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Cook up an exciting Recipe for Sustainable Science: An Introduction to Green Chemistry in the Middle School!

Offer your students a compelling adventure in Math and Science while introducing them to the innovative and environmentally-sound concepts of Green Chemistry.

The Recipe for Sustainable Science curriculum, based on the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, is designed to be a simulation of actual business methodology in which students are challenged to manufacture a crayon. It introduces teachers and their students to the topic of Green Chemistry and provides a hands-on inquiry-based unit in which middle level students can explore this emerging approach to chemical manufacturing. This multi-disciplinary curriculum also includes social studies, science, math, and language arts.

Begin by reading a more detailed introduction and exploring the suggested lesson delivery schedule. Then download the following individual lesson plans. Please note that the lesson plans are available in both English and Spanish.

Download these educational tools to use in your lesson plans.

Define Sustainability (PDF) / Definición de sustentabilidad (PDF)
Understand the concept of sustainability and define the term

Synonyms Simplify (PDF) / Los sinónimos simplifican (PDF)
Rewrite the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry in your own terms by practicing using Synonyms

Your Mission if You Choose to Accept It (PDF) / Tu misión, si eliges aceptarla (PDF)
Write company mission statements

Market Research

Write and conduct surveys, analyze the results and use this information to guide your R&D process
Market Research Part 1 (PDF) / Investigación de mercado parte 1 (PDF)
Market Research Part 2 (PDF) / Investigación de mercado parte 2 (PDF)
Market Research Part 3 (PDF) / Investigación de mercado parte 3 (PDF)

Ads of Green
Create an advertisement for your product highlighting green chemistry practices
Ads of Green Part 1 (PDF) / Anuncios verdes parte 1 (PDF)
Ads of Green Part 2 (PDF) / Anuncios verdes parte 2 (PDF)

License to Label
Identify marketing techniques and develop package labels for your own crayons
License to Label Part 1 (PDF) / Licencia para etiquetar parte 1 (PDF)
License to Label Part 2 / Licencia para etiquetar parte 2 (PDF) (PDF)

Color of Your Crazy Crayon (PDF) / ¿Puedes caracterizar el color de tu lápiz de cera creativo? (PDF)
Use alliteration to develop color names & put final product together

Ad-ing It All Together (PDF) / La suma de todo
Present advertisements to the class

Risk (PDF) / Caja de riesgo/beneficio (PDF)
Understand the relationship between risk and benefit and complete a risk/benefit assessment

Melt me (PDF) / Derríteme (PDF)
Determine energy efficiency and relate it to the manufacturing process

Volume Variance
Understand volume and analyze volume efficiency as it relates to packaging your product
Volume Variance Part 1 (PDF) / Variación de volumen parte 1 (PDF)
Volume Variance Part 2 (PDF) / Variación de volumen parte 2 (PDF)

Waste Management Math
Categorize, weigh, and pay for waste disposal created during your manufacturing process
Waste Management Math Part 1 (PDF) / Matemática de la gestión de residuos parte 1 (PDF)
Waste Management Math Part 2 (PDF) / Matemática de la gestión de residuos parte 2 (PDF)

Recipe Rescue (PDF) / Rescate de recetas (PDF)
Understand that scientists use recipes in the lab and how green chemistry concepts can be used to make those recipes better

Lifecycle Lettering (PDF) / Carteles de ciclos (PDF)
Understand the lifecycle of each of the ingredients that are on offer to you

Production Practice (PDF) / Práctica de produccián (PDF)
Utilize chemistry methods to conduct R&D on your first crayon

The Mark of a Great Crayon (PDF) / La marca de un buen lýpiz de cera (PDF)
Analyze the outcomes of your crayon recipe

Breaking News (PDF) / Noticias de último momento (PDF)
Understand PPM & toxicity as it relates to your manufacturing process

Recipe Redo (PDF) / Repetición de recetas (PDF)
Second R&D lab — make more crayons based upon what you have learned about your product and process so far

Mark of a Great Crayon Part 2 (PDF) / La marca de un buen lápiz de cera parte 2 (PDF)
Re-analyze your crayon

Shape Shifting (PDF) / Cambio de forma (PDF)
Develop unique molds for crayons

Striving for Perfection (PDF) / En busca de la perfección (PDF)
Third R&D lab to create final product

Selecting for Sustainability (PDF) / Selección para lograr la sustentabilidad (PDF)
Use the decision grid to analyze how your product adheres to the 12 principles of green chemistry

Young Apprentice (PDF) / El joven aprendiz (PDF)
Introduction to the simulation

The World of Chemistry (PDF) / El mundo de la química: ýPodemos vivir sin él? (PDF)
Analyze the world with and without chemistry

Oops I Did It Again (PDF) / ¡Oh, lo hice otra vez! (PDF)
Study federal regulations and how they are made related to the chemical industry

Opinion Activity (PDF) / Actividad de opinión (PDF)
Participate in human graph to share opinions

Contamination, Contention, & Consensus
Play a role in a chemical environmental issue
Contamination, Contention, & Consensus Part 1 (PDF) / Contaminación, conflicto y consenso parte 1 (PDF)

Contamination, Contention, & Consensus Part 2 (PDF) / Contaminación, conflicto y consenso parte 2 (PDF)

Contamination, Contention, & Consensus Part 3 (PDF) / Contaminación, conflicto y consenso parte 3 (PDF)

And The Award Goes To... (PDF) / Y el ganador esý (PDF)
Discover how green chemistry has already improved the world

Greener Markets (PDF) / Mercados más verdes (PDF)
A company is chosen to win the green chemistry award

Optional: History of Chemistry (PDF) / Opcional: Historia de la química (PDF)
Create a skit on the development & use of chemicals

Optional: Silent Spring (PDF) / Opcional: Primavera silenciosa (PDF)
Literature Reading Guide

Optional: The Great Debate
Debate if chemicals are necessary
The Great Debate Part 1 (PDF) / El gran debate parte 1 (PDF)
The Great Debate Part 2 (PDF) / El gran debate parte 2 (PDF)
The Great Debate Part 3 (PDF) / El gran debate parte 3 (PDF)
Triangle Triage (PDF) / Triángulo de criterios de selección (PDF)
Introduce decision-making tool based upon the three Es of sustainability
Rainbow of Colors (PDF) / Arco iris de colores (PDF)
Complete a lab to develop good lab procedures and then create a formula for crayon colors
Optional: What is it? (PDF) / Opcional: Química Verde: ¿qué es? (PDF)
Use PPT to define Green Chemistry and explore its uses

Totally Cubular (PDF) / Opcional: Totalmente cúbico (PDF)
Define and practice vocabulary related to Green Chemistry

Optional: Production Line Woes (PDF) / Opcional: Problemas en la línea de producción (PDF)
Understand that business is not always straight forward

Optional: Crayon Survey (PDF) / Opcional — Encuesta sobre los lápices de cera (PDF)
Teacher led market research option

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