Although we did not get any schools for this year’s Drawing Contest, the Public Information Committee did give the first elementary school presentation on Nuclear Science and Technology to the Countryside Montessori School. Adam Strange and Sarah Chisholm presented to three classes of combined 4th, 5th, and 6th graders.
Although we did not get any schools for this year’s Drawing Contest, the Public Information Committee did give the first elementary school presentation on Nuclear Science and Technology to the Countryside Montessori School. Adam Strange and Sarah Chisholm presented to three classes of combined 4th, 5th, and 6th graders.
The presentation covers how different power plants produce electricity (nuclear, wind, solar, hydroelectric, coal, and gas powered plants) and more specifically how nuclear fission produces heat that can be used to generate electricity. The presentation then gives a brief overview of other areas that nuclear science and technology can be used such as in smoke detectors and food irradiation. The presentation was followed by a hands-on demonstration which included a scale model of a fuel assembly and a Geiger counter to measure radioactivity in different materials.
The following are some Lessons Learned and suggestions for future YGN presenters:
Contacting the schools:
- See if any of your coworkers have children in 4th or 5th grade and ask if they wouldn’t mind proposing the presentation to their school. An interested parent can be a good incentive for the school to participate.
- Public schools will require more administrative approval than private schools. We are currently approaching the CMS public schools’ Elementary Science Coordinator.
- Even though the deadline for the National Drawing Contest is past, we can still effectively give the presentation as is.
- After each presentation follow up with the school and send them a thank you email along with a few pictures of the presentation and ask if they would get you in contact with other schools. Also offer to help out with other school activities such as judging science fairs.
Presentation format:
- The hands-on activities worked out very well. In the next PI conference call we should come up with a wish list of presentation materials for each site and perhaps form a sub-committee to begin obtaining them.
- The full presentation is approximately 40 minutes long. Allot a full hour if doing the hands-on activity afterwards. If you also plan on doing drawings, have the students either begin them prior to the hands-on portion or take them home.
- If possible, keep the class sizes under 30.
- The Question/Answer format of the presentation seems to encourage student participation. A good way to get the students involved if their attention is lagging is to ask a question that you know they can answer.
- Get the teacher involved with the hands-on activities.
Presentation items - Make sure that you have access to the following items or arrange to bring them along:
- Projector
- Computer
- Presentation CD (leave with teacher)
- Power strip
- Extension cord
- Screen/blank wall
- Presentation clicker or a second person to operate the slideshow
