Chemistry in the Earth System · Week 17 · Atoms, Elements, and Molecules
Nuclear Changes
Modeling fission, fusion, and decay and discussing how fear and facts both enter energy decisions.
- Students will
- Students develop and use models of fission, fusion, and decay to explain how mass changes into energy and why a small amount of fuel releases so much.
- SEL skill
- Notice how fear and facts shape an energy decision and separate them
- What it looks like
- Students use emotions to think by noticing how fear and facts both shape an energy decision.
- Content focus
- Nuclear Changes
- Format
- Structured discussion
Responsible decision-making
Responsible decision-making is choosing what to do by weighing safety, fairness, and the likely results for yourself and others. More responsible decision-making activities
What you get
A teacher guide with what to say, step by step, plus student pages and a supports page for students with diverse learning needs, including those with IEPs. Print or Project it, or assign it in Google Forms and Google Docs for Google Classroom. Your first 10 activities are free.
Standards
- HS-PS1-8: High School Physical Science performance expectation
- Science and engineering practice: SEP2 Developing and using models
- Crosscutting concept: CCC5 Energy and matter
- Literacy in science: RST.9-10.5 Analyze the structure of the relationships among concepts in a text.
- Traditional course: Chemistry
Fits these textbook chapters
- Experience Chemistry, Investigation 1: Atomic Structure
- Experience Chemistry, Investigation 17: Nuclear Processes
- Modern Chemistry, Chapter 3: Atoms: The Building Blocks of Matter
- Modern Chemistry, Chapter 21: Nuclear Chemistry
- California HMH Science Dimensions: Chemistry in the Earth System, Unit 3: Patterns in the Properties of Matter
Textbook names are used only to help you find activities that fit what you teach. RoseThread Connect is not affiliated with these publishers.
More responsible decision-making activities for Chemistry in the Earth System
- Comparing Fuels Responsible decision-makingCalculating the energy per gallon of different fuels and weighing tradeoffs in a decision without rushing.
- Energy Budgets Responsible decision-makingCalculating Earth's energy budget and balancing a personal energy budget of sleep, school, and work.
- Thermal Energy and Choices Responsible decision-makingDesigning a device that keeps a lunch cool and justifying design choices honestly, including weaknesses.
- Rates of Reaction Responsible decision-makingArguing how temperature and concentration change reaction rates and noticing what speeds up or slows down our own reactions.
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RoseThread Connect activities are drafted with the help of AI and shaped by educators. Students never have to share anything personal. Our five SEL skills are informed by CASEL's SEL Framework; RoseThread Learning is not affiliated with or endorsed by CASEL.