Title of Activity

It’s a Nano World After All

Author(s) Michael Rust, Thess Lee-Alvarez

Subject(s) Chemistry

Grade Level 11th

Duration 5 class periods (70 minutes each)

Rationale (How this relates to engineering) Nanotechnology is an area of intense research and has many exciting applications in practically all aspects of our lives. Despite the millions of dollars being spent on research and development, the general public is largely uneducated as to the wide-ranging benefits and the potential dangers of nanotechnology. This module has been designed to expose students to the nano world and provide hands-on examples of how it works and how engineers are playing a role in its development.

Activity Summary This module is designed to introduce the field of nanotechnology to students who have little or no background knowledge on the subject. Students will participate in hands-on activities that give them a better sense of how small the nano world really is, as well as learn about the various applications that nanotechnology is being developed for.

Objectives Students will be able to: 1. Identify and define terms related to nanotechnology 2. Identify applications that nanotechnology is being developed for 3. Organize real-world objects based on size from nano to macro scale 4. List and describe pros and cons of nanotechnology 5. Research an application of nanotechnology and present to class using Windows Movie Maker slide show Standards Science Science and Technology A.1 – Identify that science and technology are essential social enterprises but alone they can only indicate what can happen, not what should happen. Realize the latter involves human decisions about the use of knowledge. A.2 – Predict how decisions regarding the implementation of technologies involve the weighing of trade-offs between predicted positive and negative effects on the environment and/or humans. A.4 – Explain why basic concepts and principles of science and technology should be a part of active debate about the economics, politics, and ethics of various science-related and technology-related challenges.

Technology Technology and Society Interaction B.2 – Demonstrate how technological decisions involve trade-offs between predicted positive and negative effects on the environment.

Background Knowledge Nanotechnology refers to products that have some feature with nano-scale dimensions, as well as the science and engineering needed to develop these products. When we talk about nanoscale, we mean things that are very very small. So small that they can’t be seen without sophisticated microscopes. In fact, one nanometer is 10-9 meters, or 1 billionth of a meter. So why is there all this buzz about things that are so small? There are actually a wide range of applications that use nanotechnology or could use nanotechnology, including electronic devices, medicine, fabrics, and a host of others.

Materials Required Handouts PowerPoint presentations Computer Projector Legos building blocks Activities Day 1: Concepts Pre-test 10 min. Introduction (PowerPoint) 30 min. “How small is nano?” Activity 10 min. Applications of Nano (PowerPoint) 20 min.

Day 2: Article and worksheet 30 min. Position Paper 40 min.

Day 3: Nanofabrication (PowerPoint) 10 min. “Legos/Big Hands” Activity 20 min. Review article and answers 10 min. Pros/Cons discussion/Position Paper 20 min. Prep for campus visit 10 min.

Day 4: Campus visit – 427 ERC 9:00 AM – Welcome – Julie Burdick, Pre-Admissions 9:15 AM – Dr. Jeff Johnson, Assoc. Prof. Biomedical Engineering 9:45 AM – Undergraduate student panel Q & A 10:00 AM – Tours of Engineering Labs 11:00 AM – Lunch 12:00 PM – Tour of Mr. Rust’s Lab 12:30 PM – Presentation by Dr. Ahn 1:30 PM – Leave for WHDT

Day 5: Intro to Windows Movie Maker 30 min. Begin research project 40 min.

Day 6: Continue research project 70 min.

Day 7: Presentations 70 min.

Assessment of Student Learning 1. Students complete pre and post concept tests to show whether learning has taken place. a. Identify terms, applications 2. Students complete activity and turn in handout to show organization of objects by size from nano to macro scale. 3. Students read article and complete worksheet to determine pros and cons of nanotechnology. 4. Students complete a slide show using Windows Movie Maker and give presentation to the class.

Assessment of the Activity • An activity feedback form will be used to evaluate the impact of the activity on the students. Web Resources www.nano.gov http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2758191.stm http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-0601210026jan21,0,609067.story http://www.smalltimes.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=2485 http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/antenna/nano/ http://www.er.doe.gov/bes/Scale_of_Things_18JAN05.pdf http://www.cojoweb.com/speed-machines.html http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=100765 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_longest_suspension_bridges http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL61-1020.jpg http://www.theplaceforitall.com/tinycomputer132123.jpg http://www.bellsystemmemorial.com/images/early_switchboard.jpg http://rebron.org/blogarchives/minimo-b.jpg http://www.bergen.org/istf/02-456/Fiber.jpg http://images-p.qvc.com/is/image/a/00/a131600.001?$proddetailmain$ http://www.btinternet.com/~fireballxl5/transtech/electronics/pics/techpcb0916.jpg http://www.onlinekosten.de/news/bilder/xda_mini_s.jpg http://www.imt.uni-karlsruhe.de/img/content/guber1.jpg http://news.softpedia.com/images/news2/Day-old-nanotechnology-2.jpg http://www.worldcommunitycookbook.org/season/guide/photos/corn.jpg http://www.picture-newsletter.com/vegetables/apples.jpg http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/alllife/virus.gif http://www.photo.net/photo/pcd0738/great-sand-dune-ridge-7.4.jpg http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/ahd/jpg/A4atom.jpg http://www.cdc.gov/chooseyourcover/images/sunscreen_glow.jpg http://www.skipressworld.com/images/daily_2005/04/ski%20press%20-%20sunscreen %203.jpg http://www.theglazine.com/images/hydrophilic.gif http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/images/us/local/products/thumb/f08754_th.jpg http://www.onesweetpair.com/nikemenpics/109-0951_IMG.JPG http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/artikelen/68/fujitsu_electronic_paper.jpg http://homepages.fh-regensburg.de/~elm39139/solar.jpg http://alpha.che.uc.edu/mast/Photographs/Cincinnati%20Reds%20Game/i-For%20it's %20One,%20Two,%20Three%20strikes.JPG http://www.sportsteams.com/acbnet/stores/1/images/MLB/LOGOS/CincinnatiReds.jpg http://www.toolspot.co.uk/products/Hammers/16Oz%20Claw%20Hammer%20Fibre %20Handle.jpg http://www.syracusethenandnow.net/Architects/WWWard/ForganPhotos/Moyer %20Factory%20Post%20Card%201910-1915.jpg http://www.made-in-china.com/servlet/showdbimage? compatible=true&tid=2&fid=0&lan_code=0&cache=1&id=gxmECJGounZb http://www.iwu.fraunhofer.de/images1/photos/angebot/hex_bearb.jpg http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/chemicals/images/chemicals.jpg http://www.hologenix.com/NANO-AFM%20leaflet_2_0002.jpg