Projected Difficult Content Areas
Nanotechnology
- Size and Scale
- Surface Area to Volume Ratio Effects (SA/V)
- Self-Assembly
- Why physical properties change at the nano scale?
Biology
- Fundamental principal cells are made up of atoms
- Structure and Function of macromolecules
Using 21st Century Skills
- Using the internet effectively
- Finding reliable resources to aid in students' proposal
- The components of a model
Scaffolding Plans to Address Difficulties
Throughout the unit, required and extra activities are planned to address the difficulties that students will have when completing the project proposal. In order to address student difficulties on the size and scale concept, activities such as How Big is it?, Nanometer Scaling Activity, and the Marco-Nano Scale Slides are used to help students relate the nanoscale to the micro and macro scale. Specifically when students are having difficulties with the size of a nanometer, the Nanometer Scale Activity will scaffold students to understand the relationship between the macro and nano worlds. A KWL will be utilized to access students understanding of nanotechnology before, during, and after the unit to ensure mastery.
Activities are planned to connect 21st skills and nanotechnology to aid students in developing their final project proposal. After an introduction to self-assembly through the Self-Assembly Simulation, students will have the opportunity to create a model and receive feedback on the requirements a model should have for the final proposal.
Before this unit, students will have had scaffolding activities in effective researching and using visual aids for presentations. These skills can scaffold in a previous activity prior to the nanotechnology unit. Students will have gathered data and constructed a visual aid to explain primary and secondary succession prior to the nanotechnology unit. However, if students still need scaffolding in researching effectively to find support for their proposal, activities and resources such as How to search on Google will be available for students to utilize.
Just-in-time activities will be used during the debriefing time if needed to give more resources and materials on content matter. Evaluating student's throughout the unit with mini quizzes, exit tickets, and discussion will help determine if just-in-time activities are needed.
Activities are planned to connect 21st skills and nanotechnology to aid students in developing their final project proposal. After an introduction to self-assembly through the Self-Assembly Simulation, students will have the opportunity to create a model and receive feedback on the requirements a model should have for the final proposal.
Before this unit, students will have had scaffolding activities in effective researching and using visual aids for presentations. These skills can scaffold in a previous activity prior to the nanotechnology unit. Students will have gathered data and constructed a visual aid to explain primary and secondary succession prior to the nanotechnology unit. However, if students still need scaffolding in researching effectively to find support for their proposal, activities and resources such as How to search on Google will be available for students to utilize.
Just-in-time activities will be used during the debriefing time if needed to give more resources and materials on content matter. Evaluating student's throughout the unit with mini quizzes, exit tickets, and discussion will help determine if just-in-time activities are needed.
Implementing and Removing Scaffolding
To determine when scaffolding will be removed, mini quizzes, exit tickets, and group discussions will be used to assess the level of mastery each student shows. As each student displays mastery for each difficulty, scaffolding techniques will no longer be utilized.
Students will also be able to show the mastery of the difficulties they encountered through the final proposal presentation and end-of-unit post test.
Students will also be able to show the mastery of the difficulties they encountered through the final proposal presentation and end-of-unit post test.
Misconceptions
The following are some misconceptions students may have prior to the unit:
Addressing Misconceptions
The Macromolecule/ Food Testing Lab will address the misconceptions surrounding all macromolecules.
The Size and Scale Lab and Macro to Nanoscale Slides will address the misconceptions with the size of the macromolecules compared to what is considered to be in the macro scale. Misconceptions about students using the computer effectively for research and presentations will be focused on giving students short post-hole activities to help address these area.
- "All fats are bad"
- "Sugar is a fat"
- "No foods have DNA"
- "Sugars are bad for you and starches are good for you"
- "Macromolecules are in the macroscale"
- "Physical and chemical properties are all the same"
- "I know how to use the computer"
- " I know how to do a good presentation"
Addressing Misconceptions
The Macromolecule/ Food Testing Lab will address the misconceptions surrounding all macromolecules.
The Size and Scale Lab and Macro to Nanoscale Slides will address the misconceptions with the size of the macromolecules compared to what is considered to be in the macro scale. Misconceptions about students using the computer effectively for research and presentations will be focused on giving students short post-hole activities to help address these area.
Just-In-Time Activities:
These are available in the event that students need a little help understanding some concepts or processes
Presentation tools:
Researching/Data Collection:
Nanotechnology:
Macromolecules:
Researching/Data Collection:
Nanotechnology:
Macromolecules: