Using Pop-Culture to Engage Students in the Classroom

Herein, we describe how video games, TV shows, or movies have been used to provide an innovative framework for students to think about chemistry and chemical engineering. The main objective of this paper is to show how science can be linked with pop-culture, to provide educators with recent materials to use in classrooms, and to discuss the benefits and limitations of such tools. The video games Fortnite, Spiderman, and Angry Birds, the TV shows Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad, the Marvel movies, and the animated programs Raving Rabbids and Dragon Ball are used to illustrate different approaches to engage with students and encourage them to learn in a more recreational environment.