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Quantum for Educators notes and lessons

Thank you for your interest in learning more about how to bring quantum to the classroom. Quantum for Educators equips teachers with the ability to bring quantum science into the classroom and confidently teach students about quantum physics, quantum computing, quantum cryptography, and more.

These lesson plans and activities have been developed for high-school classrooms by quantum experts from IQC with feedback from experienced educators.

The two golden rules of Quantum Mechanics

Investigate the superposition and measurement principles in this hands-on lesson using the polarization of light. Learn about the role of probability in quantum mechanics, wave function collapse, and how a quantum superposition is always relative to a measurement choice.

Quantum Cryptography

Understand how the quantum superposition and measurement principles can be used to build secure communication systems. Learn about quantum information and measurement disturbance through a cryptography protocol based on quantum mechanics called quantum key distribution.

Quantum Coins Activity

An interactive group role-playing activity where students explore how the mechanics of quantum measurement allow for perfectly secure cryptography. Both in-person and virtual lesson plans are available.

Wave-Particle Duality, Revisited

Learn how wave and particle behaviour can both be seen in one experiment. Create wave and particle models for describing the Mach-Zehnder interferometer using coins and puzzles and see how they compare to real laboratory data. Explore how quantum objects break the wave-particle binary and can behave like one or the other depending on how they are measured and analyzed.

Quantum Computing with Interferometers

Learn a simple quantum algorithm that can be implemented with a single photon in an interferometer. Through analyzing the Deutsch-Josza algorithm, learn about how quantum computers use superposition and measurement to solve problems in new ways.

The Uncertainty Principle

Measure and verify the uncertainty principle in a hands-on activity using laser pointers. Print your own single and double slits from home and learn how more certainty in position leads to more uncertainty in momentum. Understand how the uncertainty principle itself can be used to make accurate measurements.

At-home quantum experiments

Learn more about quantum mechanics through experiments you can do at home.

Experiment #1: Light polarization

The polarization of light can be used to encode quantum information. See polarized light in action with this easy at home experiment.

Experiment #2: Laser interference

A human hair is too thin to measure directly with a ruler. Can we measure it using light interference? Lets find out!