National Informal STEM Education Network (NISE Net) NanoDays Activities, https://www.nisenet.org/nanodays
NISE Net provides detailed instruction and lists of supplies for a wide range of activities. These were developed in association with National Nanotechnology Day (October 9th, i.e. 10-9) of each year. Training videos on how to do many of the activities are available.
National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI), https://www.nnci.net/welcome-nnci-learn-and-explore
NNCI is NSF's network of sixteen sites at universities (including VT's NanoEarth Center) that provide user facilities, training, education, and outreach across the nation. The Resources for Educators section of the website contains searchable K-16 curriculum materials, demo guides and information sheets, and links to other available online nano-resources. Other website sections of interest include Nanooze magazine, other educational resources including articles, podcasts, etc.
NanoSense from SRI, https://nanosense.sri.com/activities.html
Each of the four items in the list of Activities (Size Matters, Clear Sunscreen, Clean Energy, and Fine Filters) consists of a detailed set of presentation and activity materials when you click on the respective link.
Institute for Chemical Education, http://ice.chem.wisc.edu/
Communicating Science—that's what ICE is all about. We are a national center for science educators to develop and disseminate ideas. Our efforts are evident in kits and publications, in programs for students and for teachers, and in research in chemical education. Since its founding in 1983, ICE has led the drive to help teachers revitalize science in schools throughout the United States. From "approachable" science for K–3 teachers (Super Science Connections) through nanoscale exhibits for the public to research experiences for undergraduates, ICE has something for you.
nanoHUB.org, https://nanohub.org/groups/education
From their About page: “nanoHUB.org is the premier open and free platform for computational research, education, and collaboration in nanotechnology, materials science, and related fields. Our site hosts a rapidly growing collection of simulation tools that run in the cloud and are accessible through a web browser. In addition, nanoHUB provides online presentations, nanoHUB-U short courses, animations, teaching materials, and more. These resources instruct users about our simulation tools as well as general nanoelectronics, materials science, photonics, data science, and other topics. A good starting page for those new to nanoHUB is the Education page .”
This lesson and demo are designed to teach students about polymer cross-linking and how forming and breaking cross-links can change a material's properties.
Associated Materials
Workshop Activity Video - This video includes background information about cross-linked polymers and a demonstration of the experiment.
NanoEarth Cross-Linked Polymers.pptx - These are the PowerPoint version of the slides used in the Workshop Activity Video.
Cross-Linked Polymers Module.pdf & Cross-Linked Polymers Infographic.pdf - the NanoLink materials used in the development of the workshop activity (additional NanoLink materials are available in the Additional Resources: Cross-Linked Polymers section).
Additional Slides - Cross-linked polymer and ring polymer.pptx - used in a previous professional development workshop
NanoLink Slides & Grade Level Matrix
NISENet: Exploring Materials - Hydrogel: Can a pinch of powder trap a lot of water?
"Exploring Materials - Hydrogel" is a hands-on activity in which visitors discover how a super absorbing material can be used to move a straw. They learn that hydrogels can be used on the nanoscale in a similar fashion to manipulate tiny structures.
This lesson and demo are designed to teach students about the interesting properties exhibited by a ring polymer of sodium polyacrylate.
Associated Materials
Workshop Activity Video - This video includes background information about ring polymers and a demonstration of the experiment
NanoEarth Ring Polymers.pptx - These are the PowerPoint version of the slides used in the Workshop Activity Video
Ring Polymers Module.pdf & Infographic.pdf - the NanoLink materials used in the development of the workshop activity (additional NanoLink materials are available in the Additional Resources: Ring Polymers section)
Additional Slides - Cross-linked polymer and ring polymer.pptx - from a previous professional development workshop
NanoLink
NanoLink - In this module students create a saturated solution using borax, sodium acetate, and copper sulfate. Upon drying, each crystal will have a different shape. The shape at the macro level is driven by the arrangement of atoms. This repeating arrangement of atoms is the defining characteristic of a crystal structure, and is based on the geometry of the fundamental unit cell. Students may introduce other chemicals to change the resulting structure. This module serves as a good introduction to crystal structures supplementing the typical ball and stick models.
NISENet: Exploring Properties - Heat Transfer - How do we keep computers from overheating?
"Exploring Properties - Heat Transfer" is a hands-on activity in which visitors investigate how quickly heat is transferred through two different materials. They learn that graphene is a very good conductor of heat and that the way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its structure on the nanoscale.
Matthew Hull presents for San Diego Nanotechnology Infrastructure (SDNI) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) students about the intersections between Research and Entrepreneurship for Nanotechnology and Global Sustainability Challenges
In one of our previous workshops, teachers received materials to perform gold nanoparticle synthesis in their classroom. Due to limited time, this demo is not part of this year's workshop, but the materials are included below in case you are interested.
Associated Materials