PlastChicks™ 101, Powered by SPE

SPE Plastivan® - Curriculum Sheet - For Teachers

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About Us

The PlastiVan® program is a great way to educate people of all ages about the chemistry, history, processing, manufacturing, applications and sustainability of plastics.

PlastiVan® educators are skilled at tailoring each presentation to meet the needs and grade‐level expectations of every classroom and teacher through science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM).

Grade School Topics

  • What is a polymer chain?
  • What do plastics do?
  • Where do plastics come from?
  • Who makes plastics?
  • Making plastics out of corn
  • Plastics at the grocery store
  • Plastics in your car
  • Plastics in medicine
  • What do engineers and scientists do?
  • How do you make that water bottle?
  • What is recycling?
  • Thermoplastics can be recycled
  • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
  • Whoopie cushion plastics fun
  • Diaper gel is a polymer!
  • Slime is a polymer!
  • Plastics in the ocean - how can I help?

Middle School Topics

  • History of polymers/plastics
  • How your life is impacted by plastics
  • What engineers and scientists do
  • Major industries that use plastics
  • Basic raw materials for plastics
  • Biopolymers and sustainable materials
  • Amorphous and crystalline polymer structure
  • Manipulating amorphous polymer chains
  • Injection molding and thermoplastics
  • Bottle preforms and blow molding
  • Thermoset plastics and crosslinking
  • Open- and closed-foamed polymers
  • Material selection in product design
  • Hydrophilic, hydrophobic, & oleophilic polymers
  • Crosslinked polymers and non-Newtonian fluids
  • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
  • Chemical vs. Mechanical Recycling
  • Marine Debris – Causes and Solutions
  • Single-use item vs. single-use material

High School Topics

  • History of polymers/plastics
  • How your life is impacted by plastics
  • What engineers and scientists do
  • Major industries that use plastics
  • Basic raw materials for plastics
  • Fractional distillation of crude oil
  • Biopolymers and sustainable materials
  • Amorphous and crystalline polymer structure
  • Manipulating amorphous polymer chains
  • Injection molding and thermoplastics
  • Bottle preforms and blow molding
  • Thermoset plastics and crosslinking
  • Open—and closed—foamed polymers
  • Material selection in product design
  • Hydrophilic, hydrophobic, & oleophilic polymers
  • Crosslinked polymers & non-Newtonian fluids
  • Recycling best practices
  • Chemical vs. Mechanical Recycling
  • Marine Debris — Causes and Solutions
  • Recycling in your community
  • Single-use item vs. single-use material
  • Circular Economy vs. Sustainable Materials
  • Management
Curriculum aligns with Next Generation Science Standards
Mark Richardson, PlastiVan® Program Coordinator | plastivan@4spe.org | www.PlastiVan.org
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Lynzie Nebel

Lynzie Nebel

Upstream Quote Engineer, Cytiva; Co-host, PlastChicks Podcast; President-Elect, SPE-Inspiring Plastics Professionals. Throughout her career, Lynzie has gained experience in the automotive, appliance, medical, pet, and micro injection molding industries. Lynzie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Plastics Engineering Technology from Penn State Behrend in 2008. She has been a member of SPE since 2004 and has been involved in her local section, holding many positions including past President. Lynzie also sits on the Injection Molding Division and is the former secretary for the SPE Foundation board. In 2015, Lynzie was part of Plastics News' inaugural class of "Women Breaking the Mold," and was named one of the group's "Rising Stars" in 2018. She is also on the Industrial Advisory Board for Penn State's Plastics Department.

Mercedes Landázuri

Mercedes Landázuri

Mercedes Landázuri leads trend insight & innovation for Ampacet, a global manufacturer of color and additive masterbatch. Additionally, she hosts trend forecasting workshops for Color Marketing Group, the premier global color forecasting association, and was elected to their board of directors in 2024. In her spare time, she has served as a guest lecturer for College for Creative Studies, Western Michigan University, and Advanced Design’s virtual courses. She is an active volunteer for SPE, having held the highest leadership positions within the Color and Appearance Division, the Recycling Division, and the NextGen Advisory Board. Landázuri co-founded and co-hosts the award-winning PlastChicks podcast with Lynzie Nebel. Landázuri was named a Plastics News Rising Star in 2017 and a Woman Breaking the Mold in 2024.