Submitted by Linda Lospinoso Lampert
On Monday, February 4, 2019, Mrs. Nicole Brighouse’s sixth-graders at Franklin Elementary School in Rahway participated in a Virtual Lab experiment offered by Students-2-Science. This experiment was conducted interactively through the use of a web camera, which connected the students to a scientist at Merck. The scientist led the students through the steps needed to complete the lab experiment’s procedures through visual and audio demonstrations and instructions.
The “Synthetic Materials” experiment introduced the concept of synthetic materials and how they are sourced and produced from natural resources. In this V-Lab, students created their own synthetic materials from resources which are ultimately derived from nature. They explored the idea that chemical processes can change a natural material into a synthetic one with different properties than its components. With this knowledge of how synthetic materials are made, students then analyzed the positive and negative impacts that producing synthetic materials can have on society. Creating new materials, as done in this lab, is the work of materials scientists, who are responsible for most of what builds our modern world. The students really enjoyed this experience.
(above, l-r) Francisco Paco Zavaleta and Jonathan Mosso Robles show off the synthetic material that they made.
Photo by Rahway Public Schools
