Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 18/01/2026
Subject: Chemistry
Lesson Topic: Describe the differences between addition and condensation polymerisation
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe key differences between addition (chain‑growth) and condensation (step‑growth) polymerisation.
  • Explain the mechanisms, monomer requirements and by‑product formation for each type.
  • Compare reaction conditions and typical polymer examples.
  • Predict which polymerisation method is suitable for a given monomer.
  • Apply knowledge to interpret polymerisation diagrams.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • Slide deck with polymerisation diagrams
  • Handout summarising the comparison table
  • Sample polymer models (e.g., polyethylene, PET)
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Exit‑ticket cards or online quiz platform
 Introduction:
Begin with a short video of plastic bottles being melted to spark curiosity about how such materials are made. Recall that polymers are built from repeating units and that synthesis routes affect properties. Today we will investigate how addition and condensation polymerisation differ, and you will be able to identify which method applies to given monomers by the end of the lesson.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – List everyday plastics and preliminarily classify them as addition or condensation.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Present key concepts and compare mechanisms using slides and the comparison table.
  3. Guided practice (12’) – Pair work on a worksheet matching monomer structures to the correct polymerisation type and predicting by‑products.
  4. Demonstration (8’) – Show animations of polyethylene formation (addition) and PET synthesis (condensation); discuss conditions.
  5. Concept check (5’) – Quick Kahoot quiz with multiple‑choice questions.
  6. Summary activity (5’) – Create a two‑column Venn diagram on sticky notes summarising similarities and differences.
  7. Exit ticket (5’) – Write one key difference and one real‑world example of each polymerisation type.
Conclusion:
Review the main distinctions highlighted in the Venn diagrams and confirm that students can articulate the role of monomer structure and by‑product formation. Collect exit tickets to gauge retention and assign a short homework task to research a polymer of their choice, describing its synthesis method.