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Science School Specialty • Sep 11, 2017 • Last Modified: Jan 26, 2024

Teaching Science With Slime

There’s something uniquely exciting about a science experiment. Taking ordinary materials and mixing them together to create something new is both fun and educational for young learners. It leaves them with questions and the urge to seek out answers. We’ve gathered a few ideas for creating slime in class and leveraging a fun craft activity to create science lessons for your students.

Using Slime to Teach STEAM

Creating slime can be just as educational as fun, and below are three ideas for using slime to teach engineering, science, and nature concepts in class.

Before starting the lesson, decide whether your group of students learn best if they create the slime before you explain the lesson or if it would be best to save the creation of the slime until after you’ve gone through the purpose of the experiment.

Slime and Engineering Connection

Using tools and raw materials to create something new is part of teaching an engineering mindset. An easy way to connect engineering and slime creation is to propose a hypothetical situation to students.

Suggest a scenario in which they were hired to find the best way to make bouncy, gooey, putty-like, or fluffy slime. Come up with different states of slime and challenge students to find ways to perfect them.

This might mean adding more of certain materials to the slime’s composition or shaping the slime in a certain way to affect its performance. Give your students time to go through the steps of the scientific method and modify the slime to reach their goal.

Slime and Physical Science Connection

For younger learners, consider the connection between slime and the differing states of matter: liquid, gas, and solid. Ask your students which three types they believe slime to be, and write down the characteristics they list in their reasoning.

After creating this list, encourage students to do things with the slime they know they can do with other liquids or solids. For example, the slime pours onto the table and runs off hands like a liquid, but it can also be picked up and held like a solid.

This opens the opportunity to teach about non-Newtonian fluids, which are neither liquid nor solid but have properties of both . With slime, the viscosity changes depending on various stresses or forces used on it.

Ask students to think of other examples of non-Newtonian fluids, such as:

Slime and Natural Science Connection

Another way to teach slime science to young students is by showcasing where and why slime appears in nature. Several animals use slime to survive in the wild. Have students try to name animals they know are slimy, such as:

Then, discuss why those animals are slimy or how they use slime to survive. Creating the slime is a great way to discuss slimy animals and makes for a fun exercise to understand some of the less snuggly animals we encounter.

More Classroom Slime Opportunities

If you’re ready to make slime in your classroom and take advantage of all the learning opportunities it provides, we have plenty of ideas to share. Once your students master the basic recipe , start introducing DIY slime variations and make each one a lesson on anything from chemical properties to craft projects!

Have you used slime in your classroom? Tell us how in the comments!

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How to Make Slime Without Borax + Lesson Plan

Introduction: How to Make Slime Without Borax + Lesson Plan

I've been playing with slime recipes recently, and I have to say this is my favorite one so far! This slime is fool-proof - I've never had a batch fail on me. It's stretchy and squishy and all the things that slime should be. :D

Also, this slime is borax-free! (Great for those who are worried about using borax in something that will be touched so much with bare skin.) It's also made with two common things found in many homes: baking soda and saline contact solution!

The base of this slime recipe is Elmer's school glue (clear or regular), which is easy to find online if your local stores are out of it.

Educators, Parents and Students: check out our free Lesson Plan on Step 8 ! Slime Photo Challenge and Giveaway!

Make some slime and get a giveaway pack. Visit Step 9 for full details .

Step 1: Tools + Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 5 oz bottle Elmer's school glue OR slightly less than 2/3 cup
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons saline contact solution (needs to contain boric acid)
• Food coloring as needed
• Glitter if wanted

Double check that the saline contact solution you're using has boric acid as an ingredient, otherwise the recipe will not work.

• Bowl for mixing
• Measuring spoons
• Spoon for mixing
• Small air-tight container for storing - ziploc baggies are a cheap and easy way to go. (optional)

Step 2: Combine the Glue and Baking Soda

In a small bowl, stir together the glue and the baking soda. Make sure the baking soda is entirely incorporated - there should be no dry bits left. The mix will look fairly cloudy.

Step 3: Add Food Coloring

Add a couple drops of food coloring and mix. Add more as needed to reach the color you want!

Step 4: Add the Contact Solution

Add one teaspoon of contact solution and stir well. The mix will start to become really sticky - stringing from the sides of the bowl and getting stuck to the spoon.

Add the second teaspoon slowly, stirring constantly. As soon as the mix starts to pull together and come away from the sides of the bowl, you've added enough!

At this point, you should have a slightly sticky lump of slime. :D

Step 5: Knead for 2-3 Minutes

When you first remove the slime from the bowl, it will be sticky and thin. To remedy this, you've got to knead it!

Work the slime between your hands and on a clean surface - stretching and compressing it. This will help it become less sticky, softer, and also allow it to stretch properly.

Once it's nice and stretchy, you're ready to play with it!

Step 6: Tip: Easy Clean Up

The slime sticks to itself like crazy, so you can use the blob of slime to clean up your bowl and spoon. Press the slime against any bits left and they will come away cleanly. :)

Step 7: Storing the Slime

This slime can be played with multiple times as long as you store it in an air tight container! As it ages, it will lose elasticity, but it's possible to knead it and bring some of it back.

You may find that it releases a bit of liquid as it's stored - knead that back in and you'll have nice stretchy slime again in no time. If the slime snaps when stretched, kneading will help make it softer again too!

Enjoy your slime!

P.S. I'd love to see pictures if you make it! :D

Step 8: Maker Lesson Plan: the Science of Slime Investigation

Looking to mix up your science class? Slime is a great way to bring making into the classroom and explore the scientific concepts of matter and non-Newtonian fluids. Check out our latest Instructables Maker Lesson Plan: The Science of Slime Investigation! You'll find the PDF lesson plan attached to this step. In it, you'll find a lesson plan, teacher information guide and student data sheets. Use our Maker Lesson Plan along with the recipe for a fun slime activity!

Attachments

Step 9: Enter the Slime Challenge and Giveaway!

When you post a photo of your slime on:

• This Instructable as an "I Made It",
• - or - Instagram,

we’ll send you an Instructables giveaway pack!

Additionally, Instructables staff will feature the best recreations of this slime recipe on our Twitter and Instagram Stories (and tag you, of course).

Here's how to participate:

• Create your slime by following the detailed instructions in this project.
• Post a photo of your slime to Instagram and/or Twitter, tagging @instructables and #IblesSlime. (You’ll have to follow us on each platform so we can DM you.)
• Alternatively, post your creation as an "I Made It" at the bottom of this project.
• Giveaway opens on March 18, 2019. We must receive submissions and iterations of this project by April 8, 2019 (11:59pm Pacific Time) to be eligible for this offering.
• Participants will be contacted on the Instructables site via PM by the end of April 2019 to claim their giveaway pack.

Slimy Science! – Make it a project

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Who doesn’t like slime? You’ll love making it and playing with it! Create a creative and fun Science Fair project out of your fascination with slime. Along the way, learn what it’s like to be a scientist!

What is slime.

There are a lot of different ways to describe different slimes – some alive, some sticky, some gooey, some slippery, and some just plain gross! Slime often results from either a chemical reaction or biological activity. Yep, there is a lot of science behind slime!

Can you believe that “slime” is actually a term that scientists use? For example, biologists have classified hundreds of different species of slime molds and many different species of slime bacteria . Individual slime mold and slime bacterium are so small that you usually can’t see one. But together they can form a big mass or mound (blob) of slime working together as a community for a specific purpose. Smart, huh?

Explore: What slime have you seen? What can you learn about the difference in slime types? What is some of the science behind slime?  Want to learn more? Search the internet for:

• Spongebob Squarepants slime mold
• Scrambled Eggs slime mold
• Dog vomit slime mold
• Hagfish Slime
• Glowworm glue

Common homemade slime ingredients

• White school glue  – makes slime hold together
• Corn starch  – makes slime less sticky
• Contact lens solution or saline solution  – make slime more runny
• Borax/sodium borate (soap)*  – makes slime feel “wet”
• Shaving cream*  – makes slime fluffy
• Fun ingredients (colors, florescence, scents, glitters, etc.)  – makes more fun

*Can cause skin irritation, especially if it comes in contact with an open wound.

Explore: Chemically or physically, how do each of the common ingredients affect the slime properties? What other ingredients do you think you’d like to experiment with?

Simple homemade slime recipe.

• White school glue
• Measuring cups & spoons
• 2 Cups or jars
• Disposable stirrer (spoon or stick)

Directions:

• Mix 1/2 Cup water, 1/4 Cup white school glue, and “fun ingredients” in a cup or bowl.
• In a separate cup, add 3-5 Tablespoons of Borax to 1/4 cup water and stir or shake until fully dissolved.
• Mix small amounts (Tablespoons) of the Borax mixture to the glue/water mixture until you are happy with the consistency.
• Have fun! When done, store in zip bag

+ You can find Borax at most large grocery stores next to the laundry detergent.

Explore:  What did you learn or observe while you were making your slime? What “how” or “why” questions did you have while you were making your slime? Want to explore other slime recipes? Check out  https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Slime .

Now, think like a scientist.

Scientists make observations, ask a lot of questions, then try to find ways to answer those questions. Here are a few questions for you to try to ponder before starting your project:

• What did you observe while you were playing (pulling, touching, pouring, rolling, dropping etc.) with the slime?
• If there was one ingredient you’d like to experiment with changing, then what would it be?
• If there was one thing about the environment around your slime (temperature, surrounding liquid, exposure to air for certain periods of time, etc.), what would it be?
• How do you think changing one of the ingredients or the environment would cause a change to your observations about the slime?

Learn the science behind slime

Okay, you’ve gotten your hands dirty and have had a chance to make slime, play with it, and ask questions! Awesome! Slime is more than just a fun thing to play with and make. Just like everything around you, slime has A LOT of science behind it!

The science behind a topic is called its scientific principles or concepts. Now, it’s time to learn a little more about the science of slime by doing some background research. To do your background research, you can ask an expert, look in books or search the internet. Below are some scientific principles and concepts of slime that would be helpful for you to understand in order to plan your project. When searching the internet, include “kids” in your search to get age-appropriate information. For example, “kids molecule video”.

• Liquids, solids & gasses (Early Elementary School)
• Molecules (Late Elementary School)
• Molecular chain (Middle School)
• Polymers (examples of polymers are white glue, rubber, plastic and DNA) (Middle School)
• Viscosity (Middle School)
• Non-Newtonian Fluids (High School)

Now, be a scientist!

Inquiry science fair project.

If your science fair allows inquiry projects (or demonstrations), then try to answer “why” or “how” questions as part of your project. In your own words, describe the scientific concepts that you learned about and some of the things you observed or discovered. The purpose of an inquiry is to demonstrate what you learned, observed and discovered. Demonstrations are not the same as experiments. But hey, not every scientist is an experimentalist!

Experimental Science Fair Project

When you do an experiment, you choose one thing to change and try to understand the results of that change. This is called Cause and Effect. If your science fair only allows experimental projects that follow “The” Scientific Method, then follow these steps:

• After learning the science behind slime, decide on just one thing that you will change during your experiment and what you will measure. For example, maybe you change the amount or type of ingredient, the environment, timing and you measure the change in texture.
• Write a detailed experimental question that makes it clear what you will change.
• State your prediction as a result of a change that you make.
• Plan how you will set up your experiment, including necessary supplies.
• Determine the potential health and safety risks of doing your experiment.
• Write down a detailed procedure that you can use when doing your experiment.
• Collect and record your data and observations.
• Display your data in a table and graph.
• Look for trends in your data graph.
• Try to explain why your data or observations turned out the way they did.
• Share what you learned with others.
• Create a project board display – refer to Project Display Tips

If you’d like help during each step of your project, then check out Make Science Fair Fun® workbooks . Each of the 22 worksheets will help your child successfully develop their science & engineering skills!

© 2022 STEM World Publishing, Public Benefit Corporation, with permission.

Photo by  Erwan Hesry  on  Unsplash [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”Want to promote authentic STEM projects at your school?” h2_font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:48px|text_align:left|color:%23a11d21|line_height:60px” h4=”Help us connect with your school district to donate our impactful programs to you and your school community!” h4_font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:24px|text_align:left|line_height:30px” add_button=”bottom” btn_title=”Learn More” btn_color=”turquoise” btn_size=”lg” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” use_custom_fonts_h4=”true” h4_link=”|||” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fstemgeneration.org%2Fprograms%2F|title:Parents%20-%20Inspire!|target:_blank”][/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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• Ks2 Science Lesson Plan Use Slime To Learn All About Properties Of Materials

Properties of materials – KS2 slime science lesson plan

What happens when you heat up slime? Learn all about the properties of materials with this on-trend science spectacular…

Kids love slime in weird and wonderful ways, with YouTube superstars driving the phenomenon to giddy new heights. This is one science lesson your students will go gooey at the knees for.

These activities could be taught in one session or individually as stand-alone activities investigating materials and their properties.

Starter activity

To begin, ask your students who has made slime before. Discuss why they made it and what makes it so special and fun to play with.

Next, ask your students to discuss in pairs what slime could be used for besides fun at home and school. Share ideas with the class.

Explain that today they will be working together to make two different types of slime and comparing them in lots of different ways. Now that sounds slime-tastic!

What they’ll learn

• Compare materials on the basis of their properties
• Observe that materials change state when they are heated or cooled
• Set up simple practical tests
• Make systematic and careful observations
• Gather and record data

Nick East is a Twinkl content writer, primary teacher and editor of a games-based learning website. Originally from Australia, he is now based in Frome, Somerset. You can find him at  mrfunology.com .

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