Grow Creatures - Integrating Science And Math Worksheet printable pdf download

Grow Creatures - Integrating Science And Math Worksheet

Polymer Activity from the

Teachers may reproduce this activity for their use.

Grow Creatures

Integrating Science and Math

Grades: middle school

Science Standards: Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry; Content Standard B:

Physical Science; Content Standard E: Science and Technology

Purpose: To observe and graph the growth of a polymer toy in water or other liquid.

Background: Grow creatures contain two polymers. One is hydrophilic or “water-

loving” that causes the water to be absorbed into the creature when the toy is placed in

water. The second polymer is hydrophobic or “water-hating” and this polymer forms a

shape framework of the toy so that the creature maintains is shape as it grows.

Hypothesis: If my Dino likes to grow in water (or other liquid____________), then I

predict that my Dino will increase in size from 4 1/4 squares to _______________

squares in one day.

Materials: for a team of students

1-Grow Dino or other grow creature (toy store, Discovery Store)

Small bowl or plastic container about 15 cm in diameter – labeled with team name

6 sheets of 1-centimeter graph paper (available on the Web at:

tap water, distilled water, or other liquid

paper towels

metric ruler

colored markers or pencils

Procedure:

1. Starting at the top of a sheet of graph paper, trace around the Dino. Shade or color in

the shape. Count the number of full-shaded or colored squares. Place a large colored dot

in the counted squares. Record this number on the graph paper next to the Dino shape.

Now count the partially filled squares. Record the number of halves and fourths that are

shaded. Record. Add all the whole numbers and fractions. Also record the time next to

the total number of squares. See sample below:

Shaded Squares:

1/4+1/2+1/2+3/4+3/4+1+1/2=

4 1/4

Time: 9:00 am

2005 Polymer Ambassadors

Grow Creatures - Integrating Science And Math Worksheet