Plastic Education

Kit

www.plasticsedkit.ocean.org

STUDENTS LEADINGCHANGE

A WORKBOOK FOR 

Grades 7-8

"I pledge to respect the ocean and appreciate what it gives me”Lesson 1

Let's talk about the ocean. Look at each of these topics below and connect them with anythoughts that come to mind. Go over your ideas with the rest of the class. 

PART 1: The ocean and life in the ocean shapes the earth.

How the OCEAN helps US

How WE HARM the ocean

How WE HELP the ocean

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“I pledge to respect the ocean and appreciate what it gives me”Lesson 1 - Continued...

PART 2: Plastic is changing the ocean environment.

Watch the video: How does plastic end up in the ocean? Answer the following questions: The Majestic Plastic Bag: A Mockumentary 1. What is a mockumentary? _________________________________________________________________________ 2. Was this an effective way to get across the message intended in the video? _________________________________________________________________________ 3. What was the intended message of the video? _________________________________________________________________________ What is Plastic – Brain Waves Episode 1 – Ocean Wise 1. What is the chemical composition of plastic? _________________________________________________________________________ 2. Why is plastic a problem? _________________________________________________________________________

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“I pledge to modify any hazardous plastics in my recycling bin.”Lesson 2

PART 1: The ocean made the earth habitable.Watch the video "Oceans are Life" by C3 and write your thoughts on the followingquestions: 1. How does the ocean influence your own life? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. How do you influence the ocean through your life? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What are some of the greatest threats and most promising solutions to keep the oceanhealthy in Canada (including the Great Lakes)?  _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. How are our daily lives affected by the ocean? Name three ways and discuss what’s themost surprising role it has on our lives. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Discuss the damage that has been done to our oceans and how we have contributed to it.Is it important to address this issue? What’s being done? What’s not? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Are you aware of the decisions you make at home and how they impact the ocean? Whatare you not doing that you could change? What are you doing you’d like to encourage othersto do as well? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Boris explains that people generally aren’t aware of how much we depend on our oceansfor a habitable planet. What would you do to fix this? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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“I pledge to modify any hazardous plastics in my recycling bin.”Lesson 2

PART 2: Marine life consumes plastic every day!

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“I pledge to take a reusable bag when I go shopping..”Lesson 3

PART 1: The earth has one big ocean with many features.

Draw a comic to illustrate how plastic litter can travel from the schoolyard to the ocean. 

Here's your draft:

Here's your final copy:

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“I pledge to take a reusable bag when I go shopping..”Lesson 3

PART 2: Plastic litter knows no borders.

Exit Slip: Please write down the following based on what you learned today. 3 Facts I learned today: 1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2 Ways plastic negatively impacts the ocean 1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Further question I now have about plastic in the ocean  1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

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“I pledge to do a shoreline clean-up.”

Lesson 4

PART 1: The ocean supports a wide diversity of life and ecosystems.

Watch the video "Saving Sea Lions: Why Marine Plastic Matters" and answer the followingquestions: 1. Is this a dangerous activity for the team and/or the sea lions?   _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What might happen to sea lions that the team is unable to help? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. How could we reduce the likelihood of sea lions or other marine life being entangled in plastic? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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“I pledge to do a shoreline clean-up.”

Lesson 4

PART 2: Plastic is changing the ecosystems of marine life.

Exit Slip: Please write down the following based on what you learned today. 3 facts I learned today: 1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2 ways I can reduce how plastic negatively impacts marine animals: 1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 further question I now have about plastic in the ocean: 1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 5

“I pledge to reduce the plastic litter in my lunches.”

PART 1: The ocean is a major influence on climate and weather.

Look at the diagram below and answer the questions that follow.

1. What is thermohaline circulation? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What causes ocean currents? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What is an eddy and what impact do they have? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 5

“I pledge to reduce the plastic litter in my lunches.”

PART 2: Plastic in our ocean is impacting the climate and weather.Time to do an experiment! We are going to determine if plastic and coloured paper will heat

up the water below it. Please fill out the information below:

1. Question:

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2. Hypothesis:

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3. Materials:

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4. Observations:

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5. Conclusion:

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Lesson 6

What are microplastics? Write a definition of what you think they are below:

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Watch the C3 video on Microplastics and answer the following questions:

1. In the video, Rhiannon discusses the cause and effects of microplastics. Were you aware of this issue?

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2. How can microplastics affect marine life? How can they affect people? How might it affect you?

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3. How do microplastics differ from other plastic pollutants? What role does a better waste management

contribute to solving this issue? Is a better system possible?

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4. What is still unknown about microplastics? Why is it important to keep learning?

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5. How have you contributed to this problem? What could you do differently and what behaviour would be

hard to change?

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6. For the behaviour that’s hard to change, what would you do to overcome this problem? Are there any local

organizations are working on this issue? What would you do to shift your habits and those of your peers?

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PART 1: The ocean is largely unexplored.

“I pledge to reduce my use of products with microbeads.”

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Lesson 6

PART 2: Microplastics are everywhere!

“I pledge to reduce my use of products with microbeads.”

Exit Slip: Please write down the following based on what you learned today. 3 facts I learned today: 1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2 ways I can reduce microplastics in the environment: 1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 further question I now have about plastics in the ocean:  1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 7

“I pledge to spread my knowledge about using plastics with others.”

PART 1: The ocean and humans are connected.

Work with a partner and complete this chart based on the videos Modern Science, NativeKnowledge and UN Plastic Ocean.

THINK: My thoughts on this 

KNOW: Facts I know are true 

WONDER: Questions I have 

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Lesson 7

“I pledge to spread my knowledge about using plastics with others.”

PART 2: We can all become wiser with our use of plastic.

Time to debate! Choose a topic from the teacher's choices and write your opinion below. Be

sure to refer back to your notes from the previous lessons to support your arguments.

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7Rubric: Unit Evaluation

The rubric can be used as a guide to help you understand how you might be

evaluated in the three main categories noted below. 

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