Lesson Plan “What is “nano”?
Objectives:
 The learner will relate “nano” mathematically to other units.
 The learner will explain why we can’t “see” nano.
 The learner will contrast the fact and fiction of nano safety and societal concerns.
Day one
Set: Show the video “Powers of 10” maybe just down
Q) What is “nano”?
Lesson:
Activity one:
Prepare one square meter of paper for each group, scissors and rulers
1.
Students divide their paper into 10 equal pieces.
Q) How could we describe what you did mathematically?
Lead them to 1/10, 1x10-1, .1 and decimeters2
2.
Students divide one of their dm2 into 10 equal parts.
Q) How could you describe what you did mathematically?
Q) What unit do you have now? What part of a m2 is it?
Q) Can you divide one of these pieces into 10 equal parts? What would you need?
Q) If you did or could, what unit would you have?
3.
Who remembers form the video how millimeters are related to micrometers?
Imagine dividing your square millimeter by 10… by 10……by 10 again.
Q) Can you see it? Would a magnifying glass help? How about a 100x microscope?
Now imagine dividing your ultra tiny micrometer2 by 10….by 10….by 10 again.
You have a nano (meter2)!
Q) Can you see it, with a microscope? Why not?
At this point depending on the student’s prior knowledge, bring in the wavelength of light to
explain why we can’t see nano sized particles.
Lesson continued:
Show video “When things get small”
Activity two:
Divide students into groups to do research:
Handout 1 has useful websites.
 What does nano mean to different groups of people?
 Is nanotechnology safe?
 How is society reacting to nanotechnology?
 Where is nanotechnology currently used?
Students present their findings in any format they feel is appropriate. (anything from
raps to a posters)
Closure: day one: As we clean up the bits of our m2, tell your new research group one thing you learned
so far about “nano”.
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Lesson Plan “What is “nano”?
Day two maybe three
Set: Have pieces from activity one posted in the room along with a reminder of how much farther nano is.
Lesson:
Continue activity two:
Students do the research assigned.
Closure day two: “Tell your neighbor one bit of information you found.”
Day three or four
Lesson:
Continue activity two:
Students finalize presentations and present their research.
Closure day three: Discuss as needed.
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Lesson Plan “What is “nano”?
Handout 1

What does nano mean for different groups of people?
- http://www.ge.com/research/grc_2_4.html
- http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/
- http://www.glocom.org/tech_reviews/geti/20021218_geti_s35/index.html
- http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/nano/overview.php

Is nanotechnology safe?
- http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/nano_exchange.html
- http://www.nanosafe.org/node/302
- http://www.foresight.org/guidelines/current.html
- http://www2.parc.com/csl/projects/crypto-symposium/2000/absmerkle.html
- http://www.crnano.org/safe.htm

How society is reacting nanotechnology?
- http://nanopublic.blogspot.com/2006/04/history-repeating-itself-public.html
- http://nsts.nano.sc.edu/events/031006a.html
- http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/IPSE/about/projects.html
- http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/SPT/v8n2/toumey.html
- http://www.ncsu.edu/news/press_releases/04_07/211.htm (positive)

Where is nanotechnology currently used?
- http://www.nanotech-now.com/current-uses.htm
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2006/03/09/AR2006030902115.html
- http://www.nano-and-society.org/NELSI/topic/environment.html
- http://www.nanovic.com.au/?a=education.history&p=30
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