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Chemistry. In Chemistry 5: Energy from Chemical & Nuclear Reactions, Carolina Certified Version*, students work to answer the Unit Driving Question: "How can chemistry help us evaluate fuels and transportation options to benefit the Earth and our communities?"

This unit is anchored by the problem of continuing carbon dioxide emissions from transportation, despite the harm it causes established throughout the rest of the course. Students explore 15 fuels used for transportation, ranging from "human power" to fossil fuels, biofuels, batteries, hydrogen, and uranium. In Lesson Set 1 (Lessons 1-8), students leverage data from physical and computational models to develop science ideas about how carbon-based fuels get energy from the breaking and forming of bonds, as energy transfers between particles and fields. In Lessons 9-12 in Lesson Set 2, students figure out where energy comes from in fuels that are not carbon based. They also think more deeply about the energy implications of using different fuels. In Lesson Set 3 (Lessons 13-15), students are pushed to think at the transportation system level and use engineering thinking to weigh science ideas from throughout the unit with information about larger social impact of fuels, including costs, availability, safety, and impacts on Earth systems.

Throughout the unit, students:

Systematically use lenses of matter, energy, and forces to help explain the mechanisms behind different fuels providing energy to vehicles.
Evaluate different possible future fuels using science ideas from the unit and new engineering tools that build on students' work in prior units.
Support arguments and design decisions with data from a variety of sources.

This 1-Class Unit Kit comes with basic teacher access to instructional materials on CarolinaScienceOnline.com, plus the materials needed for a teacher to teach 1 class of 32 students per day.

Building Toward the Next Generation Science Standards
Performance Expectations (PEs)

HS-PS1-4: Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy.
HS-PS1-8†: Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.
HS-PS3-1†: Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.
HS-PS3-2†: Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as a combination of energy associated with the motions of particles (objects) and energy associated with the relative positions of particles (objects).
HS-PS3-5†: Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.
HS-ESS3-1**: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
HS-ESS3-2†: Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
HS-ESS3-4**: Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
HS-ETS1-1**: Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.

**This performance expectation is developed across multiple OpenSciEd® units.
†This performance expectation is developed across multiple OpenSciEd® courses.

Focal Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs)

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Focal Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs)

PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter
PS1.B: Chemical Reactions
PS1.C: Nuclear Processes
PS3.A: Definitions of Energy
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces
ESS3.A: Natural Resources
ESS3.B: Natural Hazards
ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions
ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution

Focal Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect
Energy and Matter

*All enhancements to materials and instruction for this Carolina Certified Version of the unit are approved by OpenSciEd® to preserve the integrity of the storyline and the instructional model.

The Next Generation Science Standards® is a registered trademark of WestEd. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.