Lesson Plan: The Lingering Danger of Land Mines

Subjects:

U.S. History; World History and/or Global Studies; Computer Science (AP Computer Science Principles).

Lesson Duration:

One to two class periods (50-100 minutes total)

Essential Questions:

• To what extent are land mines a problem today?
• What have governments and/or individuals done to reduce or end the threat of land mines?
• What innovative approaches have been taken to end the threat of land mines?

Lesson Objectives:

Students will:

• Identify and describe how and where land mines and other explosives have been used around the world, and why remaining weapons still pose a challenge.
• Describe how land mines and cluster munitions affect people’s lives.
• Evaluate methods to detect and eliminate land mines.

Materials:

• Retro Report video “Princess Diana Brought Attention to Land Mines, but Their Danger Lingers” (Transcript)
• Student Activity handout
• Interactive Maps | Land Mine & Cluster Munition Monitor
• The deadly legacy of landmines | United Nations
• Revolutionary AI-Powered Land Mine Detecting Robot Unveiled by Leading European Developer LeoTronics Robotics | EIN Presswire
• Land-Mine-Detecting Plants | The New York Times
• How bees and drones team up to find landmines | BBC
• How Rats Are Overturning Decades of Military Norms | SAPIENS

Procedure:

1. Have the students complete the warm-up activity on the Student Activity handout.
2. What do you already know about the Vietnam War?
3. What do you already know about land mines? Think about why they might be used as a weapon of war, and what problems they might pose.
4. These questions should be tailored to fit your curriculum and activate prior knowledge. This lesson was written to be used in the context of teaching about the Vietnam War and/or addressing challenges of global warfare.
   1. For more information on the use of land mines, see page 25 of National Research Council. 2001, “Alternative Technologies to Replace Antipersonnel Landmines,” Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press.
5. Students may not know who Diana, Princess of Wales, was. Here is a brief overview article.
6. Students will watch the 10-minute video and answer the questions provided on the Student Activity sheet.
7. After the video, answer remaining questions students may have about the video. Students will then complete the Save the Last Word for Me strategy from Facing History & Ourselves, in the “Discussion” portion of the handout.
8. First students individually identify three lines from the video that resonate with them.
9. Next, in groups of three, students share one of their chosen quotations with their group in a structured discussion:
   1. Student A: Choose one of the sentences you identified and share it with the group.
   2. Students B and C discuss the sentence: What do you think it means? Why do you think these words might be important? To whom?
   3. Student A: You will have the last word. Explain why you picked this sentence.
   4. Continue this process with Student B sharing, and then Student C.
10. Students will explore the maps from the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor.
11. Demonstrate how to toggle among the data sets on the map. Students can investigate land mines and cluster munitions using the maps.
12. Next, students will read “The deadly legacy of land mines” to consider where land mines are still a problem and elaborate on how land mines are being used.
13. For the Advancements in Land Mine Detection section of the handout, read the article Revolutionary AI-Powered Land Mine Detecting Robot Unveiled by Leading European Developer LeoTronics Robotics out loud as a class, exploring the pros and cons of using robots in landmine detection, with particular emphasis on societal and economical implications.
14. Then, students should select one of the following articles to read and consider the possible positives and negatives of other detection methods.
15. Land-Mine-Detecting Plants | The New York Times
16. How bees and drones team up to find land mines | BBC
17. How Rats Are Overturning Decades of Military Norms | SAPIENS
    1. This may be done individually or in small groups.
18. Have students complete the Exit Ticket. Students will use the S-I-T Strategy strategy from Facing History & Ourselves to reflect on what they have learned by identifying what they found surprising, interesting and troubling about the material.

Extension Activity:

1. Have students read about how the United Nations is working to end the threat of land mines across the world in Mine Action Week: ‘Peace brings no assurance of safety | United Nations.
2. The class may then brainstorm some ideas and list some sequenced steps that could be taken to end or reduce the threat of land mines.

About the Author:

Brande Johnson is a middle-and high school teacher of English, Social Studies and AP Computer Science in Nevada. She has a master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology. She has taught in both California and Nevada since 2009. She has taught 6-12th grade ELA, Social Studies, middle and high school computer science, as well as student leadership and student council.

Standards

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies

• D2.Civ.1.9-12. Distinguish the powers and responsibilities of local, state, tribal, national, and international civic and political institutions.
• D2.Civ.3.9-12. Analyze the impact of constitutions, laws, treaties, and international agreements on the maintenance of national and international order.
• D2.Civ.5.9-12. Evaluate citizens’ and institutions’ effectiveness in addressing social and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level.
• D2.Civ.12.9-12. Analyze how people use and challenge local, state, national, and international laws to address a variety of public issues. 
• D2.Eco.1.9-12. Analyze how incentives influence choices that may result in policies with a range of costs and benefits for different groups. 
• D2.Eco.3.9-12. Analyze the ways in which incentives influence what is produced and distributed in a market system.
• D2.His.1.9-12. Evaluate how historical events and developments were shaped by unique circumstances of time and place as well as broader historical contexts.
• D2.His.5.9-12. Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives.
• D2.His.14.9-12. Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.
• D4.6.9-12. Use disciplinary and interdisciplinary lenses to understand the characteristics and causes of local, regional, and global problems; instances of such problems in multiple contexts; and challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to address these problems over time and place.

Common Core Literacy Standards

• RH 6-12.11-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
• RH 6-12.11-12.9: Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
• WHST 6-12.11-12.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
• WHST 6-12.11-12.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards

• 2-IC-20 – Compare tradeoffs associated with computing technologies that affect people’s everyday activities and career options.
• 3A-IC-24 – Evaluate the ways computing impacts personal, ethical, social, economic, and cultural practices.
• 3B-IC-25 – Evaluate computational artifacts to maximize their beneficial effects and minimize harmful effects on society.