Slime demonstrates that a polymer takes the form of a container similar to a liquid, but can be held in the hand like a solid. To make slime, empty all of an 8-ounce bottle of Elmer's Glue into a glass bowl. Add 8 ounces of warm water to the bowl and stir well. Add a couple drops of food coloring. In a disposable cup, mix 8 ounces of warm water and a teaspoon of Borax powder, and stir until the powder is dissolved. Slowly pour all the Borax mixture into the glue mixture while stirring. Stir until the slime is the desired consistency. Pick it up and play with it. When done playing with slime, seal it in an air-tight container or resealable bag.
Learn about chemistry and make a fun bouncy ball at the same time. In a disposable cup, combine 2 tablespoons warm water and 1/2 teaspoon Borax powder, stirring until the powder is dissolved. Add a few drops of food coloring to the Borax solution and stir. Pour a tablespoon of Elmer's Glue into a disposable cup. Add a tablespoon of corn starch and 1/2 teaspoon Borax solution to the glue and let stand for 15 seconds. Stir until the mixture becomes difficult to stir. Pick up the mixture and mold a ball with your hands. It will be sticky at first but solidifies with kneading. Store the bouncy ball in a resealable plastic bag.
Make polymer clay to sculpt into beads. Stir together 3/4 cup of Elmer's glue and 1 cup of cornstarch in a non-stick pot. Add 2 tablespoons mineral oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and blend all together. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is the consistency of mashed potatoes. Remove from the heat. Add some mineral oil to the mixture and rub some oil on your hands. When the mixture cools enough to handle, take it out and knead it until it is smooth. Store it in a resealable bag in the refrigerator. After shaping the clay, let it dry for two or three days before painting.
Extend polymer play by experimenting with polymer slime (see Section 1). Break off a small wad of slime, and roll it into a ball. Measure the polymer's elasticity by dropping the ball from different heights to see if it bounces farther when dropped from a higher height. Warm the slime by kneading it, chill it in the refrigerator and then freeze it. How does temperature affect the slime polymer's elasticity? Leave a portion of slime outside the air-tight bag, and see if dehydration occurs. What happens if water is added to dried-out slime?