Innovation Workshop Student Reporter shows a sneak peek into the National Institute for Standards and Technology’s NanoFab where scientists work in a clean room to build highly structured circuits. Nanoelectronics is how we use nanotechnology to build electronics with nanoscale features. And it’s a field of study where researchers are still creating new methods to build.

For more information: http://www.fcps.edu/fairfaxnetwork/innovation_nanotechnology/index.html
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Innovation Workshop Student Reporter Kurien attended the TechConnect World Innovation conference in Washington DC to see how business is driving innovation. Nanotechnology has the potential to impact all areas of our lives.

For more information: http://www.fcps.edu/fairfaxnetwork/innovation_nanotechnology/index.html
Twitter @FFXNetwork

This is an introductory lesson to SI using Scale of the Universe 2 and other tools to allow students to understand nanoscale and metrics.  

This lesson uses an article from Science News for Students as a learning tool for introducing nanotechnology and incorporates a close reading activity.

This lesson includes a lab that has students differentiating between hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces and is designed for a 7th-grade science class in Indiana.  Teacher-developed resources are attached for student use.  

Through two lessons and five activities, students explore the structure and function of cell membranes. Specific transport functions, including active and passive transport, are presented. In the legacy cycle tradition, students are motivated with a Grand Challenge question. As they study the ingress and egress of particles through membranes, students learn about quantum dots and biotechnology through the concept of intracellular engineering.

Students are presented with a real-life problem as a challenge to investigate, research and solve. Specifically, they are asked to investigate why salt water helps a sore throat, and how engineers apply this understanding to solve other problems. Students read a medical journal article and listen to an audio talk by Dr. Z. L. Wang to learn more about quantum dots. After students reflect and respond to the challenge question, they conduct the associated activity to perform journaling and brainstorming.

This lesson is designed to introduce the concept of nanotechnology as part of the Biology Characteristics of Life coursework.  The lesson focuses on students researching the timeline of life on Earth and creating a timeline for life on Mars including exploration with nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology is the next major scientific breakthrough. The development of nanotechnology is extremely promising, but there are unknown risks associated with utilizing nanotechnology. Nanoparticles occur naturally in our environment. Pollen, viruses, and ash are examples of nanoparticles that affect our environment and our health. Scientists have studied the behavior of these nanoparticles in an effort to develop nanotechnology to solve issues associated with our environment and our health. In this project, students will explore innovative science, technology, engineering, math techniques and equipment that demonstrated the multiple uses and importance of nanotechnology.

Students are introduced to a unique fluid ferrofluids the shape of which can be influenced by magnetic fields. This activity supplements traditional magnetism activities and offers comparisons between large-scale materials and nanomaterials.Students are introduced to the concepts of magnetism, surfactants and nanotechnology by relating movie magic to practical science. Students observe ferrofluid properties as a stand-alone fluid and under an imposed magnetic field. They learn about the components of ferrofluids and their functionality as they create shapes using magnetically controlled ferrofluids and create their masterpieces.

In this fun, engaging activity, students are introduced to a unique type of fluid ferrofluids whose shape can be influenced by magnetic fields! Students act as materials engineers and create their own ferrofluids. They are challenged to make magnetic ink out of ferrofluids and test their creations to see if they work. Concurrently, they learn more about magnetism, surfactants and nanotechnology. As they observe fluid properties as a standalone-fluid and under an imposed magnetic field, they come to understand the components of ferrofluids and their functionality.

Students will determine the porosity of their hair using microscopes and experimental discovery.

What materials have you touched today? In today's society, virtually every segment of our personal and professional lives is influenced by the limitations, availability, and economic considerations of the materials used. Through readings and science documentaries, this course will show you how and why certain materials are selected for different applications and how the processing, structure, properties, and performance of materials are intrinsically linked. You will be introduced to the basic science and technology of materials, how the world has been shaped by materials, and how knowledge of materials can be used to understand modern materials and the development of new ones.

Students will use scientific notation and metric conversions to complete the following labs and activities.

This lesson combines a powerpoint lecture with the use of a reading activity to teach students about the theory and structure of molecules. 

This lesson will use videos to introduce the concept of the space elevator and ask students to consider how nanotubes might help create such a device.  It includes a teacher-created worksheet for use with the lesson and is designed for an Indiana ICP course.  

Students will choose a topic and debate the merit of that topic after extensive research and preparation.

Through two lessons and four activities, students learn about nanotechnology, its extreme smallness, and its vast and growing applications in our world. Embedded within the unit is a broader introduction to the field of material science and engineering and its vital role in nanotechnology advancement. Engaging mini-lab activities on ferrofluids, quantum dots and gold nanoparticles introduce students to specific fields within nanoscience and help them understand key concepts as the basis for thinking about engineering and everyday applications that use next-generation technology nanotechnology.

This is a Physical Science journal that supports student investgation of forces of change and nanoscale.