Nuclear Reactions

Education Reservations Forms for the 2024-2025 school year are now live! To apply, please submit the form found at the bottom of this page.

 

 

Overview

Grades 11-12

ONLY BEING OFFERED IN THE SPRING

 

Ranger Socorro and Nike Veteran Al Kellogg pose in front of a Nike Hercules Missile.

NPS Lara Volski

What does safety look like?

Nuclear Reactions: Atomic Diplomacy at the Marin Headlands provides a dynamic supplement to your unit on the Cold War-era. Students are introduced to the Nike missile site that operated in the Marin Headlands during the 1950s until 1974. The missile site, located near a major urban area, offers students the opportunity to consider the national significance and impact of the Cold War from a local perspective: its definition of security, the technology it spawned, the role of diplomacy, and public perceptions of the era. Students also conduct research into primary and secondary sources that continue the story of nuclear technology in our political and economic world of today.

The Nuclear Reactions program uses the Understanding by Design framework, incorporates Common Core Standards and Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies. The program is framed by the Essential Question – "What does safety look like?"

Program’s Framework and Curriculum Links:

Click here for the Nuclear Reactions Understanding by Design grid.
Click here for the Nuclear Reactions Curriculum

Click here for additional materials about Nike missiles and Cold War history.

Program Structure

The Nuclear Reactions program is structured in the following three-touch model:

• Classroom preparation – lessons delivered by the teacher with resources provided by the park addressing the implications of the Cold War using articles and historic photographs.
• Field session – the Nike site experience in which students conduct an inquiry investigation.
• Classroom assessment – opportunities for students to demonstrate what they have learned through essays and debate.

 

Three Nike missiles point up in the Marin Headlands

NPS

How to Apply

Step 1: Educators must complete the Education Reservation Request Form.

Step 2: Park staff will reach out to accepted classes after September 24, 2024 to schedule a date for your class visit and park visit. Please keep in mind, programs at Fort Point are only offered Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Step 3: New teachers must attend a Teacher Workshop to confirm program dates.

Step 4: Teachers complete pre-site lessons with students before the scheduled Ranger Class visit. Ranger visits the classroom virtually or in-person.

Step 5: Class attends in-person park visit.

Step 6: Teachers complete the post-site lesson and share student work with Rangers.

 

Education Reservation Request Form – In-person Park Visit

Use this form to apply for the Nuclear Reactions Education Program.  

Please note the following:  

• Education Programs are only offered Tuesday-Thursday-Friday. Programs are FREE of charge.  
• Due to limited staffing at each park site, we ask that classes only apply to one of the program offerings throughout Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Program locations can ONLY accommodate 1 class per day (minimum of 10 students). 
• Ranger-led programs generally last 3 hours, not including driving or lunch time. Expect total time of park visits (travel to Marin Headlands, program, lunch) to be approximately 5-6 hours.
• Chaperones are expected to attend and support each program – 1 per 10 student ratio. 
• New teachers are expected to attend a Teacher Workshop to be considered for a program – workshop dates will be announced on each program website 
• Bus scholarships may be available for high need schools. If interested in a scholarship, please include this request in the transportation section of the form. 

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Learning Accommodations

Does anyone in your group need any accommodations?

Yes No

If yes, describe the accommodation need.

Next Step

School / Organization Contact Information

School / Organization Name (required)

Name of Requester/Contact Person (required)

Title / Position (required)

Contact Email Address (required)

Contact Phone Number (required)
123-456-7890 extension if any

Mailing Address (required)

City (required)

State (required)

Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces - Americas Armed Forces - Europe Armed Forces - Pacific California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

ZIP (required)
Five digit ZIP code [99999]

Next Step

Group Details - Park Visit/ Field Trip

Name of Primary Contact Visiting if Different Than Above (optional)

Title / Position of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Email Address of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Phone Number of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)
Format: 123-456-7890

Program Name or Subject Requested/Self-Guided

Grade Level(s) of Students (required)

Number of Staff / Chaperones (required)

Number of Students (required)

Preferred Date of Visit (required)
format mmddyyyy

My preferred date has been confirmed by the park (required)

Yes No

Preferred Program Start Time (required)

Alternative Date(s) (required)
Enter one or more dates .

Anticipated Arrival Time (required)

Anticipated Departure Time (required)

Mode of Transportation (required)

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.

Submit my Education Reservation Request

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NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.

 

Additional Resources

Nike Missile Site Introductory Video

 

Duration:

11 minutes, 22 seconds

The threats that were faced during the Cold War, the decisions that were made during that time period, was it right? Was it wrong? Was it worth it?

 

The requested video is no longer available.

 

The requested video is no longer available.

 

The requested video is no longer available.

 

The requested video is no longer available.

 

The requested video is no longer available.