Instructional Video

Why is my Whiteboard so Dirty?

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Dry erase markers work on desks, doors (made of shiny particle board), and even mirrors! A funny video explores why dry erase markers leave behind marks when used. The narrator explains what the markers are made of, specifically the pigments and their polymer make-up, and then discusses how they must be used on a nonporous surface—and even then, they leave trace amounts of pigment behind.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Have classes experiment with different types of whiteboards to see which ones leave the least amount of residue
  • Experiment with different cleaners to see which ones remove the ghost marker the best and then have classes explain how the marker is removed
Classroom Considerations
  • Turn on closed captioning so all learners can follow along, because the speed at which the narrator speaks is quite fast
  • This video is hosted on YouTube
Pros
  • Video can be viewed in many different languages when auto-translate is turned on in the settings
  • Super intriguing topic that may interest teachers more than the pupils because every teacher who uses whiteboards has been frustrated by the ghosts left behind
Cons
  • None
Common Core