Resources: Class presentation and handout.
Handout: Recall properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation. Describe and explain the uses of radioactive tracers. Compare gamma and X-rays. Discuss the use of gamma rays in radiotherapy. Evaluate the use of radiation in medicine.
How is radiation used in medicine? Ask the students what they know. Most will identify x-rays. Discuss the ionising and non-ionising spectrum of radiation and place x-rays and gamma radiation upon that spectrum.
Use the handout to reinforce learning and understanding from the lesson. The questions will revisit basic understanding of nuclear particles and, more specifically, will expect the students to formulate strong responses regarding the use of radiation in radiotherapy.
For the Mission Assignment, guide students to use a site, such as http://www.world-nuclear.org/information
Give the students the following instructions: Visit the recommended link given by your teacher to the use of radiation in medicine. Make notes on the internal and external use of radioactive isotopes. Take notes from written texts that list precise bullet points of information. These can become flashcards (which are easy to revise for exams). Consider how radiation can be used in positive and life-changing applications.
Career Film: This is Luke Spencer. Luke works at National Nuclear Laboratory as a Scientific Apprentice. Find out about the role Luke is training for.
Expert Film: This is Luke Spencer. Luke works for National Nuclear Laboratory as a Scientific Apprentice. Luke explains how radiation from the nuclear industry is used in medicine.
The students can use the information on the handout to summarise the uses of radiation in medicine. They can then complete the questions on the handout to recall the properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation and how these relate to medical uses. The students can then describe and explain the uses of radioactive isotopes as tracers, the use of gamma rays in radiotherapy and can compare gamma rays to X-rays. Finally, the students should evaluate the use of radiotherapy by discussing its advantages and disadvantages.
Challenge Task: Ask the students to research what a pacemaker is, how it works and how it uses radioactivity. Evaluate the benefits and risks of using a radioactive source for this use.
Complete the summative quiz on the presentation to assess learning. Introduce the students to the concept of a perceived risk (an individual's view of what constitutes risk/danger). How would a person assess their perceived risk of a medical treatment involving radiation? What are the side effects? What are the benefits? Do they outweigh the risk? What else should they consider (patient's own health/circumstances). How would you make a decision about receiving treatment?