PEOPLE Manual (html version)

Smaller than the Eye can See: How your Computer is Made.

PEOPLE Program Manual

Keith Zeise

  An Outreach program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison supported by the

National Science Foundation.

  The following manual contains materials necessary for a three week Pre-College Enrichment Program for prospective freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  The students in the program have just finished their sophomore year of high school.  Any material referenced in italics can be found in the enclosed CD.  This manual contains instructions for fourteen, two-hour class periods conducted during a three-week period over the summer.

Table of Contents (Modules)

 #1 Powers of Ten (1 Day) Pages 3-4

 #2  Polymers (4 Days) Pages 5-12

 #3  Binary (2 Days) Pages 13-16

 #4  Electronics (*3 Days) Pages 17-20

 #5  Photolithography (3 Days) Pages 21-25

 #6  Jeopardy Review Game (1 Day) Page 26

 #7 Appendix of all included documents

Note:  It is recommended that the order be followed as closely as possible to the numeric order listed above.  If the numeric order cannot be followed, it is vital that the Polymers module precedes the Photolithography module. 

 *One day is reserved for a field trip to the Engineering building on campus for a tour of Hands-on demos involving allotropes of carbon, liquid crystals and nanotechnology measuring devices.  The trip also includes a trip to the Chemistry building basement for activities related to an SEM microscope.

Smaller than the eye can see: How your computer is made.

Program Module #1: Powers of Ten (Day 1 of 1)

 Materials Needed:

1.)    T.V./ Monitor with VCR/DVD

2.)    Powers of Ten Video

3.)    Calculators (8-10)

4.)    Lab Top Computer with LCD Projector

5.)    **“Computer Chip Movie” (See Powers of Ten/CCM.ppt)

6.)    Lab Notebooks (15-20)

7.)    Meter Sticks (3-5)

8.)    Rulers (3-5)

9.)    Intel Microscopes with Lab top adapter cables (1-2)

10.)Machine Screws with two different thread distances (2-3 of each type)

11.)Mosquito specimens (1-2 for observation under microscope)

12.)Scissors (15-20)

13.)Tape (Scotch clear tape) 15-20

** Not available as of 7-20-06

Pre-Class Preparations:

1.)    Provide name tags for each student (Rosters usually distributed a few days before the program begins)

2.)    Divide students, randomly, into 3 groups for group activities that will conclude the class.

3.)    Be sure copies of the handouts (15-20) found in Powers of Ten/powersoftenday1.pdf are ready for distribution and that students are ready to cut out templates into their notebooks.

 Lesson Plan:

             Objectives:

1.)    Provide students with a solid review of class etiquette and expectations for the course.

2.)    Provide an overview of what is going to be covered in the course and how each module relates to the construction of a computer.

3.)    Provide a review of the metric system and units of length.

4.)    Provide a review and an appreciation of powers of ten as they relate to very small items.

5.)    Allow students to be comfortable with the terms meter, millimeter, micrometer, and nanometer.

6.)    Provide real applications of converting between the units of meter, millimeter, micrometer, and nanometer.

7.)    Allow students to gain an appreciation of how small some units can be

Agenda:

1.)    Ice Breaking Activity/ Getting to know you Introductions. (6 minutes)

2.)    Discussion of Class Rules and expectations. (7 Minutes)

3.)    Distribute class notebooks and discuss expectations and significance. (5 Minutes)

4.)    Discussion of computers and a preview of what is to be learned in the course. (5 Minutes)

5.)    Review of the Metric units of length and conversions between units. (20 Minutes)

6.)    View Powers of ten video. (7 Minutes)

7.)    Discuss Powers of Ten Video and apply to some example problems. (15 minutes)

8.)    View Computer Chip Movie (10 Minutes)

9.)    Engage in Metric units of length workstations in groups of (5-7) (45 minutes)

Additional Information about Agenda Items:

1.)    Be brief with introductions, have students say their name and what school they attend.  It may also be appropriate to ask if the student has taken a high school chemistry course.  For additional information, see Powers of Ten/opening remarks.pdf.

2., 3., 4.)  A detailed account can be found in Powers of Ten/opening remarks.pdf.

5.)    Start this agenda item with a discussion of the metric unit of length, the meter.  Divisions of the meter—millimeter, micrometer, and nanometer should be discussed in terms of fractions of a meter.  Ex: a millimeter is 1/1000^th of a meter.

7.)Use questions listed in Powers of Ten/powersoftenday1.pdf as a possibility.  It’s also important that students understand how to convert between units.  The unit cancellation method is recommended at this point.  Go through at least two examples of conversions using the unit cancellation method or some other method.

9.)Follow activities for each of three stations that will contain 5-7 students predetermined before class starts.  Station #1, the meter, work with meter sticks; Station #2, the millimeter, work with rulers; Station #3, micrometers, work with the intel microscopes.  Follow instructions listed in Powers of Ten/powersoftenday1.pdf for specific instructions and follow-up questions for each station.  All of data collected and the answers to the follow-up questions must be placed in the students’ lab notebook.

Smaller than the eye can see: How your computer is made.

Program Module #2: Polymers (Day 1 of 4)

Materials Needed:

1.)    Black tetrahedron models

2.)    “Silly Putty” lab solutions, polyvinyl acetate solution and sodium borate solutions (Enough for 8-10 pairs of students).

3.)    Graduated Cylinders (8-10)

4.)    Beakers, 100mL (8-10)

5.)    Plastic Petri dishes (8-10)

6.)    Lab Notebooks (Always needed)

7.)    Quiz (15-20 copies)

8.)    Scissors (Always needed)

9.)    Tape, Scotch (Always needed)

Pre-Class Preparations:

1.)    Divide students into 5 groups of 3-4 students.  It is recommended that these groups be a different arrangement from the previously arranged groups.

2.)    Divide students into pairs for the second activity for the day.

3.)    Be sure that the tetrahedron models are as evenly divided for work among the five groups of students who will be using them.

4.)    Be sure that handouts found in Polymers/intropolymer05.pdf  and Polymers/InterviewDevin.pdf are copied and ready for distribution.

Lesson Plan:

             Objectives:

1.)     Provide students with a solid understanding of the terms atom, molecule, and polymer.

2.)    Provide students with a limited understanding of chemical bonding as it relates to the sharing of electrons in a covalent bond.

3.)    Students will understand that polymers are repeating units.

4.)    Apply knowledge of polymers as repeating units in elementary math calculations.

5.)    Use models of molecules to understand the concept of cross-linking.

6.)    Apply knowledge of cross-linking from models to an experiment involving the actual cross-linking of a polymer and formulate a hypothesis based on this knowledge.

Agenda:

1.)    Administer Quiz (See Powers of Ten/powersoftenday1.pdf) (8 Minutes)

2.)    Review/Discuss/Introduce the terms Atom, Molecule, and Polymer (20 Minutes)

3.)    Perform Cross-Linking exercise with tetrahedron Models in groups  (25 Minutes)

4.)    Class Discussion of Cross-Linking exercise (10 Minutes)

5.)    Make Silly Putty in pairs (25 Minutes)

6.)    Class Discussion of Silly Putty experiment (10 Minutes)

7.)    Make a thin, smooth polymer surface on a Petri plate and discuss findings (15 Minutes)

8.)    Read Dr. Devin Flowers article and discuss (7 Minutes).

Additional Information about Agenda Items:

2.)    Start this discussion with the following chemical species represented on the board: H, H₂, CO₂, and CH₄.  Ask students to classify each as an atom or a molecule.  Student responses will vary; honor each response.  Lead the class to a discussion of chemical bonding as it relates to sharing electrons in molecules—single, double and triple covalent bonds should be represented.  Discuss the term polymer by introducing monomers, like ethylene.  Show students that linking molecules (as monomers) together forms a polymer.  Show the shorthand notation of polymers (use ‘n’ as the number of repeating units present)

3.)    See instructions in Polymers/intropolymer05.pdf.  Students will be placed into the pre-determined groups of five (3-4 students in each group).  It is important that students are allowed to “play” with the polymer models first.  However, specific tasks must be accomplished after an initial “play” period.  First, the students must be given information on the length and mass of a carbon atom and a water molecule.  Once this information is obtained, the students will use this information to apply it to the polymer chain they’ve just built using the tetrahedron models they’ve been supplied with.  Groups should experiment with at least TWO different lengths of polymer chains.   Next, students will be directed to make their polymer chain more rigid—gentle prodding is required here to get the students to discover the concept of cross-linking.  Each group should perform at least two cross-links within their model.

4.)    Discuss, as a class, methods that were used to make the polymer chains, calculate the length/mass of the chain, and add stability to the chain by cross-linking.  An appreciation of how many polymer units must be used in order to create a macroscopic object should be gained from this discussion.

5.)    See Polymers/intropolymer05.pdf for the student handout and lab notebook template.  Students will follow the instructions in the handout, record all data in their notebook (on template), and perform all three trials in pre-determined pairs.  It is recommended that students be allowed to use large amounts of polymer and cross-linker, if possible.  Garbage bags torn in half can be used at each station to allow for easy clean-up.

6.)    Discuss, as a class, the conclusions that each pair of students concluded about the amount of cross-linker that was used in each of the three experiments and how it affected the cross-linked polymer that was created.

7.)    Students will use the knowledge gained from their experiment and class discussion to create a recipe for silly putty that will create a smooth, thin cross-linked polymer that will cover the surface of a Petri plate.  Discuss what works!

8.)    See Polymers/InterviewDevin.pdf for article. 

Smaller than the eye can see: How your computer is made.

Program Module #2: Polymers (Day 2 of 4)

Materials Needed:

1.)    Lab Notebooks, Scissors, and Tape (Always needed)

2.)    See Polymers/Bounce.pdf (Look for “Notes for instructor”) for a detailed list of All materials needed for demos and activity.  Be sure that the materials gathered are able to accommodate up to 10 pairs of students!

3.)    Graph Paper (20-30 copies)

Pre-Class Preparations:

1.)    Be sure all materials for demos and activity are ordered well ahead of time (See Polymers/Bounce.pdf). 

2.)    Make copies (15-20) of quizzes and graph paper for the day and the template for the day (See Polymers/Bounce.pdf.)

3.)    Divide students into NEW pairs for the activity.

Lesson Plan:

             Objectives:

1.)    Students will gain an appreciation of the properties of polymers.

2.)    Students will observe and collect data and conclude for themselves how temperature can affect the properties of polymers.

3.)    Provide the formula for the coefficient of restitution and have students calculate this value for a variety of situations.

4.)    Students will use a laboratory notebook to collect data from an experiment.

5.)    Students will analyze data from an experiment graphically and draw conclusions from their analysis. 

Agenda:

1.)    Administer Quiz  (8 Minutes)

2.)    Show Demos:  (15 Minutes)

A.)     Racquetball in liquid Nitrogen

B.)     Happy/Sad Ball bouncing

C.)     Steel Ball bearings (Crystalline vs. supercooled liquid surfaces)

D.)     Banana and Rubber Hose in liquid Nitrogen. (Pound Rubber Hose into a wood block using a banana!)

3.)    Perform Experiment (65 minutes)

4.)    Place data from each pair on the board and have EVERY student graph THEIR OWN data. (22 Minutes)

5.)    Create an average graph on the board and discuss the significance of the data collected. (10 minutes)

 Additional Information about the Agenda Items:

1.)    See Polymers/Questions of the Day05.pdf.  See the first quiz in the file.

2.)     See Polymers/Bounce.pdf for a detailed account of how to perform each demo.  See “Notes for instructor” portion of the document.  Be sure to provide some “theatrics” when performing the demos and allow the students to ask questions, encourage questions, and let the students examine, with safety, the product of each demo.

3.)    Perform experiment found in Polymers/Bounce.pdf.  Students will be working in pre-determined pairs for this experiment.  Each station must be set up well ahead of time and must be monitored closely by an adult.  The students are required to place their polymer balls in the desired temperature at each station for a specific amount of time.  Be sure consistent time is give to each station and be sure that students use consistent measuring technique when collecting data for the coefficient of restitution.

4.)    Place a chart on the board with the student pairs clearly labeled along with a data chart to place all the data that the students collected.  Students will be instructed to graph their own data using graph paper.  Adults must patrol the room very carefully to be sure that students place height on the y-axis and temperature on the x-axis.  (dependent vs. independent variable).  Adults must also monitor the students to be sure that spacing is even throughout the graph.

5.)    Once all data is collected and analyzed, have students draw conclusions and place those conclusions in their notebook.  Discuss specific student findings as a class discussion.

Smaller than the eye can see: How your computer is made.

Program Module #2: Polymers (Day 3 of 4)

Materials Needed:

1.)    Notebooks, Scissors, and Tape

2.)    Density Materials (Samples of Density objects). See Polymers/Public_Density_Key.pdf

3.)    Beakers (20-30)

4.)    Four liquids with different densities

5.)    Density samples: Brass and Aluminum, oil and water, isopropyl alcohol

6.)    Galilean Thermometer

7.)    Digital Calipers and electronic scales (5-7)

8.)    Materials for Polyurethane foam (See Polymers/crosslinked polymers05.pdf)

9.)    Dixie cups (15-25)

10.)Plastic syringes (15-25) for delivering Polyurethane foam reagents.

11.)1000mL graduated cylinder

12.)Heat guns (3-5)

13.)Samples of HDPE—milk jugs and other polymers (8-10 samples)

Pre-Class Preparations:

1.)    Prepare copies of handouts and quiz for the day.

2.)    Divide students into groups of 3 for the activities

Lesson Plan:

             Objectives:

1.)    Provide students with a review of density and density calculations

2.)    Provide demos that illustrate the concept of density as it relates to both liquids and solids.

3.)    Have students apply density calculations to the identification of unknown objects whose density is known.

4.)    Students will learn how to collect data related to the mass and volume of objects.

5.)    Students will apply knowledge of cross-linking to a new polymer.

6.)    Students will apply knowledge of density to describe how a Galileo Thermometer works.

7.)    Students will observe the affect of temperature on polymers.

Agenda:

1.)    Administer Quiz (8 Minutes)

2.)    Teacher-Led discussion of Density (10 Minutes)

3.)    Demos Relative to density (15 Minutes)

4.)    Perform Density Identification Experiment (40 Minutes)

5.)    Discuss Results and Galileo Thermometer (12 Minutes)

6.)    Perform Polyurethane foam Experiment (20 Minutes)

7.)    Use Heat guns to melt milk jugs/soda bottles (15 minutes)

Additional Information about the Agenda Items:

1.)    See Polymers/Bounce.pdf.  See the quiz listed at the end of the file.

2.)    Start with a discussion of density.  Have a student come to the board to describe the “density” change between brass and aluminum samples that will be provided to the students.  After discussion, have the class agree on a definition of density and provide the formula for calculating density.  Give examples of density (quantitative values) and provide the units that it is measured in.

3.)    Allow each student to hold the brass and aluminum samples noting the differences between the two samples; discuss.  Using a large graduated cylinder, pour water into the cylinder.  Ask the students what will happen if vegetable oil is poured into the water.  Have students conclude which liquid is more dense from their observations and how they know which liquid is more dense.  Now, pour isopropyl alcohol into the graduated cylinder; observe as it is placed in the cylinder and then mixed.  Have students draw conclusions about the density of isopropyl alcohol based on its behavior with oil and water.

4.)    Students will be divided into groups of three.  Each group will have 5 different samples of polymer.  Each group will use volume calculations to measure the volume of each sample (using calipers).  Each group will measure the mass of each sample.  Place all measurements in the student notebook.  The density of each polymer will then be revealed and the students can match their density calculations to the key provided (See Polymers/public_density_key.pdf).   Students will also use four beakers containing different density liquids to observe the behavior of their polymers and verify their results.

5.)    Discuss student findings using Polymers/secret_density_key.pdf.  Ask students how they arrived at their conclusions and ask the students to write down their conclusions in their notebooks.  A brief discussion of how a Galileo thermometer would be appropriate here.  Warm the thermometer in hot water and then allow it to cool—have students make conclusions based on density.

6.)    Perform Polyurethane foam experiment (See Polymers/crosslinked Polymers 05.pdf.)  Students will be working in the same groups.

7.)    Melt different polymer samples and observe the changing properties!

Smaller than the eye can see: How your computer is made.

Program Module #2: Polymers (Day 4 of 4)

Materials List:

1.)    Notebooks, Scissors, Tape

2.)    PDMS balls materials (See Polymers/crosslinked Polymers 05.pdf)

3.)    Slime Materials (Unavailable as of 7-20-06)

4.)    Silly Putty Materials (See Polymers/intropolymer05.pdf)

5.)    Molds for PDMS balls (5-7)

6.)    Glitter jars (2-3)

7.)    Beakers (15-20)

8.)    Petri Plates

9.)    Meter Sticks ( 5-10)

10.)Rulers (5-10)

11.)HCl (Low Conc.)

Pre-Class Preparations:

1.)    Make copies of quizzes, handouts

2.)    Place students in new PAIRS!

Lesson Plan:

             Objectives:

1.)    Students will gain additional appreciation of how cross-linking affects the properties of polymers.

2.)    Students will gain an increased knowledge of monomers and how they interact to form polymers

3.)    Students will apply knowledge of the coefficient of restitution to polymers they have created using different amounts of cross-linking.

4.)    Students will gain an appreciation of the difficulty of etching tiny imprints into polymers and relate this difficulty to the number of items contained on a computer chip.

Agenda:

1.)    Administer Quiz (8 Minutes)

2.)    Perform Slime and PDMS Balls experiments simultaneously (57 Minutes)

3.)    Make thin, smooth silly putty polymer and place on a Petri plate. (15 minutes)

4.)    Etch patterns in silly putty using rulers and HCl (15 Minutes)

5.)    Discuss findings related to etching process (10 Minutes)

6.)    Measure coefficient of restitution for PDMS ball samples (15 minutes)

Additional Information about the Agenda Items:

1.)    See Polymers/Questions of the Day05.pdf.  See the second quiz.

2.)    The class will be put into pairs.  Half of the pairs will work on making their PDMS ball samples.  The other half of the pairs will make slime.  Both halves of the room will be working simultaneously for about 25 minutes before switching.  Be sure all data is collected in the student notebook.  See Polymers/crosslinked polymers05.pdf for details.  Once both groups have completed their tasks, be sure that the PDMS molds are place in the oven for baking (At least 30 minutes)

3.)    Students have had exposure to this process before, have them replicate the data they obtained in their notebook.  See Polymers/intropolymer05.pdf for details on the materials needed for making the silly putty.

4.)    Once a thin layer of the silly putty is placed on the Petri dish, ask the students to etch a pattern into the silly putty.  This can be done by dipping a ruler into HCl and then pressing the ruler into the polymer.  Be sure that the students etch patterns that have features that are far apart and close together, noting the resolution of each type of pattern.

5.)    Discuss and findings of the etching process by having students show specific examples of the resolution they obtained from their different designs.

6.)    Follow the same procedure from Day 2 of this module.