Introduction to Nuclear – Bell Ringer

Summary

Students examine images of uranium ore and a nuclear plant to activate prior knowledge before a nuclear energy unit. Three short prompts: a descriptive writing task, a mind map, and a headline exercise . Get students thinking about what nuclear energy is and where it comes from. Works for middle or high school science as a low-prep unit opener.

This is uranium ore that is processed and then used in nuclear energy.

If this piece of ore was in a sealed glass case, how would you describe it?

What do you know about nuclear energy?

Draw a mind map with the term NUCLEAR ENERGY in the middle.

  • Use colors to group themes.
  • Use lines to draw branches that add more specific ideas.
  • Connect branches with key words or phrases.

This is a nuclear plant.

If this was a picture in a local newspaper, what would the headline be?