PBL Instructional Design
Name of PBL: Nuclear Fallout – The Fukushima DisasterAuthors Name: Brenda Gelinas
Grade Level: 9-12
Content Area: Chemistry
Objectives: Students will be able to:
· Explain what occurs during nuclear fission
· Explain how a nuclear reactor works
· Analyze what went happened at Fukushima and the implication for other nuclear power plants
· Explain what is meant by “radiation” when we hear about exposure to radiation and why it is a problem
· Reflect on what happened at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island and the effect those accidents had on 1) the local communities and 2) nuclear energy policy
· Distinguish between opinion and fact
· Recognize the role opinion and fear play in policy development
· Understand how to identify reliable information when conducting research
· Identify possible ramifications of the accident on US Nuclear Power generation and prioritize which are the most likely
Big Ideas:
· Nuclear reactions involve changes to the nucleus and therefore the identity of reactants
· Nuclear reactions create a significant amount of energy but the reactions are difficult to stop once they begin
· Nuclear power has become a significant source in supplying the world’s energy demands
· Fear affects policy
Essential Questions:
· What is the nuclear reaction that occurs during nuclear energy production?
· How does a nuclear reactor work?
· Is there more than one type of nuclear reactor and if so how do those used at Fukushima compare to those used in the United States?
· In what way were the Fukushima reactors or safety systems compromised and why did the compromise lead to risk of meltdown?
· What is a meltdown? What are the possible implications for the community?
· What is “radiation” and how does it affect people and the environment?
· What role does nuclear power play in meeting the energy demands of 1) the world 2) the US?
Background Information: Current news clips regarding the crisis in Fukushima will be reviewed. Students will be given access to Mrs G’s Wiki in the team collaboration portal that lists a variety of sources for information to use during research.
Student Relevance to RWNC:
The news is currently full of news of the crisis about the nuclear disaster. Meeting the future energy demands of students is a major, complex issue policy makers will be making decisions about and will affect the future of students. This is a good project to help students develop habits of an informed citizenry
Standards being addressed:
Scientific Inquiry Skills
· 3.2.10
Identify and apply the technological design process to solve problems.
Benchmark(s):
Examine the problem, rank all necessary information and all questions that must be answered.
· 3.2.12
Analyze and use the technological design process to solve problems.
Benchmark(s):
Assess all aspects of the problem, prioritize the necessary information and formulate questions that must be answered.
Radioactivity
3.4.12 Classify and describe, in equation form, types of chemical and nuclear reactions.
Define nuclear instability
Describe 3 major types of radiation (alpha, beta, gamma)
Concepts: Write and balance nuclear equations
Competentcies:
· Assess all aspects of the problem, prioritize the necessary information and formulate questions that must be answered.
· Conduct research to respond to a challenge
· Practice team problem solving skills involving divergent/convergent thinking such as brainstorming
· Collaborate with peers to produce a product
· Communicate results to a target audience
21st Century Skills that will be used:
· Creativity and Innovation
· Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
· Communication and Collaboration
· Information Literacy
· Media Literacy
· ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy
· Flexibility and Adaptability
· Initiative and Self-Direction
· Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
· Productivity and Accountability
· Leadership and Responsibility
Assessment Strategies:
The following assessment rubrics will be used in the team portal in the students journal section:
Journaling Rubric:
· Each entry in the journal contains a descriptive title, dates of entries and documentation of the content and processes.
· Journal entries follow a set pattern that is consistent, well organized and logical
· Entries in the journal are detailed enough that one could use them for study notes or open book tests
· Rules of grammar and language usage are followed in developing and completing entries in the journal.
· Self Reflection narratives are included with many entries
· With the self-reflection narratives are included: problems and concerns, questions still unanswered, issues to be resolved, and what-if questions.
Problem Solving:
· Completely and accurately interprets and applies scientific observations, data, inferences and conclusions, print materials, statements, graphics, etc to questions and problems
· Extensively supports reasoning with appropriate facts, concepts, and principles to explain reasoning
· Evaluates different perspectives to solving problems and answering questions
· Judiciously selects salient points both pro and con and provides evidence to support claims
· Justifies key results and procedures; explains assumptions and reasons
· Objectively follows where evidence and inferences lead
· Develops conclusions based data interpretation and inferences.
Collaborative Learning:
· Team completes all that was expected
· Accomplished assigned tasks
· Actions and behaviors made significant contributions to the total group effort
· Listened to and respected others and their ideas
· Got others involved by asking questions, challenging, and/or requesting information
The team presentation will be assessed using the following rubric
The Scenario: An explosion at a second nuclear power plant on Japan's devastated coast destroyed a building Sunday and made leaking radiation, or even outright meltdown, the central threat menacing a nation just beginning to grasp the scale of a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami. Fear of the possibility of nuclear power plant accidents is likely to spread worldwide. You are a member of a team and need to determine the implications for nuclear power generation in the United States.
Product(s): Students will create a 30 minute class presentation, in a format of their choice that will include invited guests from CCIU, NRC, and DASD administration
Duration:
The project will last for 3 weeks, from 3/14 to 4/4 (presentation date). Students will have on average 3 days per week during that time to work on the project in class. Other work must be completed out of school.
Instructional Strategies Strategy
I will engage students by showing 1 or 2 video clips of news reports on the crisis in Japan. I will introducing the scenario and have students read and analyze it. Once they’ve read it, I will have them hold either a group discussion or group brainstorming activity. I will ask them to develop a short problem statement before leaving the class where the scenario was introduced.
I will provide information on how they will be assessed for this challenge. I will suggest they hold a class discussion on ways to communicate as they plan and progress through the project. I will introduce the team portal they will have access to for their project and encourage them to use it throughout the project to keep notes and to collaborate with their peers in and out of school. I will suggest that students think about how they will organize to tackle this.
Students will analyze the information and begin brainstorming what they know or
understand from the presented scenario. Once they had done some research and know how a nuclear power plant works, I will have one of CCIU developers introduce them to the virtual world of Limerick’s Power Plant.
I will encourage student to use their collective strengths and knowledge for information gathering and problem solving. I will remind students that at this point the quantity of brainstorming is more important than the quality of their thoughts and they will have the opportunity to narrow down their most important ideas and topics to pursue at a later date.
Research can begin at any time. Students will be given 3 days a week of in class time for 3 weeks to complete the project. I will encourage students to use the team portal for discussions, obtaining information and posting new information. I will continue to facilitate. This part of the process is where students start to understand what they don’t know and what they need to know in order to move forward. I will help students (through questioning) determine what missing information is important to explore and what is unnecessary. These preliminary questions generated will help set the stage and guide student research to obtain information about situations that need resolution. I will encourage students to develop essential questions that will help lead them to student created action steps. I will try to hold back and guide the process to discovery.
I will periodically pull students together as a group to evaluate where they are in the process and to ask probing questions if I think they might need to refocus or make substantial changes. They may realize they have to reanalyze the scenario or even some of their action steps to get on track.
I will allow time for students to present and describe what their final solutions, products,
events, experiments look like. I will have students select the technology format and
how they will present their final solutions. I will determine the audience, time frame and time limit.
Technology Integration:
· Student will use the CCIU’s Team Collaboration Portal to collaborate in and out of class.
· Students will explore Limericks nuclear power plant through an activity in a virtual world where they act as an NRC inspector inspecting the plant.
· Students have the choice of many technologies to present their findings.
Collaboration, Partnership and Community Connection:
We will have a member of the Limerick virtual world development team come in to train students on its use and hopefully have an NRC inspector come in to answer questions.Materials & Resources:
· Students will have access to the team collaboration portal and the virtual world created by CCIU of the Limerick Nuclear Power Plant.
· Students will also be given access to all links for information sources developed by me and my colleagues during the RWNC bootcamp.
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