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Size Matters: Introduction to Nanoscience
Version 4. Last updated: November 15, 2007.

This unit provides an introduction to nanoscience, focusing on concepts related to the size and scale, unusual properties of the nanoscale, tools of the nanosciences, and example applications. Upon completing this unit, students will understand:

  1. The study of unique phenomena at the nanoscale could vastly change our understanding of matter and lead to new questions and answers in many areas, including health care, the environment, and technology.
  2. There are enormous scale differences in our universe, and at different scales, different forces dominate and different models better explain phenomena.
  3. Nanosized materials exhibit some size-dependent effects that are not observed in bulk materials.
  4. New tools for observing and manipulating matter increase our ability to investigate and innovate.

Length: 5 lessons, up to ten 50-minute classroom periods if all lessons are used. Not all lessons are required. Use the lessons most appropriate for your students. A one-day version is also available.

Materials

Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License. See Publication Information [PDF] for attribution information.

Download the entire Size Matters Unit [PDF] (63 MB) or download individual sections or files below.

Download a zip archive of the Microsoft Word and PPT source files (52 MB) if you want to adapt the materials under the Creative Commons license. PowerPoint [PPT] versions of the slides are also available separately, below.

Download a poster version of Scale Diagram [PDF]. It uses vector graphics so you can print it at any size needed.

Front Matter

Download the preliminary pages, including the cover page, copyright and publication information, and table of contents.

Overview of Unit

Download Teacher materials [PDF]

  • For Anyone Planning to Teach Nanoscience...Read This First!
  • Size Matters Overview and Learning Goals
  • Unit at a Glance: Suggested Sequencing of Activities
  • Alignment of Unit Activites with Learning Goals
  • Alignment of Unit Activities with Curriculum Topics
  • Size Matters Pretest/Posttest: Teacher Answer Sheet

Download Student materials [PDF]

  • Size Matters: Pretest
  • Size Matters: Posttest

Lesson 1: Introduction to Nanoscience
Enduring Understandings: 1-4

Download Teacher materials [PDF]

  • Introduction to Nanoscience: Teacher Lesson Plan
  • Introduction to Nanoscience: PowerPoint with Teacher Notes
  • Introduction to Nanoscience Worksheet: Teacher Key
  • Introduction to Nanoscience: PowerPoint [PPT] Slides & Teacher Notes

Download Student materials [PDF]

  • Introduction to Nanoscience: Student Reading
  • Introduction to Nanoscience: Student Worksheet
  • Scale Diagram: Dominant Objects, Tools, Models, and Forces at Various Different Scales
  • The Personal Touch: Student Reading
  • The Personal Touch: Student Worksheet

Lesson 2: Size and Scale
Enduring Understanding: 2

Download Teacher materials [PDF]

  • Scale of Objects: Teacher Lesson Plan
  • Number Line Activity: Teacher Key
  • Scale of Objects Activity: Teacher Key
  • Cutting it Down Activity: Teacher Key
  • Scale of Small Objects Quiz: Teacher Key

Download Student materials [PDF]

  • Visualizing the Nanoscale: Student Reading
  • Scale Diagram: Dominant Objects, Tools, Models, and Forces at Various Different Scales
  • Number Line Activity: Student Instructions
  • Scale of Objects Activity: Student Instructions
  • Cards and Line Markers for Number Line and Scale of Objects Activities
  • Cutting it Down Activity: Student Instructions
  • Scale of Small Objects: Student Quiz

Lesson 3: Unique Properties at the Nanoscale
Enduring Understanding: 3

Download Teacher materials [PDF]

  • Unique Properties at the Nanoscale: Teacher Lesson Plan
  • Unique Properties at the Nanoscale: PowerPoint [PPT] Slides & Teacher Notes
  • Unique Properties Lab Activities: Teacher Instructions
  • Unique Properties at the Nanoscale: Teacher Reading
  • Unique Properties at the Nanoscale Quiz: Teacher Key

Download Student materials [PDF]

  • Size-Dependent Properties: Student Reading
  • Unique Properties Lab Activities: Student Instructions
  • Unique Properties Lab Activities: Student Worksheet
  • Unique Properties at the Nanoscale: Student Quiz

Lesson 4: Tools of the Nanosciences
Enduring Understanding: 4

Download Teacher materials [PDF]

  • Tools of the Nanosciences: Teacher Lesson Plan
  • Scanning Probe Microscopy: Teacher Reading
  • Scanning Probe Microscopy: PowerPoint [PPT] Slides & Teacher Notes
  • Black Box Activity: Teacher Instructions
  • Seeing and Building Small Things Quiz: Teacher Key
  • Optional Extensions for Exploring Nanoscale Modeling Tools: Teacher Notes

Download Student materials [PDF]

  • Black Box Lab Activity: Student Instructions and Worksheet
  • Seeing and Building Small Things: Student Reading
  • Seeing and Building Small Things: Student Quiz

Lesson 5: Applications of Nanoscience
Enduring Understandings: 1 and 4

Download Teacher materials [PDF]

  • Applications of Nanoscience: Teacher Lesson Plan
  • Applications of Nanoscience: PowerPoint [PPT] Slides & Teacher Notes
  • What's New Nanocat? Poster Session: Teacher Instructions and Rubric

Download Student materials [PDF]

  • What's New Nanocat? Poster Session: Student Instructions
  • What's New Nanocat? Poster Session: Student Topic List
  • What's New Nanocat? Poster Session: Peer Feedback Form

One Day Introduction to Nanoscience
Enduring Understandings: 1-4

Download Teacher materials [PDF]

  • One Day Introduction to Nanoscience: Teacher Lesson Plan
  • One Day Introduction to Nanoscience: Teacher Demonstration Instructions
  • One Day Introduction to Nanoscience: PowerPoint [PPT] Slides & Teacher Notes

Remaining materials (the introductory student readings, worksheets, worksheet keys and scale diagram) can be found above in Lesson 1: Introduction to Nanoscience.

 
 
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