1. Students will know the small scale of a nanometer. They will know that a nanometer is about 1/80,000 the size of a human hair.
2. Students will learn about nanotechnology and its importance. They will learn about new careers in the field and will understand how Nano-CEMMS researchers collaborate.
3. Students will become further acquainted with the nature of science, by participating in group research on a nanoscience and nanotechnology-based topic, writing about their findings in an outline or paper, creating an informative poster, presenting their findings to their peers, and individually taking a test over the presentations.

National Science Education Standards:
Content Standard E: Understanding about Science and Technology.
Content Standard F: Understandings about Science and Technology in Local, National, and Global Challenges.
Content Standard G: Science as a Human Endeavor

NCTM Standards:
Understand measurable attributes of objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement.

Illinois State Science Learning Standards:
12.C.3b: Model and describe the chemical and physical characteristics of matter (e.g., atoms, molecules, elements, compounds, mixtures).
13.B.5b: Analyze and describe the processes and effects of scientific and technological breakthroughs.
13.B.5e: Assess how scientific and technological progress has affected other fields of study, careers, and job markets and aspects of everyday life.

Illinois State Math Learning Standards:
7.A.4a: Apply units and scales to describe and compare numerical data and physical objects.
Illinois State Language Arts Learning Standards
3.A.4: Use standard English to edit docu­ments for clarity, subject/verb agreement, adverb and adjective agreement and verb tense; proofread for spelling, capitalization and punctuation; and ensure that documents are formatted in final form for submission and/or publication.
4.A.4a: Apply listening skills as individuals and members of a group in a variety of settings (e.g., lectures, discussions, conversa­tions, team projects, presentations, interviews).
4.B.4b: Use group discussion skills to assume leadership and participant roles within an assigned project or to reach a group goal.
5.A.5b: Research, design, and present a project to an academic, business, or school community audience on a topic selected from among contemporary issues.
5.C.4b: Produce oral presentations and written documents using supportive research and incorporating contemporary technology.

• "Scale of a Nanometer" Activity Guide
• piece of rope with ends connected
• pair of scissors
• beach ball
• pump to inflate ball
• small wiffle ball
• plastic golf ball
• small ball
• marble
• "Grain of Salt" card
• Sharpie
• "Thinking Big, Working Small" Activity Guide
• 1 evaluation
• 30 assessments
• PowerPoint presentation, "Thinking Big, Working Small" movie, and documents on CDs
• overhead transparencies of PowerPoint slides
• 30 worksheets--middle or high school level
• worksheet key--middle or high school level
• vial of colloidal gold nanoparticles
• ferrofluid display cell
• 5 laminated copies of "The Scale of Things"
• "Group Research Project on Nanotechnology" Teacher Guide
• "Group Research Project on Nanotechnology" Student Copy
• "Group Research Project on Nanotechnology" Grading Rubric
  

• LCD or overhead projector
• access to Internet and/or library.
• poster-making materials: posterboard, markers, etc.