Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
A Century of Plastics
After reading about polymer materials, engineer trainees examine how plastics have been integrated into everyday products. In groups, they compile a list of products made entirely without plastics and then, as a closing activity, try to...
Curated OER
Water and Polymers
Students conduct qualitative and quantitative investigations based on the interaction between water and various polymers. They determine the percent moisture contained in various plastics along with a qualitative procedure to determine...
Curated OER
Sorting Plastics For Recycling
First, young chemists practice polymer identification by density and flame tests. With the data collected, they propose a method of separating polyethylene from other plastics and determine what property makes it desirable for recycling....
Curated OER
Polymers
Present polymers to your chemistry class with this practical PowerPoint. Begin with a definition and the properties of polymer materials. Branch out into diagrams of polymer structure. Consider the two general types: addition polymers...
Concord Consortium
Plastic Forces
Plastic is fantastic! But, why does it behave the way it does? Science sleuths investigate the behavior of plastic in response to applied forces using an interactive. The resource allows users to bend a sample of plastic using three...
Science Geek
Polymers
A pirate's favorite amino acid is Arrrrginine! Presentation begins with the difference between a monomer and a polymer. Then it applies that to carbohydrates and proteins and ends with DNA and plastics. Presentation is the last in a...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Electrochromic Polymer—Chemistry Outreach
From windows that tint themselves to OLED technology, electrochromic polymers are redefining our ideas about conducting materials! Introduce your chemistry class to the emerging trend with an exciting lab activity. Budding materials...
Curated OER
Oils and Plastic
Peruse the properties of polymers with your materials engineers, chemistry aces, or emerging ecologists. The inquiries in this resource include puncturing polyethylene plastic bags, dissolving polystyrene cups, creating a polymer ball...
Teach Engineering
Close Encounters of the Polymer Kind
A PowerPoint presents features of polymers and two of its categories (thermoplastics and thermosets). Instructors conduct demonstrations to illustrate the Weissenberg Effect and the Barus & Kaye Effects of polymers in the first of...
Cornell University
Polymers: Making Silly Putty
Putty is proof that learning can be fun! Share the wonderful world of polymers with your class through an experiment. Young scientists create their own silly putty, then examine its properties.
Curated OER
The Structure and Properties of Polymers
A fifteen-slide presentation helps you teach your young chemists about monomers and polymers. You will find many graphics, some of them colorful, and bullet-point style notes on each slide. Although the presentation is informative,...
Curated OER
Investigation of Crystallinity in Polymeric Materials
A kaleidoscope is constructed using polarizing polymer paper and then low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, and polypropylene are all melted onto individual glass slides and examined through a microscope. The intent is to...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Green Plastics—Chemistry Outreach
How do green plastics reduce waste and environmental pollution? Budding scientists create and test a variety of compounds used in green plastics during an insightful experiment. Beginning with startling statistics and ending with...
Curated OER
Plastics by the Numbers
Students investigate plastic resins and their uses. In this plastics lesson plan, students describe major plastic resins and what they are used for, they compare and contrast the properties of plastic resins and they list products that...
Curated OER
Determination of Plasticizer in PVC
Students isolate and determine the amount of plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride. They use Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) or Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and gravimetric techniques in this experiment.
Curated OER
Polymers and Products from Petroleum
Over four sessions, learners survey the production and use of polymers and petroleum products. First, they participate in a kinesthetic activity to demonstrate how polymers act, and review a list of common products made from polymers....
Curated OER
World of Plastics and Polymers
Learners investigate plastics and learn they are giant molecules made of carbon atoms. In this polymers and plastics lesson, students perform 3 activities which all include making polymers from household items such as milk and vinegar,...
Curated OER
Integrating Environmental Science: Plastics
In this plastics worksheet, students read about the uses of plastics and their environmental impact. Students answer questions about plastics and their use.
Teach Engineering
Bridging to Polymers: Thermoset Lab
Investigate thermoset polymers through experimentation. In an effort to determine the strongest, most flexible mixture, groups conduct an experiment on different-ratio epoxy-amine polymers to finish the set of two lessons.
Curated OER
WS 10.9 Plastic Recycling
In this recycling worksheet, students search for as many types of plastics categorized with the resin identification codes and fill in a chart for each plastic type. They identify the product name, the category the plastic is in, the...
Curated OER
Real-World Projects: Challenges from the Polymer Industry
Two scenarios are presented for chemistry detectives to decipher. Both require the use of an infrared spectrometer and focus on the examination of polymer materials. In the first, lumps in polyethylene bottles are analyzed. In the...
It's About Time
Polymers
All plastics contain polymers, but not all polymers are plastic. Young chemists make their own polymer and compare the properties to those of other states of matter. After a reading passage, pupils answer analysis questions about natural...
Curated OER
Plastics Crossword
In this chemistry worksheet, students look for the solutions to the crossword puzzle that is based upon the topic of plastics. The sheet is helpful for vocabulary.
Curated OER
Plastic Polymers
Students learn about plastic. In this plastic polymers lesson, students examine the properties of plastic, its variety of uses and how it is recycled.