Energy Sciences

Classroom Activities

Lesson 1: Introduction to UV Radiation

An introductory activity to demonstrate the presence of radiation will be to use ultraviolet sensitive beads in multiple small group activities. In this activity, students will need to be provided with a background on the visible light spectrum vs. ultraviolet spectrum. One method to complete this activity is to provide stations with materials and objectives for the station. Students would in turn create their own procedure to test their hypothesis. Another method would be to provide students procedures and ask them to collect specific data for the activity. For the purpose of this unit, I will have my students create their own mini-experiments and thereby create their own procedure.

Station 1: Essential Question: How do varying degrees of sunlight affect UV exposure?

Materials: UV beads, containers for beads, pencil, paper, access to outside

Student Goal: Draft a hypothesis based on the essential question, create a protocol to test the hypothesis and have another pair/ trio test the protocol to receive feedback.

Guiding Questions: What type of data will be collected? How will students use the materials? Is there a way to collect quantitative data? What are the variables in the experiment?

Station 2: Essential Question: How does distance from a UV source affect exposure?

Materials: UV beads, container for beads, rulers, meter sticks, pencil, paper, UV flashlight, safety googles or sunglasses with UV protection

Student Goal: Draft a hypothesis based on the essential question, create a protocol to test the hypothesis and have another pair/trio test the protocol to receive feedback.

Guiding questions: What variable(s) are being tested? How will students use the materials? Will the data collected be qualitative or quantitative?

Station 3: Essential Questions: Are all sunscreens with the SPF equal in their effectivity?

Materials: UV beads, baggies, 2-4 same SPF level sunscreen of different brands, pencil, and paper

Student Goal: Draft a hypothesis based on the essential question, create a protocol to test the hypothesis and have another pair/trio test the protocol to receive feedback.

Guiding questions: What factors besides application might affect the effectivity of the sunscreen? Consider different conditions that might be simulated by the experiment (ex. sweating)?

After trios or small groups have spent about half a class period drafting their protocols for each station, they will pair with another group of students to perform the experiment and to collect data. The activity will conclude with a whole class discussion on their findings.

Lesson 2: Half-Life Activity using Straws

Once students have been provided with a background of radioactive decay and particles, students will participate in a hands-on-activity on half-life. Student goals for the activity include: relating half-life and radioactive decay, creating line graphs with gathered data. This activity is modified from one available on ANS Center for Nuclear Science and Technology Information.³² The activity will involve students graphing the number of radioactive particles (straws) remaining with each instance of decay.

Protocol for Radioactive Decay with Straws:

1. Cut a straw into 1 cm sections until each student has 20 1 cm segments representing radioactive particles (RP) within a nucleus.
2. Using a small covered Tupperware bowl or other container place the 20 RP inside.
3. Have each student shake the bowl which will represent one instance of decay. For this activity, one shake of the bowl will represent 5 years.
4. Without disrupting the other RP, remove the straws that are showing its opening while leaving the straws on its side in the bowl.
5. After the removal of stabilized radioactive particles (straws showing the opening), students will count the number particles remaining (straws on its side) and record that number on a data table.
6. Students will repeat steps 3 to 5 until the straws have completely decayed.
7. Using the data table they have completed for each trial, individual students will complete a graph showing the number of radioactive particles remaining vs. time (5 years per instance of decay).
8. As students are completing their graphs, the class data should be collected and a class graph will be generated. The graphs will show the relationship between the class total of remaining radioactive particles in each trial and decay. It should be expected the student graph should be similar to the class result.

Following the activity students will be able to predict the number of RP remaining in the nucleus at any given point based on the graph. Furthermore, students communicate how knowing the half-life is useful in the field of archaeology or forensic science.

Lesson 3: Mock Committee Hearing

As a culminating activity, students will participate in a mock Environmental Protection Agency meeting. In this hearing, student groups will need to convince the EPA whether current levels of radiation exposure are safe or whether it is necessary to increase measures of protection against radioactive exposure. Prior to this activity students have already completed lecture, discussion, direct case activities, web-based assignments, and labs to build their foundational knowledge for the hearing. In preparation for this hearing, students will be given different roles and will be given multiple class days to prepare their argument.

Day 1: Assignment

Students will be given roles to play during the hearing. Each student pair/trio must prepare a 5 minute presentation which may include a presentation, poster, or demonstration to support their opinion. Students will be encouraged to use data, graphs, pictures, and eye-witness testimonies to utilize in their testimonies.

Roles for Student(s):

Pro-environment

Pro-nuclear energy

Con-environment

Con-nuclear energy

Medical Doctor (Radiation Specialist)

Corporate Representative for Medical Tech Industry

Local Residents near Fukushima and Chernobyl

Nuclear Power Plant Worker

Economist specializing in Energy

EPA officials

Media Specialist for EPA

Day 2 & 3:

During the class period, students assigned to the roles will be given time to build their argument, gather resources from the internet, their textbook, and class lectures. Students will be asked to complete a work in progress log documenting what they intended to accomplish, what they accomplished, and what questions or issues still need to be addressed after the class period has ended. In this manner, I will be able to give them feedback before the start of the next class as well provide resources.

Day 4: 

The class will complete a run-through of each students’ argument. Students will be asked to say their speech to another student in order to gather feedback to improve their argument.

Day 5:

Class hearing. The classroom will be organized so that the EPA officials will be seated facing the front of the room, while the eyewitness stand will be the front classroom table. The session will begin by EPA officials stating the purpose of the session and providing ground rules/ time limits. Each eyewitness will have 5 minutes to complete their argument, followed by EPA officials asking clarifying questions. At the end of the class period, media specialist will provide a summary of the day’s events and major arguments stated by each eyewitness. At the conclusion of the hearing, EPA officials will decide whether to further limit acceptable radiation levels or to place more stringent requirements on industry. EPA officials will also provide their recommendations and commendations to each eyewitness. To conclude, media specialist will share the final summary for the hearing with the public.