Education Standards
Nanotechnology and Water - Day 5
Overview
The activity for high school students aims to display the importance of water quality and how nanotechnology can be used to help purify the water.Day 5 includes analysis questions that cover content from Nanotechnology and Water Days 1-4.
Standards
ES.3.3 Identify and differentiate between renewable and nonrenewable resources present within Earth’s systems. Describe the possible long-term consequences that increased human consumption has placed on natural processes that renew some resources.
ES.4.2 Describe the relationships among evaporation, precipitation, ground water, surface water, and glacial systems in the water cycle. Discuss the effect of human interactions with the water cycle.
Learning Objectives
Students will gain an appreciation for the importance of access to clean water.
Students will prove that our cells can transfer dangerous materials through their membranes, similar to the egg in their experiment.
Wrap-up- Conclusions and lab results will be discussed. Students will apply their new knowledge to infer what might be going on in our surrounding community and the larger global community.
Analysis Questions
1. Name three processes that the cellular membrane utilizes for non-energy activation cellular
transport.
a.
b.
c.
Mass of egg after immersion in vinegar
Mass of egg before immersion in corn syrup
Mass of egg before immersion in vinegar
Mass of egg after immersion in corn syrup
Mass of water drawn in from vinegar
Mass of water that left the egg due to osmosis in to the membrane during immersion (negative number since water is leaving egg)
Mass of egg after immersion in pollutant water
2. How do these processes regulate what comes into or out of the cell?
a.
b.
c.
3.What is a nanoparticle?
4. Do the cell membrane transport methods apply to nanoparticles? Why or why not?
5. What is the reaction that is occurring for this lab?
6.What is the major function of the endocrine system?
7. What are some possible complications if the endocrine system is compromised due to
toxicity?
8. What complications could arise from compromising the neural system?
Other Important Notes
Differentiation /Instructional Strategies:
Using multimedia instructional strategies, students will gain background information and an understanding of what nanotechnology is.
Technology/Science and society will also be addressed by discussing what human behaviors can help or hurt water quality.
How will you differentiate the content, process, and/or product?
Students with varying strengths and weaknesses will be grouped together for the lab.
Assessments:
Students will submit a final paper that will include their findings and ways that they can individually help reduce their negative impact on the water supply and the environment.
Credits
This learning module was created by Megan Ewing, a participant in Indiana University-Purdue University’s NSF-Funded “Nanotechnology Experiences for Students and Teachers (NEST)” Program (Award # 1513112).