Eyes across the globe
Students will learn about three global monitoring networks and the types of scientific data collected by each. Additional prompts encourage students to consider the purpose of these networks.
Educator Guide: Radioactive Cloud Linked to Russia
RADIOACTIVE RELEASE Scientists have suggested a possible source for a cloud of radioactive material that swept over European countries in 2017: the Russian nuclear plant Mayak (a sign from the facility shown).
Kiselev Alexey/Shutterstock
About this guide
This guide, based on the Science News article “Radioactive cloud traced to Russia,” asks students to evaluate evidence, explore global monitoring networks and use an interactive simulation to learn about elements, ions and isotopes.
This Guide Includes:
Atoms, ions and isotopes, oh why?
Students will use a PhET Interactive Simulation to understand the definitions, similarities and differences of elements, ions and isotopes. Then students will explore the Science News journalism archive to find current science research examples that apply these concepts.
A nuclear whodunit
These questions, based on the Science News article “Radioactive cloud traced to Russia,” ask students to identify a series of events and list and evaluate evidence.
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