Description

Glossary

More on the Web

Activities

Home

Teacher's Page

Teacher's Page

Purpose 

The quest to discover in what manner the universe operates has been given a boost in recent years with the idea known as “String Theory.”  Giving students a way to navigate through various sites that will provide background, visuals, extensions, and activities is the purpose of this website.  In a learning sense, I  hope studying this topic helps them develop a sense of how scientists build on previous theories, and arrive at possible solutions to problems. Finally, it might encourage students to create some mental images of abstract ideas, a good strategy in all areas of learning.  

Learner Description

The initial students for whom this program was designed are 8^th graders who have been identified as gifted in science, but any student who is intrigued with this topic would be a potential user.  

Supplies

Materials needed include the students’ laptops, posterboard,  markers, magazines, scissors, glue, the NOVA video series called The Elegant Universe. Optional  items could include overhead transparencies of the questions for students to think about as they watch the videos, and worksheets for the five different activities.  For the culminating activity you might want a video camera.  

Student supplies for "A New Building Block?" activity:  

• 15 foot long rope
• measuring tape
• paper clips
• stop watch
• calculator

  Answer Keys for Activities

Standards

• 8.1.1--Students recognize and describe how scientific knowledge is subject to modification as new information challenges prevailing theories and as new theory leads to looking at old observations in a new way.
• 8.1.8--Students explain that humans help shape the future by generating knowledge, developing new technologies, and communicating ideas to others.
• 8.3.13--Students explain that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only changed from one form into another.
• 8.3.15--Students can identify different forms of energy that exist in nature.
• 8.5.6--Students explain that a single example can never prove that something is always true, but it could prove that something is not always true.
• 8.5.7--Students recognize and describe the danger of making over-generalizations when inventing a general rule based on a few observations.

Evaluation Suggestions

Small Group Evaluation

Select a group of 6-8 students to try the lesson.  Students are chosen randomly from Gifted Science Classes.   

At the end of the lesson, students are given the following questions to answer. 

1.       What two previous ideas about the makeup of our universe does String Theory possibly unify?

2.       Give one example of something that might be possible in the future if the idea of String Theory is true.

3.       What is the Law of Conservation of energy?

4.       List the six forms of energy.

5.       Give two reasons why String Theory is not yet taught as fact.

I will collect and score the students’ answers, then interpret their performance compared to the Goals and Objectives (State Standards.)

In addition, I will do an informal observation of how many questions I am asked as students work on the lesson, and which parts of the lesson elicit those questions. 

Student Final  Presentation Grade

Student Survey

Resources

Gefter, A., "The World Turned Inside Out," NewScientist, March 20, 2004

Lemonick, M., "Before the Big Bang," Discover, Feb. 2004

NOVA Teacher's Guide, Fall 2003, 125 Western Avenue, Boston, MA

For more information contact Mrs. Warren at lwarren@tms.cville.k12.in.us