Unit driving question:
How do human choices regarding the consumption and disposal of plastics impact ecosystems and our communities and what actions can we take to minimize those impacts?
Click here to download pdfs for the entire curricular unit:
Teacher/Facilitator Guide
Student Workbook
Scroll down for links to lesson pages where individual lessons can be downloaded
Wave of Plastic Welcome Video
Wave of Plastic: Unit Introduction & Overview Video
Introduction to the Issue of Plastic Pollution Video
Click here for Lesson 1: A Planet Full of Plastic:
- How do we describe, quantify, and communicate about issues related to plastic waste?
- What is per-capita consumption and how do our choices and activities regarding the consumption and disposal of materials contribute to plastic waste?
- What choices are available for reducing our own personal plastic waste? What are the effects of those choices?
- How can we communicate our ideas, inform perspectives, and inspire action?
Click here for Lesson 2: What is Plastic?:
- How do we describe, quantify, and communicate about the issue of plastic waste?
- What are some of the consequences of the manufacture, use, and disposal of plastic?
- What happens to plastic over time?
- What are some of the alternatives to plastic?
- What properties of plastic influence our everyday choices to use plastic?
- How can we communicate our ideas, inform perspectives, and inspire action?
Click here for Lesson 3: From Hand, to Land, to Sea:
- How do we describe, quantify, and communicate about issues related to plastic waste?
- What are the causes and effects of pollution?
- What are the sources of plastic pollution?
- How and why does plastic pollution enter our waterways?
- How can we communicate our ideas, inform perspectives, and inspire action?
Click here for Lesson 4: Impacts of Plastic on Aquatic Ecosystems:
- How do we describe, quantify, and communicate about issues related to plastic waste?
- What causes disruptions to the stability of ecosystems?
- How can we use models to make predictions about the impacts of plastic pollution on ecosystems?
- How can personal choices and behaviors reduce the impacts of plastic pollution on ecosystems?
Click here for Lesson 5: We Can Make a Difference
- How do we describe, quantify, and communicate about issues related to plastic waste?
- What is environmental stewardship?
- How are students and other citizens engaging in informed action to address issues of plastic pollution?
- What can we do?