Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Superballs

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students mix two different solutions to become more familiar with molecules and polymers. For this chemistry lesson, students decide whether or not the reaction between two solutions is chemical or physical. Students then observe the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Comparison of Polymeric Liquids with Newtonian Liquids

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students perform several tests on liquids. In this general science lesson, students compare the properties of polymeric and nonpolymeric liquids. They explain the composition and importance of macromolecules.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balloon Ball Bounce

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the rebound of balls. In this energy conversion lesson, students explore the physics behind the rebound of various types of sports balls. Through the experimental design process using balloons, students investigate and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Bouncing Balls

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the movement of balls and use different materials to make balls. In this bouncing balls lesson, students explore the movement of balls, they investigate the inside of balls and they design and make their own balls...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How to Clean Up an Oil Slick

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students explore how an oil spill is contained and cleaned up. They investigate an oil absorbing polymer that is hydrophobic, absorbs up to 19 times its own weight in nonpolar liquids, floats on water, and can be reused or disposed of by...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Monomer and Polymer Chemistry

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explain monomer/polymer chemistry of starches and sugars.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Akron Global Polymer Academy Lesson Plan Format

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students identify types of garbage that will decompose quickly and the ones that do not.  In this decomposing lesson students observe and record the photo degrading of six pack rings. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plastic Polymers

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars learn about plastic. For this plastic polymers lesson, students examine the properties of plastic, its variety of uses and how it is recycled.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quantitative Determination of the Composition of Water-based Paints and the Correlation of Paint Properties to Pain Composition

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers perform a series of tests on water-based paints. In this chemistry instructional activity, students identify their different functions. They calculate paint density and fractional concentrations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Are Polymers Photodegradable?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the term photodegradability and how it applies to the 6-pack loop ring.  In this materials lesson plan students test photodegradability of the 6-pack plastic ring.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Super Glue Fuming of Latent Fingerprints

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore latent fingerprinting. They observe a supervised demonstration of the process that real-life crime scene investigators sometimes use to identify latent fingerprints. In addition, they brainstorm ways to improve the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Measuring Magnetic Field Strengths Using Ferrofluids

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars explore the field of nanotechnology by examining magnetic field strength in ferrofluids. They use probes attached to a computer program to determine the relationship between magnetic field strength and magnetic field lines.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Describing the Motion of a Battery Powered Cars

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore distance a toy car travels by changing the amount of batteries used to power the toy car.  In this force and motion activity, students calculate the average speed of a car while investigating the power from...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Soap, Slime, and Creative Chromatography

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Do you think chromatography paper suffers from separation anxiety? Young chemists make soap, slime, silly putty, and experiment with chromatography in this lesson. The material includes clear instructions for each experiment along with...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Materials Science - Part B

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars are able to give specific examples of what to do and what not to do during given safety situations, and classify materials as metals, polymers, ceramics/glass, or composites. They are able to distinguish between chemical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Counting Animal Populations

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students learn how to count animal populations by the Mark and Recapture method. In this counting animal populations lesson plan, students begin by predicting amounts of different candies in a jar. Students then simulate using beans, two...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating Biodiesel and Mitigating Waste

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Biotechnology pros produce their own biofuel using waste oil and fresh vegetable oil. They test the quality of their product using titration techniques and pH analysis. They write their observations and report their findings. Be aware...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Character Traits in Fables

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Combining art, music, dance, and reading comprehension, this lesson is geared to reach all ability levels. After reading a variety of fables and discussing story elements and character traits, class members select a moral to use as the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electromagnetic Energy and Its Spectrum

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Your older elementary students investigate electromagnetic energy and the electromagnetic spectrum. They will observe 7 items represented in the electromagnetic spectrum and make a poster of all the things the items have in common. After...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Elastomers: The Best Bungee Cord

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students examine elastomeric polymers in a lab activity in which they design a bungee cord. Students must determine the tensile strength, percent elongation, and plot stress versus strain graphs for their experiments on rubber bands...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Burlap Weaving Gone Wild

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Explore art using fabric with this resource. Learners talk about weaving and create art work after discussing this important technique. This is a great way integrate art and history.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Through Thick or Thin!!!

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students differentiate between high and low viscosity. Students collect, graph, and interpret data, then quantitatively measure polymer solids. Students experiment with a household example of an emulsion polymer.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build a Better Bouncer

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students create the best bouncing ball possible using basic substances. For this chemistry lesson, students describe the effect of additives to polymers. They graph and analyze their results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classification of Matter

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students classify items according to their physical properties. In this chemistry activity, students define what matter is in their own words. They use the matter diagram to organize different substances.