SCIENCE OF INNOVATION
Smart Concrete
An Engineering Perspective (Grades 6–12)
Lesson plans produced by the National Science Teachers Association.
Video produced by NBC Learn in collaboration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office
and the National Science Foundation.
Background and Planning
About the Video
This video discusses the age-old material known as concrete and how modern innovations
could change the way in which the stability of this composite is determined. Dr. Deborah
Chung, an expert in composite materials and structural science at The State University of New
York at Buffalo, has developed a new type of concrete, dubbed smart concrete, which is
composed not only of the basic ingredients of any concrete—water, a cement binder, and
gravel—but also carbon fibers. These fibers easily conduct electricity and can be used to
measure conductivity across a block of the smart concrete. According to Chung, any changes in
its resistivity might indicate the presence of minute cracks or other types of deformation in
concrete structures long before they are visible to the naked eye. While Chung’s innovation is
not yet commercially available, she has patented her invention and continues to do research on
this innovative material that is able to sense, in real time, the forces to which it is subjected.
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Series opening
Concrete and its many uses
Defining innovation
Introducing Chung
Chung’s smart concrete
Potential benefits of smart concrete
Laboratory testing of Chung’s innovation
Patent for composite material strain/stress sensor
Summary
Closing credits
Language Support: To aid those with limited English proficiency or others who need help
focusing on the video, make available the transcript for the video. Click the Transcript tab on
the side of the video window, then copy and paste into a document for student reference.
Framework for K–12 Science Education
ESS3.B: Natural Hazards
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter
PS2.A: Forces and Motion
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
ETS2.A: Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology
ETS2.B: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World
Smart Concrete, An Engineering Perspective (Grades 6–12)
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Emphasize Innovation
The Innovation Process
Inspiration The innovation highlighted in Science of Innovation (SOI): Smart Concrete is the
development of a new type of concrete material with built in electrical sensors to detect stress
before the impacts of stress become visible. Dr. Chung and others think this technology would
be an innovation to this building material so that any deformation and failure in roads, bridges,
buildings, and other structures made from concrete might be detected before they are visible.
Take Action with Students: Discuss with students the impetus for Dr. Chung’s inspiration to add
carbon fibers to concrete. One way to look at it is that she was simply experimenting with
materials to see what would happen. Guide students to understand that she had experience
with (1) the properties of concrete and structural materials, and (2) knew that carbon fibers are
able to conduct electricity. She didn’t know beforehand whether this combination would result
in any significant discovery, but was able to recognize the importance of the discovery once she
analyzed the results from her experiments.
Innovation and STEM
The innovation highlighted in Science of Innovation (SOI): Smart Concrete incorporates many
aspects of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. For example,
required science knowledge includes an understanding of the properties of the components of
concrete and the chemical reactions that form it. Also, the understanding of electrical
conductivity is at the heart of what makes concrete a “smart” concrete. Math concepts involve
calculations that enable comparisons of deforming actions. Starting with a vision and relying on
science and math knowledge, Chung and her colleagues improved on concrete building
technology by adding carbon fibers to concrete, which gave the composite electrical properties.
By monitoring changes in resistivity, the fibers in the smart concrete become deformation
sensors in real time. The engineering design process involved is limited by constraints related to
materials, time, and costs. Although Chung’s smart concrete is not yet commercially available,
its development will likely include various economic, safety, manufacturability, and
sustainability constraints.
Take Action with Students
 Encourage students to work within constraints to model their own smart concrete
highlighted in the video by developing a composite material that is conductive and that
changes its resistivity when it becomes deformed using the Design Investigations section of
Facilitate Inquiry as a guide. As a class, set up constraints within which students will have to
test their ideas, such as providing a limited selection of materials with which to work,
developing a composite with a minimum resistivity value, limiting the size or mass of the
composite being explored, and/or defining the minimum or maximum amount of force that
can be exerted to deform the composite.
 Brainstorm with students a list of uses for concrete. Then have students suggest how they
might change the properties of concrete to make it “smart” for any given use. For example,
concrete used on an outdoor basketball court might be somewhat soft or spongy for
running and jumping. Structures in earthquake-prone areas would benefit from concrete
Smart Concrete, An Engineering Perspective (Grades 6–12)
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that is somewhat flexible. Concrete barriers might be more effective if water were allowed
to seep through slowly instead of being impermeable to water. Ask students how changing
the properties might be done and what science knowledge they might need to do so.
Facilitate Inquiry
Encourage inquiry using a strategy modeled on the research-based science writing heuristic. Student
work will vary in complexity and depth depending on grade level, prior knowledge, and creativity. Use
the prompts liberally to encourage thought and discussion. Student Copy Masters begin on page 8.
Explore Understanding
Guide a discussion to find out what students know about the materials and their properties
associated with smart concrete. Use the following or similar prompts to start students talking.
 Cement and concrete differ in that….
 The nature of concrete can be described by….
 The kinds of materials that go into concrete are….
 Some forces that impact concrete structures are….
 You usually experience electricity when….
 Resistivity and conductivity relate to electricity by….
Show the video SOI: Smart Concrete and encourage students to take notes while they watch.
Continue the discussion of composite materials and how the composite known as concrete can
be given electrical properties using the following or similar prompts:
 When I watched the video, I thought about….
 Concrete is called a composite material because….
 The experts in the video claimed that….
 Conductive materials are those that….
 Examples of some materials that do not conduct electricity are….
 The experts in the video gave concrete electrical properties by….
 Changes in the electrical properties of a composite like smart concrete could mean that the
material….
Ask Beginning Questions
Stimulate small-group discussion with the prompt: This video makes me think about these
questions…. Then have small groups list questions they have about how to make a composite
that conducts electricity. Ask groups to choose one question and phrase it in such a way as to
be researchable and/or testable. Some examples are:
 What types of materials best conduct electricity?
 What types of materials best resist the flow electricity?
 What types of materials both conduct and resist the flow electricity relatively equally?
 What factors affect the resistivity of a material?
 How does resistivity change as the result of deformation of a material?
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Design Investigations
Choose one of the following options based on your students’ knowledge, creativity, and ability level and
your available materials. Actual materials needed will vary greatly based on these factors as well.
Possible Materials Allow time for students to examine and manipulate the materials you have
available. Doing so often aids students in refining their questions or prompts new ones that
should be recorded for future investigations. In this inquiry, students might use commercial
and/or homemade modeling clay of different colors, plaster of Paris or dental plaster, water,
craft sticks, aluminum foil, steel wool, and/or powdered graphite or mechanical pencil “leads”
that vary in thickness and hardness to make rigid composites that conduct electricity and that
can be deformed to determine if their resistivity changes as the result of the forces exerted on
them. Exerting force on the composites can be done using kilogram masses, vise grips, Cclamps, a workbench vise, or a simple hydraulic press or car jack to exert forces on their
composite samples. Students will need multi-meters or conductivity probes to measure the
resistivity and any changes in the electrical property of their composites. Make sure students
understand and know how to use these tools safely prior to the activity.
Safety Considerations To augment your own safety procedures, see NSTA’s Safety Portal at
http://www.nsta.org/portals/safety.aspx.
Open Choice Approach (Copy Master page 8)
Groups might come together to agree on the design of their own ‘smart’ composite material
and carry out testing on it or each group might explore different types of composites. Remind
students of the design constraints established in the Innovation and STEM: Take Action section.
Students should brainstorm any and all ideas in order to plan their strategies. Use prompts
similar to the following to spark the process of creative thinking:
 The materials we will use include….
 The steps we will follow are….
 We will test our designs by….
 We will record and organize our data using….
 To conduct our investigation safely, we will….
Focused Approach (Copy Master pages 9–10)
The following exemplifies one way students might design and test a composite from plaster of
Paris or dental plaster and mechanical pencil “leads” that mimics the smart concrete discussed
in the video.
1. Allow time for groups to examine all of the materials available to them. Give students free
rein in determining which materials they plan to use as long as they can justify their choices.
Remind students of the design constraints established in the Innovation and STEM: Take
Action section. Encourage students to think about how they can make a composite similar
to smart concrete, using prompts such as the following.
 Concrete is a composite made of….
 We can model concrete using _____ because….
 We are not going to use _____ because we think it/they will….
 In terms of electricity, the resistivity and conductivity of concrete is….
 Pencil “lead” is a mixture of….
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2. Ensure students understand the concept of electrical resistivity. Review what electrical
resistivity is, how it is measured, and the factors that impact it.
3. Students may need a tutorial before using the multimeter. Demonstrate how it can be used
to measure the resistivity across a mechanical pencil “lead” while providing these prompts:
 The black lead and red lead of the multimeter should be plugged into_____ because….
 If the leads are touching, the resistivity….
 To measure the resistivity across a composite, the leads….
4. To make a composite that mimics some of the properties of smart concrete, students could
use a craft stick to mix some dental plaster with water in a small open box made of
aluminum foil until the mixture has the consistency of toothpaste. Students could quickly
insert about two dozen mechanical pencil “leads” into the mixture, making sure that they
are covered by the plaster, and then allow the composite to completely set. They could
then measure the resistivity across the composite, apply compressional force to the
material without cracking or destroying it, and re-measure the composite’s resistivity. Help
students visualize this procedure using these or similar prompts:
 In our model composite, the dental plaster represents….
 We will give our composite electrical properties by….
 We will measure the resistivity of our model concrete _____ times because….
 We will apply compressional force to our composites to….
5. Students might further investigate composites made from commercial modeling dough or
clay and mechanical pencil “leads” or powdered graphite and compare their results to their
original composites.
Media Research Option
Groups might have questions that are best explored using print media and online resources.
Students should brainstorm to form a list of key words and phrases they could use in Internet
search engines that might result in resources that will help them answer the question. Review
how to safely browse the Web, how to evaluate information on the Internet for accuracy, and
how to correctly cite the information found. Suggest students make note of any interesting
tangents they find in their research effort for future inquiry. Encourage students with prompts
such as the following:
 Words and phrases associated with our question are….
 The reliability of our sources was established by….
 The science and math concepts that underpin a possible solution are….
 Our research might feed into an engineering design solution such as….
 To conduct the investigation safely, we will….
Make a Claim Backed by Evidence
As students carry out their investigations, ensure they record their observations and
measurements. Students should analyze their observations in order to state one or more
claims. Encourage students with this prompt: As evidenced by… I claim… because….
An example claim might be:
As evidenced by my measurements, I claim that forces can change the properties of a composite
even though the changes are not visible to the eye because the resistivity of my composite
changed (increased) after being subjected to compressional force.
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Compare Findings
Encourage students to compare results with others such as classmates who tested the same or
similar composites, material they find on the Internet, the information presented in the video,
or an expert they chose to interview. Remind students to credit their original sources in their
comparisons. Elicit comparisons from students with prompts such as:
 My findings are similar to (or different from) those of the experts in the video in that….
 My findings are similar to (or different from) those of my classmates in that….
 My findings are similar to (or different from) those that I found on the Internet in that….
Students might make comparisons like the following:
My results were similar to those discussed in the video because my composite was hard, like real
concrete, and was able to conduct electricity like smart concrete does. Also, like the expert in the
video explained, when I subjected my material to compressional force, it didn’t develop any
visible cracks, but its resistivity did change.
Reflect on Learning
Students should reflect on their understanding, thinking about how their ideas have changed or
what they know now that they didn’t before. Ask groups to give short presentations about their
investigations and encourage questions from the audience on their thinking process as well as
their procedures and results. Encourage reflection, using prompts such as the following:
 I claim that my ideas have changed from the beginning of this lesson because of this
evidence….
 My ideas changed in the following ways….
 When thinking about the claims made by the experts, I am confused about....
 One part of the investigation I am most proud of is….
Inquiry Assessment
See the rubric included in the student Copy Masters on page 11.
Incorporate Video into Your Lesson Plan
Integrate Video in Instruction
Bellringer Play the video from the beginning to 0:30 without the sound to introduce students to
the composite called concrete. Then ask students to hypothesize why concrete is used to build
the roads, buildings, and other structures shown in this segment of the video. If needed, help
students conclude that the material is strong, cheap, easy to make, and can withstand great
compressional forces.
Compare and Contrast Replay the video segment from 1:45 to 2:23, which discusses
conductivity and electrical resistance. Define the terms for students and explain, if needed, that
electrical resistance is the inverse of conductivity.
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Using the 5E Approach?
If you use a 5E approach to lesson plans, consider incorporating video in these Es:
Explain Use the information in the video and students’ results from the Design Investigations
section of Facilitate Inquiry to support your lessons on forces, electricity, and matter.
Extend Have students do research to find out about ways in which smart concrete could be
used in earthquake-prone areas, to monitor traffic flow patterns during an evacuation, or in
coastal areas that depend on levees to keep flood waters at bay.
Connect to … MATH
Cost Comparisons Smart concrete is not currently economically feasible as its costs are about
30% greater than those of conventional concrete. Have students research to find out how the
cost of a certain volume of conventional concrete compares to the same volume of smart
concrete. Challenge them to compare these two values to the cost of repairing or replacing a
traditional concrete structure that has failed with that of a structure made from smart
concrete. Ask students to reflect on and estimate additional, non-material related costs that
may be associated with concrete/structural failures.
Prompt Innovation with Video
After students watch the video, have them research patents associated with smart concrete.
They can do so with an Internet search on Google.com/patents using search terms such as the
following. If time is limited, point students toward the patent examples.

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Electrically conductive fibers
Stress
Strain
Tensile
Tension
Composite/building material
Carbon fibers
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Carbon nanofibers
Resistance/resistivity
Conductivity/conductance
Elongation
Cement/concrete
Sensor/gauge
Load
Patent Examples
US 5,379,644 – method for detecting strain or stress of a structure
US 5,422,174 – electromagnetic wave shielding building material
US 5,581,039 – ceramic/concrete body subjected to stress and undergoes gradual change
US 6,079,277 – strain or stress sensor
US 6,276,614 – strain sensor formed in a sheet shape from composites
US 7,921,727 – sensing system for monitoring the structural health of a structure
Suggest students read abstracts of patents that attract their attention. Then hold a discussion
about how various innovators are improving on the process. Use prompts such as the following:
 This patent is for _____, which is related to the invention shown in the video by….
 This patent describes _____, which differs from the invention shown in the video in that….
 I think doing/making _____ would be an innovation because….
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COPY MASTER: Open Choice Inquiry Guide for Students
Science of Innovation: Smart Concrete
Use this as a guide to make and test a composite that can be compared to smart concrete.
Record all of your notes and observations in your science notebook.
Ask Beginning Questions
The video makes me think about these questions….
Design Investigations
Choose your materials and brainstorm with your teammates to discuss how you will make and
test your composite. Take notes on your discussions. Use these prompts to help you:
 The materials we will use include….
 The steps we will follow are….
 We will record and organize our data using….
 To conduct our investigation safely, we will….
Record Data and Observations
Record and organize your data and observations using tables and/or graphs.
Make a Claim Backed by Evidence
Analyze your results and make one or more claims based on the evidence your data shows.
Make sure that the claim goes beyond summarizing the relationship between the variables.
My Evidence
My Claim
My Reason
Compare Findings
Review the video and then discuss your design with classmates who made and tested the same
or a similar composite. Or do research on the Internet or talk with an expert. How do your
findings compare? Be sure to give credit to others when you use their findings in your
comparisons.
 My findings are similar to (or different from) the experts in the video in that….
 My findings are similar to (or different from) my classmates in that….
 My findings are similar to (or different from) what I found on the Internet in that….
Reflect on Learning
Think about what you found out. How does it fit with what you already knew? How does it
change what you thought you knew?
 I claim that my ideas have changed from the beginning of this lesson in that….
 My ideas changed in the following ways….
 When thinking about the claims made by the experts, I am confused about....
 One part of the investigation I am most proud of is….
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COPY MASTER: Focused Inquiry Guide for Students
Science of Innovation: Smart Concrete
Use this guide to make and test a composite that models smart concrete. Record your notes
and observations in your science notebook.
Ask Beginning Questions
How can we make a composite that is similar to smart concrete?
Design Investigations
Discuss with your group how you might make a composite with electrical properties from the
materials available. Use these prompts to help you.
 Concrete is a composite whose properties include….
 We can model concrete using _____ because….
 We can give our composite electrical properties by….
 We will test if our composite’s resistivity changes by….
 To be safe, we need to….
Record Data and Observations
Record and organize your observations and data in tables such as the one below.
Ingredients in Our Composite
Initial Resistivity (ohms)
Final Resistivity (ohms)
Make a Claim Backed by Evidence
Analyze your results and then make one or more claims based on the evidence you observed.
My Evidence
My Claim
Smart Concrete, An Engineering Perspective (Grades 6–12)
My Reason
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Compare Findings
Review the video and discuss your results with classmates who made the same or similar
composites or with classmates who made different composites. Or do research on the Internet
or talk with an expert to find out more about resistivity and smart concrete. How do your
findings compare? Be sure to give credit to others when you use their findings in your
comparisons.
 My findings are similar to (or different from) those of the experts in the video in that….
 My findings are similar to (or different from) those of my classmates in that….
 My findings are similar to (or different from) information I found on the Internet in that….
Reflect on Learning
Think about what you found out. How does it fit with what you already knew? How does it
change what you thought you knew?
 My ideas have changed from the beginning of this lesson because of this evidence….
 My ideas changed in the following ways….
 When thinking about the claims made by the expert, I am confused about....
 One part of the investigation I am most proud of is….
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COPY MASTER: Assessment Rubric for Inquiry Investigations
Criteria
Initial question
Investigation
design
Variables
Safety procedures
Observations and
data
Claim
Findings
comparison
Reflection
1 point
Question had a yes/no
answer, was off topic, or
otherwise was not
researchable or testable.
2 points
Question was
researchable or testable
but too broad or not
answerable by the
chosen investigation.
The design of the
While the design
investigation did not
supported the initial
support a response to
question, the procedure
the initial question.
used to collect data
(e.g., number of trials,
or control of variables)
was not sufficient.
Either the dependent or
While the dependent
independent variable
and independent
was not identified.
variables were
identified, no controls
were present.
Basic laboratory safety
Some, but not all, of the
procedures were
safety equipment was
followed, but practices
used and only some
specific to the activity
safe practices needed
were not identified.
for this investigation
were followed.
Observations were not
Observations were
made or recorded, and
made, but were not
data are unreasonable in very detailed, or data
nature, not recorded, or
appear invalid or were
do not reflect what
not recorded
actually took place during appropriately.
the investigation.
No claim was made or
Claim was marginally
the claim had no
related to evidence
relationship to the
from investigation.
evidence used to support
it.
Comparison of findings
Comparison of findings
was limited to a
was not supported by
description of the initial
the data collected.
question.
Student reflection was
limited to a description
of the procedure used.
Student reflections
were not related to the
initial question.
Smart Concrete, An Engineering Perspective (Grades 6–12)
3 points
Question clearly stated,
researchable or testable,
and showed direct
relationship to
investigation.
Variables were clearly
identified and controlled
as needed with steps and
trials that resulted in data
that could be used to
answer the question.
Variables identified and
controlled in a way that
results in data that can be
analyzed and compared.
Appropriate safety
equipment used and safe
practices adhered to.
Detailed observations
were made and properly
recorded and data are
plausible and recorded
appropriately.
Claim was backed by
investigative or research
evidence.
Comparison of findings
included both
methodology and data
collected by at least one
other entity.
Student reflections
described at least one
impact on thinking.
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