Vials showing nanoscale gold particles that appears red.

Glass Activities

Celebrate the International Year of Glass - 2022! A compilation of activities about glass including glass lenses in microscopes and telescopes and scientific images of glass.
International Year of Glass logo

International Year of Glass 2022

Celebrating the past, present, and future of this transformative material

https://iyog2022.org

 

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Hands-on Activities

Two learners and one facilitator look at gold nanoparticles suspended in a solution which makes a red color

Exploring Materials - Stained-Glass Windows

In this activity, learners use contact paper and colored tissue paper to create a "nanoparticle stained-glass" window.
Students work on making their own version of stained glass

Nanoparticle Stained Glass: classroom program

In this long activity, learners are introduced to the connections between art and science, with a focus on the connection between stained glass and nanotechnology.
Person's hand resting a Stained Glass window

Nanoparticle Stained Glass (cart demo)

In this activity, learners make a collaborative stained glass window and a take-away card with pre-made nanoparticle solutions containing silver or gold
Girl looking at objects in a beaker filled with liquid that appear to be invisible

Exploring Properties - Invisibility

In this activity, learners investigate how glass objects can be "hidden" in some liquids through refraction.
A photoshopped image of people wearing invisibility cloaks hiding everything but their legs

Invisibility Cloak video

In this 4-min video the idea of invisibility cloaks is comedically explored.
Hands holding glass objects on a string in a beaker of liquid

Exploring Nano & Society - Invisibility Cloak

In this activity, learners explore how refraction can be used to make a glass stir rod "disappear" in a cup of baby oil, while having conversations about new technologies.
Polarized Light activity with hands holding paper and polarizing tape materials up to the window

Light Activities

A compilation of public engagement activities that explore light visible to our eyes and other wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum.
Faciltator at a table holding aerogel in the palm of her hand

Aerogel

In this activity, learners see and interact with the nanomaterial aerogel and discover its unique properties.
Child holding squares of red stained glass colored by nano gold

Exploring Materials - Nano Gold

In this activity, learners discover that nanoparticles of gold can appear red, orange or even blue.
solar cell wired up to a meter

Dye Sensitized (Raspberry Juice) Solar Cell

In this activity, learners build a dye-sensitized solar cell using nanocrystalline titanium dioxide and raspberry juice.
Hands holding square of polarizers and transparent tape

Exploring Materials - Polarizers

In this activity, learners experiment how polarizers affect light by using two polarizing sheets and overlapping layers of transparent tape.
A person puts a liquid on a substrate which is on top of a DIY spin-coater.

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs): Classroom Version

In this classroom activity, learners will engage with organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) to discover how they work.
image of a handprint that was created using heat sensitive liquid crystals suspended in thermal paper

Exploring Materials - Liquid Crystals

In this activity, learners will investigate the properties of a heat sensitive liquid crystal and make their own liquid crystal sensor to take home.
A person puts a liquid on a substrate which is on top of a DIY spin-coater.

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs): Cart Version

In this activity, learners explore OLEDs through presentations and a spin coater demonstration. Instructions are included for facilitators to pre-make the OLEDs and the spin coater.
Liquid crystal display activity components including signs, guides, craft materials, safety gear, and liquid crystal material

Exploring Products - Liquid Crystal Displays

In this activity, learners investigate temperature-sensitive liquid crystal sheets and liquid crystal displays from a calculator.

Glass Lenses are used in Light Microscopes

Scientist using a Light Microscope

Scientific Image - Scientist using a Light Microscope

Photographs of a scientist using a Light Microscope.
Exploring Tools - Transmission Electron Microscopes activity components including signs, activity materials and guides.

Exploring Tools - Transmission Electron Microscopes

In this activity, learners use a model of a transmission electron microscope to image an object by looking at its shadow.
Image of the green Small Feel Nano magnet sheets

Exploring Tools - Special Microscopes

In this activity, learners use a flexible magnet as a model for a scanning probe microscope.
Photograph of scientist using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).

Scientific Image - Scientist Using an Atomic Force Microscope

Photograph of scientist using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).
Scientific Image - Scientist using a scanning electron microscope

Scientific Image - Scientist Using a Scanning Electron Microscope

Photograph of scientist using an Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).
Scientist using an Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)

Scientific Image - Scientists Using a Transmission Electron Microscope

Photograph of scientists using an Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM).
Illustration of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) probe tip

Scientific Image - Atomic Force Microscope Illustration

Illustration of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) probe tip.

Glass Lenses are used in Binoculars and Telescopes

Group of learners participating and enjoying the Hide and Seek Moon activity

Exploring the Solar System: Hide and Seek Moon

In this activity, learners use binoculars to find a hidden object on a Moon poster and learn how cultures around the world have viewed the Moon.
The near side of the Moon, as seen by the cameras aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft (NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University, 2017)

Exploring the Solar System: Observe the Moon

In this activity, we can look up from Earth and see the Moon with our own eyes. We can observe the Moon in even greater detail by using tools, like binoculars, telescopes, and NASA spacecraft.

Scientific Images of Glass

Scientific Image - Glass Nanowire

Magnified image of glass nanowire using a Scanning Electron Microscope.

Scientific Image -Glass Nanowire

Magnified image of glass nanowire using an Optical Microscope.

Scientific Image - Gold Nanoparticles

Magnified image of gold nanoparticles using a Transmission Electron Microscope.

Scientific Image - Gold Nanoparticles

Magnified image of gold nanoparticles using a Transmission Electron Microscope.

Scientific Image - Gold Nanoparticles

Magnified image of gold nanoparticles using a Transmission Electron Microscope.

Scientific Image - Gold Nanoshells (SEM)

Magnified image of gold nanoshells using a Scanning Electron Microscope.

Scientific Image - Gold Nanoshells (optical microscope)

Magnified image of gold nanoshells using an Optical Microscope.

Scientific Image - Photonic Crystal

Magnified image of a photonic crystal using a Scanning Electron Microscope.

Scientific Image - Liquid Crystal

Magnified image of liquid crystal using an Optical Microscope.