Summer Institute- 2010

Bryan Nowakowski

My understanding of Nano is growing.

I thought of Nano as the study

of small things.

I now realize that it is that and

MUCH more.

NANO IS REAL small!!– Scale information, the metric system, and powers of ten.

– Objects in the 10-9 scale cannot be seen with visible light (10-6)

– Ways to “see”• SEM- Scanning Electron Microscope• AFM- Atomic Force Microscope• STM- Scanning Tunneling Microscope

I am recognizing the potential of Nano-research:

Potential cures (or improvements to eradicate) of the common cold, types of cancer, diabetes, etc…

Cleaning up/ not destroy the environment: clean fuel, cleaner energy, cleaner air.

When am I going to implement Nano in my

science curriculum?

• The Nano Unit will accompany my unit on electricity. This will happen in the fall.

How will I implement Nano?

• Specific skills will be addressed prior to this unit: measurement, scale, estimation, etc.. These skills will be covered within the math curriculum.

• Prior to teaching the electricity unit, a unit of Health Unit involving cells and molecules will be covered.

Continued………

• The electricity unit will be taught (typically 2-3 weeks of lessons/activities). During this unit, the students will complete the activities and have the opportunity the explore/problem solve (i.e. expand simple circuits).

Nano Week• MONDAY: Introduction to Nano.

– Introduce grad student(s)

– Explain what Nano is.

– Give examples of research and what products Nano has influenced.

Nano Week• Tuesday: Scale

– Introduce the concept of scale.

• Review the metric system.• Do the folding – cutting paper activity• Do a form of Scale Activity using pictures the students

are familiar with to put in order of size.

Nano Week• Wednesday: Light/Optics

– Explain the difference between a telescope and a microscope.• Build the telescope activity.

– Explain what a telescope does.– Explain the sections and roles of the sections of the telescope.– Students will construct telescopes.– Take students outside to explore.

• Set up the digital microscope.– Explain the scale of the images.– Play “What’s the gunk”. Use materials familiar to the students. Give

them a list of possibilities. Have them hypothesize and have reasons for their educated guesses.

Nano Week• Thursday: Learning to see without

sight.– Explain that some microscopes use touch to “see”

the samples being tested.– Play the “Braille game”.– Do the AFM Topological Data activity.

• Have the stylus used by students with special needs marked prior to activity.

Nano Week• Friday – Conclusion of Nano.

–Demostration of the:

• SEM: Scanning Electron Microscope

• AFM: Atomic Force Microscope

• STM: Scanning Tunneling Microscope

SOOOO EXCITED!!!• This institute had magnified my excitement with

science this upcoming school year.

• The complexity and exploring the unknown is absolutely fascinating!

• Using the different microscopes to see what different samples are made up of, is remarkable. My students are definitely going to be eager to participate.

I really enjoyed this institute!!

An extra-special “BIG and nano”

thanks to:

Pat, Val, Becky, and Michael.