6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Science: “Should or Should Not the U.S. Use Nuclear Energy as a Main Source of Energy to Reduce Carbon Emissions?”
Overview:
This structured academic controversy lesson is designed to teach students to critically engage with the debate about which energy sources are the most sustainable, safest, and do the least harm to the environment. This lesson is embedded within our ongoing climate change and climate justice unit. Prior to this lesson students will have gained background knowledge about the carbon cycle, fossil fuel extraction, and the greenhouse effect. Students will have also had the opportunity to engage in learning the basic science behind nuclear energy through models and videos.
Students will begin the lesson by watching two videos that introduce the debate about the safety and sustainability of nuclear energy. They will use a note catcher to document their beginning understandings.
Then they will be divided into groups of four with two students presenting arguments for the side in favor of using nuclear energy to reduce carbon emissions and two students presenting arguments for the side against using nuclear energy. Students in each group will be presented with evidence to support their claims/arguments, with scaffolded guidance to help students develop these claims.
Evidence resources for the anti-nuclear energy side will include arguments for other sustainable energy sources, resources that explain how mining for uranium impacts the environment and people, and evidence about the devastating impact of nuclear power plant disasters.
Evidence resources that support the use of nuclear energy will include data sets about low carbon emissions from nuclear energy compared to fossil fuels, and resources about new innovations in safety. Each side will be given time to present while the other side listens quietly.
Then the side that listened will have an opportunity to ask clarifying questions. The arguing and listening roles will then be reversed and the process repeated. After the initial round of exchanges students will switch positions on the issue and have to present arguments for the side opposite of which they initially argued. The presentation and listening process is repeated. Finally, the whole class comes together for a final discussion and consensus building.
Download the Curriculum Plan PDF
Download the Student Graphic Organizer PDF
Students Quotes
“We shouldn’t use nuclear energy because nuclear reactions can cause health problems as well as death. Although nuclear energy can be generated fastier/easier than others, if people continue getting sick and dying then soon there will be no one to generate the nuclear energy.”
“We shouldn’t use nuclear energy because of the harm it causes people, however, if they find a way to make nuclear energy so that it doesn’t harm people, we should use nuclear energy as a main power source. Why I think we shouldn’t use nuclear energy is because trying to mine uranium is killing miners (about 75% of uranium miners died from cancer). Also because the miner’s families are also effected. So if the people producing nuclear energy make it so nuclear energy doesn’t harm anyone, it will be safer for our everyday use (AKA as a main power source).”
“Nuclear energy is not good because it can cause cancer and has health risk which can cause death. My side said that nuclear energy is slow and risky to build although the other side says that it is clean, it can still hurt humans, which is bad. It says that the process to make nuclear energy is extremely labor intensive which is health risk for humans. This shows why nuclear energy is bad.”
“The world needs nuclear energy to get rid of pollution, but we shouldn’t increase the use of it because of how harmful it is to people.”
“We should definitely increase the use of nuclear energy, but we need to guarantee the safety of the workers, and take way more safety measures to potentially prevent anymore accidents. As Side A’s evidence was showing how multiple people have suffered from illness and diseases due to nuclear energy.”
“People think using nuclear energy is great because it’s reliable but I think it is dangerous and horrible and preposterous because it puts people’s lives at risk. People would mine uranium and the dust from the mining gave the miners the black phlegm.”