Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymers all Over the Place

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students investigate properties of common molecules. For this chemistry lesson, students construct polymer models to gain a better understanding of the properties of polymers.
Activity
Teach Engineering

Investigating the Properties of Plastic and its Effects on the Environment

For Teachers 8th - 10th Standards
Pore over the properties of plastic. Working through four different stations, pupils investigate some properties of plastic, including chemical decomposition, mechanical breakdown, density, and the ability to infiltrate the food chain....
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Glued into Science—Classifying Polymers

For Students 6th - 12th
Explore the unique characteristics of polymers. A complete lesson plan begins with a presentation introducing polymers. Following the presentation, young scientists develop a laboratory plan for creating substances using polymers....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thermoset Polymers

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars complete a lab activity with polymers to allow them to better understand how to make "observations".  In this science lesson students make measurements and collect data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Industrial Processes of Polymers: How toys Are Made

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore how technology and science have created the plastics that make toys.  In this industrial processes lesson students work on their own injected molded product and a blow molded product.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Materials and Process: Plastics

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Young scholars investigate the development of plastics in the twentieth century. In this plastics lesson, students complete image based discussion activities for the pictures and methods of polymers. Young scholars create an object...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Plastic?

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students experiment with plastics.  In this what is plastic instructional activity, students make a simple polymer and discuss recycling.  Students identify various types of plastics. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymers Lab: Bouncy Ball and Slime

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate chemical reactions to produce polymers. In this polymers lesson plan, 8th graders experiment with sodium silicate and ethyl alcohol to make a polymer. They also experiment with borax and glue to make a polymer....
Worksheet
Curated OER

Plastic Identification Lab

For Students 10th - 12th
In this plastics worksheet, learners experiment with an unknown plastic and determine the polymer name and resin code by using a flow chart of various tests. They answer five questions after they collect their data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymer

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners investigate polymers by completing 3 experiments. In this polymer lesson plan, students mix plastic with acetone, they create polyurethane foam, they make slime and build a polymer model once their polyurethane foam is set. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Playful Polymers

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate polymers and their structures. In this polymers lesson, 8th graders perform 6 activities to learn about polymers and their molecular structure. They categorize a bag of items as polymers and non-polymers based...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymers: The Discovery

For Teachers K - 8th
Students examine various polymers. In this polymers lesson, students perform three experiments with polymers to identify them and observe their interesting properties.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Cross-Linked Polymer Lab

For Students 10th - 12th
In this polymer worksheet, students make two types of cross linked polymers and they test their physical properties. These include their response to agitation, stretchability, viscosity, and resilience.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students make polymers in the lab. In this polymers lesson plan, students make a nylon fiber polymer chain. They define monomers, polymers, addition polymerization, condensation polymerization, crosslinking and cyrstallinity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Degradation and Weathering of Polymeric Materials

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students investigate issues of degradation and weathering of polymeric materials during their useful life. They evaluate photodegradable plastics and their viability as an environmental solution for litter and investigate the qualitative...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carbon Bonds in Chemistry

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Venture into the world of macromolecules with three exciting, distinct laboratory activities. Young chemists examine the forms of carbon and discover how they are associated with atomic arrangement, construct models of carbon-containing...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymer Chemistry: More than Just Plastic

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine polymers and how they are formed.  In this chemistry lesson students complete their own polymer experiment then discuss what they learned. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Tensile Testing of Polymeric Films and Sheeting

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Chemistry classes pretend to be consultants to a grocery story trying to decide what polymer to use for therir new non-paper bags. They prepare tensile bars and use them to test plastic film samples for strength and stretchability. Both...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Study of Molecular Orientation by Linear Dimension Change of Polymeric Films

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Young scholars investigate the linear dimension change of heated plastic film and relate the results to processing and service use of the materials. They calculate percent change in dimension as related to anisotropy and molecular...
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Polymer Lesson Plans

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Try these hands on lessons dealing with polymers to get students thinking chemistry and the structure of molecules.
Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Fun Look at Material Science

For Students 6th - 12th
Introduce materials science with a class demonstration. After showing a PowerPoint presentation on materials and their properties, instructors provide a ceramic tile, a Popsicle stick, a paper clip, and a plastic bag as examples of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Polymer Schoolhouse

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate polymers by discovering and examining plastics and creating a diorama.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Are Polymers Utilized in Everyday Life?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils identify the different types of polymers. In this chemistry lesson, students research information about an area of polymer science they chose. They create a PowerPoint presentation to share their findings in class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Physical and Chemical Properties of Polymers

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students determine the physical and chemical properties of polymers. In this chemistry lesson, students test them for biodegradability. They collect data and compare their results.