A2 Science In Society 3.5
Teacher Notes
Introduction
This activity builds on the experience of discussion, debate and the
development of argument skills in the AS course. The topic of nuclear
power continues to be highly controversial. A wide range of sources is
available. This makes the topic a good one for a debate.
Science explanations
The suggested format for the activity is based on the Debating Matters
Competition, a national debating competition for sixth-form students. To
find out more, visit www.debatingmatters.com.
Og In a fossil fuel or nuclear power
plant energy is used to change
water into steam, which drives a
turbine to turn a generator.
Od The fission of some heavy
atomic nuclei can also release
energy.
The activity
A debate needs careful preparation by the students if it is to be
valuable. One approach is to divide the class into two groups in
advance. One group will be expected to argue broadly in favour
of nuclear power and the other group in advance. Some students
may have to argue against their convictions but it should be
possible to persuade them that this is a worthwhile exercise as
part of understanding an issue in depth.
Before the main session brief the class and ask them to prepare
by reading the relevant section in the textbook and by studying at
least one of the resources listed under ‘sources of information’.
These vary in length and demand and you may want to suggest
to some students which resource they should focus on.
Remind students of what they learnt about the structure of a good
argument during the AS course, of the importance of being able
to support arguments with evidence and of being ready to deal
with counter arguments
(http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/argument)
In the first part of the main session, each group collaborates to
prepare the two formal presentations they must give in the
debate, to agree on supplementary points that might be made in
discussion and to prepare some questions to use to challenge the
other side. During this preparation the groups decide on their two
main speakers and everyone else has agreed on something to
contribute to the discussion.
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How Science Works
Ga Everything we do carries a certain risk.
New technologies and processes based on
scientific advances often introduce new
risks.
Ha Science-based technology provides
people with many things that they value,
and which enhance the quality of life or of
the environment. Some technologies,
however, have unintended and undesirable
impacts. These need to be weighed against
the benefits.
Hb Decision makers aim to make evidencebased decisions, taking into account factors
that include: technical feasibility, benefits
expected, economic cost, risks to human
health and well-being, risks to the
environment.
Hf. Decision makers are influenced by the
mass media, by special interest groups and
by public opinion as well as by expert
evidence. Decisions about science and
technology may be influenced by decision
makers’ prior beliefs or vested interests,
which can affect their interpretation and
evaluation of the evidence.
Hg Many decisions about new technologies
involve economic considerations, and raise
social and political issues (e.g. increased
mechanisation of a process may result in
fewer jobs of some kinds; new farming
methods may change patterns of
employment in rural communities).
©The Nuffield Foundation, 2009
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges
A2 Science In Society 3.5
Teacher Notes
Allow one hour for the debate, which you chair and might run along the following lines.
1
As chair, remind the class of the procedure and the topic for debate: ‘There is an urgent need to build
new nuclear power stations in Britain’.
2
Invite the debaters to speak in the order with an agreed time limit of not more than 3 minutes:
 first speaker for the motion
 first speaker against the motion
 second speaker for the motion
 second speaker against the motion
3
Take first round of comments and questions from the audience. Invite three or four students to
express their opinions and ask questions.
4
Invite the four main speakers to respond in turn to the comments and questions.
5
Take a second round of comments and questions making sure that everyone has made a
contribution.
6. Again ask the four main speakers to respond and at the same time to make their final remarks aimed
at persuading the class to vote for their side of the debate.
7
Take a vote. You might decide to make this secret. Consider asking for a vote on two points: one
vote on the motion for debate; a second vote on which group made the better case for their point of
view in the debate.
8
Announce the result. If there is time give an opportunity for students to reflect on the debate, the
persuasiveness of the arguments used and what they have learnt about the issue.
July 2009
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©The Nuffield Foundation, 2009
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges
A2 Science In Society 3.5
Student sheets
Introduction
The UK government is now in favour of building more nuclear power stations, but there is much public
distrust of the technology. What do you think?
Your task
You are going to take part in a debate on the motion: ‘There is an urgent need to build new nuclear
power stations in Britain’.
The form of the debate will be explained by your teacher. You may have to make a short, formal
presentation at the start to the debate; or you may be expected to contribute your views to the discussion
and ask questions of the main speakers.
You need to decide on your views and to formulate the arguments you will use to support your views.
You will be given time to do this with the help of the sources of information suggested below; however
you will have to be selective. You might decide to development your argument in relation to just one of
the aspects of the debate.
Sources of information
Nuclear power with its risks and benefits are described in your textbook on pages 145 – 154 with a
particular emphasis on risks and the issue of dealing with nuclear waste.
The BBC has a guide to nuclear power which explores the issues including waste, cost and energy
alternatives.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/sci_tech/2005/nuclear/default.stm
The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology has produced a four page guide for
parliamentarians about Future Nuclear Technologies.
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/postpn317.pdf
The World Nuclear Forum presents a table on its web site setting out the common arguments against
nuclear power with rebuttals from the nuclear industry.
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf50.html
The Nuclear Industry Association in the UK presents a set of talking points on its web site as a
contribution to the energy debate.
http://www.niauk.org/hot-topics.html
The UK government policy on nuclear power was presented in a 2008 white paper. The key arguments
are set out in the overview with the main conclusions in short passages of bold type. (Note that changes
to government ministries may mean that the documents move to a new web site. Search on: ‘Meeting
the energy challenge’.)
http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/sources/nuclear/whitepaper/page42765.html
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©The Nuffield Foundation, 2009
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges
A2 Science In Society 3.5
Student sheets
Greenpeace makes the case against nuclear power on its web site.
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/nuclear
Friends of the Earth is a campaigning group that makes the case against nuclear power.
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/issues/nuclear_index.html
WWF is against nuclear power. The case is summarised on its web site and supported by position
statements that can be downloaded.
http://www.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/energy_solutions/energy_vision/nuclear_power/
The Oxford Research Group has published on its web site a series of fact sheets related to nuclear
power. A detailed but outline summary of the issues related to nuclear policy are summarised in Secure
Energy? Are the risks of new nuclear power too great? which was produced to help the public respond to
the UK governments consultation about nuclear power in 2007.
http://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/work/global_security/energy.php
Search for ‘nuclear power’ at the web site of the California State Library and you will find a very clear
summary in a paper called: The benefits and risks of nuclear power in California. This provides a review
of developments internationally as well as in California and covers the health risks, the economic
arguments and the issue of nuclear waste.
http://www.library.ca.gov/
Professor David MacKay examines the potential of nuclear power, its costs, safety issues and some of
the misconceptions in his on-line book Sustainable energy without the hot air. (page 161 – 171; pdf file
page 174 – 184).
http://www.withouthotair.com/.
Arguments for and against nuclear power are presented on this Physics World web page. The pages
were published in 2001.
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/print/128
This article in the New Statesman by Mark Lynas links together many of the issues in some of the
sources above. The article is called: Why greens must learn to love nuclear power.
http://www.newstatesman.com/environment/2008/09/nuclear-power-lynas-reactors
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©The Nuffield Foundation, 2009
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges