Nuclear Power and Climate Change
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Provided by: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative|Published on: April 27, 2021
Lesson PlansScientist Reviewed
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Scientist Reviewed 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 →
Synopsis
- 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.
Subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Health
Authors: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
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.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
Founded in 2014, the Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI) is MIT’s institute-wide effort to mobilize the substantial scientific, engineering, policy, and design capacity of the MIT community to contribute to addressing climate change and other environmental challenges of global import. ESI pursues multidisciplinary research, education, events, and partnerships to help move society toward an environmentally and socially sustainable future. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts on MIT’s main campus, ESI is powered by a lean staff working closely with students and faculty across the full spectrum of disciplines. Led by architecture professor John E. Fernandez, a leading scholar in the emerging field of urban metabolism, ESI is advised by students, faculty, alumni, and thought leaders from many sectors of society.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
