Radium and Radiation

Historical Narratives:

Students learned about the history of radium and radiation, including the Curies' initial isolation of radioactive isotopes in 1899, the influence of radium on commercial products and the story of the Radium girls in the 1910s and 1920s, the development and use of the atomic bomb in World War II on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Chernobyl Incident in the 1980s.

Students read excerpts from Radium Girls and the full text of Hiroshima.

Below, students wrote historical narratives based on their choice of one of the above time periods and events. Students studied narrative elements and techniques. The emphasis was on the writing skill of perspective and developing a strong character. Students also had to work on maintaining historical accuracy. For students earning English 1 credit, at least two strong characters and perspectives were required.