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Lesson Review

ETP Title:Integrating Nanoscience into a Standards-Based Curriculum
Organization:
ETP Type:
Grade Level(s):3,5,8

Subject Areas

  • Science
  • Staff Development

California Standards

Grade 3, Standard 1h Grade 5, Standards 1b, 1e Grade 8, Standard 3c

Lesson Abstract:

Nanoscience and nanotechnology (dealing with objects and phenomena less than 100 nanometers) are fast-growing fields of science, and they are beginning to be more and more visible to students. This education transfer plan (ETP) will help teachers incorporate activities into their curriculum that demonstrate aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnologies.  The goal of this ETP is not to pack more content into the science curriculum, but instead to identify areas of the existing curriculum that are already related to work being done in nanoscience and use nanoscience as a hook into broader concepts.  This ETP identifies several areas of the current standards-based curriculum where nanoscience can be introduced and provides a set of resources and activities to help teachers make the relevant connections.  These activities were developed as part of my IISME fellowship at Stanford University's Center for Probing the Nanoscale (CPN).

The needs this ETP will fulfill in the classroom, teaching or school:

The connection between the ETP and Fellowship. :

Outline:

 

Integrating Nanoscience into a Standards-Based Curriculum
Sponsor: Center for Probing the Nanoscale, Stanford University
Subject Area: Science, Staff Development
Grades: 3, 5, 8
Abstract:
Nanoscience and nanotechnology (dealing with objects and phenomena less than 100 nanometers) are fast-growing fields of science, and they are beginning to be more and more visible to students. This education transfer plan (ETP) will help teachers incorporate activities into their curriculum that demonstrate aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnologies.  The goal of this ETP is not to pack more content into the science curriculum, but instead to identify areas of the existing curriculum that are already related to work being done in nanoscience and use nanoscience as a hook into broader concepts.  This ETP identifies several areas of the current standards-based curriculum where nanoscience can be introduced and provides a set of resources and activities to help teachers make the relevant connections.  These activities were developed as part of my IISME fellowship at Stanford University's Center for Probing the Nanoscale (CPN).
Connection to Fellowship:
As part of their NSF grant, Stanford University’s Center for Probing the Nanoscale (CPN) must demonstrate “educational transfer”, some means for the Center’s research to support the study and teaching of science in elementary and secondary schools. The purpose of my fellowship this summer was primarily to identify activities and resources that would support educational transfer, develop (or modify) existing activities and resources, and work with the Center’s associate director to establish means to distribute these resources to teachers. The activities and resources I reference in this ETP are a subset of those I worked on at CPN this summer, specifically those that can easily support the California science content standards.
Need:
Nanoscience and nanotechnology are becoming part of the everyday vocabulary, appearing in newspaper articles, books, movies, TV programs, and advertisements. Students will have more exposure to these terms, and questions about them, in the years to come. Many teachers may be unfamiliar with the basics of nanoscience and how to incorporate this field into their curricula. This ETP attempts to identify many appropriate links to nanoscience within the existing California science content standards so teachers can easily supplement their existing curricula with resources that also integrate the teaching of nanoscience concepts. I also provide some basic background materials, written in non-technical terms, to give teachers quick reference guides to the fundamentals of nanoscience and nanotechnology.
At the same time, many teachers are already overwhelmed by the breadth of material that is required to be taught according to the state content standards. I have specifically identified resources and activities that introduce the concepts of nanoscience while supporting existing California science content standards.
Standards, Resources, Teacher Notes and Student Documents:
For each of the California science content standards that I identify below, I have indicated which of the activities and/or resources might be used to support the teaching of that standard. It is important to note that none of these represent a complete lesson plan or unit; these resources are meant to be used to supplement existing curricula.
Grade 3, Standard 1h - Students know all matter is made of small particles called atoms, too small to see with the naked eye.
Nanotechnology has made it possible to image individual atoms.  Resources available to support this standard include:
  • Teacher resource – Powerpoint slides with images of atoms ("Nanoscale Images")
  • Student activity – understanding size and scale ("How Big Is It?")
These images are created from scanning probe microscopes, NOT from optical microscopes.  Visible light cannot be used to create images of atoms since the atoms are much smaller than the wavelength of visible light.  For this age group, just emphasize that these are actual images of atoms created using a special instrument that creates these images differently than a camera or "regular" microscope.
Grade 5, Standard 1b - Students know all matter is made of atoms, which may combine to form molecules.
Nanotechnology has made it possible to image individual atoms and molecules.  Resources available to support this standard include:
  • Teacher resource – Powerpoint slides with images of atoms and molecules created with various methods of microscopy ("Nanoscale Images")
  • Teacher resource – Powerpoint slides with images of the cantilever tips used in scanning probe microscopy ("Nanoscale Tools")
These images are created from scanning probe microscopes, NOT from optical microscopes.  Visible light cannot be used to create images of atoms since the atoms are much smaller than the wavelength of visible light.  For this age group, emphasize that these are actual images of atoms and molecules created using a special instrument that creates these images by dragging an incredibly sharp tip across the sample and measuring how much the tip moves up and down at various places.  The colors are computer-generated to represent changes in the height of the tip.  Individual atoms do NOT have a specific color.
Grade 5, Standard 1e - Students know scientists have developed instruments that can create discrete images of atoms and molecules that show that the atoms and molecules often occur in well-ordered arrays.
Several forms of microscopy have been developed which allow resolution much finer than that possible with visible light.  Resources available to support this standard include:
  • Teacher resource – Powerpoint slides with images of crystalline atoms and molecules created with various methods of microscopy ("Nanoscale Images")
  • Teacher resource – Powerpoint slides with images of scanning electron microscopes and atomic force microscopes ("Nanoscale Tools")
  • Teacher resource – Powerpoint slides with images of the cantilever tips used in scanning probe microscopy ("Nanoscale Tools")
  • Student activity – understanding how scanning probe microscopes can help us investigate things that we are not able to see ("Probing What You Can't See")
  • Student activity or teacher demo – building a model of a scanning probe microscope ("MFM Model")
  • Teacher resource – a guide to scanning probe microscopy ("SPM Quick Reference Guide")
These images are created from scanning probe microscopes, NOT from optical microscopes.  Visible light cannot be used to create images of atoms since the atoms are much smaller than the wavelength of visible light.  For this age group, emphasize that these are actual images of atoms created using a special instrument that creates these images by dragging an incredibly sharp tip across the sample and measuring how much the tip moves up and down at various places.  The colors are computer-generated to represent changes in the height of the tip.  Individual atoms do NOT have a specific color.
Grade 8, Standard 3c - Students know atoms and molecules form solids by building up repeating patterns, such as the crystal structure of NaCl or long-chain polymers.
Nanotechnology has made it possible to image individual atoms and molecules.  Resources available to support this standard include:
  • Teacher resource – Powerpoint slides with images of crystalline atoms and molecules created with various methods of microscopy ("Nanoscale Images")
  • Teacher resource – Powerpoint slides with images of the cantilever tips used in scanning probe microscopy ("Nanoscale Tools")
These images are created from scanning probe microscopes, NOT from optical microscopes.  Visible light cannot be used to create images of atoms since the atoms are much smaller than the wavelength of visible light.  For this age group, emphasize that these are actual images of atoms and molecules created using a special instrument that creates these images by dragging an incredibly sharp tip across the sample and measuring how much the tip moves up and down at various places.  The colors are computer-generated to represent changes in the height of the tip.  Individual atoms do NOT have a specific color.
Implementation:
These activities will be distributed via three channels - the Stanford Institute for Middle School Teachers (SIMST), Resource Area for Teachers (RAFT), and the CPN website. The SIMST workshop has included approximately 60 middle school teachers over the past four years and all past participants will receive an email announcing the availability of these new materials. To reach a broader set of teachers, as part of my fellowship this summer, we have been working with RAFT to develop kits and idea sheets that can be included in those available at RAFT for a very low cost. Finally, the materials have been posted to the CPN website and are available to all teachers and the general public via that channel. 
Assessment:
Since the materials included in this ETP do not form a complete unit or lesson plan but are intended to supplement existing curricula, I have not included assessments to each of the science content standards identified above. Instead, I want to assess the effectiveness of these materials in helping teachers to introduce nanoscience into their curricula. Therefore, working with CPN and RAFT, we have developed some metrics for gauging the impact of these materials:
1)      For SIMST participants, CPN will conduct a survey during the next academic year to all the workshop participants to determine which activities were used and which had the highest impact in the classroom.
2)      RAFT will collect statistics on downloads from their Idea Sheets site, and statistics on sales of the relevant activity kits.
3)      The CPN website will track how often the various activities are downloaded.
The 2009 SIMST survey (with responses) is attached to this ETP.   The 2010 survey will be similar to this one, although the list of questions has not been finalized.
 

Keywords:

nanoscience, nanotechnology, atoms, molecules, microscopy

Objectives of the ETP:

Types of assessment or evaluation that will accompany this ETP:

Bibliographic or other resources your used in creating this curriculum:

Supply List:

Attachments: