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Last Flight of Bomber 31

Viewing Ideas

Before Watching

1. Have students use a globe or world map to locate the following places featured in this program: Attu; the Kamchatka peninsula of Russia; and the Northern Kurile islands of Shumshu and Paramushir, which belonged to Japan during World War II but now belong to Russia. Ask students to predict the type of weather conditions that might be formed in this region, where the warm ocean currents off the coast of Japan mix with the cold Bering Sea.

2. Briefly review the history of World War II using a world map, highlighting the time period and major areas of conflict (see Resources on page 7 for information sources).

3. As students watch, ask them to list the evidence researchers discovered during their investigation and the conclusions drawn from this evidence.

After Watching

1. Review students' notes in a class discussion. What expertise did each scientist bring to the investigation? Discuss the techniques scientists used to identify the wreckage and any remains. What method was expected to reveal the most about the identity of the small pieces of bone that were found?