Author:
Integrated Nanosystems Development Institute (INDI)
Subject:
Environmental Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Level:
High School
Tags:
  • Nanotechnology
  • Water Quality
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution
    Language:
    English

    Education Standards

    Nanotechnology and Water-Day 4

    Nanotechnology and Water-Day 4

    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.

    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 explore how osmosis and cell behavior relates to the human body and polluted water. 

     

    Students will prove that our cells can transfer dangerous materials through their membranes, similar to the egg in their experiment. 

    Materials

    • gloves 

    • goggles 

    • lab aprons 

    • plastic storage containers with egg soaking in polluted water sample 

    • tongs 

    • tray 

    • pencil or pen 

    • measuring tape 

    • caliper 

    • scale 

    • plastic squirt bottle of distilled water 

    • Exacto knife or razor 

    • strainer 

    • small cup 

    • an HMT mercury test kit 

    • test tube holder 

    • paper towels 

    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: 

    A final lab report will be handed in at the end of the lab. 

     

    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).