Education in Chemistry is the Royal Society of Chemistry’s magazine for secondary school chemistry and science teachers. It provides free articles and teaching resources to teachers across the UK and Ireland, and with support from the Horners’ they have produced an article examining the use of plastics for home insulation, with classroom activities for the 14–18 age range.

The article provides chemistry teachers with context for their lessons on addition and condensation polymerisation, as well as recycling, life cycle assessment and sustainability. Teachers can use the classroom activities with their 14–16 year-old learners to evaluate the recycling of plastics and with 16–18 students to practise applying their knowledge of polymerisation to an unfamiliar context. The article and activities are relevant to all curriculums for the 14–18 age groups across the UK and Ireland, providing teachers with ready-to-go resources for their teaching.