Activity

Aerogels in Action

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Model an oil spill cleanup. An engaging engineering lesson has groups using aerogels to simulate an oil spill cleanup (vegetable oil in water). Along the way, they learn about nanotechnology and hydrophilia/hydrophobia.

6 Views 4 Downloads NGSS: Designed
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Invite a materials science engineer or an environmental engineer to give a presentation on aerogels
Classroom Considerations
  • Requires purchase of aerogels if not available in the classroom
  • Guide suggests going outside for the activity, but a classroom/lab with sinks would also work
Pros
  • Vocabulary terms have definitions and links to external sites
  • Includes ways to modify the activity for lower and upper grades
Cons
  • None
NGSS