Project Description: All synthetic products, in some capacity, come from natural resources and are chemically changed through various processes and reactions to become synthetic. This means that everything around you that is synthetic has, at some level, has originated in nature! The irony of using the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is that the synthetic materials come from nature, but they get disposed of back to a natural resource, our oceans. Scholars were challenged to research a synthetic material commonly found in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and design a prop & presentation to teach how the synthetic material is made.
Standards: MS-PS1-3, MS-ETS1-1, WHST.6-8.8, RST.6-8.1
Teacher Reflection: "This project encouraged my scholars to be the engineers and scientists rather than just learn about the engineering and science behind synthetic materials. At first it was difficult to take concrete research and design a novel model to teach it a chemical process, but they persevered and all came out with a deep understanding that our garbage is a result of chemical reactions with natural resources." - Ms.Nicole 

Polyester by Piper

Wax by Adrian and Max

Adrian's Wax Model

Glass by Emiliana (Click on photo for project)

Rubber by Gabby C.