Students tend to associate the word 'polymer' with synthetic and they falsely assume it implies derived from petroleum. There is a tendency to disregard the wonderful world of natural polymers such as proteins, cellulose, silk and wool. The following instructional strategies prove effective for reinforcing the term polymer as meaning both natural and synthetic:

• Begin with the term polymer and have students list examples (be sure to inject common natural polymers).
• Construct a matrix comparing and contrasting properties of synthetic and natural polymers.
• Be sure to include natural polymers in your examples, lecture references, quizzes and tests.
• Have a conversation with the biology teacher about which polymers they stress and how they present them.