Changing the perception of plastics one classroom at a time
Thank you to the SPE Detroit Section for a $60,000 donation to support the development of PlastiVideo® resources. Through their generosity and the support of the SPE Automotive Division, Plastics Pioneers Association and Color and Appearance Division, PlastiVan® is able to offer virtual plastics education to students around the world with over 20 videos for middle and high school students which include comprehensive plastics and sustainability topics. All modules are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards so teachers can choose the most relevant resources for their classes.
These sponsors see the value in educating our youth about the benefits of plastics and our collective responsibility to be good stewards of the materials we use in our daily lives.
The PlastiVideo® Program is:
- Simple to access. Receive a link to use the PlastiVideo® Program for 30 days.
- High Quality. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are part of each program with high quality videos.
- Trusted and Proven. Over 132,000 students have been impacted by the PlastiVan® Program since 2014.
- Supplemental Materials. Supplemental materials are available with each module.
Enjoy the first PlastiVideo® in our series.
Plastics Are Everywhere
Try to imagine a world without plastics as you learn about early natural and synthetic polymers.
[Length: 5:09 Minutes]
Multiple, short videos totaling approximately 140 minutes.
Supplemental materials to support the PlastiVideo® Program.
Elementary
- 2-PS1-1 Matter and Its Interactions
- 5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
- 5-PS1-1 Matter and Its Interactions
- 5-PS1-3 Matter and Its Interactions
- 5-PS1-4 Matter and Its Interactions
Middle School
- MS-ESS3.A: Natural Resources
- MS-ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
- MS-ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions
- MS-ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution
- MS-PS1-3 Matter and its Interactions
- MS-PS1-3 Matter and its Interactions
- MS-PS1-4 Matter and its Interactions
- MS-PS1-5 Matter and its Interactions
- MS-PS1. A Structure and Properties of Matter
- MS-PS1.B Chemical Reactions Matter
- MS-PS2-2 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
- MS-PS3-1 Energy
- MS-PS3-5 Energy
- MS.LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
High School
- HS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity
- HS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity
- HS-LS2-7 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
- HS-PS1-1 Matter and its Interactions
- HS-PS1-2 Matter and its Interactions
- HS-PS1-4 Matter and its Interactions
- HS-PS1-5 Matter and Its Interventions
Once you complete this form, an educator will contact you to complete the registration process.
30-day access to PlastiVideo® is sponsored by grants and scholarships. All schools and teachers are welcome to apply for access to PlastiVideo®. Check out our sponsors.
Phread Ayres is a retired middle school science teacher living on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. He taught seventh grade science for eighteen years in Wayne, NJ. Phread received an Associates Degree in Science from Bergen Community College, a Bachelors of Science in Education and Environmental Science from William Paterson University and a Masters of Science in Educational Technology from Ramapo College.
Teaching was a third career for Phread. Prior to teaching, he worked as an audio engineer for local bands in NJ. He received a Certificate in Audio Engineering from the Institute for Audio Research. He also worked as the manager of the Camping Department at Ramsey Outdoor Store in Paramus, NJ.
Leslie Cook recently retired from Sealed Air with food, protective and industrial packaging experience. She holds a B.S. degree in Biology and M.S. in Food Science & Technology. Leslie Cook has over 35 years of industrial experience in sustainability, strategic planning, innovation management, product & design development, and market research. She spent most of her my career training our employees, sales, customers and the high school studies on the sustainable benefits of plastic packaging and looks forward to engaging with the next generation on plastics through the PlastiVan.
Elizabeth Egan is a Packaging Engineering with an MBA. She worked for Dow Chemical in the Specialty Plastics, Consumer Products, and Automotive business units as an Engineer and Business Analyst. She serves on her local Board of Education and teaches piano and enjoys bringing PlastiVan into the classroom allowing her to share the exciting and diverse career opportunities in the plastics industry.
John Fellenstein runs STEM outreach for the College of Polymer Science and Engineering at the University of Akron. Previously he taught high school science. “The PlastiVan Program gives me many opportunities to interact with students, which is so much fun! I like sharing the science concepts along with career opportunities that are available in the plastics and polymer industries.”
Dana Warnez is an alum of Kettering University earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and was also a member of Society of Plastics Engineers. She has 8 years of experience in the plastics industry, where she was directly involved with overseeing and improving injection molding and blow molding processes. Ms. Warnez has worked as a safety and ergonomics trainer in the past and is passionate about making education fun and effective.
Mendy Mossbrook has over 24 years of experience in the Plastics Industry with numerous patents in the packaging sector. She holds a BS in Chemical Engineering and an MBA. She works in the non-profit sector as an advocate and coach for educators and students and enjoys the opportunity to connect what children learn in school to exciting careers in STEM fields through the PlastiVan.
Jack Wilkins is a Graduate student at Baylor University pursuing his master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, specifically studying Nondestructive Testing of Additively Manufactured (AM) components in the Advanced Materials research group there. He has a background of research and has worked with polymers in AM and Carbon Fiber Reinforced contexts in the past 3 years. Jack is honored and excited to work with kids to help teach and provide information in engineering and materials science disciplines, pertaining to plastics.
Mark Wolverton is a materials engineer with more than 40 years’ involvement in the plastics industry. PlastiVan allows him to foster enthusiasm for the development of plastic parts with the next generation. He has experience in product and materials development for the consumer electronics, automotive & transportation, defense & aerospace, personal care and medical industries. Mark is an Honored Service Member of SPE and a member of the Plastics Pioneers.
Eve Vitale, SPE Foundation Executive, was recruited in 2016 to expand the PlastiVan program. She holds a BS in mechanical engineering and an MS in manufacturing engineering. She spent 8 months on the road delivering the program to thousands of students to find ways to increase its impact. She and her husband own an engineering consulting business specializing in plastics manufacturing and sustainability.
To extend the learning experience beyond the PlastiVideo® Program, we have provided curated videos and relevant activities. Find them here. Use in the classroom to prepare your students for the PlastiVideo® Program or afterward to extend the learning. In addition, check out the HOP Kit lesson plans.
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