Science as Playing Around: "Slime"

Every year my students make “slime” as part of our chemistry unit.  This “slime” is a tried and true polymer made from Elmer’s Glue and borax.  I used it from early elementary to middle school chemistry to illustrate changing properties and chemical reactions.  Just a few weeks ago, I saw a high school science fair poster comparing several different physical properties of slime variations.  This "slime" is easy to make and fun to investigate.

Materials:

• White Elmer's school glue
• Borax (found in the laundry section of your grocery store)
• Water
• Food coloring (optional, but fun)
• Plastic baggie
• Mixing container and stirrer

Steps:

1. Make a Borax solution by mixing one tablespoon of Borax in a cup of water.
2. Make a solution of water and glue, using slightly more glue than water, maybe 40% water and 60% glue.  An ounce or two of glue is a good amount to start with.
3. Add food coloring, as desired.
4. Add a couple of tablespoons of Borax to the water-glue solution and mix until the consistency changes.

Your slime is ready to play with. Store it in the baggie when you are done.

Variations:

• Try different proportions of glue, water, and borax
• Try a 4% polyvinyl alcohol solution instead of the white glue
• Add shaving cream or baby powder to the mix
• Add some glow-in-the-dark paint
• Add iron filings.  Can you get it to conduct electricity?

What did you find? What other variations can you create?