Reaching students since 2018: Developed by ANS and Discovery Education, in partnership with the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, Navigating Nuclear has been inspiring students since 2018. The curriculum fulfills teachers’ needs for exciting, fact-based resources that explore nuclear processes and the most current technologies that use them.
“Navigating Nuclear is more accessible than ever,” said Craig Piercy, Executive Director and CEO of the American Nuclear Society. “We’ve already reached more than 1.6 million students and it’s only the start. We’re expanding the impact of the program by adding the resources to the ANS website.
“Navigating Nuclear brings to life how nuclear energy and radiation works—including how nuclear technologies power NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover mission,” Piercy added. “Navigating Nuclear’s digital lessons, project starters and virtual field trips are perfect teaching tools for every teacher and parent, including home schoolers.”
Expanding boundaries: Navigating Nuclear’s three Virtual Field Trips take students on a guided tour of Arizona Public Service’s Palo Verde—the nation’s largest nuclear power plant site, to Idaho National Laboratory for a tour of the Advanced Test Reactor and more, and even to follow the flight path of the Mars Perseverance Rover. Each virtual field trip lets students meet inspiring nuclear professionals, and students can also explore careers on the Navigating Nuclear website. Teachers and parents can turn to the Educator Guide that accompanies each video to extend the learning.
Leading-edge science and technology: Navigating Nuclear is aligned to educational standards, and it invites students to explore the many applications of nuclear science and its impact on energy, healthcare, food, and the environment.
“American Nuclear Society members are passionate about sharing their knowledge of nuclear science and technology,” said ANS President Steven Nesbit. “Navigating Nuclear brings educators and students curriculum content that has been vetted by engineers, scientists, and other professionals who are on the leading edge in a wide range of nuclear fields.”
The entire curriculum, including digital lessons, project starters, career profiles, and three exciting Virtual Field Trips can now be found at ans.org/navigatingnuclear. Check out the site today and share these resources with schools, teachers, and parents near you.
