Self-Assembling Dessert Toppings

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This is an activity (located on page 3 of the PDF under Self-Assembly Activity) about self-assembly, the ability of molecules to assemble themselves according to certain rules. Learners will use food-grade components to create delicious dessert topping-filled gel capsules, macroscale relatives of the capsules nanoscientists make in a lab to carry medicine to targeted cells of the body. Relates to linked video, DragonflyTV Nano: Self-Assembly.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
1 to 2 hours
Estimated Materials Cost:
$10 - $20 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Bioengineering/Biomedical Engineering
      • Nanotechnology
    • Technology
      • Medical Technology
  • Life Sciences
    • Cells
    • Human Body
      • Medicine
  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
      • Chemical Bonding
      • Solutions
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
  • The Nature of Science
    • Science and Society
      • Risks and Benefits
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
  • The Nature of Technology
    • Technology and Society
      • Impacts of Technology

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • taste
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Source Collection

  • DragonflyTV

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Twin Cities Public Television, Inc., 2008

Funding Source:

  • National Science Foundation, 741749