Nanotechnology – taking it to the people
Activities
Cosmos (Australia)
Nanotechnology super science guide – provides background information and a number of activities to learn about nanotechnology using real-world examples. Available in an online interactive book or in a pdf version.
AccessNano (Australian Government Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research)
Teaching modules – provides a series of 13 teaching resources on nanotechnology. These include PowerPoint presentations, experiments, activities, animations and links to interactive websites
Molecular expressions (Florida State University, USA)
Perspectives: Powers of 10 – students draw the same object at different magnifications.
Virtual scanning electron microscopy – an interactive Java tutorial that allows students to view specimens (eg, grasshopper, jellyfish) at different magnifications with a virtual scanning electron microscope.
Secret worlds: The universe within – provides a series of pictures (from the Milky Way to electrons), each of which is an image of something that is 10 times smaller than the one before it.
Interactive Nano-visualization in Science and Engineering Education (USA)
List of modules – a number of web-based educational modules about materials. 'Size and scale' includes topics such as 'Defining dimensions' and 'Does size matter?' with links to relevant online activities.
Scanning probe microscope – introduces the theory and application of these microscopes as tools of nanotechnology. The module 'Is smaller better?' has information that is relevant to nanoscience, but there are no online activities.
Sciencemax (Reed International Books, Australia)
Small wonders – this activity is on the last page of this PDF file and asks students to design a prototype of a nanomachine. There are also a number of other tasks asking students to find out more about different aspects of nanotechnology.
Discovery School (USA)
Future body – students investigate how electrical signals are used in the human nervous system. They look at how computer chips or electrodes might be used to repair or augment the system.
Nanobiotechnology Center (Cornell University, USA)
Nanosmores and photolithography – students make an edible, layered biscuit to represent the process used to create a patterned silicon wafer using a substrate and a photosensitive chemical.
Exploring the nanoworld (Materials Research Science and Engineering Center on Nanostructured Materials and Interfaces, University of Wisconsin, USA)
Structures at the nanoscale – shows how students can use LEGO® bricks to demonstrate the nanostructure of solids.
Self-assembly: Building structures at the nanoscale – students make a square pattern of magnetic LEGO® bricks using a 'top-down' and a 'self-assembly' approach.
Educator resources – provides a variety of activities related to nanoscale technology. The activities are presented under three headings – Nanoscale activities, Applications activities, and Societal implications activities.
Interdisciplinary education group – provides a variety of resources in addition to those mentioned above (eg, 'Nanoworld cineplex of movies' and 'Nanoscale video lab manual').
NanoSense (USA)
Size matters – an introduction to nanoscience, including activities on size and scale, unique properties at the nanoscale, nanofabrication techniques and applications of nanoscience. Other lessons are under development.
NanoSense (USA)
Clear sunscreen: how light interacts with matter – explores issues related to size and scale, specifically the effect of the size of nanopowders on the interactions of energy and matter.
Page updated July 2010.