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Resources for Educators (K-16)

Searchable K-16 Curriculum Materials

Search the database of curricular materials by subject area and/or education level. (Listing in table format is provided below.)

Opportunities for Educators at NNCI Sites

Explore a variety of hands-on professional development opportunities for teachers offered by NNCI supported facilities.

NNCI Resources for Virtual Classrooms, Kitchens, Backyards, and Beyond

See the list of resources including videos, online magazines, podcasts, and activities that can be done from home using common items.

K-16 Curriculum Materials (Searchable Listing)

Lesson Name

Subject Area

Grade Level

Achoo! Pollen Makes US More than Sneeze

General Science; Physical Science; Biology

Middle

A Look into the Nanoworld: An introduction to nanoscale science and engineering

Physical Science

Middle

An Easy (Bake) Approach to an Edible NanoLab

General Science; Physical Science

Middle

Big Ideas in Nanoscale Science and Engineering Posters

Physical Science; Biology, Chemistry, Physics

High and Undergraduate

Big vs. Little – Micro to Nano

General Science

Elementary

Bigger is not always better: Size, Scale, Function, and Measurement Systems

General Science; Physical Science; Chemistry

High

Catalytic converters and Nanocatalysts

Chemistry; Environmental Science

High

CDs and DVDs as Diffraction Gratings

Physical Science; Physics

High

Changing Conductive Properties by Diffusion

Physical Science; Chemistry

Middle and High

Characterizing Electrolytic Materials

Physics

High

Coffee Break with Nanoscience: Film Formation and "Coffee Rings"

Chemistry; Physical Science

High and Undergraduate

Demonstrations for the Materials Science Classroom

Chemistry; Physics; Engineering; Materials Science

High and Undergraduate

Design Challenge: Incorporating Shape Memory Alloys into Rube Goldberg Devices

General Science; Physical Science

Middle and High

Efficiency of Nitinol Wire

Physics

High

Electro-deposition of Copper on a Filter Template for Growing Nanowires

Chemistry

High (AP Chem) and Undergraduate

Electro-deposition: Save the Dinosaurs with Copper, Nickel and Zinc

Chemistry

High

Exploring Factors Effecting Deposition, Morphology, & Thickness of Thin Metallic Layer of Copper

Chemistry; Physical Science

High

Exploring the Powers of Ten

General Science; Physical Science

Upper Elementary and Middle

Exploring nanotechnology through Consumer Products

General Science; Physical Science; Biology, Chemistry, Physics

Middle and High

Exploring the Properties of Magic Sand: Hydrophobic materials

Chemistry; Biology

High

Exploring Surface Energy of Polymers by Contact Angle Estimation

Chemistry

High

Gelatin Microfluicics

Chemistry; Biology

High

Help or Hype: The Ethics of Bio-nanotechnology

Biology; Science & Society

Middle, High and Undergraduate

Hiding Behind the Mask: Understanding Semiconductor Fabrication

Chemistry; Physics

High

How Big is a Nanometer?

Physical Science; General Science

Middle and High

How Catalysts Work: A Nanoscale Phenomenon

Chemistry; Physical science

High

How Dry am I? Exploring Biomimicry and Nanotechnology

Physical science; Biology

Middle

How Small is That?: Understanding the Size of Nanoparticles

General Science; Biology

Middle and High

Ice Cream Break with Nanoscience: Nucleation and Colloid suspensions

Chemistry; Physical Science; General Science

Middle, High, Undergraduate

Introducing LEDs, Thermistors and Transistors: Nanotechnology in Electronics

Physics

High and Undergraduate

Introduction to Nanotechnology Using the Creative Problem Solving Model

General Science

Middle and High

Investigating the History of Biotechnology

 Biology

Middle and High

Is measuring an art or a science?: The Importance of Accuracy & Precision on the Nanoscale 

General Science; Physical Science; Engineering

High and Undergraduate 

Lab on a Slab: A Microfluidics Activity

Biology; Chemistry

High

Learning about surface area and volume

General science

Elementary

Learning Set about Size, Scale, Function and Measurement Systems

General Science; Physical Science

Middle and High

Light Extraction by Changing Composition of Material

Physics

High

Linear Diffusion and Cell Signaling

Biology; Chemistry

High

Lines on Paper: Exploring X-ray Diffraction

Physics

High

Magnetism and Nanotechnology: Exploring Ferrofluids

Physical Science; Physics

Middle and High

Make a Microfluidic Device to Investigate Properties of Solutions

Chemistry

High

Making a Liquid Crystal Thermometer

Physical Science; Chemistry

High

Mixtures and Nanotechnology: Classification of Mixtures and Particle Size

Physical Science; Chemistry

Middle and High

Modeling Nanotechnology Project

General Science; Physical Science; Biology; Physics, Environmental Science; Chemistry

High

Modeling Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPM)

Physics

High

Modeling Self Assembly (High School)

General Science; Physical Science; Biology

High

Modeling Self Assembly (middle School)

General Science; Physical Science; Biology

Middle

Multifacted Microfluidics:Three simple methods to create a microfluidics device

Chemistry; Biology

High

Mystery Molecules: Identifying Materials with Nanoscale Characterization Tools

Chemistry; Physical Science;

High

Nanobacteria: Bacteria and Nonobes

Biology

Middle and High

NACK Network Webinar on Nano education resources

General science

Elementary, Middle, High, Undergraduate

Nanofabrication Tools: Etching and thin films

Chemistry

High

Nanomotors: Nanoscale Propulsion

Chemistry; Physics

High

Nanooze and Teaching Middle School STEM

Biology; General Science; Physical Science; Environmental Science; Society; Tools and Technology

Middle

Nanoparticle Pollutants: Can We Absorb These?

Chemistry; Environmental Science

High

Nanoparticles: Land to Ocean - Understanding the Effect of Nanoparticle Pollutants

Biology; Chemistry; Physical Science; Environmental Science

High

Nanotechnology Invention and Design: Phase Changes, Energy, and Crystals

Chemistry

High

Nanotechnology Poster

General science

Elementary, Middle, High, Undergraduate

Nanotechology and Cosmetics

Biology; Chemistry; Science & Society

High

Noodling Around: Powers of Ten

General science

Elementary, Middle, High

Now You See It, Once Filtered, Hope You Don't

Biology; Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physical Science

Middle and High

Diagnostics for All: Teaching relevance in science and engineering to solving societal issues

Biology; General Science; Science & Society

Middle and High

Particle Size & Spectral Analysis of AgNO3 & Cu: Design Challenge

Chemistry

High

Pinch Test: Right Tool for the Right Job

Chemistry; Physical Science

High

Polyaniline Synthesized Conducting Polymer for Applicable Uses as Nanomaterials

Chemistry

High and Undergraduate

Powers of Ten with the Blue Morpho Butterfly

Biology, General Science, Physical Science

Middle and High

Properties of Fluids: Understanding Water Flow

Physical science; Chemistry; Physics

Middle and High

Quantum Dots Real-World Particles in a Box

Physics; Physical Science

Middle and High

Reading and Analyzing Nanotechnology

Biology; Chemistry; Physics; General Science; Physical Science; Science & Society

Middle and High

Refraction of Light: Forensic Lab

Physics

High

Resolving Power - Seeing is Understanding

Biology; Physics

High

Right Tool for the Job: Learning about Tools and their Purpose

General Science

Elementary

Sand and Multiple Light Scattering

Physics

High

Scale Models: Size, Scale & Measurement

General Science; Biology; Mathematics

Elementary, Middle and High

Scanning Probe Microscopy: "feeling" what you can't see at the nanometer scale

General Science; Physical Science

Middle and High

Seeing Nano I: Using scaning electron microscopy (SEM) to view nano-size objects

General Science; Physical Science; Biology

Middle and High

Seeing Nano II: Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to view nano-size objects

Physical Science; Physics

Middle and High

Shrink Me: A measurement Activity

General Science;  Mathematics, Biology

Elementary, Middle, and High

Simulating a Controlled Drug Delivery System

Biology; Chemistry

High

SI System and Nanoscale Science

General Science; Physical Science

Middle and High

Silicon Solar Cell Efficiency: Comparing input power to output power of a silicon photovoltaic cell

Physics

High

Inhibition of Bacteria by Silver Colloid Impregnated Bandages

Biology, Chemistry

High

Creating and Testing Silver Nanoparticle Socks

Biology; Chemistry; Environmental Science

High

Silver nanoparticle synthesis, spectroscopy, and bacterial growth

Chemistry; Physics

High

Size and Scale - Learning about measurement

General Science

Upper Elementary and Middle

Small Scale Stenciling and Sculpting

Physical science, General Science

Middle

Smart Materials-Shape Memory Alloys

Physical Science; Chemistry

Middle and High

The Effects of Colloidal Silver of Microbial Growth: Snake Oil Science

Biology, General Science

High

Solar Ovens-Understanding Energy Transfer

Physical Science

Middle and High

Sometimes we Need Large Numbers to Describe Small Things

General Science

Elementary

Spectrophotometry with Metal Nanoparticles

Chemistry; Physics

High

Surface Area to Volume Ratio of Nanoparticles

Physical Science; Chemistry

Middle and High

Superhydrophobicexpialidocious: Learning about hydrophobic surfaces

General Science; Physical Science

Middle

Supermarket Science:Investigating Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Biology

High and Undergraduate

Synthesis and Characterization of CdSe Quantum Dots

Chemistry; Physics

High and Undergraduate

Synthesis and Stability of Silver Nanoparticles

Chemistry

Undergraduate

Taking a Closer Look at Objects: Exploring Scientific Tools

General Science

Elementary and Middle

Teaching Nanotechnology across the Undergraduate STEM Curriculum

Earth Science, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics

Undergraduate and High

The Blood Glucose Monitor: Exploring and Modelling Diabetes Monitoring

Chemistry; Biology

High

The Case of the Patent Pending: Paper Diagnostics in Forensics

Biology; General Science

Upper Middle and High

The Effects of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles on Brine Shrimp: A Toxicology Study

Biology; Chemistry; Environmental Science

High and Undergraduate

The Metric System from Big to Small

General Science; Physical Science; Mathematics

Middle and High

The Micro and Macro Worlds: A Size and Scale Lesson

General Science; Physical Science; Biology; Mathematics

Middle and High

The Petnapping of Maya - A Forensic Lesson

General Science

Elementary

The Water Race: Hydrophobic & Hydrophilic Surfaces

Biology; Chemistry

High

To See or not to See?Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Surfaces

Chemistry; Physical Science

Middle and High

Transistor Mania: Learning about transistors

Physics; Physical Science

Middle and High

Turning Fruit Juice into Graphene Quantum Dots

Chemistry; Physics

High and Undergraduate

Uncertainty Measurements and the Wavelength of Light

Physics

High

Understanding Movement of Molecules across the Cell Membrane

Biology

High and Undergraduate

Understanding Nanotechnology Size and Scale

General Science; Mathematics

Elementary

Understanding Wave Motion and Power Loss: Interaction of Light with Matter

Physics; Physical Science

High

Understanding Waveguides: Transmission of Light

Physical Science

Middle and High

Using Gold Nanoparticles for Bacterial Detection

Biology; Chemistry; Physics

High

Using Media to Explore Social and Ethical Issues in Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies

General Science; Science & Society

High

Using Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles to Kill Antibiotic Resistant E. coli

Chemistry; Biology; Biotechnology

High and Undergraduate

Using Modeling to Demonstrate Self-Assembly in Nanotechnology

Physical Science; Chemistry

High

Visualizing Diffusion in Real Time and on a Macroscale

Chemistry; Biology

High

Water Filtration and Purity of Water - Getting Down to the Nanoscale

Physical Science; Chemistry; Biology; Environmental Science

Middle and High

Wet Etching in Nanofabrication

Physical Science

Middle

What's In Your Neighborhood? A size and scale activity

Physical Science; Biology; Mathematics; General Science

Elementary, Middle, High

What's the smallest thing you know?: A size and scale activity

General Science

Elementary

When a Cell Talks, everyone listens!

Biology;

High

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