Relevant National Teaching Standards
Grade 5-8: Science as Inquiry (Understanding about Scientific Inquiry), Science in Personal and Social Perspectives (Personal Health-Cancer)
Grade 9-12: Science as Inquiry (Understanding about Scientific Inquiry), Science in Personal and Social Perspectives (Personal and Community Health-Cancer), Natural and Human-Induced Hazards (Science and Technology in Local, National and Global Challenges)
Synopsis: While the scientific community agrees that big doses of ionizing radiation cause serious damage to the human body, the effects of long-term, low-dose radiation are hotly contested. Some believe these minimal doses are dangerous, while others argue they are actually beneficial to human health. So, what's up with radiation? How have disasters at Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Chernobyl aided our scientific understanding of radiation?
Find
the article: Radiation reassessed
Discussion
Questions
1. Current radiation exposure limits in the United States are based on data collected from survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atom bombings. Are these individuals a good model from which to derive exposure limits for modern radiation workers (folks who work with medical X-rays, nuclear research, uranium mining, nuclear waste storage, etc)? Why or why not?
2. What is the difference between a "threshold" and a "no-threshold" model of radiation effects? What are the arguments for and against each model?
3. After 100 years of study, experts in the radiation field are still in the dark about many fundamental questions, such as the human health risks associated with various levels of exposure (tiny, little, lots) to various types of radiation (gamma, beta, non-ionizing, etc). Why has progress in this field been slow? Consider experimental limitations, variety of radiation, stochastic (random) effects, etc.
Lesson
Plans/Activities
1. What's your dose? Students use the Hanford at the Half-life radiation calculator to estimate their annual radiation dose. It's shocking to learn which common household items are hot! Each "Why is this important?" link provides insightful information about sources of radiation. This survey is recommended for grades 5-10.
2. Base pair wear n' tear! Students learn how DNA damage occurs and a bit about the body's natural DNA repair mechanism. This activity is recommended for grades 9-12.
3. Edible DNA! Students will salivate as they master the basic structure of DNA with this hands-on Have Your DNA and Eat It Too activity. No project waste, guaranteed. This activity is recommended for grades 5-10.
Take the: Quiz
