Plan for the study of atomic energy in the junior and senior high school

Abstract

Scope of Study: Changes in our way of living brought about by the advent of the Atomic Age have resulted in new problems for the schools. All students must acquire a basic understanding of the principles, the possibilities, and the hazards of atomic energy in the new era. Those students who plan to make science their life work must be given a basic training upon which to build. It is the purpose of the report to present a series of study units for junior and. senior high schools which will meet the needs of both groups of students.

Findings and Conclusions: Correspondence with thirty-seven of the State Departments of Public Instruction indicates little organized effort to set up any state-wide atomic energy education programs. However many schools are including some work of this nature interspersed in the science courses. The units presented in this report provide general information on the physical nature of matter for the seventh and eighth grades. In the general science class, since this is the only point of contact with all students, an attempt is made to provide understanding of the physical nature of atomic energy, its importance to mankind, and the social and economic implications. The units for the advanced science classes provide more detailed information and are designed to enrich science experiences through the use of radioisotopes.