This organic chemistry lab activity is appropriate for teaching polymerization, percent yield, melting point, or the types and uses of polymer materials. Chemistry pupils imagine that they are working for a company to develop a special...

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...

Students isolate and determine the amount of plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride. They use Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) or Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and gravimetric techniques in this experiment.

Advanced chemistry classes compare the polymerization of styrene using two different initators: benzoyl peroxide and aluminum chloride. Once they synthesize polystyrene, they compare the two producet for melting point and density. There...

Students recognize epoxy glue formation as two part polymerization (usually the curing agents act as co-monomers). They monitor the reaction by the changes in viscosity of the reacting mass, the temperature rise and fall, and the...

Students are introduced to how the differences in solubility of materials are used in the manufacture of fibers and films. They are also introduced to the various processes used to make films and fibers. Pupils prepare fibers using wet...

Students participate in an investigation in which they compare a polyethylene bag designed for recycling or disposal with a polyethylene food storage bag. Students use hexane to determine the differences between the low density...

Students participate in lab activities in which they examine immersion, stain resistance, and stress cracking of synthetic polymers. Students use their collected data to discuss service applications and possible performance of materials.

Students participate in a lab activity in which they synthesize nylon 6/6, calculate the percent yield by mass, identify the polymer as thermoplastic or thermoset, and determine the melting point, density and end-product use of the polymer.

Students 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, students gathered...

Students experience a "hands-on" activity to get visual evidence of the physical nature of DNA and the process of DNA purification. They explore one method of chromosomal DNA isolation and DNA extraction.

Learners are introduced to colorimeter on two levels. They investigate how to physically manipulate the colorimeters. Secondly, the students start on a pathway of discovery to one of the most important principles in analytical chemistry:...

Students determine that the relative concentration of copper ions in water can be determined by a color comparison. They make a copper (II) sulfate solution of a given concentration. Students dilute their initial solutions until their...

Students are introduced to a gas chromatography using a discovery-based approach. They are presented with a scenario/industrial application where their job is to verify that the company's mouthwash contains a specific percentage of...

Students are introduced to the analysis of health risks in the laboratory, particularly from vapors from organic solvents. They consider quantitative measure of risk such as threshold limit values (TLVs), the amount of the compound that...

Students listen to and watch the opera, Don Pasquale, by Donizetti. They discuss the importance of sets and costumes in an opera and then, with a partner, design a period costume for each of the main characters in the opera.

Young scholars develop their abilities to solve problems both in school and in a variety of situations similar to that they have encountered in life. They define the term ecosystem in nature by comparing them to familiar organizational...

Distinguish between food and non-food items. Recognize that food is obtained from both plant and animal sources. Identify sources for some common animal foods then construct a simple food path from the farm to the consumer.

Students explore the lives of early American Indians and settlers in Kentucky. They describe the agricultural practices of Indians native to Kentucky and develop a supply list for a group of settlers coming to the state to establish...

Young scholars identify the four basic natural resources. They distinguish bettween renewable and non-renewable resources. Pupils recognize that all natural resources are needed by living plants and animals. Students list consequences...

High schoolers investigate the interdependence of agriculture and the environment. They research areas of interdependence and provide examples of situations where farmers are practicing conservation in the local area. Their findings are...

NASA presents a mini-unit on distances in our solar system. It incorporates scientific concepts of gravity, mass, density, and payload while your aspiring astronauts also employ mathematics skills. They calculate speed, they determine...

Students describe the relationship between exercise and health. They name ways to monitor their health and the equipment used to do so. Students name solutions to common health issues and explain why good nutrition and exercise are...

Students describe the cell cycle. They make a connection between DNA replication and cell division. Students describe the parts of the cell that participate in cell division and the steps of cell division.