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Lesson plans and classroom presentations

Welcome! The National Nuclear Science Week endeavors to provide a rich assortment of curriculum assistance. The following activites are ready to use in your classroom. (The links below are more general in nature.)

Energy Solutions Foundation has provided a number of these lesson plans, which will provide you with step-by-step ways to teach the fundamentals of nuclear science.

This overview of radiation and the uses of radiation gives a good idea of the pros and cons of using nuclear energy:
Safe and Reliable Nuclear Energy

Atoms are all around us. What exactly is in them? Learn about radioactivity here:
Atomic Nucleus

How is energy produced and used? What are the costs of renewable and other forms of energy?
Environment_and_Generation.pdf
Nuclear Clean Air Facts

For students in grades 7 through 12, vizualize the rate of radiactive decay in these lessons:
Tearing Through a Half-Life
Nuclear Popcorn

What do particles and Greek letters have to do with each other? Learn about it here (for grades 8 through 12):
Alphas Betas Gammas, Oh My

If you were to debate energy issues, what would be your arguments? See this suggestion here (best for grades 9 through 12):
Mock Senate

The Fission Game

Radioactive Decay

Radwasteactivity

Radiation Dose and Perception of Risk
Dose Chart

Cloud Chamber
Fission and Critical Mass

Web resources

These sites have something in common: they will provide ideas, information, and suggestions for curriculum development for your classroom. They are categorized by groups: educational, governmental, professional and general sources.:

Energy Information Administration
This kid-friendly site explains energy through a variety of topics, including all about energy and its sources, how to use and save energy, the history of energy generation, and related games and activities.
Energy Information Administration

Nuclear Medicine
This site explains nuclear medicine and how it is used to check the body for health issues. PET scans, cardiovascular imaging, and bone scanning are examples of some of the topics students can learn about.
http://health.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-medicine.htm

The Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues
This site provides a web-based source of information on a host of topics including nuclear science, the Manhattan Project, the Cold War, nuclear power, nuclear medicine, and nuclear waste. This library provides authoritative information that has been vetted through a National Advisory Board.
http://alsos.wlu.edu

Chemistry Overview
This site introduces and explains the various components of Nuclear Chemistry. There are pictures, problems and case studies for teachers to use in their classroom.
http://www.chemcases.com/nuclear/index.html

Nuclear Pathways Search Engine
Nuclear Pathways makes information on historic and current nuclear issues more accessible and comprehensible to the public, educators, and students from middle school through graduate programs.
http://nuclearpathways.org/

Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
The Nuclear Files is an effort to provide the average person access to important documents that often disappear from the public realm and seem to be accessible only to specialists. There is a timeline and information on a variety of nuclear topics.
http://nuclearfiles.org

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists
ASRT strives to foster the professional growth of radiologic technologists by expanding knowledge through education, research and analysis. The Career Center answers questions and gives advice for those interested in a job in the field.
https://www.asrt.org/content/CareerCenter/_careercenter.aspx

Health Physics Society
This site provides information and answers questions about radiation and radiation safety or protection
http://www.hps.org

Atomic Archive
This site explores the complex history surrounding the invention of the atomic bomb - a crucial turning point for all mankind.
http://atomicarchive.com


http://www.bioenergycenter.org/besc/education/kids-media-center.cfm


This Department of Energy site teaches your students the importance of green energy while enhancing your required curriculum. Here you’ll find many creative lesson plans, labs, projects and other activities for grades K-12 on energy-related topics. Incorporate them into your classroom. Prepare your students for a greener future!

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/lessonplans/default.aspx


ScienceEducation.gov connects teachers and students to free, federally-funded Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education resources.  This site has links to hundreds of government sponsored websites including NASA, DOE, USGS and NIH.

http://www.scienceeducation.gov/


When teachers post a project on NLN, the e-matching platform links teachers to STEM professionals interested in the project.  Add a professional to your teaching team.

http://www.nationallabnetwork.org/


Use one of these specific links as a teacher or student to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s site for easy to understand definitions and explanation about nuclear science, nuclear energy, and current events.

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers.html

Investigate the Office of Nuclear Energy to find a simple half-life activity for elementary students using M&M’s.  This site has activities for K-12 as well as teacher resources.

http://www.ne.doe.gov/students/Track_teachers.html

http://www.ne.doe.gov/students/teachers_middleschool_activities.html

The Nuclear Science Division together with CPEP (the Contemporary Physics Education Project) have produced the Nuclear Science Wall Chart.  You can order classroom materials and request reproduction rights for printed materials. 

http://www.lbl.gov/abc/wallchart/index.html


NBC Learn offers excellent free resources on energy as well as other subjects.  It also offers the opportunity to purchase programs. 
http://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn

http://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn/changing-planet


This US Environmental Protection Agency provides an on-line calculator for determing your annual average dose of radiation from natural and man-made sources.  This is a perfect experiment for your computer lab.
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/understand/calculate.html

The International Atomic Energy Agency site provides information about educational opportunities for youth from all countries.  The school session uses international lecturers to provide information about topics including:  nuclear power; nuclear fuel cycle and waste management; energy planning, economics and finance; nuclear safety, nuclear law, international conventions and relevant mechanisms; as well as nuclear non-proliferation and safeguards.


http://www.iaea.org/Resources/Youth/