Nanotechnology Lesson Plans

Featured Lessons:

-- Exploring at the Nanoscale

Lesson focuses on how nanotechnology has impacted our society and how engineers have learned to explore the world at the nanoscale. Students participate in hands-on activities to understand exactly how small the nanoscale is, explore how surface area changes at the nano scale, and work in teams to develop futuristic applications of nanotechnology. 
For ages 8-14.
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-- What is a Nanometer?

Lesson focuses on how to measure in nanometers and provides students with an understanding of how small a nano really is. Students work in teams to learn about electron microscopes, participate in hands-on activities to measure common classroom objects and then convert the result to nanometers.
For ages 8-11.
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-- Sugar Crystal Challenge

Students learn about how surface area can change at the nanoscale. Students work in teams to explore different forms of sugar at different levels of coarseness. They then predict how sugar crystals grown from different sugar solutions might be different at the molecular level depending upon the coarseness of the original sugar. Student make predictions, conduct research, and present their reflections to the class.
For ages 8-14.
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-- Nano Waterproofing

Students learn about how nanotechnology has impacted manufacture and use of fabrics.  Students then work in a team to develop a waterproofing plan for a piece of cotton fabric, they execute their plan, test the fabric, and examine samples of fabrics that have had their surface altered through nanotechnology.
For ages 8-18.
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