K-2 Nuclear Energy Program Makes Science Accessible

Through a first in the nation pilot program, elementary educators deliver age-appropriate, inquiry-based education on nuclear energy concepts.

A teacher seated at a table while a young girl works on a robotic device

Key Findings

  • First-in-the-nation K–2 nuclear energy curriculum
  • High educator confidence and adoption intent
  • Scalable model reaching 25,000 students statewide
highly confident

83% of educators reported the highest level of confidence in teaching nuclear energy concepts

plan to implement

91% plan to implement the curriculum in the upcoming school year.

rated 4-5 stars

100% of educators rated the program 4 to 5 stars

Program brings nuclear energy concepts into kindergarten through second-grade classrooms for the first time.

In this cohesive model, higher education, nonprofit leadership, and industry expertise all come together. Rigorous, content-specific instruction with educator professional learning, authentic workforce connections, and statewide scale. The breakthrough is not only introducing nuclear energy earlier, but also how it’s taught. Through this cross-sector collaboration, the program integrates storytelling, engineering design challenges, literacy-rich strategies, and real-world problem solving. These elements make complex concepts accessible, engaging, and relevant for young learners.

  • A facilitator wearing a glove demonstrates a handheld radiation detector beside a yellow radioactive-materials bag as teachers observe.
  • An instructor presents an “All About the Atom” slide to seated teachers at a nuclear energy training workshop.
  • Teachers gather around a model town built on a road-map mat during the “Powering Our Town” curriculum activity.
  • Educators seated around a table examine a tabletop reactor model during a K–2 nuclear energy professional development session.

A first-of-its-kind curriculum, built for scale. Led by Battelle Education’s Tennessee STEM Innovation Network — with the University of Tennessee’s Nuclear Engineering faculty, North American Young Generation in Nuclear, and statewide industry partners — the program combines rigorous content with hands-on professional development.

Teachers receive training plus a ready-to-use “Powering Our Town” curriculum. This 11-lesson, storytelling- and design-based unit demystifies nuclear power and connects to real-world problem solving.

Two North American Young Generation in Nuclear stories—George’s Energy Adventure and Marie’s Electric Adventure—were incorporated into the curriculum and used to align instruction with K–2 math, science, reading, and social studies standards that students are already learning.

Cross-curricular connections include:

  • community helpers to highlight career pathways,
  • mapping skills through locating power plants,
  • economics concepts such as producers and consumers of electricity, wants and needs, and life before electricity, and
  • timelines illustrating the history of energy production.

Reach is what sets it apart. Over five years, 280 teachers across Tennessee will be equipped to inspire some 25,000 K–2 students with age-appropriate nuclear energy lessons — seeding a future talent pipeline in clean energy.

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