As a culminating activity of physical and chemical changes in 8^th grade science, students were given a chemical engineering challenge: make a bouncy ball that bounces the highest. First, students followed a set recipe that should have resulted in a working bouncy ball. Then students were challenged to alter the ratios in the recipe to make a bouncy ball that would bounce even higher. The highest recorded bounce was 15 cm. by Aidan Mason and Drew Jenkins. Students were able to see how the design process works in a science lab and how many times scientists learn from their mistakes.

“Lots of thinking going on by eighth grade students is what makes this lab awesome and a great way to end the chemistry unit,” Wallace said.