Fusion Forge
NGSS HS-PS1-8 · HS-ESS1-1 · HS-ESS3-2
Read the standards: HS-PS1-8, HS-ESS1-1, HS-ESS3-2
Fuse two atoms against the Coulomb barrier, run the Sun's crushed core, then race ITER to breakeven in a tokamak you control.
About This Interactive
What do students do?
Fusion at three sizes. In the atom view, students slam deuterium into tritium and hunt for the lowest temperature that fuses, then discover they can't manage it at the Sun's actual core temperature, which sets up the unit's best question. In the star view they drive the Sun's core with temperature, pressure, and fuel sliders until it matches the real Sun, then drain the fuel to fast-forward its old age. In the tokamak view they run an ITER-class reactor chasing breakeven, then ten-times gain, then ignition. The full lesson ends with students testifying at a mock congressional funding hearing, armed with their own numbers. Under the hood are real measured reaction rates and the actual ITER design point.
What does it cover?
NGSS HS-PS1-8: develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus and the energy released during fusion. It also supports HS-ESS1-1 on the Sun's lifespan and the HS-ESS3 energy codes at introductory depth. Key vocabulary: plasma, Coulomb barrier, quantum tunneling, tokamak, breakeven, deuterium, tritium.
How long does it take?
20 to 30 minutes for the quick version, or one 90 minute high school block.
What does it run on?
Every SciMinis interactive runs free in the browser with nothing to install and no accounts, on Chromebooks, laptops, tablets, and phones. It's fully bilingual: one tap switches the whole interactive, worksheet included, between English and Spanish.
What do teachers get?
Each interactive ships with vocabulary flashcards, a ten-question worksheet students can export as a PDF, and complete NGSS-aligned lesson plans: a 20 to 30 minute quick version and a full timed 5E lesson. The lesson plans and answer key stay behind a free teacher password, so students can't peek.