Nuclear Power and Climate Change
Lesson Plans
Grades9, 10, 11, 12Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Health
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
What it is
- This lesson about nuclear power includes student pages, discussion questions, risk analysis activities, and a data analysis exercise.
- Students will also learn about the global distribution of nuclear power, nuclear waste, nuclear weapons, and nuclear accidents.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The materials included with this resource make it easy for educators to adapt it to many subject areas.
- A full transcript of the podcast is available.
Additional Prerequisites
- The link in the activities section of the Dive Deeper tab is broken.
- The link to the EPA's website in the podcast notes is broken.
- Students should be familiar with renewable energy sources and fossil fuels.
Differentiation
- Students could conduct a poll to find out students' opinions about the safety of nuclear energy prior to beginning the lesson.
- Science and social studies classes could discuss the current storage system for nuclear waste and research the sites for this waste to see if there are risks for contamination of groundwater, soil, or Indigenous lands.
- Other resources on this topic include this interactive map on global nuclear power generation, this video that explains how nuclear power works, and this video on nuclear energy's role in stopping climate change.
From the scientist review
A transcript, an educator guide, and additional resource links are provided. In the podcast, an MIT expert presents an overview of nuclear energy production and nuclear technologies. A lot of material is covered in this podcast, including the history of nuclear energy production, new advancements in nuclear energy technologies, risks associated with nuclear technologies, and ways that communities and countries use nuclear technologies. This resource is recommended for teaching.
How we review resourcesReady to use it?
Hosted on climate.mit.edu
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
