Turn Milk into Plastic!
Grade Range
6th-8th
Group Size
2-4 students
Active Time
60 minutes
Total Time
2 days
Area of Science
Chemistry
Key Concepts
Polymerization, Protein, Plastic
Learning Objectives
- Explain what plastic, or a polymer, is made of on a microscopic/molecular scale
- Describe how the polymerization reaction can change the properties of a substance
- Reflect on the consequences of using natural resources for industrial purposes
Credits
Svenja Lohner, PhD, Science Buddies
![]() OverviewTeach your students how to make plastic out of milk in this hands-on lesson plan! You will conduct a simple milk-transforming experiment to explore how plastics can be derived from a natural resource such as milk. Students will perform their own experiments and can even create a product from their resulting organic casein polymer.NGSS AlignmentThis lesson helps students prepare for these Next Generation Science Standards Performance Expectations:
Materials![]() Materials for teacher preparation:
Materials per group of 2–4 students:
Reviews |
Grade Range
6th-8th
Group Size
2-4 students
Active Time
60 minutes
Total Time
2 days
Area of Science
Chemistry
Key Concepts
Polymerization, Protein, Plastic
Credits
Svenja Lohner, PhD, Science Buddies
Learning Objectives
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