The best engineering labs on plastic for older students. The Plastisphere lesson (about one hour plus activities) has students extract microbeads from an old exfoliant, build a mini wastewater treatment plant and trace fluorescent plastic through it. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) LS4.D and ESS3.C are explicitly listed. Our science-fair pack credits this method.
Who made and funded this: TeachEngineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, funded by the US National Science Foundation. Non-commercial educational use and classroom copying permitted; not republishing. How to use it: the lab extension to our ages 15–18 lesson. Link only.