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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biodegradable Plastics

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore the many uses of corn as a renewable source. In this biodegradable resource lesson, 6th graders investigate how corn is used in manufacturing and as a fuel. Students construct a piece of homemade plastic using...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

# 15 A Search for Automated Plastics Recycling Separation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners are challenged to investigate the physical and chemical properties of plastics and use them to design a system that could be used to separate them. 1st year chemistry students use density for separation, learners gathered...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Polymers

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students conduct qualitative and quantitative investigations based on the interaction between water and various polymers. They determine the percent moisture contained in various plastics along with a qualitative procedure to determine...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Properties and Perfectly Polymeric Sodas

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students examine physical and chemical properties of plastics, interfaces of plastics, and forms of plastics. In three lab activities, students discover the two characteristic responses of plastics to heating, thermoplastic or...
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PPT
Curated OER

The Structure and Properties of Polymers

For Teachers 10th
A fifteen-slide presentation helps you teach your young chemists about monomers and polymers. You will find many graphics, some of them colorful, and bullet-point style notes on each slide. Although the presentation is informative,...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Plastics Crossword

For Students 9th - 12th
In this chemistry worksheet, students look for the solutions to the crossword puzzle that is based upon the topic of plastics. The sheet is helpful for vocabulary.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Plastic?

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students experiment with plastics.  In this what is plastic lesson, students make a simple polymer and discuss recycling.  Students identify various types of plastics. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Egg Walk Challenge

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers design plastic shoes to walk on eggs without breaking them. In this pressure lesson plan, students consider all the factors needed to design shoes to walk on eggs without breaking them. Middle schoolers calculate the PSI...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World of Plastics and Polymers

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students investigate plastics and learn they are giant molecules made of carbon atoms. For this polymers and plastics lesson, students perform 3 activities which all include making polymers from household items such as milk and vinegar,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Consider Your Options-Plastics

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore plastics and what plastics students use to pack a lunch. In this plastics lesson plan, students observe each other pack lunches and take note of all the plastics used in packing the lunch. They discuss the impact of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plastics by the Numbers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students 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...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Recycling Plastics

For Students 5th - 8th
In this plastics worksheet, students read about how important it is to recycle plastics and why sorting the recycle materials is important. Students then complete 4 short answer questions.
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Interactive
Curated OER

Polymer Basics

For Teachers 7th - 10th
In this polymer worksheet, students use an on line site to complete sentences about plastics, their chemical make-up, their uses, their history and information about recycling plastics.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Integrating Environmental Science: Plastics

For Students 9th - 11th
In this plastics worksheet, students read about the uses of plastics and their environmental impact. Students answer questions about plastics and their use.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plastic Peas

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider the life cycle of certain plastics products and propose improved recycling legislation in their own communities.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glurch II

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students make glurch using materials provided. In this chemistry lesson, students identify the physical properties of glurch. They compare its properties to commercially prepared ones.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Materials and Process: Plastics

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students investigate the development of plastics in the twentieth century. For this plastics lesson, students complete image based discussion activities for the pictures and methods of polymers. Students create an object timeline...
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Organizer
Curated OER

Plastic Parade: Recycling

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this recycling worksheet, students use ten plastic containers, collect data on the recycle number on each one, and conclude if most plastics are or are not recyclable in their town.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recycling Relay Race

For Teachers K - 4th
Students identify the reasons why recycling is important. In this recycling lesson, students practice sorting plastics into categories using recycling bins and types of plastics.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Plastic

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students experiment to create a plastic solution. In this science lesson, students use sodium borax and polyvinyl alcohol to create their solution, then identify, discuss, and chart observations on the end product.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Physical and Chemical Properties of Polymers

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

Designing a Flotation Strategy for the Purification of Recycling

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders work in teams to design a method of recycled plastics purification by flotation. They base their design on the concept that different kinds of plastics have different densities and keep overall costs and purification time...
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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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Article
DOGO Media

Dogo News: How Mealworms May Reduce Our Pollution Problem

For Students 3rd - 8th
Scientists have recently found that mealworms may be able to break down and degrade styrofoam, a form of plastic previously thought not to be biodegradable. Read how this discovery may affect pollution.