Probing the Unknown

In K-12 schools, few science curricula explore the concept of characterization, and the development of scientific tools. Through the activities included on this page, students get the chance to solve design problems that promote critical thinking.

Students are expected to:
1. Apply prior knowledge of scientific concepts for determining properties
2. Describe the relationship between properties and structure in which the observer cannot     see the structure
3. Design a probe that can be used to determine properties
4. Develop a method for recording (scanning) data from the probe.

The Probing the Unknown Module includes a lesson plan as well as a summative and a formative evaluation procedure for each activity.


Part 1:
Topography of the Unknown
Students will characterize objects that they cannot see. The objects will be placed inside observation boxes, and the students will use height probes to determine the surface height of the objects. After recording the height variations, students will create topographic maps of the objects' surfaces. Using these maps, students will analyze the data and the instrument used to collect the data.

Part 2:
Magnetic Forces of the Unknown
Students will characterize unknown objects that are placed inside observation boxes. Students use magnet probes to determine if the object contains materials that attract, repel or are indifferent to magnets. After recording magnetic attraction, students create a scan of the object's surface. Using these scans students determine the object's structure.

Part 3:
Creating an Undiscovered World
Inside an observation box, students will create an undiscovered world. After the world is created, each student group characterizes their own world. In later activities, students will exchange worlds, and characterize the world of fellow classmates.

Part 4:
Creating a Probe for an Unknown Planet
Students will create a probe used for characterizing the unknown world. The probes students make will depend on available materials and scientific background.

Part 5:
Probing an Unknown World
Students exchange the worlds that they have created and characterize the unknown world using the probe that they made in lesson 4, the height probe and the magnet probe.

 

 

 

 

 

This work was supported by the Center on Polymer Interfaces and Macromolecular Assemblies (CPIMA)
as part of the NSF Materials Science and Engineering Center program under Grant DMR 9808677

Copyright 1996 - 2003, Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved.