Students learned about saponification, chemical reactions, pH, strong bases, lab skills, marketing skills and applied what they learned to create high-end, quality soap that was sold competitively in both the online and brick and mortar marketplaces.

Teacher Reflection:

Never have I seen students more engaged in a project. Students have generally been interested in the soap making process because it is messy, fun, and creates a beautiful, usable product. When we added an entrepreneurial aspect to this project, student excitement and engagement spiked to a level I have not seen before. Creative, social media, logistics, web design, and marketing departments quickly arose out of necessity. There was so much to do and students could pour their energy into an aspect of the project that appealed to them. A beautiful and functional website was created and successfully run by our students. Facebook, instagram, and yelp pages helped steer business to our online store and in-person selling events at the Earth Day festival, Von’s shopping center, and various farmers markets. The logistics team accounted for all of our expenditures and sales. Sales topped $5000 in our first semester which allowed us to give a grant to one of our teachers and a scholarship to a graduating senior. Paid internships were also created and filled by our class and we donated thousands of dollars worth of soap to local San Diegans in need.

Student Reflection:

This project is not just about making soap, but being able to work with others and appreciate other’s opinions.

—Matthew M

Everything in this world, it’s all chemistry.

—Lucas S

This project taught me a lot about the real world, especially business.

—Solomon S

I learned not only how to make soap but how to run a small business through a real world experience.

—Marisol F

To learn more about this project and others, visit
mmarshall2017.weebly.com/chemistry.html