Nuclear Power Plant Mission (LS-HR-703)
Introduction
With this learning scenario 12th grade students will repeat the previous content on the topic of nuclear physics. To make students more engaged and active, scenario implements game-based learning and elements of gamification. All the tasks are integrated into the popular Escape Room game made in Google Forms. Students will work collaboratively in groups, enhancing their digital, social, personal, communication and STEM competences.
Learning process
At the beginning of the lesson, teacher explained to students the main lesson activity and presented Europeana platform. Instead of the usual repetition of content and practice tasks given in native language, this time students solved Escape Room game in English. Students were collaborating in groups of three while solving the tasks. During group work, teacher was providing help to students if they needed it.
Students used their mobile phones, tablet or laptop and Internet to access the game or to search the information. The game itself consists of 11 chambers that students must go through by solving tasks on nuclear physics subtopics. The aim of the game is to shut down the reactor. Solutions are the codes that unlock the doors of the new chamber.
Tasks were presented in unusual way. Students needed to put the puzzle together to connect the scientist in the picture with his notable discovery. In some other tasks they solved crossword puzzle. Its solution revealed an anagram of the physicist’s surname. A phonetic alphabet was hiding a particle of a beta decay. Europeana picture showing a physicists led the students to the name of the detector. Or a picture of a mummy led them to name of the dating method.
In this game, students also solved typical tasks as nuclear reaction equation, calculated energy obtained in nuclear reaction and determined time passed in radioactive decay. These tasks were presented using digital tools, like Canva and Genially.
Finally, when students managed to solve the game, with less or more difficulty, they received a well-deserved certificate of achievement.
Remarks and feedback
At the end of the lesson students completed a questionnaire about activity, motivation, group work and self-assessment of knowledge and skills required. Their responses revealed that they were very motivated to finish the game. The tasks were very engaging to them and everyone in the group contributed to finish this challenge.
Would you like to know more about this learning scenario? You can download it below:
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CC BY 4.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Wellcome Collection.