuclear power plants but can also be used to make radioactive material for medical use, research, or nuclear weapons.

Materials