Through a variety of activities, the resource seeks to make students aware of their own plastic use and how their actions will have a direct impact on the environment around them. The education kit encourages students to look at how they use plastic and what they can do to use less, such as swapping plastic water bottles for reusable ones. It also encourages teachers and students to organize beach cleanups. The Plastic Education Kit is comprised of seven lessons:
Lesson 1: After watching the video "What is Plastic?" and the mockumentary "The Majestic Plastic Bag", the students will answer questions in their workbook.
Lesson 2: In this lesson the students will answer questions as a jigsaw activity after watching the video "The Ocean is Life". Then after watching a second video "People Free Sea Lion Entangled in Garbage" they will begin to research an animal of their choice and the impact of plastics on it.
Lesson 3: Students will watch the video "How Does Plastic End Up in the Ocean?" and then discuss various posters. They will then clean up the school grounds and create a comic strip for primary students on the topic of how litter can travel from the schoolyard to the ocean. In part 2 of this lesson, the students will watch the video "Turn the Tide on Plastic" and complete an exit slip in their workbook.
Lesson 4: Students will watch the video "Saving Sea Lions" and answer questions in their workbook. Then after watching "Host a Shoreline Clean Up" (must register to be able to view), the students will plan and organize their own shoreline clean up.
Lesson 5: After watching the video " The Ocean- A Driving Force for Weather and Climate" and observing a thermocirculation map, the students will participate in a discussion. In Part 2 of the lesson they will complete a science experiment based on plastics heating the ocean.
Lesson 6: After watching the video "What are microplastics? in 60 seconds" the students will complete questions in their workbook, watch another video on microplastics and then read an article about microplastics in personal hygiene products.
Lesson 7: In the final lesson, the students will prepare for a debate using all of the knowledge they have learned so far. As a lesson extension the students could prepare a "Plastics Aware Fair" for the school.
In addition the teacher's guide a student workbook can be found here.
This resource explicitly teaches the students how to debate and how to plan and organize a shoreline clean up.
This resource would very engaging on its own or it could be used to highlight World Oceans Day in early June.
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Good | |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
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Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Good | |
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
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Respects Complexity | Good | |
Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
Acting on Learning | Very Good | The students participate in activities like a playground clean up, a shoreline clean up and a "Plastics Aware Fair". In addition, there is a pledge at the end of each lesson that is meant to evoke an observable positive change in behavior. |
Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
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Values Education | Very Good | Once the knowledge has been delivered, the students have a variety of opportunities to express their beliefs and values on the topic of plastics through comic strips, a shoreline clean up event, a debate and a "Plastics Aware Fair". |
Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
Empathy & Respect for Humans | Poor/Not considered | This is not a focus of this resource. |
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
Personal Affinity with Earth | Very Good | |
Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
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Locally-Focused Learning | Very Good | |
Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
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Past, Present & Future | Very Good | This resource, with the videos and materials that accompany it, allows the students to see how and why plastic was invented. It also shows that it is necessary in our lives but also gives us alternatives and choices for the future. |
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. |
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Open-Ended Instruction | Very Good | |
Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
Integrated Learning | Good | |
Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
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Inquiry Learning | Good | |
Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
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Differentiated Instruction | Good | There are no strategies for learners with difficulties included in the resource. |
Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
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Experiential Learning | Very Good | |
Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
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Cooperative Learning | Satisfactory | |
Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
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Assessment & Evaluation | Satisfactory | There are two rubrics provided within the resource: one for the teacher in the lesson plan kit which is intended to be used as an evaluation of student performance throughout the unit. A copy is in the student workbook for the students to use to self-assess. Specific assessments are not included for the activities. |
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
Peer Teaching | Satisfactory | |
Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
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Case Studies | Poor/Not considered | This is not a focus of this resource. |
Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
Locus of Control | Satisfactory | |
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. |