It's a Nano World After All

By Michael Rust •

Grade Level	11th
Subject Area	Chemistry
Duration	Five class periods of 70 minutes each
Setting	Standard classroom
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.
Author	Michael Rust

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.

Materials
Handouts PowerPoint presentations Computer Projector Legos building blocks

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

Ohio 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.

Documents

Lesson Plan