Chapter 13: Eastern Europe "Chernobyl's Nuclear Disaster"

Introduction

In this chapter students read about the nations of Eastern Europe. Until the late 1980s or early 1990s the former Soviet Union controlled these countries. As part of their emphasis on production and heavy industry, the Soviets neglected certain safety precautions. They also neglected environmental concerns. Some of the most polluted places in the world are located in the countries that formerly made up the Soviet Union. The country of Ukraine, site of the Chernobyl disaster, was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union.

Lesson Description

Students will work their way through a site that describes the accident, its causes, and its effects. They will then write a newspaper article about the accident.

National Geography Standards:
Standard 14: The geographically informed person knows and understands how human actions modify the physical environment. Standard 17: The geographically informed person knows and understands how to apply geography to interpret the past.

Instructional Objectives

1. The student will be able to define the causes and effects of the Chernobyl nuclear accident.
2. The student will be able to describe the accident in a written narrative account.

Student Web Activity Answers

1. At least 9 million people in the former Soviet Union have been affected.
2. Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia
3. Thyroid cancer; problems of the nervous and sensory organs; disorders of the digestive organs; malignant tumors; and disorders of the bone, muscle, and connective tissue system have all increased dramatically.
4. The "sarcophagus" is the Chernobyl Unit 4 post-accident containment structure. It was built to isolate and contain the remains of the damaged reactor.
5. Students' stories may vary.

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