BEST HIGH SCHOOL

Senate
Hearings

From Lake Washington School District Current News and Publications:

http://www.lkwash.wednet.edu/lwsd/html/news/storyDetail.asp?storyId=416

BEST Students Simulate Washington State Nuclear Hearing

On January 23, <2003> students at BEST High School simulated an Energy and Natural Resources Hearing regarding nuclear power concerns after a nuclear incident in Washington State. The school wide effort included students role playing senators, physicists, university professors, research officials, president of a utility company, local dairy farmer, lobbyists, and media.

The scenario given to students detailed the overheating of a nuclear power plant and the release of radioactive gasses into the atmosphere for approximately 2.5 hours. The reaction was finally brought under control after six hours. There were three proposals brought forward to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources including closing down all similar nuclear power plants, improving training and safety procedures, and establishing an independent regulatory board.

Teams of students testified sharing concerns from the groups they represented. One student, portraying the nuclear power plant’s safety coordinator, said, “No one died and we know what was wrong with the value that malfunctioned. There was too much sand and residue built up, and we have modified our training.” A dairy farmer shared his concerns regarding the radiation of his cows and the presence of iodine in their milk. While others representing the utility company claimed the need for affordable energy far outweighed the risk of a nuclear accident.

The event was the brainchild of math/science teacher Darin Detwiler. Teachers from other classes including earth science, U.S. citizenship, world history, English, art, and foods, all helped to prepare students to take part in the simulation. After completing the multi-disciplined exercise, students commented they were looking forward to their next school-wide simulation.

From the Toyota TAPESTRY grant program website:

http://www.nsta.org/programs/tapestry/index.htm

The Toyota TAPESTRY grant program, sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and administered by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) awarded one of 73 national grants to BEST High School to continue to use and develop this project for the 2003 - 2004 school year. According to the Toyota TAPESTRY grant program, "Toyota TAPESTRY projects demonstrate creativity, involve risk-taking, possess a visionary quality, and model a novel way of presenting science."

2003 Toyota TAPESTRY Mini-Grant Awardees [ $2,500.00 ]

Literacy and Science Education

Senate Science Hearing
Project Director: Darin Detwiler
Staff: Nattolie Sinclaire, Emily Hundahl, Shane Kleven, Martha Daman, Heather Hastie, Evelyn Vidal-Armour
BEST High School
10903 N.E. 53rd Street
Kirkland, WA 98033
Phone: 425-828-3289 x573
E-mail: ddetwiler@lkwash.wednet.edu

Description:
The scenario of a nuclear incident in Washington State will require students to investigate the science and history of our state’s energy sources and land/water uses in order to provide testimony for a Senate proposal hearing. The Science department will align curricula in Physics and Earth/Environmental Science to support targeted learning before, during and after the hearing. Further, English, Citizenship, Photography, World History and Video classes will be aligned to support this cross-curriculum science integration project.

Darin wrote an article for the April, 2003, OPTIONS IN EDUCATION: The Newsletter of the Washington Association for Learning Alternatives [WALA]. The article appears on page 6.

“Senate Hearings as Integration and Assessment Tools.”

http://www.walakids.com/OPTIONS/WALA_-_April_2003.pdf

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