Ocean Plastics Module

Description

The Ocean Plastics Module examines the most visible human impact on the shores of the Channel Islands. It looks at how items thrown “away” on the mainland circulate and accumulate through ocean currents, often ending up in places that we perceive as wild and pristine. All of this exploration is done in the context of storytelling: how can telling the stories help us understand the science that exists in front of us every day, and understand the role that we play in it?

Key Themes

Plastics and Marine Debris

Ocean Currents

Science and Storytelling

Useage

This module contains materials for roughly 4.5 hours of instruction.

Suggested Grade Level: 6-9

Lessons

The following sequence of lessons and activities trace the journey of plastics from our hands to the Channel Islands. It looks at each piece of trash as an individual with a story, helping students to look past the seemingly anonymous waste and understand the people and processes that led to its final resting place. These elements can be completed as a 5E sequence, or as separate activities.

Engage

Reading: “Paradise Tossed”

A middle school student reflects on the experience of a Santa Rosa Island beach cleanup.
‍Island Visions, pages 340-341

Discussion Guide

Suggested Duration: 30 minutes

Explore

Web Experience: “Journey of a Piece of Trash”

Follow a piece of trash from the mainland, through the ocean currents, out to the islands.

islandvisions.org/plastics Comprehension Worksheet

Suggested Duration: 20 minutes

Explain

Class Discussion: “Journey of a Piece of Trash”

Break down how plastics get into our oceans, and the role that we all play in this.

Discussion Guide

Suggested Duration: 30 minutes

Elaborate

Activity: All Trash Has a Story

A middle school student reflects on the experience of a Santa Rosa Island beach cleanup.
‍Island Visions, pages 340-341

Activity Guide

Suggested Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes (plus travel)

Evaluate

Class Discussion: Science and Story

Students will present and discuss the stories of the pieces of trash that they found in the cleanup, bringing together the lessons learned throughout this module.

Discussion Guide

Suggested Duration: 50 minutes

6th Grade

Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things. (MS-ESS3-3)

7th Grade

All human activity draws on natural resources and has both short and long-term consequences, positive as well as negative, for the health of people and the natural environment. (MS-ESS3-1)
The uses of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions. Thus technology use varies from region to region and over time. (MS-ESS3-2)

8th Grade

Typically as human populations and per-capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise. (MS-ESS3-4)
The uses of technologies and limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions. (MS-ETS1-1)
All human activity draws on natural resources and has both short and long-term consequences, positive as well as negative, for the health of people and the natural environment. (MS-ESS3-4)

High School

New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated. Analysis of costs and benefits is a critical aspect of decisions about technology. (HS-ETS1-1) (HS-ETS1-3)
The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources. (HS-ESS3-3)
Science and technology may raise ethical issues for which science, by itself, does not provide answers and solutions. (HS-ESS3-2)
Science knowledge indicates what can happen in natural systems—not what should happen. The latter involves ethics, values, and human decisions about the use of knowledge. (HS-ESS3-2)
Many decisions are not made using science alone, but rely on social and cultural contexts to resolve issues. (HS-ESS3-2)
Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation. (HS-ESS3-4)
Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts. (HS-ESS3–5)

Ocean Plastics Module

Description

Key Themes

Useage

Lessons

Engage

Explore

Explain

Elaborate

Evaluate

Optional Add Ons

Additional Resources

CA Environmental Principlesand Concepts (EPCs)

CA Next Generation Science Standards (NGSSs)

CA Environmental Principles
and Concepts (EPCs)

CA Next Generation
Science Standards (NGSSs)