Dealing with NJ's recent "hot" rock panic.

[Jerry Morse <jmorse@slate.Mines.EDU>]

We in health physics have enjoyed little success explaining radiation to 
adult audiences often too conditioned by the media and anti-nuclear 
organizations. Perhaps it is timely to reach out to the more curious in 
our midst -- the young.

Under Colorado Health Department leadership and EPA sponsorship, we 
developed a 2-3 week curiculum explaining natural radiation to students 
at the middle school level across the state. Now in its fourth year, the 
program endeavors to train middle school teachers with science 
backgrounds to teach the course to their grade 7-10 students. The module, 
called 3-R's for radioactivity, radiation and radon, combines lectures 
with individual "hands on" training making extensive use of a kit 
containing a GM counter, alpha, beta and gamma sources, shielding 
materials, a cloud chamber, samples of common minerals, fertilizer, a 
radium dial watch, piece of Fiesta Ware ceramics, and more. Kits are 
borrowed from the Colo School of Mines while the module is being taught. 
Teacher training requires one week; student training is at the teacher's 
discretion, usually 2-3 weeks. Our final training program this year 
begins June 16 on campus in Golden. It is not yet full. Please contact 
Marsha Barber, Director, Earth Science Program, CSM: 
mbarber@flint.mines.edu 

Feedback strongly indicates the course has been well-received by 
teachers, students, and even the latter's parents who occasionally call 
teachers telling them their kids do a far better job explaining radiation 
than do the media! 

We doubt seriously that any of our trainees would panic on finding a
"hot" rock in their midst as was done recently in NJ..

Our sponsors are considering extending the program beyond the state's 
borders, but are uncertain as how best to do it.
Jerry Morse, Physics Dept., jmorse@slate.mines.edu