Pour Some Sugar on Me

Flu and cold season is upon us again and if you are anything like me, a day of 30 coughing kids can make you want to go home and dive into a bath of hand sanitizer. Helping students understand what germs are and how they spread is essential for the health of you and your students this winter.  A class full of germ-conscious kids who properly wash their hands regularly would be great, right?  Joann and I featured germ-related activities in our posts about germs last year.  Be sure to check them out on our blog archive here and here. 

On a similar note, Halloween traditions can bring up a whole new set of healthy eating teachable moments for your classroom.  As the kids are slowly coming out of the sugar rush of Halloween and building up to the feeding frenzy (more commonly known as Thanksgiving) in America, teachers have a chance to set a good example and teach kids more about the food they are putting into their bodies every day.  I know that I had more than my fair share of added sugar on Halloween, and as I was enjoying it, I started thinking about the added sugar in my diet.  There are lots of nutrition related activities you can implement into your class, but this week I thought sugar would be a timely and appropriate topic.

How much added sugar are we really supposed to be getting anyways?  According to the American Heart Association, women shouldn’t have more than about 5 teaspoons a day (20 grams) and men shouldn’t have more than 9 (36 grams).  Children should be limited to 3 teaspoons (or 12 grams) of added sugar per day.  Most Americans get more than 22 teaspoons, a fact that might surprise some of your students.  These numbers don’t include the sugar naturally founds in food like fruit.  This is the sugar that is added into many foods for extra sweetness.

This fall, I want to help students hunt down the hidden sugar in their diets.  They probably have plenty of Halloween candy to use in this activity, so I plan to ask them to each bring in a few pieces.  If they don’t have candy, they can bring in wrappers and containers from other popular items like yogurt, cereal, soda, and other packaged snacks.  Unfortunately, the nutrition information isn’t on most fun-size candy passed out during trick-or-treating, so you might need to do some online research.  Looking up the information online is a good technology lesson in itself, or you can provide students a list of sugar content in popular candies.  This list is a good starting point.

When looking at ingredients, remember that the sugar content is usually listed under carbohydrates. Sometimes it’s hard for students to figure out which sugar is naturally occurring and which is added, but the numbers will give you a rough idea of the amount of added sugar.  The amounts are generally listed in grams, a weight measurement students might not be familiar with.  They might be more familiar with a volume measurement like a teaspoon.  What does a gram of sugar look like?  The following idea is for an activity that will let students see the amount of sugar in each of their snacks.

For this activity, I will start with 3 baby food jars (or snack size zipper bags) in the front of the classroom, each one representing the maximum amount of daily added sugar that kids and adults should get per day (3, 5, and 9 teaspoons).  After a discussion of added sugars, I will let the kids research their own snacks and create jars or bags of the amount of sugar in each of their snacks. 

For kids old enough to do the math themselves, there is roughly 4 grams of sugar in each teaspoon (this can vary slightly by granularity of the sugar, but it makes for a easy conversion for kids to use).  They can simply divide the number of grams of sugar by 4 to determine the approximate number of teaspoons of sugar in the snack.

I will also make a few examples, so I am sure there is a wide range of snacks.  I will do an example bag for a can of soda, a sweetened yogurt, and a typical serving of a sugary cereal.  Once the kids have created their bags of sugar, I will let them creatively present their results to the class.  It might be a neat exercise to line up the bags with their wrappers in order of how much added sugar they have.  If we do this, we can make a class chart so we can remember and compare our results. 

Here are some more Gateway resources that will help you study added sugars with your class:

Reading Labels: Which Snack is the Best Choice?

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2010-04-10.9162408692

Put Your Favorite Beverage to the Test

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/32769

Good Snack, Smart Snack

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2007-10-09.8279893203

Sugary cereals

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/9203

Candy bar fractions

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2010-09-25.6576047958

~ Peggy's Corner - November 1, 2011~

Spy Kids

Most students, at one time or another, become enamored with spies and espionage. Spies live in the shadows, gather intelligence and use all sorts of evasive actions to avoid detection. They inhabit a world fraught with danger and mystery, and their exploits are often riveting. What’s not to like?

The use of espionage to gather intelligence has a lengthy record in history. Sun Tzu stressed the importance of using political and military techniques of “deception and subversion” in his seminal work The Art of War, written around 600 BC.  Surveillance operations have also been documented as far back as ancient Egypt, where early pharaohs used trusted agents to spy on their subjects as well as political “frenemies” in Rome and Greece. The ancient Romans honed espionage to a fine art, using it as an effective method in helping to govern their immense empire that spanned three continents. Indeed, Roman documents contemporary to the period indicate that the Roman intelligence community knew in advance of the plan to assassinate Julius Caesar in 44 BC. European governments in medieval times relied on spies particularly in times of war, while Queen Elizabeth I and her cabinet infamously employed a vast network of spies, some of whom were double or even triple agents.

The first documented case of spying in the U.S. occurred in 1776, when Nathan Hale was executed by the British for spying on them during the American Revolution. George Washington realized early on that espionage would be vital to winning independence from the British, and relied on his personal band of spies known as the Culper Ring to feed him information. More recent spies such as Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Anna Chapman, and scores of others continue to make headlines from time to time, but most spies remain in the shadows for life. Today, nearly all countries use espionage to gather intelligence on friends and foes alike, employing both traditional spies as well as digital methods. According to recent news reports, the U.S. is the target of “hundreds of thousands” or cyber-attacks daily, many of which originate in Beijing. Security experts believe the attacks are meant to infiltrate government, manufacturing, and military systems, and concede that a fair percentage of the attacks have been successful. This type of espionage could be a great topic of discussion in social studies classes, as well as in lessons devoted to economics, health and safety, technology, current events, and others.

My picks this week focus on spy-themed lessons that work across the curriculum for a variety of ages. As always, we’ll also be featuring several new lessons and resources on this topic each day throughout the week on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so be sure to check those pages regularly.

Boston Spies’ Report on the Redcoats

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2007-08-10.3639054937/

Subjects: US history, Writing

Grade: 3-5

In this lesson, students collect information about British actions in Boston, and send it by secret coded message to leaders in Philadelphia. This is a fun lesson that incorporates research with primary source documents, hands-on activities, and critical thinking skills. This lesson offered by Beacon Learning Center, which offers standards-based resources and professional development activities.

An American Spy with Money to Spend

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2007-04-20.5605084370/

Subjects: Geography, Math (measurement)

Grade: 6-8

In this lesson, students pretend to be international spies on a mission. The lesson teaches across the curriculum, with the spies "visiting" different countries, and exchanging currency. This lesson is a product of Beacon Learning Center, an online educational resource and professional development center that offers a variety of in many subject areas, and are aligned to Florida's Sunshine State Standards.

The Spy’s Dilemma: A Problem in Intelligent Choice, and a Matter of Life and Death http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-09-12.4152596182

Subjects: US history, World history

Grade: 8-12

In this interactive online game, you are a Soviet agent in late December 1945. Relations between your country and America have been rapidly deteriorating. Your government is worried that the United States will turn its power against Soviet interests in the world.  Your government has asked you to find out what you can about American foreign and defense policies and about American intelligence capabilities. You have 45 minutes to examine sensitive files from President Truman's safe and select five you think will be most useful to your country's leader, Premier Josef Stalin. Write down your reasons for selecting the documents you choose. If you do well, you may be allowed to live. This online game is a product of the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, a nonprofit organization that houses thousands of documents by President Truman and his administration, and offers many educational resources for teachers and researchers.

~Joann's Picks - September 22, 2011~

Plant Power

Autumn doesn’t officially start until next week, but the signs that the season is imminent are all around us. The nights have become noticeably cooler, and the days shorter. Trees are beginning to change color, and will soon begin shedding their leaves.  For many plants, the lifespan of their hardworking leaves has come to an end; they will soon color, shrivel, and finally die. In some parts of the country, many plants will remain dormant for the winter, and only gradually re-animate in the spring, when they unfurl new leaves.

Leaves are indeed the workhorses of plants. Through the process of photosynthesis, leaves absorb carbon dioxide and sunlight, and convert the sun’s rays into energy in which to make food. Water, of course, is also necessary for photosynthesis to occur, and is absorbed through the plant’s roots. Once energy is created, the plant is able to store reserves in its leaves for future use, and emits oxygen as a waste product. It’s a remarkably efficient process, and vital to the survival of nearly all living things. Animals and humans exhale carbon dioxide, which the plants take in, and in turn emit oxygen for our use. Photosynthesis occurs in some bacteria, algae, and in most plants.

Leaves are, perhaps, the original solar panels. In autumn, the process of photosynthesis slows as the amount of daylight and precipitation declines. Food production wanes, and deciduous trees and other plants will essentially shut down over the winter months until increased sunlight and rainfall in the spring gradually prompt photosynthesis to resume. Fall is a wonderful time to discuss the process by which leaves make energy, and there are lots of materials available for classroom use.  This week’s selected resources on photosynthesis are for a variety of grade levels, and some can be adapted for different ages. I’ll also be featuring several new lessons and resources on photosynthesis daily throughout the week on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so be sure to take a look.

But What IS Photosynthesis?

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-09-08.4180484745

Subjects: Math, Botany, Biology

Grade: 3-5

In this lesson, students will experience aural, written, reading, and hands-on instruction in learning about photosynthesis. This lesson is a product of the College of Education at Western Michigan University.

Photosynthesis, Trees, and the Greenhouse Effect

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-09-03.7139319487

Subjects: Geography, Botany, Ecology

Grade: 6-8

In this lesson, students will study photosynthesis and then transfer their understanding of this topic to a consideration of how trees can help reduce the negative impacts of the greenhouse effect. They will read a Web page describing the greenhouse effect, carbon dioxide's role as a greenhouse gas, and the role of humans in exacerbating this effect. This lesson was produced by National Geographic Xpeditions, which offers a plethora of tools, interactive adventures, and ideas relating to geography and the world around us. In addition to lesson plans, the site offers daily global news, maps, interactive games for kids, and more. Lessons are aligned to the U.S. National Geography Standards.

Photosynthesis: Unit Plan

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-09-08.9596193654

Subjects: Botany, Biology, Ecology

Grade: 9-12

In this series of eight lessons, students will learn about the light reactions of photosynthesis, the physical plant characteristics and their functions, and the role of energy in the metabolic processes in plants. They will also apply their knowledge to the topics of world deforestation and global warming. This lesson was created by Dayna Wilhelm, a graduate student in Education at Virginia Tech.

~Joann's Picks - September 15, 2011~

Math Class is Tough!

I remember the commotion started by Teen Talk Barbie when she announced, “Math class is tough!” in the early nineties.  After only a few months, the phrase was taken out of the dolls’ vocabularies and Mattel swapped out the dolls that still said the phrase.  These toys echoed a much larger cultural trend that continues to plague math teachers across the country: being smart and doing well in math doesn’t always make you popular.  Social conditioning can lead students, especially those in their very impressionable adolescent years, to believe that math is very hard and “uncool,” and generally not worth their time and effort.  It’s often seen as a required subject to pass, not a subject that will be interesting, fun, and ultimately very useful in life.  Making math accessible and intriguing and even cool to these students is an obstacle that successful math teachers overcome.  Math class can be tough, but students who enjoy it from a young age will enjoy it enough to make it worth the effort.

Great middle school and high school math teachers find ways to connect with their students to help them embrace and enjoy math, blending mathematical concepts into all different subjects. Integrating subjects like this can seem like a lofty goal for those of us who are constantly short on time, but there are plenty of Gateway resources to help you out.  If you start a search for math resources, you can narrow your search with a secondary subject (such as art). When I did this search, I found a neat lesson about M.C. Escher artwork and the mathematical concept of tessellations.

You can intrigue your students by presenting real-world projects and activities that demonstrate the relevance of math in students’ lives.  Tessellations and fractals are both math concepts can be taught with fun hands-on activities at many grade levels.  Many adolescent students will balk at a discussion of interior and exterior angles, and how different geometric shapes can fit together.  These same students might truly enjoy exploring the concept with manipulatives or interactive computer models.  From simple pattern-building activities in the primary grades to some of the more complex activities available on the Gateway, using hands-on activities and visual aids is appealing and memorable to many students.

My favorite math and science teachers showed me how to embrace my inner “nerd,” helping me succeed in math despite the social pressure (and Barbie) telling me that math class is tough. In my calculus class, the community was so tight-knit that we created a class shirt that was actually cool to wear it around campus.  In that classroom, I learned an important lesson: being a dork or geek is not a bad thing!  In her book Math Doesn’t Suck, Danica McKellar takes an opposite approach by showing teen girls that math is actually cooler than they think, and not just a subject for the smart boys. The Wonder Years actress turned math guru’s books are a good resource to suggest to girls struggling (or not trying) in your class. 

As a math teacher, you are a very important role model for your students. Your love for math will show, and if you get excited about math in your everyday life, your students will notice.  If you have fun and embrace your own inner “geek,” maybe they will, too. Kids who learn to love math today will excel in it tomorrow. Good luck, and please let us know if you have successful math activities you want to share.


~Peggy's Corner - 9/1/2011~

Repeat After Me….

It’s always fun to do something unexpected in the classroom, and to watch the kids’ reactions. It’s especially gratifying when the event furthers a curricular goal, or makes subject matter more palatable to the students.  I remember one day in middle school where we math students weren’t particularly engaged in the material, and the teacher’s attempts to salvage the class weren’t working. She was a fine teacher, and we were normally motivated learners, but it was just one of those days where things didn’t click. She sighed, scrapped the lesson, and took out a large book of M.C. Escher drawings. While most of the students had seen some of his work before, the tessellation pictures were the ones we focused on. We marveled at the intricacy and precision of his work, and before long were discussing different types of symmetry and what types of shapes could and couldn’t be used to produce tessellations. It wasn’t the lesson the teacher had originally intended (or even wanted) to teach, but she did what gifted educators everywhere do: she took the class pulse, decided to change tactics by introducing something novel to the class, and wound up still delivering math content in a way that was memorable and valuable. 

Tessellations are neat things. They’re created when a specific shape is multiplied and repeated over and over, until it covers the entire surface of a plane without any gaps in the pattern. Tessellations are sometimes also known as “tiling,” and can occur in nature as well as being a man-made product. The repeated shapes shown on brick walls, soccer balls, honeycombs, and the sections of an orange, for instance, are all examples of tiling, or tessellations. The use of tessellations as a decorative motif has been traced to the ancient Sumerians, who some 4,000 years ago decorated the walls of temples and other buildings with elaborate repeated patterns. It’s a fine blending of mathematics and visual art – a fairly rare combination – and can be a great topic to engage students who usually don’t like math. The trick is to consistently emphasize the mathematical properties of tessellations, and how they in turn make the artistic properties possible.

Tessellations can be taught across the curriculum and to a variety of age groups. Younger students can use pattern activity blocks to emphasize patterns and symmetry while working on their problem-solving skills. Older students can calculate distance using individual tile measurements, explore the different types of symmetry on a plane, and figure out which shapes tessellate and which ones don’t. All ages can create their own tessellations, using either simple shapes like triangles and squares or more complex irregular shapes. Tessellations can be studied in the art classroom, and in science by examining symmetry in nature, such as in animals and plants.

This week I’ve highlighted three hands-on tessellation lessons with activities for a variety of ages.  Please be sure to read Peggy’s companion column where she discusses how to use these resources and others in the classroom. We’ll also be featuring several new lessons and resources on this topic each day throughout the week on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so be sure to take a look.

Exploring Tessellations

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-08-24.6118809390

Subjects: Geometry, Art

Grade: K-2

In these activities, students learn about tessellations and how to create them. They learn to tessellate with one shape, two shapes, and finally with three dimensional (3-D) shapes. This lesson was produced by the Geometry Playground at Exploratorium, a museum of science, art, and human perception located in San Francisco, California. The Exploratorium offers a host of materials for educators, including lesson plans.

Medieval Tessellations

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-08-24.0009022082

Subjects: Geometry, Art, World history

Grade: 6-8

The major focus of this lesson is to surreptitiously introduce the teaching of math concepts across the curriculum. Students will each produce a tessellation of original design that effectively uses shape, pattern/repetition and color to create a "beastie" inspired by bestiaries of the Middle Ages. This lesson is a produce of the Incredible Art Department at Princeton Online, and offers a plethora of materials for art teachers, art students, parents, homeschoolers and artists.

Let’s Tessellate

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2008-05-01.5810723795

Grade: 9-12

This lesson is a hands-on, technology-based project that will take place in the classroom and computer lab. Students will discover which regular polygons tessellate the plane by constructing polygonal tessellations. Students will also use a spreadsheet to calculate the area and perimeter of the polygons. This lesson was produced by the Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX), an education portal that provides lesson plans, education-related podcasts, best practices, and Alabama professional development activities. Lessons are aligned to Alabama Content Standards.

~Joann's Picks - 9/1/2011~ 

A House Divided

The American Civil War remains one of the saddest chapters in U.S. history. It lasted for four years, divided a nation and some families, and forever shaped the American psyche. For many people, it was a war of horrible necessity – a last resort when political and cultural ideologies clashed, and all hopes for a peaceful resolution faded. While the vast majority of battles were fought in southern and mid-Atlantic states, it was also a war that saw conflicts around the country in places like Vermont, New Mexico, and Florida. Virtually no family in the nation was left unscathed, as sons, fathers, husbands, and neighbors either enlisted or were drafted to fight their countrymen. The death toll from the war was immense, and it remains the deadliest war in U.S. history. Over 620,000 soldiers were killed in the war (about 2% of the total U.S. population at that time), as were countless civilians. At the Battle of Cold Harbor in Virginia, for example, 7,000 men alone died within the first 20 minutes of battle.

The American Civil War meant different things to different people. The moral and ethical questions regarding slavery was obviously a hotly-contested issue in both political and civilian circles, and certainly played a vital role in the war. While classrooms tend to focus on the desire to end slavery as the primary cause of the American Civil War, historians draw a much more complex picture, and cite numerous reasons for the conflict. Economics played a role, as the American South remained agrarian and the North became increasingly industrialized, factors which inflamed already divisive cultural tensions. Many southern states viewed the “Northern Aggression” as a quest to undermine a deeply-entrenched way of life and tradition, and an attempt to wrest economic control from profitable plantations. Northerners in turn felt strongly that the economic benefits of a free labor market would best suit the nation. Others felt that the federal government had overstepped its bounds, and that states should be allowed to exercise greater rights for their constituents. Opponents to this view countered that the federal government needed greater control in order to move the country as a whole forward in the world economy and set a standard for human dignity and justice. Still others fought to preserve a nation and reclaim states that had seceded, in the hopes that the country could mend itself and become a world leader.

Teaching about the Civil War has benefits that extend beyond U.S. history classes. It was the first truly “modern” war, where both sides relied on mass-produced weapons, hot-air balloons for surveillance, submarines, railroads, and other technologies. A great deal of literature, poetry, music, and poignant letters came out of the war, as well as new therapies and treatments in medicine. Examination of the economics of war, battle strategies, and the fundamental quest for human dignity and civil rights are all rich topics for students to explore. This week I’ve highlighted three resources on the American Civil War from the Gateway’s collection, and will feature many more lesson plans, activities, and information throughout the week on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Please be sure to check those pages and let us know what you think.

Map the Civil War Lesson Plan

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-07-18.9913656434

Subjects: U.S. History, Math, Geography

Grade: 4-7

Mapmakers were very important to Civil War generals. The generals used maps to figure out how to move their armies from one place to another, and how to trap the enemy forces against rivers or high bluffs. If the maps were wrong, the army could be late getting to a battle…or worse. In this activity, students will be mapmakers. Their job is to survey the land for their general so they can pick sheltered places for their army to camp and open areas where they can march and fight. This activity was created by The Civil War Trust, which is America's largest non-profit organization devoted to the preservation of endangered Civil War battlefields. The Trust also promotes educational programs and heritage tourism initiatives to inform the public of the war's history and the fundamental conflicts that sparked it.

The Battle of Honey Springs: The Civil War Comes to Indian Territory http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2009-01-29.7001785986

Subjects: U.S. History
Grade: 5-12

Learn how the Civil War created fierce conflicts among American Indian nations who had been moved across the Mississippi River. This lesson could be used in teaching units on the Civil War, particularly the war in the West, on Native American history, or on cultural diversity. This lesson was produced by the National Park Service (NPS), a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The NPS oversees America’s national parks, as well as provides educational resources on American history and places to the public.

On the Eve of War: North vs. South http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-07-18.9381504421

Subjects: Economics, U.S. History

Grade: 9-12

This lesson will examine the economic, military, and diplomatic strengths and weaknesses of the North and South on the eve of the Civil War. In making these comparisons students will use maps and read original documents to decide which side, if any, had an overall advantage at the start of the war. This lesson is a product of EDSITEment, an educational outreach program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. EDSITEment offers lesson plans and activities for social studies, literature and language arts, foreign languages, art, culture, and history classrooms.

~Joann's Picks - August 4, 2011~

It’s a Small World After All

In the 1980s, a new branch of science emerged that seemed to be straight out of the pages of a science fiction novel. While the new science didn’t initially garner much attention from the general press or population, scientists and ethicists were all abuzz about nanotechnology. Despite some news items that occasionally crop up in the mainstream media, nanotechnology has quietly continued to evolve and impact our everyday lives. Unbeknownst to most people, the technology is used in many everyday objects, such as sunscreens, cosmetics, fabrics, eyeglass lenses, LCD screens, scratch-resistant car finishes, and much more.

Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter and the engineering of tiny machines on an atomic and molecular scale. The scale is extraordinarily small: one nanometer (or nanoscale) is one billionth of a meter, which is about 50,000 times small than the width of a human hair. The head of a common pin is about one millimeter in diameter, or the equivalent of one million nanometers, while a single human red blood cell is approximately 2,500 nanometers in size. Reducing objects to the nanoscale is an extremely complex science that offers a wide range of applications and potentially great benefits in the way of medicine, consumer products, and fuels. Many newer sunscreens, for example, contain nanoparticles of zinc or titanium oxide that allows them to spread more easily and reduce whitish residue on the skin. Fabrics that inhibit the penetration of UV rays are coated with thin layers of zinc oxide nanoparticles, while other fabrics contain nanoparticles that help resist stains or repel water. Clothing manufacturer Eddie Bauer, for instance, has used embedded nanoparticles to create stain- and wrinkle-resistant khaki pants. Nanoparticles allow for better absorption of diet and vitamin supplements by the body, and are used to manufacture lighter and stronger tennis rackets and golf clubs. Applications in development currently include edible, antimicrobial films that kill bacteria in packaged foods, and the injection of specially coated nanoparticles into a patient’s bloodstream to target cancerous cells. It’s a brave new world of extremely exciting, cool science.

Nanotechnology is not without its detractors, however. Some scientists and ethicists cite concerns regarding irresponsible molecular manufacturing, fearing possible toxicity, its unknown impact on the environment, and how it may be used by military groups worldwide. The applications and potential drawbacks of nanotechnology make it a ripe subject for many classrooms. While science classes are a natural place for nanotechnology lessons and activities, other subject areas can benefit as well. The nanometer scale can be used in math classes, and the societal implications of molecular manufacturing provides a great topic of discussion for English and social studies classrooms. Nanotechnology issues can also be incorporated into civics, ethics, and character education lessons.

This week, I’ve highlighted three nanotechnology lessons for a range of ages. I’ll be featuring many more lessons, activities, and resources on nanotechnology on our Facebook and Twitter pages throughout the week, so please be sure to check those pages regularly.

Sugar Crystal Challenge

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-07-13.0806998299

Subjects: Physical science, Math

Grade: 3-8

This lesson explores how nanostructures can influence surface area, and how the sugar can be modified to different levels of coarseness without impacting molecular structure. Students work in teams and explore different states of sugar as it relates to surface area and molecular structure. This lesson was created by TryNano.org, a site for students, their parents, their teachers and their school counselors. TryNano was created jointly by IEEE, IBM, and the New York Hall of Science for the benefit of the public.

Introduction to Nanotechnology Lesson Plan http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-07-13.7899146141

Grade: 6-8

This lesson plan was created to help middle school science teachers provide an introduction to nanotechnology in a classroom setting. Students learn about nanotechnology, its applications in the real world, and what could possibly happen in the future. This lesson was produced by Hawk's Perch Technical Writing, LLC, which produces books and education materials on engineering topics.

Nanofibers On Your Clothes

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-07-13.6610095856

Subjects: Physical science

Grade: 9-12

The purpose of this activity is to compare the weight, and “feel” of nanofiber treated fabrics to both untreated and Scotchguard treated fabrics, as well as their susceptibility to stains from various sources. This activity is a product of the Center for Affordable Nanoengineering of Polymeric Biomedical Devices at Ohio State University, and develops polymer-based nanomaterials and nanoengineering technology. The Center also offers educational materials on nanotechnology for teachers and the public.

~Joann's Picks - July 27, 2011~