PLASTIC IN OUR WORLD
This week's theme is Plastic!
Our obsession with this useful but non-biodegradable material means it has infiltrated our environment causing widespread damage!
Learn about plastic, your connection with the environment and what you can do! Stay tuned for lesson plans and more plastic info later this week!
Click the button to check out the plastic soup article where we discuss:
-How our consumption of plastic products is turning the ocean into garbage soup
-Why this plastic soup is a problem
-What we can do about it
-Creating Biodegradable or Functional Alternatives to Plastic
-Finding ways to remove the plastic from the ocean without harming the environment
Plastic Garbage Activity (a.k.a The Big Beach Cleanup!)
This class activity will get students outside for a beach, trail, or playground cleanup and then have them analyze the plastic materials they find. It includes a worksheet with questions and prompts for class discussions. Also check this link to learn how to make your own DIY litter tongs!  
Turning the Tide on Trash
This is an excellent resource for teachers from NOAA which includes 3 units and 13 lessons for students from middle school to high school. Click on the image on the left to download the .pdf file 

"Educators, parents, students, and researchers can use “Turning the Tide on Trash” as they explore the serious impacts marine debris can have on wildlife, the environment, our well being, and our economy."

" Integrating the following lessons and background chapters into your curriculum can help to teach students that they can be an important part of the solution. Many of the lessons can also be modified for science fair projects and other learning extensions."

Unit 1: The Definition, Characteristics, and Sources of Marine Debris
Unit 2: The Effects of Marine Debris
Unit 3: Working Towards Solutions
Make your own Bioplastic! 
Here is an awesome class activity that could be used for multiple grade levels in Science or Chemistry. 

This video shows you how to make starch-based plastic in your own kitchen (or classroom) from household ingredients.

Find more information about bioplastics on http://www.green-plastics.net/
Ocean Guardians Marine Debris Resources
This resource package from NOAA's Ocean Guardian School has some neat activities for students in the elementary and middle school years. 

Click on the image to the left to download a .zip file with all of the following .pdf files.

·      NOAA Protect our Oceans Activity Book
·      Understanding Marine Debris Games
·      Marine Debris Book Mark
·      Marine Debris unscramble activity
·      Marine Debris word-find
·      Marine Debris Magnet Craft Activity
·      Trash Travels Colouring sheet
National Geographic Virtual Albatross Bolus Dissection
This is an incredible resource that can be used with "Winged Ambassadors"
(posted on the LiteraSea Ocean Literacy page)

Activity Overview: Students use online videos and photo galleries to conduct a virtual bolus (stomach contents) dissection for the Laysan albatross. They investigate how marine debris can be mistaken for food and harm marine organisms.

Time: 1 hour
Grades: 9-12
 
Notes: This activity uses video, photo galleries, worksheets and class discussion to examine the stomach contents of an Albatross.
It includes excellent lesson plan instructions for the teacher.

It has curricular links to:
-National Geography Standards
-National Science Education Standards
-Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts

Recycled Plastic Marine Organisms!

Challenge: Get your students to collect household plastic before it makes it's way into the trash. Once it's cleaned bring it to school to create some awesome art! If the entire class brings some plastic and then shares it all, there should be plenty of neat stuff to use! Any leftovers can then be recycled.

This activity:
-is suitable for any grade
-reduces the amount of plastic heading into the garbage bin.
-teaches students about which types of plastic can be recycled.
-reinforces the idea that plastic is a harmful pollutant.
-demonstrates how marine organisms can mistake plastic objects for food.
-inspires creativity and resourcefulness.
-shows how trash can have a new life.
-is a ton of fun!