The Polymer Schoolhouse

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...

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.

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...

For this science review worksheet, 5th graders answer questions about molecules, force, elements, nature, and more. Students complete 25 multiple choice questions.

Young scholars experiment with plastics.  In this what is plastic instructional activity, students make a simple polymer and discuss recycling.  Young scholars identify various types of plastics. 

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...

Little learners will have fun playing with plastic if you do this activity with them. Have them write a message on Teflon tape, disguise it, and then pass it to a friend to decode. What they will find is that some polymers have an...

Plastic bags are so useful and you can find out how they're made by watching this clip. We see inside the factory where plastic bags are made, learn what they are made of, and all the ways they can be used. Wow, 35,000 bags for every one...

Students will use their prior knowledge about changes of matter including physical and chemical changes from the Houghton Mifflin science curriculum. Students will create a hypothesis to test the physical properties of materials such as...

Nurdles aren't the cute characters of a new children's cartoon, they are the tiny plastic pellets slowly polluting the world's water supply. Learn all about these little trouble makers with this short video that explores the impacts...