Slime
Teacher Notes
Concepts: (1) Materials have properties because of their molecular arrangement. (2)
Solids, liquids, and gases (three common phases of matter) have different
properties. [4.2.1.2.1] (3) Some materials don’t fit our definitions!
Questions to get students thinking before the activity or to use after:
•What do you do when the catsup doesn’t run out of the bottle?
•Does everything fit neatly into the categories of solid, liquid and gas?
•Is jello (or jelly or toothpaste or....) a solid or a liquid? What tests would you
do to answer the question? [3.1.1.1.1, 5.1.1.1.1-4, 5.1.1.2.1-3]
Materials per group:
4 samples - the more the better and have your students make them if possible!
several cups
craft sticks for stirring, scissors
clean up materials
OPTIONAL (but fun) Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss
Students can make some of the recipes or they can be made ahead of time.
Commercial products can be used, but it is more fun to make the slime in class.
Make sure each sample has a unique name.
CAUTION: All samples should be put in a garbage can. DO NOT run any of the
samples down the drain! None of these substances should be eaten. None
should cause skin irritation, but wash up afterward.
Recipes
Putty - Part 1- For the whole class: Stir 2 tablespoons borax in 2 cups warm water.
Part 2 - For each group: In a small cup, stir 2 spoonfuls of white glue into 3
spoonfuls of water. Add food coloring if desired. Now add a spoonful of the
borax solution to the glue mixture. Stir. Pull out the slime. Some liquid may remain
in the cup.
Gack - Follow the Putty recipe but use gel glue.
Slime - Follow the Putty recipe but use glitter glue!
Oobleck - For each group, mix about two tablespoons of cornstarch with one
tablespoon water (food coloring is optional) in a small cup. Stir.
Glop CAUTION - Teacher made - not student made! Mix 1 teaspoon powdered
fiber (containing psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid) into 1 cup of water. Heat until it
boils. Don’t let it boil over! Allow to cool and repeat the boiling. The consistency
will change with the number of times you repeat the boiling process. The more
times you boil it, the thicker the slime gets. This may be done on the stove top or
in a microwave.
Goo - For each group, mix 2 tablespoons water and white glue in a cup. Add
food coloring if desired. Add 2 tablespoons liquid laundry starch and stir. Pull out
the slime and play!
Procedure: Distribute or better yet, have the kids make some of the samples. Help
them think of things to do. Have the students play work with each sample before
they make observations. As the samples are worked with, the consistency will
change and be easier to use.
These materials are known as non-Newtonian fluids - they don’t follow the rules.
Most materials (honey, molasses, etc.) get less viscous (thinner) when they are
warmed up. Non-Newtonian fluids also change viscosity when warmed but they
also change viscosity when force is applied. You can stir Oobleck slowly but
when you increase force by stirring fast, the viscosity increases so much it’s
almost impossible to stir!
It doesn’t matter how your students classify the samples, the point is to think and
reason through the problem. They should have fun and get messy and practice
their cleaning skills!
This could turn into an inquiry activity. Students could investigate the variables
that make their sample more fun or stiffer or runnier or whatever to work with.
Observations/Results: Expect a loud fun class with this activity. Most students will
classify the substances as either liquids or solids. Let them have fun coming up
with new names for this class of matter.
Summing Up:
1.Was it easy to classify these samples as solids, liquids, or gases? Explain why?
Probably not. The substances have some properties of solids and some of liquids.
2.Which of the samples you tested were more liquid-like?
Answers will vary depending on the samples used.
3.Which of the samples you tested were more solid-like?
Answers will vary depending on the samples used.
4.Were any of the samples you tested like a gas? No.
5.If you were to put all of these new samples in one category, what would you
call it?
Answers will vary and should be fun!
6.List three properties of the substances in this new category.
Answers will vary and probably include terms like stretchy, slippery, etc.
After this activity, read the technical reading called Slime is a Polymer.
Slime
Materials: sample(s), scissors, cups, craft sticks, additional
materials as needed
Procedure:
1. Follow your teachers directions to get your
samples.
2. Observe your sample(s). Stir fast, stir slowly. Try to pour
them, bounce them, roll them in a ball. Let the sample sit
in your hand. Try to cut them. Stretch them fast and slow.
What other ways can you observe their properties? Put
your observations in the data table.
3. Classify these new materials as solids, liquids or gases.
Make more tests if needed.
4. Clean up any mess - everything goes in the wastebasket!
Name
Observations
S, L or G?
Summing Up:
1. Was it easy to classify these samples as solids, liquids, or
gases? Explain why?
2. Which of the samples you tested were more liquid-like?
3. Which of the samples you tested were more solid-like?
4. Were any of the samples you tested like a gas?
5. If you were to put all of these new samples in one
category, what would you call it?
6. List three properties of the substances in this new
category.