Experiments - Plasti-Lab Hands-on Science Program

The Plasti-Lab hands-on science program was developed as a way to bring the science of plastics into the classroom in a fun and exciting way for the students. During the first few years, CPIA representatives delivered the program themselves. With the availability of these new online Plasti-Lab lesson plans, however, teachers can now deliver the program wherever and whenever they’d like.  

The experiments have been divided into two separate sets of lesson plans, which together, encompass many of the great science experiments delivered through the traditional outreach program.

The first set provides instructions for:

• Hot Stuff, an experiment that uses hot water and a piece of friendly plastic to show students how versatile plastics really are and how they can be reshaped into different objects.
• The Amazing Shish Kabob, an experiment in which students learn about the molecular make up of plastics by placing a wooden skewer through a partially blown up balloon. 
• The Happy and Sad Ball, an experiment that teaches students about how some plastics may look and feel alike, but how they can have two very different roles.

The second set of lesson plans provides instructions for:

• The Oil Magnet, an experiment that shows how plastics can be designed with certain characteristics that give it more than one application.
• Diapers – Absorb This, an experiment that uses a diaper to show students how plastics can be used in many diverse ways.
• Polymer Slime, an experiment that has students create their own slime to demonstrate how very complex plastic products can be tied into everyday products.