OpenSciEd Chemistry + Earth & Space Unit 5: Energy from Chemical & Nuclear Reactions Student Workbook

OpenSciEd High School addresses all high school NGSS standards. This comprehensive science curriculum empowers students to question, design, investigate, and solve the world around them. 

• Phenomenon Based - Centered around exploring phenomena or solving problems
• Driven by Student Questions - Storyline based on students’ questions and ideas 
• Grounded in Evidence - Incremental building and revision of ideas based on evidence 
• Collaborative - class and teacher figure out ideas together
• Equitable - Builds a classroom culture that values ideas and learning of all

The OpenSciEd model uses a storyline approach, introducing phenomena that anchors storylines developing disciplinary core ideas, concepts, and science/engineering practices. Students are encouraged to dive deep into key points and solve problems through five activities. 

C.5 Energy from Chemical & Nuclear Reactions: How can chemistry help us evaluate fuels and transportation options to benefit the Earth and our communities?

How can chemistry help us evaluate fuels and transportation options to benefit the Earth and our communities? This unit is designed to help students figure out ways to address climate change, first introduced in the first unit of the course. Students engage with information about different fuels used for transportation. They figure out what is happening in combustion reactions in gasoline, diesel, and biofuel engines, but are unsure where the energy is actually coming from. These use magnet marbles and simulations to figure it out and eventually quantify how much energy is released. They shift their focus toward engineering considerations and consider fuel options that are not carbon-based: electric vehicles, hydrogen, and uranium. They conclude the unit by evaluating a variety of fuels and other transportation solutions for a specific transportation goal. In doing so they develop nuanced arguments for a mix of transportation options to help address environmental, safety, and other concerns.

Perfectly aligned with each unit, the consumable student workbook provides students with a dedicated space to write through their ideas and thoughts with every exercise and activity helping to reinforce important themes and concepts.

The Student Edition, Teacher Edition and material kits are sold separately.