New ReviewExploding billiard balls and fake tanks are just part of the history of polymers. The 20th installment of the Crash Course Engineering series looks at polymers and how people make them. It also takes viewers through a brief history of...

New ReviewSynthetic materials increase in popularity every year. Exploring Energy takes on the chemistry behind synthetic materials, including polyester. The resource opens with a video explaining the difference between natural and synthetic...

To tape or to glue? Finally, an answer to a very sticky question. The narrator of a short, entertaining video offers insight into the science of adhesion.

Sometimes it's okay to eat your science experiment. A hands-on activity has pupils create models for algae to learn about its cellular structure. The best part of the experiment? The resulting juice-filled gels are edible—yum!

Get messy with a little slimy science! A series of experiments analyze the properties of slime. Learners also apply the definition of solid and liquid to the characteristics of their slime.

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...

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...

Mold your learners into materials engineers. Using glue, Borax, and water, scholars create a viscoelastic material. But your class might know it by another name—Silly Putty.

You are what you wear! Learn the complex design strategies that result in the competition clothing seen in the Olympics. Scientists consider the requirement of each sport, which typically results in resisting air drag. 

The materials used to produce skis have come a long way over the years. A short video explains how the materials in skis serve a specific purpose on the course. The lesson explores materials such as fiberglass and polymers.

When oil spills happen, how is the oil cleaned up? Pupils of polymer science discover an amazing substance that turns oil into a solid during a microscale experiment. Individuals observe oil or paraffin before and after addition of the...

Polymers are an important part of our day-to-day lives, but how much do your pupils know about them? Learn the basics and beyond in a series of activities designed to build skills in observation, planning, organic chemistry, and bonding.

Compare and contrast macromolecules made from the same elements. Young scholars learn how the structure of a molecule has as much influence on a compound as the elements in the molecule. They experiment with molecular model kits to...

Learn about polymers while playing with shrinky dinks. Young scholars create a shrinky dink design, bake it, and then record the area, volume, and thickness over time. They model the data using a graph and highlight the key features of...

Explore condensation polymerization and additive polymerization through hands-on activities. Young scholars first model additive polymerization with paperclips. They finish the activity by using condensation polymerization to create a...

Take a field trip to the laboratory of the famous Thomas Edison. An engaging video lesson explores the contributions of Edison to the scientific community. The narrator explains how his love of chemistry led to discoveries that changed...

Score a goal with your classes by showing the importance of science in soccer! Scholars learn how chemistry plays a part in the design of the soccer ball. An installment of a larger playlist explains how polymers make the properties of...

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...

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.

Molecules to the Max! refers to a movie released in 2009 about the world of atoms and molecules. A helpful discovery guide provides five posters on science topics typically covered at the middle school level. It also explains the...

From molecules to nanotubes, an engaging unit explores the world of tiny science. Fifteen hands-on experiments and lessons engage young scientists as they learn chemistry. Discussions, worksheets, and data analysis reinforce the concepts...

The radical reactions of polymers seems abstract to many pupils, but this lesson plan turns them into a fun building game. Scholars use dice and building pieces to build polymers. Then, they determine the theoretical and experimental...

No need to tread lightly on this piece of tire rubber! Polymer science pupils observe the behavior of rubber with an interesting interactive. Users apply three different levels of force to a sample, then watch how they affect the polymer...

You don't want to break these chains! Show young chemists and biologists the basics of polymerization with a simple interactive. The resource gives learners three types of polymers to experiment with, as well as a brief tutorial about...