Lesson Plans and Other Curriculum Materials

This section includes a series of lesson plans and other classroom materials developed by U.S. government agencies, nuclear science organizations, university professors, and other professionals.

Lesson Plans Created by the Health Physics Society

  1. Elementary Class Introduction to Radiation contains suggestions for introducing the concepts of ionizing radiation to elementary class students using visible light as an analog. Useful talking points and demonstrations in the form of a script are provided.
  2. Introduction to Radiation and Radiation Detection: Background Radiation is a detailed exploration of using a radiation detector to identify naturally radioactive materials. Comprehensive notes for the teacher are included so that suitable radiation-emitting samples can be obtained.
  3. Investigating Properties of Radiation is a simple inquiry-guided experiment that helps students determine what materials can be used to absorb different types of radiation. The experiment requires different types of radiation sources, different types of shielding materials, and a radiation detector sensitive to alpha, beta, and gamma radiation.
  4. Radiobiology Lesson Plan reviews cell structure, demonstrates the low probability of interaction of radiation with matter, and explains the factors contributing to cell sensitivity. For older students, teachers can describe mechanisms of cell injury.

Radiation and Radioactivity Lesson Plans

  1. Learn about radiation and radioactivity using this lesson plan from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
  2. Nuclear Chemistry in our World is a curriculum provided by the American Chemical Society.

Uses of Radiation Lesson Plans

  1. RadTown USA is an interactive virtual city that allows students to explore the myriad of ways radiation and radioactive material are used in modern society. This site is maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
  2. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission offers a lesson plan on the uses of radiation.
  3. The American Nuclear Society offers a printable poster on the uses of radiation for detecting land mines.
  4. The American Nuclear Society offers a printable poster on the uses of radiation for space exploration.

Nuclear Reactors and Nuclear Energy Lesson Plans

  1. Learn about nuclear reactors and nuclear energy using this lesson plan from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
  2. The Harnessed Atom—Student Edition and The Harnessed Atom—Teacher Edition offer a dated, but still useful, curriculum about energy generation and nuclear power for upper elementary and middle school students.
  3. The American Nuclear Society offers a printable poster on nuclear fission and fusion.
  4. General Atomics offers a comprehensive site on nuclear fusion.

Nuclear Waste and Transportation of Radioactive Material Curriculum Materials

  1. Learn about radioactive waste using this lesson plan from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
  2. The American Nuclear Society offers a printable poster on nuclear waste transportation and disposal.
  3. Learn about transporting radioactive materials using this lesson plan from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.