The U.S. Department of Energey says Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership, LLC, the Paducah Site deactivation and remediation contractor for the DOE, instructed the students prior to the current COVID-19 restrictions on how groundwater can get polluted and actions that can prevent groundwater pollution.
The middle school groundwater lessons introduce students to the science of hydrogeology and related future career options. Students learn how to test pH levels in water and how soil textures impact the speed at which groundwater travels to larger bodies of water. The students also learn about environmental stewardship and how common products, such as motor oil, can negatively impact groundwater that flows through the earth into creeks, rivers, and oceans.
“Sixth grade is a good age to talk to students about groundwater because most students in that grade are learning about the water cycle in their science classes,” FRNP Program Manager Myrna Redfield said. “It is important for kids at this age to be exposed to S.T.E.M. topics, as well as have a better understanding of how the choices we make impact our environment.”
“It is important for middle school students to understand how the choices we make today impact our rivers and oceans in the future,” said Paducah Site Lead Jennifer Woodard of DOE’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office. In addition to the groundwater lesson, students learned about the history of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and the careers available there.
FRNP and DOE’s partnership provides education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to students in grades K-12, and also offers a summer internship program for college students.
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