List of Featured Modules – Materials World Modules

Featured Module

Sports Materials

Other MWM Modules

Spidey Chemistry: Polymers
Fantastic Plastics: Smart Sensors
Whole Greater Than the Sum of the Parts: Composites
Building Cities with Synthetic Stones: Concrete
Environmentally Friendly Packaging: Food Packaging

Sports Materials Module

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This module focuses on the characteristics of materials used for sports applications. Students study the features of different kinds of balls and speculate why they are made of different materials. Next, students measure the rebound of various balls using a drop test and investigate how materials absorb through deformation. They also look at how surfaces can impede how far a ball rolls and how well different kinds of balls roll across the same surface. Lastly, they compose a report about the materials used in a piece of sport equipment of their own choosing. The design problems include developing a mini-golf game and inventing an innovative piece of sports equipment.

The science looks at the laws of nature acting on a golf ball, quantifying the performance of a ball by calculating its coefficient of restitution, the exchange of energy when a ball bounces, how molecular bonds absorb and release energy, and the impact of friction on the movement of objects (i.e., sliding friction, rolling friction, static friction). The technology looks at the composition of a golf ball and how its design reduces drag.

Polymers Module

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The subject of this module is the nature of polymers and their applications. During this unit students look at the absorption properties of polymer pellets and their potential use in gardening. They also identify common products made of polymers, compare the viscosity of liquids, and test the strength and water absorption of different polymer films. The design problems include designing a humidity sensor and developing a new product made out of a polymer.

The science content includes the molecular composition of polymers and their ability to absorb water, natural versus synthetic polymers, the concepts related to polyethylene chains (e.g., linear polyethylene, branched polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene), the relationship between molecular weight and viscosity, the factors that affect the strength of polymer film, and why adding polymers to paint provides a water barrier. The technology content includes different applications for types of polymers, how polymer films are manufactured, and the development of paint.

Smart Sensors Module

Students study the features and applications of smart sensors in this module. Students begin by experimenting with a commercial piezoelectric motion detector and then they explore other kinds of sensors (their inputs, outputs, composition, and potential applications). The next lesson and activity engage them in making a piezoelectric microphone. This activity is followed by examining the piezo effect and the peizoelectric and pyroelectric responses of the polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film. The design problems involve developing a device that will count coins and inventing a new kind of sensor.

The science content examines the sensitivity of materials to infrared radiation, plants that sense stimulus, the human ear as a natural sensor, the chemical structure of a piezoelectric material, and how PVDF works. The technology content looks at human-made sensors (piezoelectric sensors), practical applications for sensors, and the role of sensors in technological systems.

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Composites Module

During this module students study the characteristics, advantages, and application of composite materials. The activities include comparing pure ice with ice reinforced with paper, identifying examples of composite materials in everyday things, testing the strength and stiffness of a simple composite material, researching composite materials, designing a composite fishing pole, and developing a new composite material.

During these activities, students study science concepts like natural versus synthetic composites, compressive and tensile forces on atoms, and strength versus stiffness. There is also a passing reference to covalent bonds, ionic bonds, metallic bonds, hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. The technology content focuses defining the term “composite materials,” the different types of composite materials (i.e., particulate, laminar, fiber reinforced), the difference between structural and functional composite materials, historical examples of composite materials, and contemporary applications for composite materials.

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Concrete: An Infrastructure Material Module

The characteristics, advantages, and applications of concrete are the subjects of this module. It asks students to identify objects made of concrete in their surroundings; discover the physical and chemical changes in cement as it cures; compare the density, strength, and brittleness of different formulations of concrete; experiment with reinforced concrete. The design projects include developing a concrete roofing tile and creating a new product made out of concrete.

The science content includes different kinds of cement and the concepts of hydration, compression, tension, and strength. The technology addressed in this unit includes the concept of infrastructure, historical and modern applications for concrete, the composition of concrete (i.e., cement, water, aggregates), and the concept and advantages of reinforcing concrete.

Food Packaging Materials Module

This module examines the properties and functions of food packaging. It begins with students taking apart and analyzing a bag for microwave popcorn. This is followed by analyzing different kinds of food packaging (e.g., the types of materials used, their properties, the function they serve), researching the materials used in food packaging, designing a protective package for tomato, and testing the insulating properties of packaging materials. The design project involves making a package that will keep a potato hot and developing an environmentally friendly package for a food item.

The science content includes how various materials react to microwaves, concepts related to protecting food (e.g., potential energy, kinetic energy, absorbing energy), and concepts related to heat transfer and thermal conductivity (i.e., conduction, convection, radiation). The technology includes old as well as modern examples of food packaging, the materials used for food packaging, the environmental impact of food packaging, the protection function of packaging, and the techniques used to retain heat.