ILLUSTRATING JUNIOR-HIGH PHYSICS EXPERIMENTS USING MICRO AND NANOSCALE EXPERIMENTS

摘要

It has been widely demonstrated that students learn quickly,rnand are less likely to forget material when it is validatedrnusing a hands-on experimental approach. Young studentsrnare also interested in novel, high-tech applications, whichrnthey can understand. We are developing a curriculum basedrnon micro and nanoscale systems accelerometers whichrndemonstrate the benefits of math and science education,rnand interest junior-high students in nanotechnology. Therntest experiments involve Game Boy, remote controlled orrnLEGO vehicles, and personal computers to allow students arnhands-on approach to these concepts. They also involvernother simple experiments to demonstrate various aspects ofrnnanotechnology involving electricity and magnetism,rnphotolithography, and structural mechanics. Applicationsrndiscussed cover areas where nanotechnology is usedrntoday-including biomedical devices, inertial sensing, ink jetrnprinting, among others. Parts of the curriculum have beenrntested with students enrolled in a MESA (Math, Engineering,rnand Science Achievement, a California State program) classrnat Santa Barbara Junior High School. The curriculum hasrnbeen well-received thus far, and students seem captivatedrnby the small-scale nature of the MEMS and nanotechnology.