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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Will It Stretch?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners describe the effects of temperature change to rubber band's physical properties. In this chemistry instructional activity, students measure the length of rubber band when temperature changes. They explain why the length varies.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building Polymer Cup Speakers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students construct their own speaker using a cup, coil and magnet. In this physics lesson, students establish a criteria to test them. They present their working speakers in class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Diaper Challenge

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the absorbency of certain diapers. In this inquiry lesson, students examine how much water the crystals absorb. They collect data and share their results in class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Physical and Chemical Properties of Polymers

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

How Are Polymers Utilized in Everyday Life?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify the different types of polymers. For 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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sports Helmets and Impact Testing of Polymers

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students test various polymers resistance to impact. In this technology lesson, students collect data and formulate a conclusion. They design their own helmet and present it to class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymers

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students explore online tutorial on polymers. In this chemistry lesson, they create two polymers in the lab and compare their properties. They write a sales letter about their new and improved polymer product.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mystery Polymers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine how some natural substances are polymers.  In this polymer lesson students complete a lab and give examples of a physical change. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Goofy Putty

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners examine mixtures and solution properties by making a borax polymer. In this chemical reactions lesson, students make a putty out of borax solution mixed to create a polymer.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Critter? Growth

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students identify and use the elements of the scientific inquiry to solve problems. They explain concepts about the structure and properties of matter. Pupils write an explanation of polymers and how the characteristic of polymers...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymers and Crystals

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners experiment with crystals and polymers and examine their roles in food science.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymer Physics on the Playground

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate what materials allow them to slide down a slide the fastest. They set up test procedures and carry out an experiment.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Polymer Schoolhouse

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

Polymers and People

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify a historical example of how advances in science depend on advances in technology and vice versa.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's the Slime Time

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students experiment to understand the basic concept of polymerization and to understand the dissolution theory. Student experiment with polymers to understand its behavior and the mechanical behavior of polymer networks.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bouncing Balls

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students create a polymer to demonstrate its properties and develop an awareness of the wide variety of uses for polymers.
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating Plastic Polymers: Building a Model

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners 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...
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Unit Plan
OpenStax

Open Stax: Anatomy & Physiology: Overview of Metabolic Reactions

For Students 9th - 10th
Students discuss the role of polymers, monomers, and ATP in metabolism, and then describe the hormones that regulate anabolic and catabolic reactions.
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Creepy Silly Putty

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students learn about viscoelastic material behavior, such as strain rate dependence and creep, by using silly putty, an easy-to-make polymer material. They learn how to make silly putty, observe its behavior with different strain rates,...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Bridging to Polymers: Thermoset Lab

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students act as engineers to learn about the strengths of various epoxy-amine mixtures, and observe the unique characteristics of different mixtures of epoxies and hardeners. Student groups make and optimize thermosets by combining two...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Close Encounters of the Polymer Kind

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students explore the basic characteristics of polymers through the introduction of two polymer categories: thermoplastics and thermosets.
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Handout
Smithsonian Institution

Lemelson Center: Kevlar Inventor

For Students 9th - 10th
Read a biography of Stephanie Kwolek, the inventor of Kevlar.
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Graphic
Other

Polythene: Production and Properties & Uses

For Students 9th - 10th
A wonderful site for information on polythene. Contains a table of information for high density and low density polyethylene (LDPE and HDPE) which tells melting point, uses, chemical properties, and more for each. Also contains the...
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Website
Iowa State University

Iowa State University: Materials Science and Engineering

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about Iowa State University's department of Materials Science and Engineering, including news, academics, people, research, and general information.