Teachers often ask us for resources on nuclear energy to help them explain how nuclear energy works – how we harness the energy stored in the atom, how much nuclear power contributes to our nation’s electricity needs, how reactors work, how safety and security is handled at America’s plants, what types of careers are available in the nuclear industry, and what U.S. government agencies are tasked with a role in nuclear energy.    

To simplify the search for nuclear curriculum, we have pulled together our Teacher and Student Guides and resources below. In addition, NEED has nuclear energy integrated into many of its teacher and student guides found elsewhere on www.NEED.org.  

NEED Curriculum

• Energy from Uranium Teacher Guide and Student Guide (Grades 6-8)
• Exploring Nuclear Energy Teacher Guide and Student Guide (Grades 9-12)
• Energy on Stage (See page 43 for The Simpsons: A Nuclear Outing, a play about nuclear energy.)
• Extended Reading on Nuclear Topics

NEED Infobook Content about Nuclear Energy

• Primary Nuclear Infosheets
• Elementary Nuclear Infosheets
• Intermediate Nuclear Infosheets
• Secondary Nuclear Infosheets

Presentations from the Nuclear Energy Conference for Educators - Charlottesville, Virginia - July 25-29, 2010

• Nuclear Power in Perspective/ Introduction to Nuclear Reactors
• Understanding Fission
• What is Radiation?
• The Nuclear Fuel Cycel
• Nuclear Power Plant Hearing - Combined Construction Permit and Operating License
• AREVA - U.S. Nuclear Industry
• AREVA - Nuclear Plant Overview
• A Global Nuclear Renaissance - Sharon Squassoni, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Additional Activities and Resources

• Radioactive Decay Activity
• Milling Simulation
• Average Atomic Mass Activity
• Atom Game
• Introduction to Nuclear Technologies
• Atomic Structure Presentation
• Beneficial Uses of Radiation Presentation
• Cells Presentation
• Cloud Chamber Activity
• DNA Activity

Links

• Council on Foreign Relations Nuclear Energy Guide
• United States Nuclear Energy Commission
• International Atomic Energy Agency
• The Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues
• Uranium (nuclear) Basics from the EIA Energy Kids web site
• Information about Japan's Electricity Generation in 2009 from the EIA
• American Nuclear Society