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Education Home
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Nano-Lessons in a Box
Through the generous support of the National Science Foundation and Motorola, Inc., Nano-CEMMS has built nanotechnology
activity kits that can be used in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. Each kit contains everything a teacher needs to
deliver content to 30 students, including an activity guide, a PowerPoint presentation, transparencies, handouts,
assessments, and lab materials. The kits will be sent to you free of charge for a two-week period. Return postage
and a mailing label are included.
Nano-CEMMS educators have used the learning modules successfully with diverse middle and high school students over
the last few years. The modules satisfy multiple Illinois and National Learning Standards, in science, math, and
English language arts.
To Order:
Click on the link of the module that interests you for more information. Then specify the kit(s) that you would
like to order. You may order up to three kits at a time. Finally, complete the shipping information form. If
you have any additional requests, please write a note in the box provided.
After you submit your order, you will receive e-mail verification that we have received your order. We will ship
the kit to you one week before you need it (or as soon as possible if you would like it immediately and it is
available). We ask that you keep each kit for no more than two weeks, since the kits are in high demand. Note:
If we have not received the kit back within 21 days, your school principal will be billed for the dollar amount
of the kit.
The Kits:
Kits 1 and 2 provide a structured introduction to nanotechnology and are designed to be used in a sequential
order. The suggested order of the kits is as follows:
| #1. |
Introduction to Nanotechnology |
This kit comes with three different parts, which are best used in sequential order: - In "The Scale of a Nanometer," students are introduced to the nanometer by imagining that a large circle in a room represents the end of a human hair and then by looking at several "balls" (playing ball, baseball, golf ball, small ball, marble, and grain of salt) to estimate the relative size of a nanometer.
- Students then watch a ten minute movie on the work that scientists and engineers do at Nano-CEMMS entitled "Thinking Big, Working Small." A worksheet for middle school or high school level accompanies the movie.
- Finally, in a supplemental "Group Research Project on Nanotechnology," students to do research in teams of 2-3 students on topics of their choosing. Some of the possible topics include the following:
- What is nanotechnology?
- What are cleanrooms like?
- What are the current and possible future applications of nanotechnology?
- What is it like to be a nanotechnology student?
- What are other career options for those who study mathematics, physics, chemistry, materials science, computer science, and engineering?
- Are there any ethical issues associated with nanotechnology?
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| #2. |
Tools and Processes |
The instructor links the development of tools and processes for building automobiles with what is occurring in nanotechnology today. Students wear oven mitts to build LEGO cars to discover how working at the nanoscale requires new, more precise tools to replace current, more crude tools.
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| #3. |
Exploring Nano-Products |
| In teams, students conduct experiments to explore nanotechnology products. Students then explain the products to the rest of the class. Finally, the instructor discusses other products that are available now and some that may be available in the future. |
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| #4. |
Nitinol |
| The instructor introduces Nitinol, a shape memory alloy (SMA). Upon heating, Nitinol wire returns to its original shape. Students explore Nitinol's characteristics in two investigations and design an experiment. Finally, students learn about its practical applications. |
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| #5. |
Nitinol Airplane Launcher |
| After learning about the properties of Nitinol, students design a balsa wood airplane launcher that uses Nitinol to launch the airplane. Directions for building a working airplane launcher are included. |
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| #6. |
Nitinol Basic Lever |
| Students build a device that utilizes the shape memory property of Nitinol. The small change in length in Nitinol upon heating causes a larger motion in a lever. This device can be used to discuss topics from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and more. A handout with directions and questions comes with the kit. In addition, a supplemental worksheet with math problems dealing with levers is included. |
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| #7. |
Magic Sand |
| The instructor introduces a product with unique properties called Magic Sand. Students explore its properties in a hands-on activity. They learn why it was initially developed and they learn about some of its practical applications. |
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| #8. |
Control Systems |
In Part 1, the instructor introduces control systems in a PowerPoint presentation. Then students begin building robots and writing a simple computer program that will run the robot in a straight line. Next students test their robots. In Part 2, the instructor presents the second part of the PowerPoint and students use closed loop controls to run the robot on straight and curved lines. In Part 3, the instructor discusses control systems' involvement in nanomanufacturing.
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