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Exploring Materials: Nano Gold
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In this activity, learners discover that nanoparticles of gold can appear red, orange or even blue. They learn that a material can act differently when it’s nanometer-sized.
Paper Cover Up
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In this activity on page 11 of the PDF, learners use candle wax to make "invisible" designs that are revealed with watercolor paints.
Matraca
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In this activity, learners create a traditional Mexican noisemaker (a matraca) using cardboard, craft sticks, and a wooden dowel.
Exploring Tools: Special Microscopes
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In this activity, learners use a flexible magnet as a model for a scanning probe microscope (SPM). They learn that SPMs are an example of a special tool that scientists use to work on the nanoscale.
Laser Lissajous: PVC Version
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In this activity, learners use a laser pointer and two small rotating mirrors to create a variety of fascinating patterns, which can be easily and dramatically projected on a wall or screen.
Solar Structures
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In this activity, learners explore how the power of the sun can be harnessed to heat and cool a building.
Delta, Delta, Delta
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In this experiment, learners construct an equilateral triangle using graph paper, a pencil, protractor and ruler. They also make a "laser triangle" using a laser pointer and front-silvered mirrors.
Engineered Music
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In this activity, learners explore how musical instruments are engineered.
Be a Scanning Probe Microscope
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In this activity, learners investigate Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPM) and then work in teams using a pencil to explore and identify the shape of objects they cannot see, just as SPMs do at the nano
Glowing in the Dark
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In this activity, learners explore phosphorescence and how certain materials can absorb and store energy from a light source.
Morphing Butterfly
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In this activity, learners explore how nanosized structures can create brilliant color.
What is Nanotechnology?
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In this activity related to nanotechnology, learners observe some of the effects that result from creating a thin layer of material several nanometers thick.
Pinhole Viewer
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In this activity, learners discuss and investigate how cameras, telescopes, and their own eyes use light in similar ways.
The Electric Squeeze
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In this activity/demo about piezoelectricity, learners discover how some crystals produce electricity when squeezed.
Iridescent Art
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This is a quick activity (on page 2 of the PDF under Butterfly Wings Activity) that illustrates how nanoscale structures, so small they're practically invisible, can produce visible/colorful effects.
Exploring the Universe: Pack a Space Telescope
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Space telescopes can offer us better, clearer views of the universe (and of our own planet) than Earth-based telescopes can, but getting these large, delicate pieces of equipment into orbit is tricky.
Exploring Materials: Thin Films
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In this activity, learners create a colorful bookmark using a super thin layer of nail polish on water. Learners discover that a thin film creates iridescent, rainbow colors.
Introduction to the New Chain Gang
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In this activity, learners use pop-beads to understand the characteristics and properties of polymer chains.
Big Wave
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This is an activity about waves. Using marbles, paper clips and rubber bands, learners explore how waves behave.
Cup Speaker
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Make your own speaker with a magnet, wire, and paper cup! If you have a radio with a headphone plug and an old pair of headphones, this is a great tinkering activity.