Investigating Isotopes

Many people are unaware of the multitude of ways that the peaceful atom has been put into use in our daily lives. While nuclear applications for energy have been widely known, the beneficial elements remain unknown.

From the time we wake up each day until we go to sleep we unknowingly benefit from the many ingenious applications of radioisotopes.

You have been asked to serve as part of a team of scientists that will bring information to an underdeveloped country. They have not begun to use the variety of ways that radioisotopes have been applied to modern science. Your role will be to gather information in order to teach scientists from the country about the application of radioisotopes in modern science. Because their resources are limited you will also recommend the three most important areas in which you feel they should apply the technology in their country.

You will work as part of a research team consisting of four members to gather information specific to the application of radioisotopes in modern science.

Your team will research the following applications:

• Food and Agriculture
• Water Resources
• Medicine
• Science and Industry

Each team member will collect information on their specific application. You will be responsible for teaching the members of your team about that application.

Your team will then create a ranked list of your groups' recommended choices. You will need to identify the three areas you feel would be most beneficial to the county. You will need to consider the following factors about the country. Your group will create a presentation presenting your three choices and detailed explanations to explain your choices.

• Power Point presentation or other multimedia product
• Pamphlet or brochure
• Video PSA
• Wiki Web page
• Podcast or Vodcast
  

  Teacher note: To facilitate the collaborative nature of this project, consider creating a project-based wiki or using another collaborative Web 2.0 tool (VoiceThread, MindMeister, Groupsite.com, etc.) to use as a workspace. For further help/suggestions, see your Library Media Specialist or visit http://bcpslibraryinformationservices.pbworks.com/.

Subsidiary Questions:

What are isotopes?

What is a radioisotope?

What makes radioisotopes unique?

Use this questioning organizer. It may be helpful for you to think of your own questions.

Gather information from a variety of sources.

Sort your findings using a graphic organizer, note cards, outline, word document, or other form for recording your research.

Cite your sources to avoid plagiarism.

• Avoiding Plagiarism (Safari Montage)

• Avoiding Plagiarism (Print Document)

• MLA Bibliography (Print Document)

• EasyBib Citation Creat

Sort your research findings using a graphic organizer or note cards. Be sure
to avoid plagiarism and keep track of your resources for a bibliography.

Analyze your research notes to determine if you have adequate information to present information to your group. You will need to have enough information to teach your team members about the application you researched.

Synthesize your findings by creating a list of the three areas that would be most effective for the country to put into practice.

• Have you gathered significant details about your radioisotope application? Do you need to find additional internet sources?
• What steps do you need to take in order to create an effective presentation to your group?
• Are your details organized in a way that you can make decisions about their value to the country?