THE STORY

What is Project NANO?

    ...a Nanoscience and Nanotechnology outreach  (NANO)!  Two High School teachers and a University Professor decided to pursue getting a Desktop SEM in the classroom and to date we have trained over 75 teachers and over 8,500+ students have been involved in Project NANO! This is a college credit workshop where You'll do hands on work with a desktop scanning electron microscope (the Phenom) and other microscopic image capture tools to collect digital images of samples that You brainstorm, prepare and have a way to incorporate into Your own classroom curriculum.  (2015 LAUNCH of the Tri-Cities area!! 14 more teachers trained- Summer 2015) 

​

Why should I sign up for this workshop?

    ...the Wow factor!  The questions of 'what is that?'  'what does that do?' 'why is that like that?' 'where are You?' start flying around the classroom when You magnify something 10,000 times!  We can talk about the nano world or we can show them.  This workshop will make You the 'cool teacher with that fancy microscope' that opens up a whole new world and academic gold mine.

What will we be doing in this course?

    ...the same stuff Your students will be doing and more?  The course is structured so that You'll see a pedagogical model that can be used to deal with 25-35 students in a classroom.  Instruction, background, links to content standards, science inquiry/engineering design curriculum development that fits Your classroom and use of the Project NANO toolkit are the norm.  You'll have seat time/instruction, lab time, homework, group work, discussion, etc..

What will I get out of this course?

    ...a unique classroom activity and an awesome cool collection of high quality, high resolution images that You've captured digitally, nanoscience knowledge and a technology experience that is unique, motivating and easily transferable to Your classroom!  You'll develop proficiency with techniques to teach and use the Project NANO toolkit.  The course will allow You to walk away with a nanoscience unit that You will be able to implement the following year! Successful completion of the Project NANO workshop will put You on the calendar to have the tool in Your classroom for 2-3 weeks and remember... You're students will be fully engaged and You'll have science teacher 'rock star' status.

What is the followup after the workshop?

    ...You'll be a part of the Project NANO cohort, a network of 75+ teachers and over 8,500+ students.  You'll receive access to the Project NANO toolkit, in the classroom followup and assistance, and access to other teacher/professional developed lessons in nanoscience and nanotechnology.  We've collected data to evaluate impacts on students and teachers involved in Project NANO and look at the correlation to STEM careers, teacher pedagogy, and student/teacher academic knowledge.  (We also offer a followup 'veteran' course to share your good work with peers and spend more inquiry time with the Project NANO toolkit).