Nuclear Power and Climate Change
Provided by: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative|Published on: April 27, 2021|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Health
Authors: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This lesson about nuclear power includes student pages, discussion questions, risk analysis activities, and a data analysis exercise.
- Students will also learn about the global distribution of nuclear power, nuclear waste, nuclear weapons, and nuclear accidents.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The materials included with this resource make it easy for educators to adapt it to many subject areas.
- A full transcript of the podcast is available.
Additional Prerequisites
- The link in the activities section of the Dive Deeper tab is broken.
- The link to the EPA's website in the podcast notes is broken.
- Students should be familiar with renewable energy sources and fossil fuels.
Differentiation
- Students could conduct a poll to find out students' opinions about the safety of nuclear energy prior to beginning the lesson.
- Science and social studies classes could discuss the current storage system for nuclear waste and research the sites for this waste to see if there are risks for contamination of groundwater, soil, or Indigenous lands.
- Other resources on this topic include this interactive map on global nuclear power generation, this video that explains how nuclear power works, and this video on nuclear energy's role in stopping climate change.
A transcript, an educator guide, and additional resource links are provided. In the podcast, an MIT expert presents an overview of nuclear energy production and nuclear technologies. A lot of material is covered in this podcast, including the history of nuclear energy production, new advancements in nuclear energy technologies, risks associated with nuclear technologies, and ways that communities and countries use nuclear technologies. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
