Workshop Kit: Nuclear Weapons and Our Future

Pre-Workshop Setup (5 min)

Teacher prep: Print role cards, set up visuals, test QR codes
Materials needed: Whiteboard, large paper sheets, markers, printed handouts

1. Starter (10 min) – Reality Check

Hook Question

"How many of you think nuclear weapons are mostly a Cold War problem?" (Show of hands)

The Scale Shock

• Visual: Show side-by-side comparison - Hiroshima mushroom cloud vs. modern warhead
• Numbers that stick:
  • One Hiroshima bomb = 15,000 tons of TNT
  • One modern W88 warhead = 455,000 tons of TNT (~30 Hiroshimas)
  • One Trident submarine = 1,920 Hiroshimas worth of destructive power
  • Today's reality: ~12,200 nuclear weapons exist right now

Opening Question

"Why do you think weapons this powerful still exist in 2025?"
Collect 3-4 responses on whiteboard (don't correct yet - come back to this)

2. Human Impact (15 min) – Stories and Voices

Survivor Testimonies

• Share 2–3 short hibakusha testimonies (survivors of Hiroshima/Nagasaki)
• Show respectful photos of destroyed cities and survivors
• Key point: These weren't military targets - these were cities full of people going about their morning

Group Question

"What do these voices tell us about the difference between statistics and human experience?"

3. The World Today (15 min) – Beyond the Cold War

Current Nuclear Reality

• ~12,200 nuclear weapons remain today
• About 2,100 weapons remain on "high alert"—ready to launch within minutes
• 9 countries possess them
• Risks today: accidents, miscalculation, cyberattacks, AI integration

Discussion Point

"2,100 weapons on high alert means leaders have 5-30 minutes to decide whether to launch. How would you make that decision? What could go wrong in 5 minutes?"

The Costs

• Over $100 billion per year spent on nuclear weapons
• That's more than the WHO + UN Climate Fund combined
• Question for students: What could $100 billion/year fund instead?

Climate Impact

• A 'limited' India–Pakistan nuclear exchange (100 warheads) could cause famine for 2 billion people
• Nuclear winter scenarios affect everyone, not just combatant nations

Reflection Question

"Why would a nuclear war between India and Pakistan cause famine in Africa, Europe, and South America? How are we all connected?"

Legal Status

• TPNW (2021): Nuclear weapons now illegal under international law. 70+ countries have signed or ratified the treaty
• But nuclear-armed states refuse to join

Discussion Point

"If 70+ countries have banned nuclear weapons, why do the nuclear-armed states refuse to join? What are they afraid of losing?"

Collect 2-3 student responses on whiteboard.

4. AI and Nuclear Weapons (10 min) – The New Frontier

The 5-Minute Question

"In a nuclear crisis, leaders typically have 5-30 minutes to decide whether to launch a counterstrike. AI can process data in seconds. Humans need minutes to understand context. When the stakes are civilization itself, should machines make these decisions?"

Current Reality

• US, UK, France: "Humans will always decide"
• China: Refuses to make this commitment
• Russia: Already has semi-automated systems ("Dead Hand")

Discussion Point

"Self-driving cars still get into accidents. What is the 'training data' for nuclear war?"

Key insight: This isn't science fiction - it's happening now. AI integration into nuclear command systems is accelerating.

5. Group Activity (20 min) – Choose the Future

Setup

Divide into groups with role cards:

• Government leader
• Doctor/healthcare worker
• Climate activist
• Taxpayer/economist

Discussion Prompt

"What does the world look like in 2045 - with nuclear weapons vs. without them?"

Activity

• Draw two columns on large paper
• List consequences, opportunities, risks
• Present back in 2 minutes each

6. Closing Reflection (10–15 min) – Agency and Hope

Nobel Peace Prize Photo

Show ICAN 2017 Nobel Peace Prize photo

Final Question

"If you had 1 minute to talk to your country's leader about nuclear weapons, what would you say?"

Collect 3-4 student voices. Write key phrases on whiteboard.

The Takeaway

"Nuclear weapons are human-made. What we built, we can also dismantle."

• Treaties exist (TPNW)
• Change is possible
• Your generation will decide this

7. Optional Action Steps

Immediate Actions (QR codes/handouts)

• NUKEMAP - See what a nuclear weapon would do to your city
• TPNW summary - Read the actual treaty

Take It Further

• Prepared postcard/email templates to parliament or city council
• Social media toolkit (#nuclearban #TPNW)
• Connect with local peace organizations

Teacher's Notes

Pedagogical Approach

• Not about fear — about scale, survivors, and alternatives
• End with hope — treaties exist, change is possible
• Student agency — they can actually affect this issue

Common Questions to Prepare For

1. "Aren't nuclear weapons keeping the peace?"

• Ask: Has peace been guaranteed? (Point to Ukraine, ongoing crises)
• Discuss: Difference between correlation and causation

2. "What about countries that threaten us?"

• Acknowledge real security concerns
• Ask: Does having more weapons make us safer, or create escalation spirals?

3. "This feels too big for us to change"

• Point to: Civil rights, environmental movement, TPNW itself
• Remind: Every major change started with people saying "this must end"

If Students Seem Overwhelmed

• Take a break
• Return to the concrete: "What's one thing YOU can do this week?"
• Emphasize collective action, not individual burden

Sensitive Topics Warning

Some students may have:

• Family in military (especially nuclear forces)
• Anxiety about existential threats
• Strong political views about defense

Approach: Acknowledge all perspectives, focus on humanitarian impact, keep discussions respectful.

Additional Resources for Teachers

Background Reading

• ICAN website (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons)
• Federation of American Scientists - Nuclear weapons issues
• SIPRI Yearbook - Annual nuclear weapons data

Videos to Consider

• Hibakusha testimonies (many available with English subtitles)
• ICAN Nobel Prize acceptance speech (Setsuko Thurlow, 2017)
• Nuclear weapons effects simulations (NUKEMAP)

Updates

This workshop was created in 2025. Nuclear weapons numbers, treaties, and AI developments change frequently. Check current sources before teaching.

For more information or to request a workshop facilitator:
Website: endnuclearweapons.org
Email: info@endnuclearweapons.org

This workshop kit is part of the "Act for Tomorrow" exhibition project.