Students will learn about the differences in physical propoerties at the nanoscale as compared to the same materials at the macroscale. The students will demonstrate the appropriate use of a spectrophotometer and will convert between different units of measurement. This unit assists students in working with scale and unit conversion.
Introduction to Creative Problem Solving in Nanotechnology (Middle and High School curriculum lesson)
This lesson serves as an introduction to the field of nanotechnology by discussing its real-world implications in light of current economic issues and conditions. The lesson is performed using the Creative Problem-Solving format and serves as a method to encourage debate on current topics.
The purpose of this lesson is to help students visualize how small a nanometer is by relating the size to the numbers- millions, billions and trillions and then relating those numbers to how small particles of matter are. It begins to lay the foundation for future learning about atoms in the middle grades.
The purpose of this lesson is to help students extend their knowledge of area, perimeter, and volume to include surface area. The understanding of these concepts begin in the elementary grades and helps students understand events such as why a hot potato cools down quicker when it is spread out in smaller pieces and why a cell is triggered to divide. This understanding is even more important when students begin to understand the micro and nano scales in middle and high school.
The book What’s Smaller Than A Pygmy Shrew? by Robert E. Wells helps students see that a pygmy shrew is among the tiniest of mammals and that a ladybug is even smaller. But in the book, they will also find even smaller things that they ordinarily do not see. This is the beginning of understanding students must have to be able to conceptualize the behavior of matter at the nanoscale and the tools used to explore this world.
Resource sheet with basic nanotechnology information on one side and physics formulas on the back. PDF file suitable for printing and lamination.
Physical Science Reference Sheets including general nanotechnology information, formulas, periodic table. Suitable for printing and lamination
The purpose of this unit is to help students make the connection that the classification of mixtures is based on the size of particles. This connects to two of the Big Ideas in Nanoscale Science and Engineering (Stevens, Sutherland, and Krajick 2009). The first is Size and Scale or factors relating to size and geometry of materials which help describe matter and predict its behavior. The second is Size-Dependent Properties that can change with scale. In particular, as the size of a material transitions from the bulk to atomic scale, it often exhibits unexpected
This lesson explores the ethical concerns related to bio-nanotechnology. Bio-nanotechnology is the application of nanotechnology to living things. This ranges from the creation of pharmaceuticals to medical devices. While scientists have created many life-saving treatments ethical concerns, such as privacy, can arise from such technological advances.
Reference Sheet with basic biology information and information about nanotechnology. Suitable for printing.