National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Lines on Paper - Laser Box
See what you cannot see by getting a little creative. An intriguing lesson has learners use lasers to explore X-ray diffraction. Given a box with unknown structures, they shine a laser through the box and interpret the results....
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Jell-O® Waveguide and Power Loss
Jell-O® can help model the transmission of light through fiber optic cables. Young scientists use the jiggly dessert to make a waveguide to transmit a laser beam from one point to another. Their models help them learn the function of...
Curated OER
Investigation of Crystallinity in Polymeric Materials
A kaleidoscope is constructed using polarizing polymer paper and then low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, and polypropylene are all melted onto individual glass slides and examined through a microscope. The intent is to...
Curated OER
Cells All Around
Students measure the size of an epithelial cell and to estimate the number of epithelial cells in a given area of the body. After watching a video on cells, student groups perform an experiment using a microscope to view some of their...
Curated OER
MITOSIS
Tenth graders examine the process of mitosis on a laser disc. They examine mitosis in an onion utilizing the microscope.
Curated OER
Stations of Light
Student groups rotate through four stations to examine light energy behavior: refraction, magnification, prisms and polarization. They see how a beam of light is refracted (bent) through various transparent mediums. Young scholars...
Curated OER
The Energy of Light
Students discuss different ways engineers use light. In this engineering lesson, students are introduced to the properties of light and the way light is used. They view a demonstration of light waves using a slinky, and practice using...
Curated OER
Murder Mystery
High schoolers examine how to capture foot prints while they simulate a criminal investigation. They discover how the clues are needed for identifying or eliminating murder suspects.
Curated OER
Do Different Colors Absorb Heat Better?
Students work together to test how the color of a material affects how much heat it absorbs. They make predictions and take notes on their observations. They discover how engineers use this type of information.