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Waste, a byproduct of human activity, can cause environmental pollution if released without proper processing. It can accumulate in piles, disturbing natural beauty and emitting unpleasant odors. The aim of this research is to from the students to care about the environment by learning with the Bubble Wrap Recycling Project, Used Plastic and Patchwork. The method of this project is a structured experiment. Common waste includes bubble wrap, plastic, and rags from the convection industry. A student project in an environmental science course involved recycling these materials into sitting pillows. Three variants were tested: 10% bubble wrap, 10% plastic waste, 80% patchwork, 15% bubble wrap, 15% plastic waste, 70% rags, and 20% bubble wrap, 20% plastic waste, 60% rags. The pillow's comfort was measured using a Linkert scale of 1-5. The results showed that the pillow measures 40cm. Recycling is a way to promote environmental care and awareness. Cooperation from educational agents, such as supervisors, leaders, and lecturers, is needed to increase students' environmental awareness. This includes examples of good environmental actions in daily routines, such as disposing of waste and implementing 3R practices.

Given the severe pollution caused by traditional plastics, biodegradable plastic products (BPPs) have received great attention and are appearing in people's lives in the form of packaging bags, tableware, etc. Whether a wide variety of BPPs can truly degrade depends on the environment. Aerobic composting is the arbitration method to evaluate the degradability of BPPs in a premarket review, so only the aerobic degradability of BPPs can be guaranteed. Anaerobic digestion has become an irreplaceable part of the global carbon cycle and a mainstream technique to dispose of organic wastes. However, little attention has been given to the anaerobic degradation of BPPs, which may cause environmental pollution if BPPs are not degraded within a short time period. Students are not aware of these issues. Therefore, the teacher carried out teaching reforms in biochemistry course by designing anaerobic degradation of commercially available BPPs as a laboratory exercise for undergraduate students to form a correct understanding of the actual anaerobic degradation performance of BPPs, establish a more comprehensive theoretical knowledge framework of catabolism in biochemistry course, and train their hands-on ability and operation skills. This paper provides an introduction to the experimental design and teaching process of the anaerobic degradation of BPPs, and the results show that the degradation degree and rate are closely related to the components of BPPs. The results of the quizzes and questionnaires show that teaching reform is not only beneficial for deepening students' impression and understanding of anaerobic catabolism from ubiquitous BPPs in everyday life but also helpful for promoting their environmental awareness by selecting and using BPPs with better degradability. This teaching reform offers references and guidance for the teaching practice in courses like biochemistry, environmental microbiology, environmental chemistry, and waste treatment.

Microplastics have been detected in most ecosystems around the world. They affect the environment and organisms in it, including humans and possibly their health. Hence, the analysis of microplastic occurrence in the environment is highly relevant. However, there are only a few practical and easy-to-implement methods published for school use, and therefore, microplastics still receive little attention in the classroom. This review presents an approach for separation and detection of microplastic particles in sediment with secondary school students based on methods used in current research. After sieving and density separation, the fluorescence marker Nile Red is used to selectively stain microplastic particles. Subsequently, the particles can be detected using a DIY low-cost fluorescence photobox. It offers an opportunity to address the problems associated with microplastics in a school context and can be used as an example for further discussion.

There is a growing reliance on plastic, even though it is a synthetic material that does not decompose. This article presents a series of six mathematics activities that use plastics as the context to teach environmental education to seventh-grade students. The activities can increase students' awareness of the plastic problem while also serving to demonstrate how mathematics can be used to understand science.

The rise of virtual and online education in recent years has led to the development and popularization of many online tools, notably three-dimensional (3D) models and augmented reality (AR), for visualizing various structures in chemical sciences. The majority of the developed tools focus on either small molecules or biological systems, as information regarding their structure can be easily accessed from online databases or obtained through relatively quick calculations. As such, due to a lack of crystallographic and theoretical data available for nonbiological macromolecules, there is a noticeable lack of accessible online tools for the visualization of polymers in 3D. Herein, using a few sample polymers, we showcase a workflow for the generation of 3D models using molecular dynamics and Blender. The 3D structures can then be hosted on p3d.in, where AR models can be generated automatically. Furthermore, the hosted 3D models can then be shared via quick response (QR) codes and used in various settings without the need to download any applications.

The study aims to present how to apply a STEM activity in which physical computing principles and computational thinking processes are used as a differentiation practice to be used in the education of gifted students. In the activity, the students designed smart packaging that will provide healthy long-term storage of foods to solve the greenhouse gas emission problem caused by intensive plastic production. The activity was carried out with eight gifted students studying in 7th-9th grades. The students investigated the factors that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and synthesized biodegradable polymers during the inquiry process. In the engineering design process, they determined the most suitable solution for packaging design in the polymer synthesis they carried out using different plant extracts with antibacterial properties. They developed a smart packaging design using physical computing in this process. During the STEM activity, the students used computational thinking, engineering design, and inquiry process.

This study presents the design and application of a didactic sequence aimed at enhancing high school students understanding of recyclable plastic polymers. The proposed teaching strategy incorporates cooperative learning activities to identify different types of plastics, particularly recyclable ones. The goal is to increase student's scientific knowledge, enabling them to make informed decisions to mitigate environmental pollution caused by plastic waste. The study also addresses the research question: How can I recycle plastic materials in my everyday life to avoid contributing to environmental pollution?

The earth is drowning in plastic waste. Yet, as the plastic waste crisis grows exponentially, responses to excess waste remain stuck around containment and management processes. These approaches fail to notice that plastics know no boundaries. We now encounter plastic rocks, plastic water, plastic bodies, plastic worlds spilling into oceans and rivers and across landscapes. Responding to the complexity of plastic's unruly presence demands careful attention both globally and within situated local contexts. This article explores how the queer synthetic curriculum takes up the concept of excess through common worlding waste pedagogies to attend to children's relations with plastic waste. We speculate with the idea of excess by making large amounts of plastic the main protagonist in an early childhood classroom. Disrupting waste management's metaphors of distance, we exaggerate plastic's presence: a plastic whale stomach is stuffed with plastic bottles, dozens of bottles hang from the ceiling, hundreds of bottles are strewn across the classroom floor, and crochet hooks turn out plastic yarn balls. Without claiming to develop children's understanding of the problematic nature of waste, this article stories moments of excess that might provoke subjective transformations as children encounter excess in their daily lives.

Within the scope of the current study, the researchers developed activities for middle school students to raise their awareness on the harm of plastics and microplastics, which are detrimental to nature and living things. In addition, through the activities developed, the study aimed to provide students with knowledge of and experience with bioplastics, which have emerged as an alternative to plastic materials and are environmentally friendly. Twelve eighth grade students participated in the current study. The activities developed by the researchers within the framework of the REACT strategy covered a four-week period. The researchers made sure that the activities designed included each step of the REACT strategy (Relating, Experiencing, Applying, Cooperating, Transferring) and the researchers used different tools (mind map, concept map, Vee diagram). The study suggests that activities designed for classroom use should be integrated with tools such as Vee diagram, concept map and mind map in order to increase students' knowledge and awareness about global environmental problems as well as support students' ability to produce solutions to such problems.

Purpose: This study aims to identify and analyze research that promotes sustainable consumption among university students, understand what areas of consumption were addressed, how consumption was intended to become more sustainable and what results were reported. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was conducted using the Scopus and Web of Science databases and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses methodology. Main criteria for inclusion were focus on changing the consumption behavior of university students, not just diagnosing them, and that students were directly involved in the efforts. Findings: A total of 1,619 articles were extracted, and 34 were included in the study. These selected investigations conducted between 2012 and 2022 focused on areas of consumption such as food, plastic waste, fashion, energy and water. Sustainable consumption was promoted through training programs ranging from one-hour seminars to full-semester courses, marketing and communication campaigns and direct experimentation and interventions. Most articles reported positive results. Research limitations/implications: This study is limited to research carried out to reduce current consumption by university students; it does not include research aimed at improving students' professional skills for promoting sustainable consumption. Practical implications: This study compiles previous research on reducing consumption by university students in a structured manner according to the consumption area, applied strategy and the results obtained. Originality/value: This research is unique and will serve as a source of inspiration and consultation for academics and university managers concerned about human consumption. It presents successful projects and strategies that can be implemented in their own universities to make their students' consumption more sustainable.

To increase interest in chemical engineering and introduce non-traditional chemical engineering fields to high school women, an outreach activity focused on the biomedical applications of polymers was developed. Surveys given to students before and after the activity demonstrated greater agreement with the statements "I am interested in chemical engineering" and "Chemical engineers help people" after the activity. Additionally, there was better alignment between students' aspirations and chemical engineering as a result of the activity.

This STEM research project asks middle school or high school students to work towards creating ecologically friendly packaging. Packaging that can be composted instead of thrown away and collected in landfills and oceans like plastics. This inquiry uses nanocellulose and focuses on water permeability. The fibers of nanocellulose can be dried to make a rather strong and thin film, but due to the spaces between the fibers the film is too water permeable and therefore makes poor packaging materials on its own. Students will create nanocellulose composite films with other biodegradable materials, in an attempt to fill the inter-fiber microscopic spaces and create a new film that can be easily tested for water permeability. Students set up a straightforward science experiment with films, water, and mason jars. They will collect and graph data to determine if their nanocellulose composite films reduce water permeability compared to plain nanocellulose and how close they are to the present standard, plastic. This research is an amalgam of disciplinary core ideas like properties and states of matter, as well as a combination of science and engineering practices. It ignites students' curiosity, provides an organic path to science fair extensions, while also helping to cultivate future scientists, engineers, and environmental activists.

We implemented research-based learning (RBL) as an alternative to traditional frontal classroom lectures and laboratory sessions to impart knowledge on the emerging topic of microplastics in soil to students. The RBL module aimed at studying how microplastics (MPs) affect soil processes. We designed low-cost, small-scale and simple experiments for master's students in Environmental Engineering at the Hamburg University of Technology. Students reported a clear understanding of concepts underlined by their presentation of the results and enthusiasm towards future exploration for their master's or doctoral projects evidenced by a number of students carrying out research projects in the same field after finishing the module. The experiments were consequently published as an online learning module with the Hamburg Open Online University, to make them accessible for other students. The recent push in the education sector to include innovative teaching and learning methodologies offers new opportunities for RBL that are practical and replicable learning experiences that foster students' research and problem-solving skills in areas of chemical, soil physics and environmental engineering fields.

In a small village in the Ecuadorian Andes called Racar, plastics are intimately woven into social and ecological structures. These entanglements move beyond human control and generate toxic dependencies between humans, plastics, and others. This requires a pedagogical shift in how early childhood educators understand and respond to plastics. Drawing on field research with educators in Racar, this paper attempts to interrupt human-centric discourses of the child as separate from Andean ecologies and resituates childhoods as differentially embedded in complex place relations.

Hydrogels are soft water-rich materials with physical properties that can be easily tuned by modifying their network structure. For instance, increasing or decreasing the cross-linking density has a profound effect on their water absorption capabilities and mechanical strength. These physical changes are showcased in a new experiment for organic chemistry and polymer science teaching laboratories based on the practical green synthesis and characterization of lactose methacrylate derived hydrogels. Lactose, a disaccharide derived from dairy waste byproducts, is functionalized with photoreactive methacrylate groups using methacrylic anhydride. The resulting mixture is subsequently photoirradiated to generate a cross-linked hydrogel. Structure-property relationships are assessed through comparative studies of three hydrogels of varying compositions. Compression tests and swelling studies in different aqueous environments offer a guided-inquiry experience. Students determine a relationship between cross-linking density and the physical properties of the hydrogels. This experiment highlights the valorization of biomass and multiple green chemistry principles including use of renewable feedstocks, atom economy, energy efficiency, waste prevention, and water as a benign solvent. Learning outcomes for an organic chemistry laboratory course include introduction to disaccharide and cross-linked polymer structures, observable physical change dependency with cross-linking density, and laboratory methods for evaluating water absorption capacities. Objectives aligned with a polymer course are incorporating mechanical compression instrumentation, mechanistic understanding of light-induced free radical polymerizations, and an appreciation for the application of hydrogels to commercial products. Overall, the translation of a current literature publication to an inexpensive and versatile experiment engages students in a modern example of sustainable polymer chemistry.

This study investigated how modeling in chemistry affect second language learners' descriptions of polymeric concepts. The aim was to investigate how chemistry discussions mediated by representations, contribute to second language students' development in the language of chemistry. The study took place in three multilingual upper secondary classes. Participating students were (n = 16) second language learners and (n = 14) first language learners. There were in total eight different first languages represented. Data comprised polymeric concept descriptions, audio recordings, and photos taken during modeling. The concept descriptions were analyzed by an inductive content analysis which was then used for a deductive analysis of the modeling-activity. The results show that 65% of second language learners' concept descriptions showed an increased clarity, and 45% showed increased use of chemical concepts after the modeling-activity. This study highlights how students in a multilingual context develop their language of chemistry by discussing chemistry scaffolded by representations. The results show that second language learners in a multilingual context benefited from the modeling-activity. As such, the study acknowledges that modeling contexts can be used in teacher education, both in-service and pre-service, to highlight the importance of the role of representations when teaching in the multilingual context.

The Council of the European Union recalls that higher education plays a fundamental role in shaping the future of Europe. Therefore, curricula are required to take into account the competences demanded by the job market so that future workers can effectively undertake their professional activities and form part of an active, responsible, ecological, sustainable, and resilient society. Ocean i3 is a cross-border project with the aim of achieving sustainability in the oceans by training students to become environmentally concerned and responsible professionals. This study explores the perception of students and teachers regarding their participation in Ocean i3 and their understanding of employability. A qualitative methodological approach has been used, based on a case study in which semi-structured interviews have been carried out and the Elevator Pitch presentation technique has been applied. Nine students and four teachers from the University of the Basque Country and the University of Bordeaux have been interviewed. The results highlight the importance of the participants' first contact with the project, the need to be explicit regarding competences that favour employability during the development of the experience, and the need to increase and reinforce internships at social entities located in the territory. It is concluded that the project should focus more explicitly on the concept of employability to raise students' awareness of the impact that their current participation in Ocean i3 can have on their professional future and insertion in the workplace.

There are many environmental issues surrounding the global production and use of plastics. Three science curricula (Grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8) were developed to introduce youth to the past, present, and future of plastics. Designed using research-based methods and grounded in effective science pedagogy, the curricula provide young people opportunities to explore viable alternatives to plastics and develop knowledge and skills necessary to help mitigate environmental impacts associated with the production, use and disposal of plastics. Evaluation results demonstrated that youth improved their understanding of polymers and intention to help reduce impacts of plastics on the environment.

Polymer Chemistry is a subject in the Chemistry Programs, student have a natural curiosity about polymeric materials, that we use in our everyday activities. Our proposal is to apply cooperative learning in the Interfacial polymerization of Nylon 6,10 experimentation. The specific objectives of our project can be summarized as: To identify the origin of the raw materials used for industrial synthesis, to become acquainted with the most important processes used for the synthesis, To identify the most important variables related with the control of the polymerization process, To correlate the physical chemical properties with the final applications of this material. The reader will find in the text a series of questions that will make him reflect--so-called complementary activities-- promoting the development of competences complementary ones based on research exercises. Through to synthesize unsupported membranes of Nylon 6,10 by unstirred interfacial step polymerization of hexamethylene diamine (HMDA) and sebacoyl chloride. To observe the quality of the nylon film produced as a function of the rate of removal and of the concentrations of diamine and diacid chloride in their respective phases. The reader will find in the text a series of questions that will make him reflect--so-called complementary activities--promoting the development of competences complementary ones based on research exercise

This study reported the application of an interactive Open Education Resource, namely, an open virtual experiment simulator education tool (OVESET), in teaching the kinetics of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in a polymer science classroom. The OVESET ATRP kinetic simulator aims at improving students' inductive reasoning skills. Students were encouraged to perform virtual experiments to systematically examine the influence of each parameter, e.g., type of polymerization and concentrations of reagents, and to observe and make logical explanations of the general trends behind each series of experiments. The tool was designed to maximize accessibility and flexibility through open licensing. The simulator runs under the Jupyter Notebook environment, which is free to use, modify, and redistribute; therefore, instructors can adapt the simulator based on their teaching contexts. The simulator can be applied in a classroom setting without requiring any software installation and can be used across different operating systems. Assessment of the implementation demonstrated that students' learning outcomes and STEM and polymer science identity were improved. Students also rated the tool as useful in increasing their understanding and inductive reasoning. The quick and in-place response of the notebook makes it ideal for both in-class demonstrations and after-class practices. The tool is freely available at https://bit.ly/ATRP-Simulator.

We have developed a guided-inquiry laboratory exercise in which students perform viscosity measurements to infer the structure of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in aqueous solution. The activity combines both experiments and modeling. In the experimental portion of the exercise, students measure the viscosity of several solutions of PVA with differing molar masses. They discover that the size of molecules does not increase with the cube root of molar mass, as expected for objects with uniform density, but rather with the square root of molar mass. In the modeling part of the experiment, students use random numbers to create two-dimensional "random walk" objects on paper or on a computer. They discovered that the size of a random-walk object increases with the square root of the walk length. Combining what they discovered through the random walk models with what they learned from the viscosity measurement, they conclude that the structure of PVA dissolved in water (a theta solvent for PVA) is consistent with a random walk structure.

Reported herein is a chemistry experiment integrating polymer chemistry and instrumental analysis for the juniors majoring in chemistry. This experiment has a different scheduling framework than traditional experiments with a fixed lab period and schedule. The students arrange their experiment flexibly and individually. Styrene maleic anhydride copolymer (SMA) was used to stabilize hexadecanol emulsion, followed by microencapsulation through in situ polymerization of formaldehyde-melamine. The obtained microcapsules are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and gas chromatography (GC). This experiment enables the students to understand the concepts of polymeric surfactant, condensation reaction, and in situ polymerization. Furthermore, this experiment is beneficial to cultivate their practical ability of handling modern instruments. The flexibility and versatility significantly enhance the applicability of this experiment and the likelihood of widespread adaptation.

As the use of plastics expands, microplastic concentrations increase in aquatic environments and negatively impact water, soil, and animals inhabiting these areas. Microplastic research frequently incorporates citizen science to assist in data collection and environmental education. These projects provide opportunities for greater societal inclusion in science by involving volunteers and increasing the science capital in individuals with fewer science experiences. Integrating the goals of microplastic citizen science projects through a high school laboratory can increase students' knowledge of this critical issue while incorporating innovative science activities in classrooms. This paper describes three activities designed for high school students to extract, quantify, and observe microplastics from personal care products, water, and sediment samples. Relevant citizen science-inspired activities can increase environmental stewardship and students' science capital while creating a culture of engagement with science-related activities.

This report outlines an approach for preparing 5-color 3D printed plastic models of molecular orbitals and electron density surfaces using a hobby-grade 3D printer. Instructions are provided for preparing 3D orbital and electron density surface (EDS) models using solid or mesh representations in ground state and transition state structures. We show that the information content of 3D orbital and surface models can be enhanced with text annotation, bisection, strut and dashed bond placement, and composite orbital-EDS model constructions. Example prints illustrate orbital concepts in organic and inorganic chemistry, such as the ethyl cation ([sigma]-p hyperconjugation), methane (hybridization and C-H bonding), ethane ([sigma]-[sigma]* hyperconjugation in the staggered and eclipsed conformations), 2-hydroxytetrahydropyran (the anomeric effect/n-[sigma]* hyperconjugation), the water dimer (hydrogen bonding/n-[sigma]* overlap), ethylene, 1,3-butadiene, and benzene ([pi] molecular orbitals), Re[subscript 2]Cl[subscript 8][superscript 2-], and U[subscript 2](COT)[subscript 2] (metal-metal quadruple bonds). Transition state models illustrate orbital interactions in the S[subscript N]2 reaction of cyanide with methyl, ethyl, and isopropyl chloride and in a hydroboration reaction of BH[subscript 3] with propene. Composite EDS models of methyl and isopropyl chloride (for exploring their relative reactivities as S[subscript N]2 electrophiles) and methylcyclohexane (visualizing 1,3-diaxial interactions) are described. Student perceptions of a multicolor 3D orbital print used in an introductory organic chemistry laboratory course are reported.

This study investigated students' meaning-making of polymeric concepts during modelling and discuss students' creation of visible representations in chemistry. The analysis combines a phenomenographic and social semiotic approach and leads to the finding and description of 21 different meaning-making processes. We refer to meaning-making as the outcome of translative communication through representations, discerned by students, where the collective meaning of created representations that build on each other constitutes the meaning as a whole. The study took place in three Swedish upper secondary chemistry classes. Data were collected from eight groups of 3-4 students (n = 30). Video, audio recordings and photos taken during modelling were analysed to investigate students' meaning-making during the modelling process. The results show translative changes between and within semiotic resources, indicating meaning for students' learning of polymeric concepts. Additionally, the representations produced during modelling were essential resources connecting the submicro and macro levels by creating a 'bridge' between levels. The results show that the modelling activities practised by all groups were multimodal. The study acknowledges that teachers can use the social semiotic lens as a tool to evaluate students' modelling in addition to the importance of translative processes during modelling.

The concept of relative density is introduced in the middle school and high school curricula by an intuitive approach based on the phenomena of immersion and flotation. In high school, the same concept is taught as the ratio between the masses of two bodies of the same volume. This dichotomy of the concept of relative density between the two educational cycles, separately approached, induces initial representations that can constitute epistemological obstacles for its conceptualization and scientific understanding. This study proposes an interdisciplinary approach between chemistry, physics, and mathematics, combining "intuitive understanding" and "mathematical formalism", with the aim of evolving intuitive perceptions toward a scientific understanding of the concept of relative density, based on the sorting of plastic waste. After establishing the conditions of buoyancy, immersion, and sinking, this approach highlights the existence of several types of plastics and their relative density based selective sorting. This experimentation on the buoyancy of solutions on each other and of solids in solutions provides chemistry and physics teachers with an experimental didactic tool to support their interventions in the teaching/learning process of the concept of relative density. This didactic tool has been proven fruitful for a better understanding of the concept of relative density.

Universities are undertaking transformation projects that align their work with the Sustainable Development Goals. This paper describes how Ocean I3, an educational innovation project that aims to reduce plastic in the sea, has made an impact on its community over its three editions (2018/19 to 2020/21). Methodologically, it has been approached by the people who make up the technical team and academic coordination as an exploratory study using discrete, non-reactive techniques, mainly from the public domain (websites, blogs, press releases, etc.), and instruments, such as field notes and work material to manage, organize, and train within the project. The analytical procedure has represented a dynamic and systematic process of categorisation. The results highlight the repercussion of the project in terms of capstone projects, master's thesis, coursework, etc., produced by the students involved; association with employability; collaborative work from the teaching teams; monitoring experience for research purposes, and social dissemination of the project. It concludes by suggesting lines for Ocean I3 to work on in the future to make its footprint sustainable in institutions over time.

Hands-on learning is a staple in high school science education, as it provides students with a fast-learning curve and a great degree of field competency. However, due to the safety risks associated with high school students in university chemistry laboratory settings, high school students rarely engage in authentic hands-on chemical learning. To bridge the gap between the benefits and drawbacks, this study investigates a method to educate high school students (with no previous experience) about standard chemical laboratory practices. 98 high school students experimented throughout 2 days to determine the molecular weights and characteristics of various polystyrene samples, essential knowledge for polymer recycling. Students were split into 5 groups so that laboratory usage be organized and staggered. After laboratory safety training was administered, students created different types and concentrations of toluene-based samples and spin-casted these samples onto silicon wafers, determining thickness through ellipsometry. With the data, each group calculated molecular weight, propagated error, and wrote laboratory reports. In order to evaluate the extent of learning through this process, students were given pretraining and postexperimentation assessments with the same questions pertaining to laboratory safety, equipment usage, and materials science related topics. On average, students displayed scores 63% higher on the postexperiment assessment compared to those of the pretraining assessment. The results suggest the experience not only taught students about the various materials science concepts but also improved their laboratory logic. Therefore, our method is recommended to be implemented at the university level for motivated high school and first-year undergraduate students.

An adipic acid esterification experiment suitable for graduate students has been developed to describe the industrial manufacture of plasticizers. Students first follow the progress of the reaction with simple acid/base titration enabling measurement of the acid number. During the workup of the reaction mixture, they learn how to manage the filtration of a viscous mixture over an inert support such as Celite and practice on atmospheric and vacuum distillations. They finally learn to set a mass balance on 2-ethylhexanol using fully experimental data from their own reactions. To this end, they also learn how to retrieve from a [superscript 1]H NMR spectrum the required data to evaluate the purity and the yield of bis-2-ethylhexyl adipate. These tasks corroborate basic concepts related to the tools available to shift the equilibrium in reversible reactions, at the same time providing new knowledge on mass balance calculations and [superscript 1]H NMR.

Plastic waste is a growing concern in recent years due to the massive increase in single-use plastic applications. Despite the ever-increasing amount of waste, recycling plastics is not a simple process due to difficulties in sorting, which results in significantly downgraded material properties. This hands-on lab experiment showcases the important knowledge steps in a typical recycling process, including waste collection, plastic separation and sorting methods, processing techniques, and characterization methods including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tensile testing. Additionally, this lab demonstrates the importance of miscibility between materials and provides evidence that small amounts of block copolymers (BCPs) can compatibilize immiscible mixed plastic waste, leading to enhanced material properties of recycled products. Through these engaging hands-on lessons, students can not only obtain a better understanding about the challenge and industrial solution of mixed plastic waste recycling, but also realize the importance for protecting environments through waste management.

Calorimetry is a central concept in the first semester general chemistry curriculum, and constant pressure (coffee-cup) calorimetry is a common experiment in the laboratory. However, constant volume (bomb) calorimetry is traditionally reserved for the physical chemistry laboratory. This article describes the advantages of incorporating bomb calorimetry into the general chemistry laboratory by detailing an experiment on evaluating the heats of combustion of coals. Results from this experiment revealed that those coals with higher carbon contents have higher heats of combustion. The expected learning goals of this experiment and their assessment are detailed in the article. By combining coffee-cup and bomb calorimetry experiments, students gained a better understanding of closed, open, and isolated systems and were better able to discern the differences between enthalpy and internal energy. The bomb calorimetry of coals provided an excellent springboard for climate change discussions including an exploration into the types of coals, their impurities, and their formation. Students learned that it is the nitrogen and sulfur oxides, the inevitable byproducts from coal-powered electricity generation, which lead to acid rain. The connection between increasing atmospheric CO2 levels resulting from fossil fuel combustion and global climate change was explored using published data. A primary literature article on assessing the value of plastic wastes as a fuel was also incorporated into the discussion. Such discussions in the general chemistry curriculum with students from a broad spectrum of majors are critical, given the dire consequences of global climate change predicted by the 2022 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPCC).

National efforts to reform undergraduate education have highlighted the need to relate abstract concepts in biology to real-world examples, especially for non-majors who may undervalue scientific processes. We therefore decided to introduce a module titled "Climate Change, Sustainable Practices and Plastic Pollution," utilizing such high-impact practices as service-learning. This module involved connecting the course objectives with three hours of community service. Our mixed-methods approach across two different course iterations (n=117) indicated that at the end of the course, non-majors were significantly more likely to agree with all the statements on an open-ended pre- and post-survey about civic engagement and sustainable practices, as adapted from Dauer and Forbes (2016). Focus group and free response data confirmed that students valued service-learning and connected the experience to both learning objectives and their everyday lives. We therefore recommend service-learning as an active engagement tool to teach concepts related to global climate change and environmental pollution.

A case study entitled 'New Age Atlantis or Mysterious Seventh Continent' was developed as an exemplar model to show how the teaching methods and themes of Global Education (GE) can be used in geography lessons. The main intent of this article is to share an example of good practice about the use of this case study in geography lessons in Czechia. The aim of the study was twofold: to develop an understanding about how plastics contribute to ocean pollution, as a serious and current ecological topic in Global Education; as well as to show how the characteristics and movement of ocean water are related to the topic of ocean pollution. The main research goal was to study how pupils were able to put their skills and knowledge in practice by fulfilling the objective of the teaching activity -- to understand global ocean pollution. The teaching activity is based on methods which develop principles of critical thinking, learning by living, brainstorming, discussion, and group teaching. The teaching activity also allows for cross-curricular links to occur between school geography and other subjects including biology, physics, civic education, ecological education, and personal and social education. The teaching activities for the 'New Age Atlantis' case study is aimed at pupils aged between 12 to 15 years. The case study results confirm that as pupils collaborate and communicate with their peers and teachers, they learn to critically accept the opinions of others and, at the same time, to defend their own opinions. All of the pupils were able to understand and recognize the problem at hand.

Polymer chemistry is an important subject in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. It is required for ACS-certified degrees and significantly connects to real world issues like the plastic waste crisis. While some concepts of polymer chemistry can be incorporated into lecture courses, students' understanding of material properties and structure-property relationships benefits from hands-on laboratory experiences. Here, we describe the development of an inquiry-based laboratory experiment starting from the classic Nylon Rope demonstration. This experiment involves a three-stage feedback loop, through which students develop their own protocols for the synthesis, characterization, and analysis of Nylon-6,10 and two new nylon polymers. Students propose the structure of the new nylons based on "what if" questions they develop. This strategy allows students to ask research questions without requiring advanced knowledge. This experiment is designed to be flexible and easily adapted and can therefore be implemented in both upper and lower division undergraduate laboratory courses. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to visualize the nylon fibers. Though this technique is not commonly employed in undergraduate laboratories, the ability to compare differences in morphological features to spectroscopic and thermal data strengthened the students' understanding of the polymer structure and its relationship to the material properties. This inquiry-driven experiment provides a framework for incorporating polymer chemistry into laboratories across the chemistry curriculum and can serve as a model for transforming classic demonstrations into inquiry-based experiences.

Given the importance of self-healing polymers for chemistry education, herein, we introduce our latest research results in self-healing materials based on thioctic acid into undergraduate chemistry laboratory. In this experiment, a natural small molecule, thioctic acid (TA), and a few other commercially-available reagents have been used to make a processable multifunctional self-healing copolymer by a straightforward and reproducible method without harsh reaction conditions or a tedious precursor synthesis. Furthermore, with the help of the virtual simulation platform and online teaching resources, students can learn and operate this experiment derived from cutting-edge materials research in an effective, vivid, and safe way within a limited laboratory duration. This experiment was designed to involve a classic polymer synthesis, data analysis, and structural and performance characterization of the self-repairing copolymers based on thioctic acid. As a matter of fact, this simple molecular structure with attractive properties can engage undergraduates' interest in topics like dynamic polymerization, supramolecular hydrogen bond interactions, and self-healing polymer, further motivating them to get a deep understanding of the mechanism and possible applications of this class of self-healing materials. The corresponding knowledge of polymer and chemical structure characterization like nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR), and Raman spectroscopy learned in the undergraduate chemistry course is also well revisited and reinforced during the process of operating this self-healing copolymer experiment. This experiment can provide an attractive platform for polymer-related undergraduate education and closely bridge laboratory experiments to the most recent scientific research for undergraduates. It is therefore perfectly suitable for a chemistry course, especially the experimental section of upper-division undergraduates.

Socio-scientific issues demonstrate the relationship between science, technology, and society by considering currently unresolved questions. The problem of plastics and their pollution is just one example with important implications for the planet. The aim of this paper is to revisit socio-scientific issues and see them as a way of developing citizens' critical thinking skills through chemistry education. In light of the problems posed by plastics, we present evidence tested with Spanish grade-8 students of how critical thinking skills can be developed through chemistry education in terms of the vision of chemistry, understanding acquisition, a holistic approach to problems, critical analysis of information, argumentation, decision making, personal autonomy, and communication. This study also presents some examples of how progress in the development of critical thinking by students has been evaluated.

This article reports about a lesson series that focuses on engaging students in sustainability, plastics, and life cycle assessment (LCA). The purpose of the lesson series is to give students insights into sustainability in the context of plastics and to foster awareness of and insights into the benefits of the LCA method. The lesson series introduces students to sustainability by enabling them to watch a video, answer questions, read articles, conduct laboratory experiments, and experience the four stages of LCA. In general, the findings reveal that the lesson series evoked in students a more critical view of the life cycle of plastics. The students showed increasing awareness of the complexity of the sustainability issue at hand. In addition, students used their acquired knowledge about LCA and mentioned impact categories in their argumentation. The lesson series evoked predominantly life cycle thinking, and the qualitative part of an LCA, and might thus serve as a stepping stone toward the quantitative assessment. The preliminary results show that the lesson series is effective for evoking life cycle thinking among students and serves as a stepping stone towards life cycle assessment. Future research could focus on setting the goal and scope of the process to be assessed, with emphasis on the functional unit in the context of plastics, and providing students a complete and coherent understanding of the entire cycle of production, use and recycling of plastics.

To present the difference in oxidizing strength in concentrated and dilute nitric acid reacting with copper, a simple, facile demonstration of these reactions is designed using a waste plastic bottle, plastic droppers, and syringes, which are costless and easily assembled. This new version can be used to demonstrate the difference in oxidizing strength of concentrated and dilute nitric acid successively in a safe way. The experimental phenomena are obvious, and the amounts of used reagents are small, preventing the hazards from hurting the instructors/students or contaminating the atmosphere. It only takes the instructors about 2 min to show the whole experimental process, which can be controlled according to instructors' teaching plan. This demonstration is very visible, convenient, moveable/portable, and easily operated.

In recent years, the food industry has been undergoing major changes driven by new social and environmental demands. Nowadays, biodegradable packaging is perceived as the most feasible alternative for food packaging. Great efforts are being devoted to the development of new materials from agro-industrial wastes and byproducts that are opening new alternatives and trends in the biopolymer sector. The aim of this laboratory exercise is to provide a tool to motivate active learning of new technologies and trends in the chemistry of biopolymers. The presented guide introduces to undergraduate students to the basic concepts of polysaccharide-based biopolymers and the characterization of functional properties. This exercise is focused on barrier properties, specifically on water vapor permeability. Chitosan is used as an example of a biopolymeric matrix, and its synthesis and water vapor permeability measurement are described in detail. In addition, a guide for the 3D printing of a temperature-controlled permeability chamber is provided, which will allow the experiment to be carried out in less time as the equilibrium state of the system is not broken when the permeability cup is weighed. It is expected that this exercise and the complementary Supporting Information will be of great interest to biopolymer teaching and research laboratories.

Four distinct plastics recycling projects created by middle school students emerged from a one-week long plastics recycling activity incorporated within a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) residential summer camp at a research-intensive university. The plastics recycling activity was a project-based learning (PBL) activity facilitated by STEM experts in geometry, architecture, and materials science. Specific instruction involving mathematics and science concepts was provided to emphasize content-specific knowledge related to plastics recycling. A rubric was applied and used to determine evidence of learning manifested in participants' final presentations. Participants' final presentations demonstrated mixed results in terms of student learning outcomes, but indicated that campers demonstrated a clear sense of social environmental awareness and responsibility toward recycling plastics.

We designed a hands-on laboratory exercise to demonstrate why injecting an aqueous polymer solution into an oil reservoir (commonly known as "polymer flooding") enhances oil production. Students are split into three groups of two to three. Each group is assigned to a packed Hele-Shaw cell pre-saturated with oil, our laboratory model of an oil reservoir, and is given an aqueous solution of known polymer concentration to inject into the model reservoir to "push" the oil out. At selected intervals, students record the oil produced, take photos of the cell using their smartphones, and demarcate the invading polymer front on an acetate sheet. There is ample time for students to observe the experiments of other groups and compare the different flow patterns that arise from different polymer concentrations. Students share their results with other groups at the end of the session, which require effective data presentation and communication. Both the in-session tasks and data sharing require team work. While this experiment was designed for a course on "Enhanced Oil Recovery" for final year undergraduate and MSc students in petroleum engineering, it can be readily adapted to courses on groundwater hydrology or subsurface transport by selecting different test fluids.

Chemistry laboratory experiments are invaluable to students' acquisition of necessary synthetic, analytical, and instrumental skills during their undergraduate studies. However, the COVID-19 pandemic rendered face-to-face (f2f), in-person teaching laboratory experiences impossible from late 2019-2020 and forced educators to rapidly develop new solutions to deliver chemistry laboratory education remotely. Unfortunately, achieving learning and teaching objectives to the same caliber of in-person experiments is very difficult through distance learning. To overcome these hurdles, educators have generated many virtual and remote learning options for not only foundational chemistry courses but also laboratory experiments. Although the pandemic challenged high-level chemistry education, it has also created an opportunity for both students and educators to be more cognizant of virtual learning opportunities and their potential benefits within chemistry curriculum. Irrespective of COVID-19, virtual learning techniques, especially virtual lab experiments, can complement f2f laboratories and offer a cost-efficient, safe, and environmentally sustainable alternative to their in-person counterparts. Implementation of virtual and distance learning techniques--including kitchen chemistry and at-home laboratories, prerecorded videos, live-stream video conferencing, digital lab environment, virtual and augmented reality, and others--can provide a wide-ranging venue to teach chemistry laboratories effectively and encourage diversity and inclusivity in the field. Despite their relevance to real-world applications and potential to expand upon fundamental chemical principles, polymer lab experiments are underrepresented in the virtual platform. Polymer chemistry education can help prepare students for industrial and academic positions. The impacts of polymers in our daily life can also promote students' interests in science and scientific research. Hence, the translation of polymer lab experiments into virtual settings improves the accessibility of polymer chemistry education. Herein, we assess polymer experiments in the emergence of virtual learning environments and provide suggestions for further incorporation of effective polymer teaching and learning techniques into virtual settings.

Buckminsterfullerene (C[subscript 60]), along with diamond and graphite, appears in many chemistry textbooks as an example of an allotrope of carbon. This communication describes a hands-on activity to explore the characteristic structure of C[subscript 60] through the construction of a structural model using transistors and plastic tubes (heat-shrink and silicone). Transistors resemble sp[superscript 2] carbons when their three electrodes are spread 120° in relation to each other. The heat-shrink tube is suitable for connecting thin electrodes of transistors. By connecting 60 transistors using 90 precut plastic tubes, a C[subscript 60] model can be built that costs about 2.1 USD. This activity was carried out with nonchemistry majors using a remote lecture system. The participants enjoyed constructing their C[subscript 60] models and were challenged to estimate the diameter of an actual C[subscript 60] molecule using the models that they had built.

Comprehensive curricula are described for middle and high school classrooms built around the synthesis of biodegradable calcium alginate capsules prepared from food-safe chemicals. Experiments and activities question whether calcium alginate capsules are a viable alternative to single-use water bottles and consider what characteristics are required to become commercially successful. Students prepare calcium alginate capsules using sodium alginate and calcium lactate and observe the physical properties of the fluid-filled pod. In the high school curriculum, capsules using alternative group 2 cation salts are made and compared qualitatively to the calcium alginate capsules. After exploring the capsules, students work collaboratively to design an inquiry experiment. The high school curriculum offers extensions such as analyzing a related literature article and creating professional research posters on their inquiry experiments. The middle school curriculum includes a scaffolded introduction on the topics of renewable vs nonrenewable resources and introduces simple polymer definitions and the concept of cross-linking through use of models. Both curricula align with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) around designing solutions to modern problems and carrying out investigations. Additionally, the experiment is ideal for safe, remote-learning instruction. Overarching connections between science and society are highlighted through the global plastics problem, and potential solutions are presented using the green chemistry principles of renewable feedstocks, design for degradation, and less hazardous chemical synthesis.

This experiment introduces undergraduate organic chemistry students to analysis and interpretation of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra through characterization of postconsumer plastics. Students use FTIR spectra to identify and differentiate the common recyclable polymer resins #1-6: polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), polyethylene (HDPE or LDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), or polystyrene (PS). They then use an FTIR spectrometer with an attenuated total reflectance (ATR) accessory to investigate a self-sourced plastic container, including closures and labels, to identify the resins that compose its various components. Through these activities, students familiarize themselves with the collection and interpretation of IR spectra, a skill they subsequently use throughout the semester in the organic chemistry laboratory. Students' findings often show that a single-use container can be made up of three or more different polymer resins. This experiment has important practical applications for the sorting of plastic resins using IR-based technology in modern recycling facilities. For example, IR sensors used for automatic sorting cannot penetrate shrink-wrapped full-body sleeve labels to identify the container below, which confounds the automatic sorting processes that make plastic recycling economically viable. This experiment could also be implemented in an environmental chemistry course, ideally in conjunction with a field trip to a local recycling facility.