Physical Sciences K-8: Particles and Interactions and the Standard Model

Particles and Interactions and the Standard Model « Physical Sciences K-8 « Courses «

Particles and Interactions and the Standard Model

This topic is broken into units to help in formulating cohesive, effective lessons. Clicking on each unit title below will display appropriate activities, lesson plans, or labs.

Unit materials are a subset of all possible materials available for this topic, selected especially with the new physics teacher in mind. You may instead browse all materials for this topic here.

Physical Sciences K-8 Particles and Interactions and the Standard Model Units

The Standard Model summarizes the current knowledge in Particle Physics. It is the quantum theory that includes the theory of strong interactions (quantum chromodynamics or QCD) and the unified theory of weak and electromagnetic interactions (electroweak). Gravity is included on this chart because it is one of the fundamental interactions even though not part of the "Standard Model."

Matter and Interactions (6)

Lesson Plans:

California High School Cosmic Ray Observatory (CHICOS): Education Resources

This is the direct link to teacher-created lessons and activities related to CHICOS, a network of more than 100 cosmic ray detector sites involving K-12 schools. Be sure not to miss the activity on muon particles. (Open Website)

Activities:

The Soda Bottle Speaker

This activity was developed as a simple, low cost, and engaging laboratory experiment, suitable for introductory physical science classes, yet also adaptable for more advanced high school physics courses. (Open Website)

Atomic Structure Webquest

This web page outlines a student activity on atoms and the periodic table. The assignment includes instructions about how to write a children's book for 3rd and 4th graders on the topic of the elements from the cover to the end of the book. It is a performance-based activity designed to promote critical thinking about atomic and molecular structures as students characterize and model the structures in a storybook format. Grading rubrics are also included. (Open Website)

References and Collections:

Characteristics of Matter

This activity is an online "hangman" game with clues about properties of matter. (Open Website)

California High School Cosmic Ray Observatory (CHICOS)

The CHICOS project is an active research network for the detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays that includes more than 100 K-12 schools in southern California. The web site includes information about the research and a collection of activities, tutorials, and reference materials on particle physics for beginners. (Open Website)

Student Tutorials:

ABC's of Nuclear Science

This is a well-designed set of tutorials to give students a good general overview of nuclear science, from nuclear structure to radioactivity and half-life. Check out the activity on how to build a cosmic ray detector, complete with detailed lab manual. (Open Website)

History and Discovery (1)

Content Support For Teachers:

Lisa Meitner

During the second world war, Lisa Meitner's work on atomic energy was largely overlooked and her discoveries attributed to others. Years later, when she became the first woman to receive a share of the Fermi Award for her physics -- and, implicitly, for her contributions to the bomb she never wanted to make, she was 88 and too ill to travel. Others accepted it for her. (Open Website)