Can I See That Fossil?

DRIVING QUESTION

How does light allow me to see a fossil and its 3D printed image?

LEARNING GOALS

1. Students will be able to describe how a scanner works in terms of what happens when the laser light when it reaches the object/target.
2. Students will be able to identify the basic parts of a 3D scanner and 3D printer.
3. Students will be able to 3D scan a fossil and trim its image.

COLLABORATIONS

1. Participants will collaborate with a STEM field expert to learn about STEM related careers.
2. Teacher will collaborate with a Paleontologist that will support the selection of fossils for the project.
3. Students will collaborate as they work in groups of 3-4 students as they complete each activity included in the lesson. While working in the printing and scanning rotation each student will support their group.  While working in the other activities students will work initially independently for the first week of the project.  During the second week of the project students will work in groups to evaluate their work as indicated in the rubric that will be provided. (See rubrics below on Assessment section)
4. Students will collaborate in whole class discussion as well as during the final presentation of their project. To facilitate whole class discussion students will first collaborate in an online forum during the first week of the project.  During the second week, on the day prior to the final presentations students will share their thoughts/questions in a whole class discussion.

STEM INTEGRATION

Describe the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math knowledge and skills this activity helps develop.

Science: Creating light models, writing explanations, Geologic time scale
Technology: 3D printing and scanning, use of multiple digital environments and media
Engineering: Creating light models, 3D printing and scanning
Mathematics: Geologic time scale, Measuring length, width and mass

ASSESSMENT

Formative Assessments: As students work in each station, the teacher will monitor their work by asking questions to assess their learning and progress towards completion of each station’s learning goal.

Summative assessment(s):

• Final project: Based on what you have learned about what happens when light interacts/reaches with an object,

1. Create/draw a model to explain the differences in your observations as you observe a fossil and its 3D printed artifact.
2. Construct an evidence-based scientific explanation to explain how light affects the image of a fossil.
3. The assessments are designed for each of the dimensions of the NGSS model: Disciplinary Core Ideas, Scientific/Engineering Practices, Cross-Cutting Concepts, Scientific Explanations, Modeling, and Patterns.
4. Rubrics:

Light Model Rubrics

Model 1: Real fossil

Model 2: 3D Printed Copy

Explanation Rubric

Forum Discussion Rubric

ANCHORING EVENT & PROCEDURE

1. Students will participate in a presentation by a guest speaker (STEM field expert) in which students will be introduced to one or various STEM related careers. Below are some suggested prompts to guide the guest speaker’s presentation.

Suggested prompts:

• Who is the Expert? (Scientist/Grad. Student/Industry Leader)
  For which organization is the expert currently working?
• Where is the expert from/where does she live now/where is she being interviewed?
• How did the expert get to this point in her career?
  • HS classes/College classes
  • Outside the Class: Field Trips/Work and/or Internships/Apprenticeships and/or Community Service/Volunteer work and/or Travel Experiences/Camps?
  • Describe the defining point(s) in life that sent her down this path?
• What is her current passion/project of study? What is her current goal? How might it help humanity?
• What is most & least enjoyed about the current passion/project?
• What was/is the biggest challenge (could be personal and/or professional), and how was/is it overcome?

DAY 1: Engagement

1. Students will make observations about three pictures as shown on the following online resource: http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2014/07/14/illuminating-fossils-lights-importance-in-paleontology/
2. After recording their observations from the three pictures, they will share their observations in their groups. Random students will be selected to share their group’s observations.
3. Suggested prompt:

• How are these pictures similar?
• How are these pictures different?
• How can you explain these differences?
• What role light plays in explaining this phenomena?

DAY 1-5

Activity 1: Vocabulary

Students can define the the main vocabulary related to the processes of 3D scanning and printing.

Procedure: Students will practice the vocabulary using the following link:

https://quizlet.com/subject/PK-Yonge-Cordero-6-3D-Scanning-%26-Printing

Activity 2: 3D Scanning of fossil

1. Students can identify the main parts of a 3D scanner.
2. Students can 3D scan a fossil.
3. Students will be familiar with the parts of a 3D scanner and the correct language used for the main parts.
4. Students will be able to 3D scan a fossil and trim its image.
5. Students will answer the following question:
6. In your own words, explain the process of 3D scanning.

Activity 3: 3D Printing of fossil

1. Students are able to identify the main parts of a 3D printer.
2. Students are able to print the 3D scan of a fossil using a 3D printer.
3. Students will identify the main parts of a 3D printer using the vocabulary list as their guide.
4. Students will begin the process of 3D printing.
5. Students will answer the following question:
6. In your own words explain the process of 3D printing.

Activity 4: What can we learn from fossils?

Students are able to explain the importance of fossils in science and engineering by answering the following questions.

Article #1 National Geographic: Illuminating Fossils: Light’s Importance in Paleontology

• What are the different ways you use light? (Besides just being able to see!)
• How does light help photographers take pictures?
• Draw a model of how paleontologists can see fossils clearly on a sunny day.
• Explain with words, or draw a model of why fossils look less clear on cloudy days.
• Why can we see fossils the best in the morning and late afternoon?
• Do you agree with the last sentence of the article? Why or why not?

Article #2 Paleontology

Section 1

• Everyone in your group try to say “synchrotron.”
• What animal were scientists able to examine with the help of synchrotron?

Section 2

• What have scientists discovered for the first time?
• What is the subject of the scientist’ story? Describe what it looked like.

Section 3

• How were synchrotrons used in China?
• Choose three words from any section that you did not know when you read them. Write the words and their definitions below.
• Write one question you still have about this article.

Activity 5: Collecting data

• Students are able to distinguish between qualitative and quantitative
• Students select a fossil and record qualitative and quantitative observations of the fossil.
• Students measure the mass of a fossil and record the data.
• Students use a caliper to measure the width and the length of the fossils.

Data Collection
Qualitative observations (observations that describe the qualities of an object and are gathered using the senses)

Quantitative observations (numerical observations; include numbers)

Activity 6:  Collaborating in a Forum Discussion

• Students collaborate with their peers by sharing ideas like scientists do in real life in an online forum discussion. Note: If not possible, have students share questions on a discussion board/poster.
• Students collaborate with their peers by posting one comment/question about the experiences using the 3D printer and scanner.
• After the initial post, students respond to at least one of their classmates answering their questions or adding more information to their posts.

Possible ideas for the posts are:

• Ask questions about any of the parts of the project
• Ask new questions you may have about light or 3D printing or scanning
• Ask for solutions to the problems you may have using the equipment
• Share new resources you may have found online about light or 3D printing or scanning and explain why you found the resource useful.

Activity 7: Creating a light model of a real fossil and its 3D printed image

• Students will be able to create a model to show what happens when light reaches a real fossil.
• Students will be able to create a model to show what happens when light reaches a 3D printed image of the fossil.
• Students draw and label a model to explain what happens when light reaches a real fossil.
• Students draw and label a model to explain what happens when light reaches a 3D printed fossil copy.
• Students may create the model using a poster board or an online resource like Google drawing.
• See rubric under Assessment section above.

Activity 8: Model of Light Explanation

• Students are able to write a detailed explanation to compare what happens when light reaches a real fossil and its 3D printed copy.
• Students will write an explanation to compare fossil A with Fossil B (scanned copy of fossil).
• See rubric under Assessment section above.

Extension: Getting to Know the Geologic Time Scale

• Students are able to identify major events on the history of Earth using the geologic time scale.
• Use the information on the geologic time scale to answer questions about the history of Earth. Geologic Time Scale (PDF) | Alternative Online Time Scale
• According to geologists, how old is Earth?
• What is the difference between eons, eras and periods? Use the following link: http://geology.com/time.htm
• What does the abbreviation mya mean for geologists?
• Did dinosaurs exist at the same time as humans?
• How long ago did the dinosaur extinction occur?
• Is the Jurassic term used to name an eon, era or period?
• How have scientists determined when an era begins and when it ends?
• To learn more details about the history of Earth, click on this link http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/timeform.php

Extension: Guess Who?

• Students will be able to make predictions about a given fossil.
• Students will research the Internet to make predictions about a chosen fossil.

Predictions

DAY 6: Explanation & Elaboration

Students share their models and describe the advantages and disadvantages of their group models.  Students can continue working on the extension activities described above.

DAY 7: Evaluation

Short Response

Archeologists are like paleontologists in that they both study the past and put together evidence from the past but archaeologists specifically, focus on human fossils and their history.  Below is the photo of an archaeology student ready to scan a fossil bone.

• Complete the following image to draw a model that shows all that happens when light hits the historic artifact. Include what you learned about light and how the scanner works.  Add arrows and labels that are very clear!  (4 points)

https://vcuarchaeology3d.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/vcls-first-digital-zooarchaeologist-marianna-zechini-prepares-to-3d-scan-a-raccoon-femur.jpg

• Explain your model including the vocabulary learned in class. See rubric below.
• Content: (three light vocabulary words correctly used) 3 points
• Grammar: (correct capitalization and punctuation) 3 points

STANDARDS

NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS)

Other Standards

ISTE Standards  http://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards

1. Creativity and innovation: Students use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
2. Communication and collaboration: Students interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
3. Research and information fluency: Students locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
4. Critical thinking, problem solving and decision making: Students plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
5. Digital citizenship:
-Students advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
-Students exhibit positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning and productivity.
-Students demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
-Students exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.
6. Technology operations and concepts
-Students understand and use technology systems.
-Students select and use applications effectively and productively.

RESOURCES & MATERIALS

Reading Resources

http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2014/07/14/illuminating-fossils-lights-importance-in-paleontology/

http://www.light2015.org/Home/LearnAboutLight/Lightsources-of-the-world/What-are-they-used-for-/Palaeontology.html

Measuring mass

https://www.wisc-online.com/learn/natural-science/chemistry/gch202/reading-a-triple-beam-balance

Reading a caliper

Multiple resources are available on the Internet. Use one appropriate for your group of students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz40xmrdhyY

Materials

Triple beam balance, calipers, rulers, fossils samples

KEY ACADEMIC AND/OR SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE

Reflection:

Scattering:

Transmission:

Absorption:

Refraction:

Transparent:

Translucent:

Opaque:

Fossil:

Answers: https://quizlet.com/subject/PK-Yonge-Cordero-6-3D-Scanning-%26-Printing/

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

• Students will know that when light reaches and object it can be reflected, scattered, transmitted, refracted and absorbed.
• Students will know that light is refracted/bent when it changes medium.
• Students will know that darker objects absorbed more light than light-colored objects.
• Students will know that when an object blocks the path of light a shadow is formed.