Nuclear Power

Purpose of the Lesson

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Materials/Equipment Needed
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This lesson will use attached power point slides to present notes as well as the video found at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDdPk0-SDmI. Attached worksheet below.

Instructional Objectives
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Students will learn the written reactions for fission and fusion generators.

Students will learn the pros and cons of nuclear power.

Standards or Core Curriculum

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This lesson will give students knowledge about how nuclear power is produced, from the
reactions involved to the risks and benefits involved.

S1.1-3, 4.1a, 4.4a-f

Detailed Body of Lesson - describe the parts of the lesson and how long each will take, for example:
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Anticipatory Set or Invitation to Inquiry

Students will begin this lesson by getting together and performing a Think-Pair-Share
exercise with their lab partners. This will be focused on a 3-2-1 exercise they performed
at the end of the previous class that had them write down 3 things they remember, 2
things they dont understand, and 1 thing they want to learn more about fission and fusion
power. The pairs will then share with the class 3 things they know and 3 things they have
questions about. I will go through answering questions if I need to, but most will be
answered in the next sections of the class so this should be a short discussion.

Learning Activities and Tasks

The meat of the class begins with a short lecture-discussion about nuclear power. A short
power point is presented that gives a more detailed look at the different types of nuclear
power reactions as well as the more conventional chemical power derived from coal.
This will also detail the actual reactions that take place.

The students will watch an engaging video from the Eye of Nye series. They will be
tasked with filling out the worksheet/notes attached at the bottom of this plan throughout
the video. This will take the rest of the class period.

To close out the lesson, I remind students that the questions on the worksheet will be due
for homework, and prompt students to create a 3-2-1 about nuclear power and nuclear
weapons. The next lesson they will be asked to take a stand on nuclear power, so they

should do some independent research to come to a conclusion and have more evidence to
back their stance.
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Assessment Strategies

The worksheets answers will give evidence for whether or not the students have absorbed
the info. The following debate will also give insights to student absorption of material.

Name________________________________________

Period: ______

Nuclear Weapons
There are two main types of nuclear weapons: atomic bombs, which are powered by fission reactions similar to
those in nuclear reactors [power plants], and hydrogen bombs, which derive their explosive power from fusion
reactions. An atomic bomb slams together two pieces of fissionable material, usually uranium-235 or
plutonium-239, creating critical mass. This releases its energy instantaneously as atoms inside it split in an
uncontrolled chain reaction. On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb called Little Boy was dropped on the
Japanese city of Hiroshima, followed three days later by another, called Fat Man, on Nagasaki.
Hydrogen bombs fuse together hydrogen atoms to form heavier helium atoms, releasing far more energy than a
fission bomb. Two isotopes of hydrogen are used deuterium (2 neutrons) and tritium (3 neutrons). Hydrogen
bombs have never been used in war and are thousands of times more powerful than atomic bombs.
Directions: Identify each as a fusion or fission

1. Used in nuclear power plants:

2. Occurs on the sun:
3. More powerful of the two reactions: ___________________________

4. A larger nucleus divides to make a smaller nucleus:

5.
Two hydrogen atoms
_____________________________

come

together

to

make

helium

atom:

6. The picture above shows:

7. An atomic bomb uses: ____________________________
8. This produces none of the dangerous nuclear waste:
9. This type uses chain reactions from released neutrons to sustain itself:

The Eyes of Nye: Nuclear Energy (25:34)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTHPQqOPg8E
http://www.livestream.com/billnye/video?clipId=pla_747209572572831573

1 What are the three main sections of a nuclear power plant?

2 What starts the nuclear chain reaction?
3 What does fission mean?
4 What two products are formed from the fission of uranium?

5 How much nuclear waste is produced in 60 years of a power plant

operating?
6 How much would a coal plant produce?

7 About how thick are the containers that are storing the nuclear
waste?
8 An X-Ray gives off about 20 millirems of radiation, how many
millirems are emitted through these canisters?
9 What is the estimate for how long it takes nuclear waste to
completely decay?
10 What materials are used to shield or block nuclear radiation?

11 Why is Yucca Mountain such an attractive location for nuclear waste

storage?
a
b
c
12 What is the half-life of Plutonium, part of nuclear waste?

13 Why was the 10,000 year standard ruled invalid?

14 Give two positive and negative arguments involving the usage of

nuclear energy.

15 How much total nuclear waste exists worldwide?

16 What are two other ideas for dealing with nuclear waste?

17 Why cant the nuclear waste be shot into space?

18 Describe transmutation.