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A Materials World Module is a set of activities culminating in a design project that focuses on different topics in materials science. A module takes about one to three weeks of class time depending on the module, the activities that are used, and the scope of the design project. The modules can be used in two ways: An individual self-contained module can supplement high school and middle school science, math, and technology classes or all nine modules can be used together in a year-long science, technology, and society (STS) curriculum.
There are essentially three parts to a module. The module begins by presenting a compelling introductory activity, or interest-grabber, that invites students to hypothesize about cause and effect. Then four to five hands-on, exploratory activities provide students with principles, ideas, and methods particular to the materials science topic under study. Students explore these activities while keeping in mind the final part of the module - the design project - in which they apply what they have learned to creating a functional prototype product.
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