2006 Recipients of the “Living in a Material World” $500 Teacher Grants
Mary Katchur, McMinnville High School, Oregon
What a Smart Metal
Memory metals are used in many different areas as diverse as medical, dental, robotics. What properties make this material so useful? “Smart” materials have the capability to sense changes in their environment and respond to the changes in a pre-programmed way. This lesson serves as an example of smart materials, with a discussion focusing on potential uses. In the lesson, the students experiment with memory wire, then discuss and interpret why they believe that the metal behaves in this “smart” way. The teacher will conduct two demonstrations during discussion to illustrate differences that occur at the material’s transition temperature.
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Sharon Peters and Elaine Pugh, Clear Lake Middle School, Colorado
Replacing Human Ligaments
The Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a ligament located inside your knee joint. The ACL is often hurt or ripped during sporting events such as football or basketball. Tearing your ACL is a painful experience and requires almost a year of physical therapy before you can resume sporting activities. In this lab, we will use actual ACL strength and stiffness data to determine a material with similar properties to the ACL.
Dan Robinette, Clackamas High School, Oregon
Material Profile in Physics-Engineering
Student teams will identify a material and characterize some basic physical properties of that material. Through hands-on experiments and after literature research they will create a web-report that illustrates and discusses their findings. Students will discuss the structural, industrial or commercial uses of these materials. The properties and advantages of theses materials will be related to these applications.
Gary Benz, American High School, California
Gallium Alloys in the 21st Century
Students will research the uses and environmental impact of elemental mercury. They will prepare and determine the melting points of many gallium-indium-tin alloys; determine whether or not gallium alloys can replace current mercury uses.
Brenda Robertson, Cabot Jr. High School, Arkansas
Bio-Ceramics
This will be an inquiry-based science program in the field of bio ceramics for students to help them develop: abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry and understand the properties and changes in properties in matter; abilities of technological design and understanding about science and technology in the field of bio ceramics and what is involved in problem solving and developing a product. Activities will enhance students’ understanding about the environment, economic, health, and safety benefits of bio ceramics. Students will develop a greater appreciation for material science.
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Darlene Black, Marlow Elementary School, Oklahoma
Snow, Slime & More in the Classroom
Students will create and perform experiments with chemical mixtures to investigate the many differences in the physical properties and uses of polymers; will discover the relevance of polymers in the real world and visit a local oil well manufacturing and cementing research lab that uses polymers to improve viscosity and has recently discovered a way of making cement harden almost instantly.
Brian Witthun and Craig Phillips, Jack Young Middle School, Wisconsin
Properties of Plastics
The Properties of Plastics and How They Relate to Everyday Living unit presents us with an excellent opportunity to integrate environmental topics such as global warming, energy consumption, waste management, recycling and water conservation. The unit has the students use observation skills, communication skills and Science skills to complete a variety of activities. Activities include assessing video content, observing common characteristics of various plastics, using Science skills to determine properties of various plastics, and using communication skills to discuss the benefits of using plastics, recycling plastics. Students also use their communication skills to present their Re-Use-It Projects. Students are also introduced to employment opportunities with-in the plastics industry both locally and globally.
Bea Batt-Behar, Rhawnhurst Elementary School, Pennsylvania
Learning About Metals w/ Precious Metal Clay
English as a Second Language students will learn about the properties of metals, the temperatures at which metals change composition, organic materials; the steps involved in the scientific process, the new vocabulary around science and specifically metals; and using precious metal clay to sculpt into and form small works of art.
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T. Austin Seymore, Buffalo Prep, New York
The Laws of Sir Isaac Newton
Students will plan, design and construct a hovercraft. This lesson was designed to serve as a review of Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. It will provide an example to reinforce the concepts of motion, friction and inertia by constructing a hovercraft. The activity will occur during a two-week lab period and will provide a hands-on learning experience as reinforcement to classroom lesson.
Kevin Pendergast, South El Monte High School, California
Plastic Fantastic
Plastic Fantastic fills a gap in the Manufacturing Processes curriculum. In addition to hands-on fabrication activities with plastics packaging, for the first time, inner-city high schoolers will also acquire information on thermoplastics science. To improve critical thinking, students will apply new chemistry/physics learning to design critiques of their four skin and blister packaging manufacturing projects and select their most successful work sample for senior portfolios.
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