Lesson Plan: The Facts on Nuclear Power

Lesson Plan

Before Exploring

Write the word Energy on the board. Create a word web as students brainstorm ideas to connect to the word. If necessary, prompt them to discuss ways of generating energy and record those on the web. Mention nuclear energy if no one names it.

Outline the Opportunity

Have students browse the topic Candu: The Canadian Nuclear Reactor on the CBC Digital Archives website for about 20 minutes. As they work, they should find and record at least 10 interesting pieces of information about nuclear power, including how it is used to generate electricity, which countries use it, and what issues its use raises.

Revisit and Reflect

Gather the group and have students share the information they have found. You may want to create another word web, this time for Nuclear Power, and record students' responses. Encourage discussion of the issues around nuclear power.

Extension

Students can create a board game based on the information they have found. They can focus entirely on nuclear power and its generation, uses, and sales, or they can also include the issues around nuclear power.