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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Catering Middle-School Science: Monomers, Polymers, and Macromolecules

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars investigate foods. For this biology lesson plan, students will conduct testing on different types of foods as they learn about different molecules that make them up. Young scholars will also learn about the shapes of the...
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
LABScI

Viscosity: The Fluid Lab

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
There's more to fluids than meet the eye—they include gases, liquids, and polymers, too! Scholars complete three hands-on activities exploring different properties of fluids. They explore viscosity by measuring the resistance, or...
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

World of Plastics and Polymers

For Teachers 7th - 12th
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,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sports Helmets and Impact Testing of Polymers

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students examine the importance of good quality safety gear. In this investigative lesson, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets. They will design a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Silly Semi-Solids

For Teachers K
Students create a polymer out of glue, water, and borax. They discuss the resulting substance and perform several experiments with it.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Slime and Intermolecular Attractions

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students explore the strength of intermolecular attractions. They make slime and compare the difference in the physical properties of sheet and powdered polyvinyl alcohol with polyvinyl acetate.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observation Milk Fat Lesson

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Turn your class loose to experiment with the different fat content in skim milk, whole milk, half and half, and heavy cream. This is a visually vibrant experiment, as learners drip food coloring on the surface of the products and measure...
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

A Comparison of Polymeric Liquids with Newtonian Liquids

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students concretely illustrate and define a macromolecule, observe the unique behavior of polymers and relate to their knowledge of molecules, and use the scientific process to determine the difference between Newtonian and non-Newtonian...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Polymerization

For Students 9th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymer Rockets

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students examine polymer rockets and complete an activity.  In this rockets lesson plan students design, create and test a polymer rocket and have a blast off competition. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cross-Linked Polymer Lab

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use short-chain polymers and borate ions to produce cross-linked polymers in the lab. In this cross-linked polymer lesson plan, students produce polyvinyl acetate slime and polyvinyl alcohol slime and test their physical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymers, Where Are You?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study polymers and what they are used for.  In this investigative lesson students view a video on ploymers, and research on the Internet specific polymers and processes. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Super Polymers

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students investigate polymers and compare the absorbency of a disposable diaper to cotton dish towels They determine the absorbency of sodium polyacrylate.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Slime and Polymers

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Students participate in an experiment to demonstrate how mixing certain chemicals together can change the consistency of both chemicals. Glue, water, and borax are used to create a slime-like substance which is examined to determine how...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hot Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition, But Were Afraid To Ask

For Teachers 10th - 12th
To wrap up your year of general chemistry, have lab groups compete in a tot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) competition. With their foundation in chemical nomenclature, stoichiometry, and gas laws, each group completes several...
Lesson Plan
Lawrence Hall of Science

Photolithography

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Examine the use of photolithography in the fabrication of circuit boards and other components. An advanced activity teaches pupils a process for transferring a pattern onto a surface. Using UV light and a light reactive substance,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balloon Ball Bounce

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners investigate energy conversions. In this physical science lesson plan, students make balloon balls to better understand rebound and the law of conservation of energy. The learners will use there balloon balls in a series of tests...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Shocking

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners describe the characteristics of polymers and rubbers and how they improve human lives.  In this shock lesson students build a shock absorbing structure using different polymer materials. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plastics by the Numbers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Brief History of Rubber

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the history of rubber. In this rubber activity, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the history of the product and its uses in society. Students create timelines that detail the...