Environmental Plastic
Overview
A lesson for learners to understand and take action on the plastic issue in our envrionments.
Design Challenge Title: Guardians of the Earth
Author(s): SAMSLab@Strawbees Education
| Background and Question/Challenge:The United Nations has identified sustainable consumption and conservation and sustainable use of oceans as key goals to creating a sustainable environment here on Earth. Currently there is a threat to oceans due to plastic pollution, most of which comes from freshwater rivers, which then flow into oceans. 80% of the plastic that flows into rivers, flows into the ocean. The plastic has gathered into 5 big “dumpster” areas in the oceans, the largest of which is the Pacific Ocean. These plastic dumpsters are significantly impacting wildlife in the ocean and how the ocean supports people living on Earth. The Ocean Cleanup is an organization that has been researching the problem of plastic in oceans for years. They have come up with several proposals as to how to take plastic/trash out of the ocean. But since the origin of the plastic/trash dumpster is freshwater rivers on land, maybe we should look at how we can stop the plastic from entering the ocean.Your challenge should you decide to accept it is to create a system to model a river clearing barge cleaning up trash from a local river. | |
| SDG Goal:Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. | Why is this challenge relevant to students? This challenge takes something students use everyday, plastics, and helps them understand the impact of using plastics on the environment and their future. Students are then given the opportunity to be a part of the solution, which empowers them as individuals now and in the future. |
| Constraints/Criteria: TimeMaterials: access to and amount for different classesRegular Ed. teachers providing background lessons | Materials: SAM Labs Creators STEAM KitTapeColored PencilsScrap PaperHole Puncher Colored Paper |
| Math, Science, T&E, CS Standards:NGSS Earth Science 5-ESS3-1: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.PA Math Standards 2.4: Measurement, Data, and ProbabilityPA Computer Science Standard 1B.AP.10: Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals. | |
| Problem Solving Practice(s)/Process(s): Work collaborative with team members to create a system to represent a real-life ocean plastic cleanup apparatus and a river barge system to clean plastic/trash from a river.Using the Engineer Design Process; Ask what the problem(s) could be. Research and imagine and brainstorm a solution. Plan a good solution and a back-up solution. Create a prototype using the available materials. Test your prototype using a model of a real life situation. Improve and modify as needed. | Coding Activities/Lessons: EDP an apparatus using Strawbees and micro:bit.Code the necessary movements to retrieve plastic from the river and place it into the river barge. |
| STEM Career Connections:Environmental Engineer - apply engineering principles to solve problems that impact the environment.Computer and Information Research Scientist - conducts and applies research on how to use technology to solve real-world problems.Environmental Science and Protection Technicians - use knowledge of natural sciences to protect the environment and human health.Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians - implement the plans that environmental engineers develop. | Literature Connections:A Planet Full of Plastic by Neal LaytonLet’s Investigate Plastic Pollution On Land and in the Oceans by Ruth OwensWhat a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet by Jess FrenchSaving Tally: An Adventure into the Great Pacific Plastic Patch by Serena Lane FerrariPlastic, Ahoy!: Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by Patricia NewmanAll the Way to the Ocean by Joel HarperPesky Plastic: An Environmental Story by Leticia Colon De Mejias |
| Attachments/Student Handouts: Online Resources:https://theoceancleanup.com/oceans/https://theoceancleanup.com/sources/https://theoceancleanup.com/rivers/https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkQLwcYhBu4&feature=emb_rel_end | |
| Additional Resources/Notes:Grades 4&5: Lesson 5 - Guardians of the Earthhttps://learning.strawbees.com/product/samlabs |