INTEGRATED K-12 PLASTIC POLLUTION CURRICULUM an interdisciplinary approach to environmental education through plastic pollution CONTENTS Page 4 About Algalita Page 5 Algalita’s Work Page 6 How to Use This Resource Page 7 Standards and Evaluations Page 8 Curriculum Overview Page X Other Algalita Programs Page X References ABOUT ALGALITA WHO ARE WE? OUR WORK Algalita is a nonprofit organization Algalita is dedicated to preventing plastic founded by Captain Charles Moore, the pollution by inspiring communities to man who discovered “The Great Pacific engage and act on effective solutions. Garbage Patch” in 1997. K AT I E A L L E N Executive Director WE WORK WITH YOUTH - to develop action campaigns TEACHERS – to educate & engage students BUSINESSES – to eliminate waste CHARLES MOORE Founder INDUSTRY – to inspire change GOVERNMENT – to spark policy SCIENTISTS – to support research ANIKA BALLENT Education Director STEPHANIE SHAO Development Coordinator OUR PARTNERS Cabrillo Marine Aquarium So. California Coastal Water Research Project Grades of Green Surfrider Foundation Ocean Institute G W E N L AT T I N Chief Scientist and others We are global leaders in the movement to end plastic pollution. We monitor and investigate plastic accumulation in the open ocean through global expeditions. We empower youth to become change-makers of today while preparing them to take on the challenges of the future. We inspire individuals and communities to adopt plasticsmart habits. We work with industry, policy makers, businesses, and entrepreneurs to design and evaluate solutions. SUPPLEMENTARY RESOURCES Plastic Ocean | Charles Moore 2011 Plastic Pollution in the Worlds Oceans … | Eriksen et al. 2014 Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean | Jambeck et al. 2015 Reducing Plastic Debris in the Los Angeles and San Gabriel River Watersheds | Midbust et al. 2014 The New Plastics Economy – Rethinking the Future of Plastics The New Plastics Economy – Catalyzing Action Circular Economy isn’t a magical fix for our environmental woes | The Guardian 2017 https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/14/circulareconomy-not-magical-fix-environmental-woes-global-corporations Integrative Environmental Medicine Ch. 1 – The Plastic Age… | Moore and Mosko 2017 Plastics the Environment and Human Health… | Thompson et al. 2009 Marine Litter Vital Graphics The Upcycle | William McDonough and Michael Braungart 2013 The Failure of Environmental Education (and how we can fix it) | Blumstein and Saylan 2007 http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0050120 ***Also a book with same title available | Charles Saylan and Daniel Blumstein 2011 Stemming the Tide | Ocean Conservancy 2015 https://oceanconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/full-reportstemming-the.pdf The Next Wave: Investment Strategies for Plastic Free Seas | Ocean Conservancy 2017 https://oceanconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/the-nextwave.pdf Nudging toward a healthy natural environment | Akerloff & Kennedy 2013 THE STORY BEHIND THIS RESOURCE This curriculum is designed to be an experimental approach to environmental education. Primary and secondary education has long used a subject-based approach, with little crossover between subjects and a strong focus on student evaluation through written exams. So far, this method has not proven effective in addressing the global environmental (or social, humanitarian, economic) challenges that grow more concerning every year, exacerbated by population growth and the global economic and political climate. We are drawing from idea sources such as Cradle to Cradle, The Upcycle and the Failure of Environmental Education to introduce a teaching resource designed around problem-driven learning. We want to learn how an integrated approach to education may help students, and in turn communities, to address environmental challenges. Our overarching goal is to spur individual buy-in through a curriculum that builds on personal engagement in the community and that translates to long-term engagement, behavior change and positive influence in the community. This curriculum is designed to teach a broad range of subjects and personal skills using a single, tangible environmental issue: plastic pollution. Having developed within the last six decades into a declared UN global emergency in 2018, plastic pollution is now ubiquitous in our marine and fresh waters, land and aquatic sediments, terrestrial habitats, atmosphere/air and even food sources, worldwide. Quite visible in many ways and invisible in other ways, plastics are directly and indirectly changing ecosystems, habitats and natural resources, and societies, too. Not only is plastic pollution an urgent, observable, global problem, but its solution lies among many subject realms, including design, engineering, policy, economics, social sciences, culture, human behavior, industrial constructs, and more. The characteristics of this challenge, as outlined above, make it a prime opportunity for teaching through an integrated approach. HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE The curriculum is structured in three levels, with each level comprising three topics. For each of the nine topics, three lesson plans are supplied. Listed as 1, 2 and 3, the lesson plans are designed to accommodate beginners, intermediate and advanced learners respectively. In a K-12 system, we would generally advise to use lesson 1 for K-4 students, lesson 2 for grades 5-8 and lesson 3 for students in grades 9-12. However, as the educator, you are the best judge of your students knowledge level and which activities may or may not be suitable. We hope that this curriculum provides flexibility and sufficient challenge for your learners. Each lesson plan includes an educator guide and in most cases a student worksheet. Some lessons are facilitated by the teacher while others include instructions outlined in the student worksheet, and in most cases, there is a combination. Extra materials are required in some cases, but we designed the activities to allow for a low budget and opportunity for using available or repurposed items. The overarching goal, learning objectives, anticipated duration, extra materials, teaching objectives, preparation guidelines and associated standards are all included. The activities follow a structure designed to maximize student engagement. This structure can be described as a circular network or process of learning methods including imagination, exploration, examination, investigation, experimentation, application, analysis, discussion, reflection, expansion of ideas. Learning is a process that draws on all of these actions. We hope by purposefully building the lessons around this process, will help students engage on a more fundamental level. The different stages of each activity are therefore titled: IMAGINE, EXPLORE, EXAMINE, INVESTIGATE, EXPERIMENT, APPLY, ANALYZE, DISCUSS, REFLECT & EXPAND. As an organization we hope to provide you, the educator with additional support in implementing this curriculum in your classroom and school wide. We hope to spark a transition towards more effective environmental education, through you and your daily interaction with students. To do this, we will be providing quarterly webinars to answer specific questions and to receive feedback from you. We aim to update this curriculum every summer to keep up with scientific and social developments related to the issue. ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL STANDARDS As this curriculum was designed in the United States, we have included for each activity, the current Federal education standards including Common Core and NGSS that align with the activity and the level to which the standards are addressed. EVALUATION METHODS The evaluation system for this curriculum is two-fold. 1. We want to be able to measure how the curriculum improves students’ short term academic development. Have students demonstrated and/or developed: Critical thinking skills, Deeper curiosity, Engagement in their work, Personal realization, Practical understanding and use of abstract concepts 2. We want to be able to measure the effectiveness of the curriculum in it’s long-term impact on students’ attitude towards community, environmental awareness and consideration, and cultural aspects of dealing with the imminent environmental challenges. Have students perceptibly changed their attitude towards: Human dependence on nature, The range of solutions required to address environmental issues, Their role in addressing the issue of plastic pollution, Are there perceptible changes in community engagement regarding environmental/sustainability challenges? HELP US HELP YOU We want to hear about your experiences, challenges and successes with this resource. Please use our educator feedback tool to help us evaluate our work so that we can best support you. IMPLEMENTATION MODELS Long term Short term LEARN SYNTHETIC SAND PLASTIC SOUP INSIDE PLASTIC p 10 p 23 p 36 ENGAGE DRIFTING DEBRIS LOST TRASH REUSE REFUSE P 52 P 67 P 88 ACT RECYCLE RESIN POLYMER POLITICS P 105 P 115 POLLUTION TECHSOLUTIONS P 127 SYNTHETIC SAND 1 What’s the difference between natural and synthetic sand? 2 How much plastic is in a coastal sediment sample? 3 How can density be used to analyze sediment samples? GOAL To understand what is sand, what are natural components of sand and what are unnatural components of sand. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Learn about the different components of sand. Be able to distinguish between natural and unnatural components of sand. Think critically about why plastics are found in sand and how it may get there. DURATION 60 minutes MATERIALS - - 1 bucket of sand (5 quarts is probably enough) – split into different containers, 1 for every 3 teams Shovels, 1 for every 3 teams Pie trays, 1 per team Magnifiers, 1 per team Worksheet, 1 per student Colored pencils and graphite pencils for drawing and sketching TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • • Engage students in exploring the complexity of natural coastal sediment. Students will understand where the plastic pollution on coastal environments originates from and how it arrives there. Engage students in thoughtful discussion of the best methods to address this issue (prevention as solution, cleanup as an engagement and temporary management tool). PREPARE Familiarize yourself with: • The student activity handout • The listed vocabulary • The types of plastic pollution • Sand characteristics Acquire materials and collect sand from a local beach, river bank or lake shore. Determine if plastics are present. If supplement plastic samples are needed please contact Algalita in advance. PROCEDURE Split students into teams or 2-3. Each team receives or collects a pie tray with a scoop of sand. Students complete the activity. Educator leads discussion in their teams with the questions below. 1. Compare how you used your senses to tell the difference between natural components of the sand, like shells and seeds, and artificial components of the sand, like plastic and glass? What sorts of clues did you use? Which senses were the most helpful? 2. What was the most unique or unusual object that you encountered? 3. People going to the beach may litter, wind can blow lightweight pieces from afar, and water washes debris downhill to the sea when it rains. Plastics floating in the ocean can be washed ashore by waves and carried by currents from far away. Where do you think the plastic in the sand you analyzed came from? Imagine and describe to your team the pathway one piece of plastic took from the person using it to the beach. 4. Do you think you found more plastic in the sand than is acceptable? Why? 5. Discuss with your team what you and your class can do differently in your day to day life to reduce how much plastic is going into the ocean. STANDARDS STEM Workshop: Synthetic Sand Page 14 GOAL To understand what is sand, what are natural components of sand and what are unnatural components of sand. IMAGINE Where does the plastic on a beach come from? Draw the journey a plastic straw may take from you to the beach. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Learn about the different components of sand. Be able to distinguish between natural and unnatural components of sand. Think critically about why plastics are found in sand, how it may get there and possible solutions. VOCABULARY Sand – tiny rock grains created by erosion Plastic – a man made material that is melted, shaped and cooled. Most plastics are made from petroleum Polymer – a long molecule of many repeating sections Synthetic – made by connecting many pieces Pollution – harmful or toxic things in our environment Resin pellet – a tiny bead of plastic that is melted down and molded into objects Anthropogenic – manmade STEM Workshop: Synthetic Sand Page 15 HOW TO DRAW A GREAT SKETCH You don’t have to be a good artist, but you do need to pay attention to detail. Try these tips: • Fill the entire space by drawing the magnified version of the whole object or a part of it. • Use different pencil strokes, like dots or shading to show variations in texture • Label as many different parts of the object as you can. Labels are used to tell other people what is in your drawing. Be as descriptive as possible. • Include a scale which shows how big the object is. Use a ruler to measure the item, then draw a line that matches the length you measured and write the length of the object next to it. EXAMINE In this activity we’ll be looking at beach sand and what you find in it. There are a lot of things that we find in beach sand, things that come from the animals and plants that live in the ocean and on the shore. Shells are the hard material that invertebrates make protect themselves. Plant pieces like seeds, sticks and leaves from land plants, like trees, and water plants, like algae, often break off and get washed onto the shore with the waves. We also find things in the sand that are not natural, but man-made. Anthropogenic items you might find are pieces of plastic, metal, glass, paper, and fabric. Pick out pieces in the sand that are interesting and sort the things you find into the four categories below, using the magnifying glass to get a better look. Pick one item from each category and draw a scientific sketch of how the item looks under the microscope. Use the tips on the left of the page to make sure you’ve included all the important parts of a sketch. Try to draw as much detail as you can, use up as much of the bubble as you can, and label what you are drawing to be like a real scientist! PIECE FROM A PLANT (Ex: leaf, twig, seed, algae) PIECE OF PLASTIC (Ex: fragment, resin pellet, rope, foam) STEM Workshop: Synthetic Sand PIECE FROM AN ANIMAL (Ex: shell, crab leg) PIECE OF ANTHROPOGENIC ITEM (e.g. metal, paper, fabric, glass) Page 16 GOAL To understand where plastic accumulates on shorelines, how it can be used to understand the coastal environments, and how monitoring is important for determining trends. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • • Engage students in exploring the natural coastal environment. Students will understand where the plastic pollution on coastal environments originates from and how it arrives there. Engage students in thoughtful discussion of the best methods to address this issue (prevention as solution, cleanup as an engagement and temporary management tool). PREPARE OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Understand field analysis methods and importance of accurate data sampling. Determine where microplastics accumulate in a sandy shoreline environment. DURATION About 3 hours for activity, not including transportation to study area. MATERIALS Per pair - Tape measure or rope 5 m long - Meter stick - Paper/cloth bag for each transect (~4-5) - Clipboard - Pencil/pen - Compass (optional) Per transect - 2 cones or flags to mark ends of each transect Determine a suitable study area and a sampling array. Study area can be a beach, riverbank, lake shore, etc. Based on scale and shape of beach, determine a sampling array composed of 5 or 10 meter transects parallel to the shore (line along which a 1 m swath of sand will be sampled for plastics, see field guide). Transects should be evenly spaced across a section of or the entire beach, spanning the distance from the water’s edge (wrackline) to the backshore. ACTIVITY OVERVIEW Students complete IMAGINE warm-up activity. Students form teams of 2-4. Pairs or groups of 4 are ideal. At field site, students measure out the predetermined array of transects using a tape measure or measured lengths of rope. Use cones or flags to mark beginning and end of each transect. Working in pairs, students collect all plastics visible in the surface sediment of a 1 meter wide swath of each transect. Plastics are stored in a collection container (paper bag) labeled with sample location. In the classroom, or calm area, students analyze samples by categorizing the plastics using the provided table. Ask students to transpose their data onto a screen/board to compare all students data. Guide students through analysis of data: • Plot how the total plastic abundance changed across the sample array. • Extrapolate the data to determine the average abundance of plastic on the beach per square meter? • What assumptions are made when extrapolating your data this way? • What spatial trends in plastic abundance are revealed using this transect sampling method? What might explain this? • What can be inferred about how plastic is transported in a coastal zone? Students can contribute their data to Algalita’s online citizen science database for microplastics in sediments through www.trashtrackers.org. Students can compare their findings with data taken worldwide. STANDARDS STEM Workshop: Synthetic Sand Page 17 GOAL To understand where plastic accumulates on shorelines, how it can be used to understand the coastal environments, and how monitoring is important for determining trends. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Understand field analysis methods and importance of accurate data sampling. Determine where microplastics accumulate in a sandy shoreline environment. IMAGINE The abundance of plastic on coastal beaches is constantly changing. Waves deposit plastics but also wash them away. The dynamic nature of beaches makes it challenging to understand plastic abundance. Like sand, the plastics are constantly reworked by the waves, some may be newly deposited and others may be moved up and down/back and forth along the beach for many years. Other observations: Plastics are found primarily sitting on top of sand where sand was recently or currently wet. Even the densest plastics are still less dense than sand and so they “float” on top of it. In dry sand, plastics can be mixed into deeper layers of sand. Plastics are found primarily at the high tide mark on beaches, and on the highest line reached by each wave. Also, they are found in restricted areas (along a jetty or harbor wall). Where does the plastic on a beach come from? Outline the journey a plastic straw may take from the consumer to the beach. VOCABULARY Microplastic – any piece of plastic less than 5 mm in size Macroplastic – any piece of plastic debris larger than 5 mm in size Primary Microplastic – a manufactured microplastic, e.g. a resin pellet or microbead Secondary Microplastic – a piece of plastic that broke down into a small (< 5mm) piece from a larger object What does a transects study allow you to measure? Why is it a helpful scientific sampling technique? What assumptions are made when you use your transect data? Resin pellet – a plastic nugget which will be melted down to produce a plastic object Transect – a straight line or narrow section through an object or natural feature or across the earth's surface, along which observations are made or measurements taken. Wrackline – a line of material deposited along the shoreline STEM Workshop: Synthetic Sand Page 18 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC MATERIALS Per pair - Tape measure at least 5 m long - Meter stick - Paper/cloth bag for each transect (~4-5) - Clipboard - Pencil/pen - Compass (optional) - Paper plate or pie tin WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR? Macroplastics e.g. Cigarette Butts, bottle caps, large fragments, bags, wrappers, bottles, etc Primary Microplastics Resin Pellets Secondary Microplastics Fragments grades 10-12 INVESTIGATE As a class you’ll travel to your study area. The first thing to do is to inspect your study area. Explore and investigate the following and jot down notes to look back at later. Are you investigating the entire beach, or a certain sub-area? What is the sediment grain size? Fine sand, coarse sand, pebbles? What direction does the beach face on average (use an online map or a compass)? Is the beach curved like a bay, or straight? At what part of the tidal cycle are you sampling in? High or low? Do you see a deposit of debris (wrackline) on the foreshore? Follow this procedure to collect each sample. Your teacher will help you determine how many samples you’ll take and where you’ll take them. • Walk to the waters edge and find the most recently deposited wrackline. Set up your first transect across the wrack line keeping your transect straight even if the wrack line is curved. • Set the 10 m rope on top of and as parallel to the wrack line as possible. • Starting at one end, place the meter stick perpendicular to the rope to mark a 1 meter wide swath. • Take a measurement of your location coordinates (using decimal degree format, to 5-7 decimal places, e.g. lat, long = 33.7470645, -118.1147850). Alternatively measure your distance from the water’s edge. • Label your collection container with your transect position, the length of the transect and your team member names. • Work your way from one end of the transect to the other, collecting any plastics visible on the surface of the sand, even the really small ones! • For any additional transects, repeat the collection procedure and labeling your new sample container with the new position. Analyze your plastic samples in a calm area (where it isn’t windy, best done indoors). • Empty the contents of one sample into a tray. Sort the plastics into these categories and record their quantity in the table on the following page. • After sorting, determine the ratio of microplastics to macroplastics by counting the total number of pieces bigger than 5 mm using a ruler or a sieve. Record the number of macroplastics and the number of microplastics in your table. • Count the total number of anthropogenic debris in your transect to get a total count. Add your results to our online monitoring dataset and help build a global database of microplastics found in sediment. Use the dataset and data visualizations to observe trends over time, compare watersheds, and characterize the plastics found around the world. To add your data, go to the website: www.trashtrackers.org. Enter your team’s data in the google excel spreadsheet. Find your new data point on the map (might take several days to refresh). Use the controls to compare your data to the other data already on the map. STEM Workshop: Synthetic Sand Page 19 ANALYZE Transect Data DON’T FORGET to use decimal degrees! >>>> Transect 1 Transect 2 Transect 3 Transect 4 Latitude Longitude Transect length RECORD the quantity, or number, of each plastic type you find. Resin Pellets Solid fragments Foamy fragments Film fragments Whole items TOTAL MACRO>5 mm TOTAL MICRO≤5 mm Rubber, glass, metal, paper Total macroplastics Total microplastics Total plastic Items Total non-plastic man-made items What was the most common type of macroplastic on your beach? What about the most common type of microplastic? Which was more abundant – micro- or macro-plastic? Do you notice any patterns or outliers in the data? Discuss with your group, what would you suggest to your city officials as the best way to reduce the amount of debris on the beach? STEM Workshop: Synthetic Sand Page 20 Sampling array (distances can vary) Collect all plastics visible on the surface of the sand in the shaded areas 10 meter transect 10 meter transect 1 m wide 10 meters apart 10 meter transect 10 meter transect 10 meters apart 1 m wide 10 meters apart 10 meter transect 10 meter transect 1 m wide STEM Workshop: Synthetic Sand Page 21 GOAL To analyze a sediment sample for microplastics using a density floatation method. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • • OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Students will understand how density can be used to separate different materials. Students will learn basic laboratory skills and techniques used in microplastics research. Students will develop critical thinking skills in analyzing plastics. DURATION About 120 minutes MATERIALS Engage students in learning about the scientific methods used to study plastics in benthic and sedimentary environments. Help student understand that testing the effectiveness of your methods is important in scientific research. Encourage students to look into the scientific literature about plastics in sediments around the world. Understanding what has already been done by other scientists is important for advancing knowledge and doing research that is valid and novel. PREPARE • • Familiarize yourself with the student activity handout and procedure. Collect materials. • Sand can be collected from a shoreline or purchased at a pet or hardware store. If sand is collected at beach, clean it first by sifting it through a kitchen sieve. Then pour the sifted sand into a bucket of water, stir to let woody and plastic pieces float to the top and pour off the water. Place in a tray in the sun to dry. • 1 red Solo cup or equivalent should be sufficient for an entire class. Cut 1 cm2 piece for each team. • Magnetic stirrer and bar can be replaced with a metal spoon for stirring. STANDARDS Introductory video 1 or 2 for class to share - Digital balance Per team - Student workbook - 100 mL sand - 800 mL distilled water - Table salt (120 g) - Red solo cup piece (1 cm x 1 cm - Scissors - 3 1000mL beakers - Magnetic stir plate and bar - Petri dish - Funnel with diameter roughly equal to or larger than beaker - Coffee filter - Fine tip tweezers STEM Workshop: Synthetic Sand Page 22 PREPARE GOAL To analyze a sediment sample for microplastics using a density floatation method. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Students will understand how density can be used to separate different materials. Students will learn basic laboratory skills and techniques used in microplastics research. Students will develop critical thinking skills in analyzing plastics. Calculate how much table salt (NaCl) should be added to water to make a solution with a density as close to 1.15 g/cm3 as possible. Density of pure water is 1.00 g/cm3 at 25 degrees C. Density varies with temperature is calculated as: d = mass / volume Weight percent of a solution: weight of solute/weight of solution x 100% Find the % by weight in solution for NaCl at 25 degrees C that would make the density of the solution closest to 1.15 g/cm3: VOCABULARY Microplastic – any piece of plastic less than 5 mm in size Sediment – matter settles to the bottom of a fluid Weight percent: ______ % Source: Salt Institute Accuracy – how close a measurement is to the correct (true) value How many grams of NaCl do you need to add to 100 mL of water at 25 degrees C to create a solution with a density of 1.15 g/cm3. Buoyancy – the ability for an object to float in water, air or another type of fluid Calculations: Ex. 10 % by weight NaCl at 25 deg C Density – mass per unit 𝑚 volume of a substance: 𝑉 STEM Workshop: XX = weight NaCl / weight H2O x 100% = X g NaCl / 100 g H2O x 100% = 10 g NaCl / 100 g H2O x 100% Page 23 MATERIALS Per team - Student workbook - 100 mL Sand - 800 mL distilled water - Table salt - Red solo cup piece (1 cm x 1 cm - Scissors - 3 1000mL beakers - Magnetic stir plate and bar - Petri dish - Funnel with diameter roughly equal to or larger than beaker - Coffee filter - Fine tip tweezers INVESTIGATE Your goal is to compare the extraction efficiency of two similar methods used to separate plastics from sediment. If you can retrieve all pieces with your method, it has an extraction efficiency of 100%. Test 1 : Freshwater Floatation a) Make sure you have all needed materials and read through the entire procedure before starting. b) Prepare the microplastics that you will spike your sample with: cut the 1 cm2 piece of plastic into 40 pieces. The pieces should be about 1 – 3 mm in size, being careful not to lose them! c) Place the 1000 mL beaker on the stir plate with the stir bar in it. Add 20 microplastic pieces and 50 g of sand into the beaker. Carefully pour in 400 mL of water. Turn on the stirrer and slowly turn up to a medium speed where the vortex does not quite reach the bottom of the beaker and stirs smoothly. Stir for 60 seconds. d) Turn off the stirrer and let every thing settle. Carefully, without disturbing the sediment, decant as much water as possible into the second beaker through the mesh sieve. e) Rinse the contents in the sieve into one corner and then into a Petridish. Count the number of glitter particles recovered using the microscope. Record the number of plastic particles in the table. Test 2 : Saltwater Floatation a) Create a salt water solution of 1.15 g/cm3. Place a new beaker with stir bar on the magnetic stir plate. How much salt needs to be added to 400 mL of water to make a solution with 1.15 g/cm3? Measure out the correct amount of salt on a tared scale, and add the salt to the beaker. Add 400 mL of water. Stir on medium speed until fully dissolved. b) Add 50 g of dry sand and 20 microplastic particles. Continue stirring for 1 minute to make sure solution is well homogenized. Let settle for 2 minutes. c) Carefully, without disturbing the sediment, decant as much water as possible into the second beaker through the mesh sieve. d) Rinse the contents in the sieve into one corner and then into a Petridish. Count the number of plastic particles recovered using the microscope. Record the number of plastic particles in the table. Pieces Plastic Recovered Percentage of Particles Recovered (recovered/initial) x 100 = ____ % Test 1 : Freshwater Test 2: Saltwater STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 24 APPLY Discuss with your group. How efficient was the fresh water at separating the plastic particles from the sediment? How about the salt solution? Why do you think there was a difference? How would you improve the method to increase the amount of plastics recovered? Calculate how much more dense would your solution have to be to remove Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fragments? PET is the plastic most commonly used to produce plastic water bottles. APPLY Imagine you are a scientist researching microplastics in the sediment of a lake or the ocean floor. The plastics found in natural sediments range in size (they can be much smaller than the particles you tested today), form (they can be fragments, fibers, or films), and polymer type. Design a method for analyzing the amount of plastics in your sediment. How would you collect the samples? How would you analyze the sediments? How would you analyze the plastic particles you find and identify them? Do some research online to get ideas from scientists who have studied this: Link to publications PDFs STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 25 PLASTIC SOUP 1 How does plastic break down and move through the food chain? 2 What is life in the neustonic zone like? Exploring the planktonplastic soup and the connection to the deep – Lanternfish. 3 Canaries of the sea. How are seabirds impacted by plastics and what can they teach us about pollution? Bonus : albatross boluses GOAL To explore 2 processes that involve plastic in the environment: 1. Photodegradation 2. Plastic ingestion TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • • OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Simulate the process by which plastics disintegrate. Simulate how plastics are involved in marine food webs. DURATION About 45 minutes Demonstrate the concept of food webs/trophic levels and the flow of energy and consumption Assist students in comprehending that plastic particles in ecosystems can affect animals at any trophic level, disrupt consumer relationships, and it can cascade through the food web Engage in class discussion of the core concepts of “plastic soup” PREPARE Familiarize yourself with: • The student activity handout • The listed vocabulary PROCEDURE STANDARDS • • 3-LS4-4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity 5-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics MATERIALS - Angel hair spaghetti cooked without oil Paper plates or reusable plates (1 per team) Tweezers (1 per team) Bowls (1 per team) Food items (lentils, rice, seaweed?) Utensils (straws, spoons, chopsticks, sieve) STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup Page 27 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 PROCEDURE Activity 1. Spaghetti Simulation of Photodegradation Each group receives a serving of spaghetti-pie on a plate and a butter knife. Instruct students to write down the properties of the spaghetti, which would simulate a newly formed plastic. Each spaghetti strand represents a polymer strand. In a newly formed plastic, polymers are massed together and hold their structure because of covalent bonding. Instruct students to use the tweezers to cut the strands of spaghetti, one snip per student taking turns in a round, for 10 seconds. Each snip of a spaghetti strand represents a break in a polymer strand caused by sunlight (UV rays) and the photodegradation process. After 10 seconds, students then examine the spaghetti pie again to see how it holds it shape. Students now have 30 seconds to snip the spaghetti, again taking turns to make one snip at a time. Students then examine the spaghetti pie to see how well it holds its shape. In the final round, students have 3 minutes to snip the spaghetti, followed by examining the spaghetti pie. The spaghetti should start to fall apart and not hold its shape, becoming smaller and smaller pieces, in the same way that plastic loses its structure and breaks into small fragments called microplastics. At end of activity, lead a class discussion. Discuss some of the differences between the spaghetti simulation and actual plastic photodegradation. • Time scale differences, hundreds of years vs. minutes • Sun vs. tweezers • Chemical reaction vs. physical break in spaghetti What did the simulation teach the students about photodegradation? STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup Page 28 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 Activity 2. Marine Animal Feeding Simulation The second activity is a simulation of marine animals feeding, and the challenges they face with plastic in their environment. Students rotate through 4 stations, each a simulation of a different type of animal. 3 minutes to “eat”, followed by 2 minutes to discuss challenges in “eating” only non-plastics. Stations 1: Pelagic feeders (turtles, diving birds) – bowl containing water, strips of plastic bags, strips of clear spring roll sheets. Students pick out food using sight and wooden tongs. Station 2: Filter feeders (bivalves, crustaceans (krill), sponges, some fish and whales) – bowl with water and cooked colored alphabet noodles, using a comb, sieve and straw to collect food particles. Certain color or letters are plastic, others are plankton and natural food. Station 3: Surface feeders (birds, myctophids-lanternfish) – bowl with water and floating items (corn, cinnamon stick, twig pieces, small plastic objects or fragments if available) (uncooked), collect food with spoons or clothespins. Station 4: Benthic feeders (fish, worms) – bowl with sesame seeds (edible particulates), poppy seeds (sand) and flax seeds (plastic). Pick out sesame seeds while blind folded. STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup Page 29 GOAL To explore 2 processes that involve plastic in the environment: 1. Photodegradation 2. Plastic ingestion IMAGINE What is an example of a marine animal that could be affected by plastic? How would it be affected and how would the plastic alter it’s behavior? OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Simulate the process by which plastics disintegrate. Simulate how plastics are involved in marine food webs. Is plastic edible? Why or why not? VOCABULARY Microorganism – a microscopic organism Plankton – small aquatic organisms that live in the water column What is an example of a sea animal at the bottom of the food chain? At the top? Name, draw or describe them. Ecosystem – a community of organisms and their habitat Food web – network of organism are connected by the food they eat Photodegradation – the process by which something is broken down by sunlight Here are 2 pictures, one is of a new piece of plastic, the other of an old piece. Describe the similarities and differences. NEW STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup BOTH OLD Page 30 Spaghetti Simulation of Plastic Photodegradation Describe how well the spaghetti sticks together after each round. Did it hold it’s shape or fall apart? Can you pick it up as one piece? 10 Second Round 30 Second Round 3 Minute Round Marine Animal Plastic Ingestion Simulation Describe the challenges you faced when feeding like each of these types of animals. Could you easily tell the plastic and food apart? Did you accidentally eat plastic? What are some ways that this simulation is different from real animals looking for edible food in our marine environment? Surface Water Feeders Benthic Feeders Filter Feeders Pelagic Feeders STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup Page 31 GOAL Investigate interactions between biotic and abiotic components of the marine neustonic and pelagic zones. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. To simulate the effects of plastic pollution on the stability of a food web. Simulate the global phenomenon of myctophid diurnal migrations and interactions with microplastics. Identify planktonic species and various forms of microplastics through visual analysis of water sample photographs. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Challenge students to connect their learning from the simulation to the actual situation occurring in the ocean, through abstract compare-contrast thinking. Build on food-web connectivity and energy transfer concepts by tying in the disruptive microplastic which does not add energy to the system. PREPARE STANDARDS • • • • • MS-LS1-5 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics MS-LS2-5 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity DURATION About 60 minutes MATERIALS - - Cones or field markers Paper/cloth bags (2-3x number of students) Plastic items (empty wrappers, containers) and individual food items Pencil/pen Printed Plastic Soup cards (grayscale and colored) STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup Page 32 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 PROCEDURE Canaries of the Sea – Lanternfish Simulation Myctophids (Lanternfish) are a pelagic fish species that make up about 65% of the deep-sea fish biomass worldwide. (Hulley, P. Alexander (1998). Paxton, J.R.; Eschmeyer, W.N., eds. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 127–128. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.) They are thought to be one of the most abundant fish in the open ocean. Lanternfish are small (2-30 cm) and migrate towards the surface every night to feed on plankton. They have bioluminescence patterns on their sides and underbellies that help them camouflage and hide from predators below. Lanternfish are known to ingest microplastics during their night feeding. As a key species of the open ocean the impact of plastic ingestion on their survival is critical. These animals are also thought to be a large factor in transport of carbon from the ocean surface to the deep sea where it has potential to be sequestered. Students simulate Lanternfish feeding patterns and the effect of plastic on survival probability through the following game. Set up: Demark two lines about 50-80 ft apart (opposite ends of a field). The length of each line should accommodate space for all students in relay teams of 4. At the far end of the field, along the line, place bags (paper or cloth) containing one item each, either food items or plastic (e.g. an apple, crackers, etc, and chip wrappers, water bottles, etc.). Number of bags should be 2-3 times the number of students. The ratio of bags containing plastic to food should be ~6 to 1 to represent surface water plastic to plankton ratios in ocean accumulation zones. Play: Round 1 - Students form groups of 4 and line up along the start line in relay form. Instruct students that they have 1-2 minutes to run to the bags, grab a bag (first one the touch they have to take) run back, open the bag and take out the item and tag the next person in line to go. Any plastic items collected need to be carried by hand by the team members for the rest of the round, without a bag as assistance. Any dropped plastic needs to be picked up before continuing. This process represents the diurnal migration taken by myctophids from >200 m depth towards the surface to feed on plankton. Myctophids ingest microplastic particles leading to decreased energy reserved, reduced nutrition and other negative stressors associated with eating buoyant indigestible plastics. Round 2 – Each team counts the number of plastic items and food items collected in the previous round. The ratio of plastic to food items determines how many students continue for that group in the next round. For example, group A collected 2 food pieces and 4 plastic pieces, so 2 members of that group compete for that group in the next round. If a group collects more food than plastic, all group members continue to the next round. Before next round return food/plastic to bags and place on the line. The elimination of students represents the negative influence of plastic ingestion on survival and reproduction rates in myctophids. Continue with additional rounds in the same manner. Plastic Soup Photo-analysis Students work in groups to identify various neustonic life forms common in the North Pacific, and distinguish them from plastic fragments and particles. Starting with the grayscale images, students guess whether each lettered object is a plastic fragment or a plankton. Students then receive the colored/detailed images and the identification card to identify the plankton in the image(s). Each group can work through one, or a collection of the images. Key: Image 1: a. Fragment b. Crustacean c. Fragment d. Shrimp e. Halobates f. Fish larvae g. Crustacean h. Crustacean Image 2: a. Crustacean b. Crustacean c. Crustacean d. Shrimp e. Fragment f. Fish larvae g. Gastropod h. Gastropod i. Gastropod j. Fragment k. Crustacean l. Shrimp m. Shrimp n. Fragment STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup Image 3: a. Fragment b. Fragment c. Crustacean d. Crustacean e. Fragment f. Halobates g. Gastropod h. Fragment Image 4: a. Fragment b. Isopod c. Crustacean d. Fragment e. Crustacean larvae? f. Fish larvae g. Fragment h. Gastropod Page 33 GOAL Investigate interactions between biotic and abiotic components of the marine neustonic and pelagic zones. IMAGINE Most regions of the open oceans are characterized by relatively low nutrient levels and therefore low biomass levels (fewer animals and plants). These areas, however, host abundant phytoplankton and zooplankton communities. The phytoplankton use the available nutrients and sunlight to grow. Zooplankton feed on they phytoplankton and the zooplankton support larger organisms from small fish such as Myctophids to large mammals such as whales. The food web of the pelagic (open) ocean relies fully on the phytoplankton growing near the surface. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. To simulate the effects of plastic pollution on the stability of a food web. Simulate the global phenomenon of myctophid diurnal migrations and interactions with microplastics. Identify planktonic species and various forms of microplastics through visual analysis of water sample photographs. VOCABULARY Microorganism – a microscopic organism Plankton – small aquatic organisms that live in the water column Draw or describe how the presence of microplastic in the surface water might impact a pelagic marine food web? A type of small pelagic fish, called Myctophids – or Lanternfish – are extremely abundant. There are over 300 different species of Myctophids, and they are thought to comprise about 65% of deep-sea fish biomass (Hulley, P. Alexander (1998). Paxton, J.R.; Eschmeyer, W.N., eds. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 127–128. ISBN 0-12547665-5). Myctophids migrate every night from deep waters to the surface to feed on plankton. They are known to be an important part of the pelagic food web, but they also ingest plastic mistaking it for food. APPLY Ecosystem – a community of organisms and their habitat Food web – network of organism are connected by the food they eat Trophic levels – a group of organisms in an ecosystem that are at the same level in the energy cascade of a food chain Neustonic zone – thin surface air-water interface of a body of water Image of myctophid and plastic Photodegradation – the process by which something is broken down by sunlight In groups you’ll simulate Myctophid diurnal (daily) migrations and feeding challenges through an outdoor game followed by an identification challenge where you’ll try to distinguish plastic and plankton in water samples from the neustonic zone of the North Pacific Ocean. Your teacher will lead you through the simulation game and activity. During the simulation, keep the Myctophids in mind and consider how the simulation might be similar or different from the real situation. Oxidation – the incorporation of oxygen molecules into plastic STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup Page 34 Use the outline of each lettered object to determine whether it is plankton or microplastic. Image 1: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. Image 2: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. Image 3: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup Image 4: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. Page 35 Using the guide, identify each lettered object by plankton or plastic type: Image 1: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. Image 2: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. Image 3: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup Image 4: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. Page 36 EXPLORE Biological pump The cycling of carbon through the marine ecosystem via organisms tissue and shells. The biological pump “pumps” carbon from the atmosphere to the deep water and ocean floor. Myctophids make up a large portion of the pelagic biomass, and by feeding on surface plankton and swimming back down to depth where they excrete fecal pellets, they are transferring carbon to the deep ocean. In the deep ocean, the carbon is effectively sequestered, or captured, because the carbon will stay in the deep waters or sediment for a long time before being transported back to the atmosphere. This process links plastic pollution with another global environmental phenomenon – climate change. If Myctophid populations are harmed by widespread plastic ingestion, the biological pump may stop. Based on your knowledge of climate change outline a worst-case scenario for a broken biological pump caused by plastic pollution. To get started, continue the cause-andeffect flow chart. Microplastic in surface water far outnumbers plankton Myctophids ingest microplastic and populations become stressed Myctophids ingest microplastic and populations become stressed Myctophid populations crash What measures would you put in place to prevent this scenario from taking place? How can humans best intervene, without disrupting the ocean ecosystem? STEM Workshop: Plastic Soup Page 37 INSIDE PLASTIC 1 Sink or float? Where does plastic end up in the environment? 2 What are the polymers found in common plastic items? How do you measure density? How do you measure density? 3 What do polymers look like at the molecular level? GOAL To understand what is plastic and how different plastics can have different buoyancy. TEACHING OBJECTIVES Guide students in an exploration of different plastics and their physical properties. Challenge students to think out side the classroom about where plastic comes from, how we use it and how its physical properties define its behavior in the natural environment. PREPARE OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Determine the buoyancy of different plastic items in the classroom. Understand how litter behaves in an aquatic environment. Think about how different plastics will affect different aquatic organisms based on where they are transported. DURATION About 45 minutes MATERIALS Buoyancy Modelling Kit per Student - Bucket or large beaker - Observation sheet with tables - Digital mass balance - 10mL graduated cylinder Student handbook USB (student handouts, Powerpoint presentation) Prepare the needed materials and bring some backup plastic items for students to test PROCEDURE • • • • Students work in teams of 2-4 and find 5 different items in the classroom that are made of a single type of plastic and can get wet. Examples are a bottle cap, sandwich bag, plastic utensil, plastic ruler, food wrapper, etc. Each team receives a bucket of fresh water. Teams complete table with objects description and sink/float prediction based on information in the density table. Students submerge one object at a time in the water making sure to push the item completely underwater and dislodge any bubbles before releasing and observing. Students record observations in the table. DISCUSS What would happen to plastics that sink, if they are littered in the environment? Where would they end up? What about the plastics that float? Where would they end up? Which animals are likely endangered by plastics with a resin code 1? How about resin code 2? Why? Which plastic items are more likely to affect marine birds? Why? STANDARDS • 5-PS1-3 Matter and its Interactions STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 40 EXPLORE GOAL To understand what is plastic and how different plastics can have different buoyancy. List 5 classroom items that are made from plastic. Describe how you use clues like touch, smell and color, to help you know they are plastic? ITEM CLUES THAT IT IS PLASTIC 1: OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Determine the buoyancy of different plastic items in the classroom. Understand how litter behaves in an aquatic environment. Think about how different plastics will affect different aquatic organisms based on where they are transported. VOCABULARY Plastic – a synthetic or natural material that can be softened, shaped then hardened 2: 3: 4: 5: Create a Venn diagram showing the similarities and differences between two plastic items that you see in your classroom. ITEM 1 BOTH ITEM 2 Synthetic – man-made through a chemical process Polymer – a molecule made up of a long chain of a repeating unit (a monomer) Buoyancy – the ability for an object to float in water, air or another type of fluid Density – mass per unit 𝑚 volume of a substance: 𝑉 STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 41 TIPS • Use the density tale to figure out the density of your item. Try to find the resin code printed on the item or use the common uses table to find what kind of plastic it is. • Make sure your items can get wet. If you are not sure, ask your teacher. • Push the item all the way underneath the water. If you just drop it in, the surface tension of the water may hold it afloat. • Brush off any air bubbles that may be trapped inside the object or that are stuck on its surface. • Make sure there aren’t any air compartments in the items that cannot be filled by water, that are keeping it afloat. Object Resin code number Prediction: Will it sink or float? Fast or slow? E.g. Straw 6, PS It will sink slowly STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Experiment: Write your observations Page 42 Density Table Resin Code Plastic Type Density (g/mL) of the polymer Common uses Polyethylene terephthalate 1.38 Drink bottles, oily food containers, thin clear packaging boxes High-density polyethylene 0.95 Grocery bags, sturdy household containers, like jugs and yogurt tubs 1.16-1.45 Clear food packaging, shampoo bottles, piping Low-density polyethylene 0.93 Squeeze bottles, bread bags, frozen food bags, plastic furniture Polypropylene 0.90 Bottle caps, straws, medicine bottles Polystyrene 0.02-1.07 Styrofoam, disposable utensils and cups, CD cases Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Substance Density (g/mL) Water 1.00 Seawater 1.03 STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 43 GOAL Understand how to identify different polymers using the Andrady Floating Method. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Lead students through an investigation of plastics in commonly used consumer products. Challenge students to conduct experimentation methodically and carefully. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Test multiple single use plastic items to determine their polymer composition. Understand density and how it can be used as an analysis tool. DURATION About 45 minutes MATERIALS PREPARE Prepare materials for each station. Chemicals can be distributed into beakers by the teacher or students. It is recommended that the actetone be handled by the teacher primarily. We suggest students are given a pipette containing a couple mL of acetone and a beaker to hold the pipette when not in use. Prepare plastics, cutting products into ~1 cm size pieces and removing the portions containing resin code/recycling symbols. Add-on: Collect plastic fragments from the beach, river bank or street for students to identify using the Andrady Floatation Method. Team materials - - 1x Workbook 1x Dichotomous Tree for Andrady Floating Method 1x tweezer or forceps Gloves for each team member 5x 200 mL beaker or small jar 1x Petri dish to hold plastics 1x pencil Some paper towels Go over safety precautions and procedures with students. Students and teacher are advised to wear gloves, googles, and a lab coat if possible. Chemical MSDS’s are found here: Acetone: http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927062 Glycerol: http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927350 Isoproply alcohol: http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924412 LESSON OVERVIEW 10 minutes Show introductory video and answer student questions. 5 minutes Guide students through the procedure and group students into teams of 2-4 depending on class size. 20 minutes Students conduct experiment following the workbook and answer discussion questions in teams. 10 minutes Guide a class discussion using follow up questions. Chemicals (100 mL per team) - Water Acetone Isopropyl alcohol Glycerol Oil (Mazola corn oil if possible) Plastic suggestions (at least one piece of each item per team) - Straw, Soda lid, Water bottle, Yogurt or butter tub, Grocery bag, Sandwich bag, Solo cup, Utensil, Foam cup, CD-ROM, Plastic fragments from beach/stream or street STANDARDS • MS-PS1-3 Matter and its Interactions STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 44 IMAGINE GOAL To understand how to identify different polymers using the Andrady Floating Method. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Test multiple single use plastic items to determine their polymer composition. Understand density and how it can be used as an analysis tool. VOCABULARY Buoyancy – the ability for an object to float in water, air or another type of fluid There are many different types of polymers that are used to make plastic products. These are eight common types. Polystyrene (PS) – Can be foamed or solid Polypropylene (PP) – is the 2nd most produced plastic Polyurethane (PU) – often used in construction and insulation Polycarbonate (PC) – a plastic made using Bisphenol A (BPA), which in its monomer form is a human hormone disruptor Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) – often used in piping and imitation leather, can be rigid or flexible (phthalates added to make it flexible) Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) – also known as polyester Low density polyethylene (LDPE) – polymers are branched like trees High density polyethylene (HDPE) – the polymer chains are unbranched and line up close together like raw spaghetti Jot down as many reasons as you can think of for why different products are made of different types of plastics? Density – mass per unit volume of a substance: 𝑚/𝑉Dichotomous tree – Synthetic Polymer – a manmade molecule made up of a long chain of a repeating unit (a monomer) Acetone – a flammable chemical often used in nail polish remover, has a strong smell I sopropyl alcohol – a colorless, flammable chemical often used as a cleaning or disinfecting agent, has a strong smell Why would a recycling company need to know what kind of plastic an object is made from? Glycerol – a colorless, viscous liquid, a byproduct of making soap Forceps – a tool used to hold things, like tweezers In this activity, you’ll be working with chemicals that can be harmful if not handled correctly. Acetone, for example, is flammable. Review and write down what you need to do to be responsible in this activity. STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 45 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC MATERIALS grades 10-12 INVESTIGATE Team materials Read the entire procedure so that you can think ahead during the activity. - Prep for your experiment: Gather your team materials. Using masking tape and a pencil, label the beakers with “Water”, “Isopropyl”, “Glycerol” and “Oil”. Put about 100 mL of each chemical in the appropriate labeled beaker and line them up on your table. Put the beaker containing a dropper with acetone on your table. Collect one piece of each type of plastic. In the table below fill in the first column with the product that each piece of plastic is from, e.g. Straw, sandwich bag. - - 1x Workbook 1x Dichotomous Tree for Andrady Floating Method 1x tweezer or forceps Gloves for each team member 5x 200 mL beaker or small jar 1x Petri dish to hold plastics 1x pencil Masking tape and a permanent marker to label beakers with chemical name Some paper towels Chemicals (100 mL each) - Water Acetone (in a pipette) Isopropyl alcohol Glycerol Oil (Mazola corn oil if possible) Plastic suggestions (at least one piece of each item per team) - Conduct the Andrady Floating Method: Start with one piece of plastic. Using the forceps, submerge the piece in the beaker containing water and release it. Observe whether it sinks or floats. Using the dichotomous tree, determine which fluid you should test for bouyancy next. Using the forceps, pull the piece out, dab it dry with a paper towel and then submerge it in the next fluid. Repeat this process for the piece of plastic until you have determined its polymer type. If the tree says “Add Acetone”, place the piece in the Petri dish and, using the pipette, drop 1-2 drops of acetone on the piece and observe what happens. Repeat the Andrady Floating Method for each plastic piece. If you still have time, and your teacher has prepared for it, test plastic fragments and resin pellets found on your local beach using the Andrady Floating Method. TIPS: • Wear gloves and goggles to protect your skin and eyes. • Make sure there are no bubbles on the plastic pieces that are keeping it afloat. • Use caution and common sense when handling and working with any chemicals. Straw, Soda lid, Water bottle, Yogurt or butter tub, Grocery bag, Sandwich bag, Solo cup, Utensil, Foam cup, CD-ROM, Plastic fragments from beach/stream or street What product is the plastic piece from? (e.g. straw) What type of polymer is it? What product is the plastic piece from? (e.g. straw) 1. 7. 2. 8. 3. 9. 4. 10. 5. 11. 6. 12. STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic What type of polymer is it? Page 46 ANALYZE Discuss these questions with your team before writing down any answers. Were there any items that could not be identified using the Andrady Floating Method? If yes, why? Using the dichotomous tree for the floatation method order these substances from lowest density to highest density: glycerol, oil, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, water, polystyrene, polypropylene and isopropyl. Lowest: __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ Highest: __________________ Sometimes plastics are made with fillers, like calcium carbonate (what a lot of shells are made of), that change the density of the item. They add fillers and other chemicals to change the properties of the plastic. For example, calcium carbonate added to plastic makes the plastic more shiny and smooth, as well as opaque (not see through), and stronger. Because of the possible addition of fillers in plastics, we can’t be sure that the plastics we are testing are actually what the dichotomous tree helps us determine. What are some problems that this would create for companies trying to recycle plastics? Hint: Recycling companies use floatation to separate some of their plastics. Did you test any plastics found in the environment using this test? Which was the most common type of plastic found? How could you explain this? STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 47 DICHOTOMOUS TREE FOR ANDRADY FLOATING METHOD PLACE IN WATER FLOATS SINKS PLACE IN GLYCEROL FOAM LIKE SOLID ADD ACETONE PLACE IN ISOPROPYL Dissolves or feels sticky FLOATS No effect PLACE IN OIL PS foam PU foam FLOATS SINKS PP LDPE SINKS FLOATS SINKS ADD ACETONE ADD ACETONE Dissolves or feels sticky No effect Dissolves or feels sticky No effect PS Nylon PVC PET (or PC) HDPE STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 48 MATERIALS Density Modelling Kit per Student - Plastic pellets - Graduated cylinder - Purified water - Weighing cups and trays - Digital mass balance - Paper towels for drying - Pencil, paper, calculator EXPLORE You’ve used liquids with known densities to determine the type of plastic based on its buoyancy in those fluids. But how can we measure the actual density of a plastic? Density is defined as the mass per volume of an item, i.e. how much matter there is in a given space. To measure this, we can use a graduated cylinder, a mass balance, and water. Its easiest to do this experiment using plastic that doesn’t float in water, e.g. PET. We’ll use a water bottle. Cut a water bottle into roughly 1 cm pieces (don’t include the cap or labels or any parts with glue). 1. Weigh your plastic using a mass balance: ______ grams Now fill a medium sized graduated cylinder (500 mL or 1000 mL) with water ½ to ¾ full (use filtered or deionized water if possible). 2. Record your starting volume: _______ mL * Remember to bring your eyes down to the level of the water to read the volume and make sure use the bottom of the meniscus. Add your plastics to the graduated cylinder. Push them down with a pencil or other tool and stir to remove as many bubbles as possible. 3. Read the volume of the graduated cylinder again: ______ mL The added plastic should have made the water level rise. Because the density of water is: 1 g / cm3, and 1 cm3 = 1 mL, we can use the difference in the water volume to measure the volume of the plastic. Record the difference in the water volume measurements which equals the volume of the plastic that you added. 4. Total plastic volume (mL) = Final measurement – initial measurement = _______ mL - ______ mL = ______ mL The density of the plastic is: 5. Total plastic mass (g) / total plastic volume (mL) Density of PET = _______ g / _______ mL = _______ g/mL = _______ g/cm3 STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 49 GOAL To understand what plastic really is, what it looks like at the molecular level and how it interacts with other marine pollutants. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Model the chemical structure of various plastic monomers and polymers. Understand how plastics breakdown, Learn how plastics can act as a transport mechanism for toxins into the food chain. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • Guide students through exploration of chemical structures both individually and by working together to overcome challenges. PREPARE Familiarize yourself with: • General structural chemistry, bonds and molecules • Bond angles • Lewis structure vs Shorthand structure • Plastic names and uses LESSON OVERVIEW STANDARDS • • HS-PS2-6 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions HS-PS1-3 Matter and its Interactions DURATION About 45 minutes MATERIALS Molecular Modeling Kit per Student - 26 x bond stems - 14 x Carbon spheres (black) - 14 x Hydrogen spheres (white) - 5 x Chlorine spheres (yellow) STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 50 IMAGINE GOAL To understand what plastic really is, what it looks like at the molecular level and how it interacts with other marine pollutants. What is plastic made from and how is it produced? What element must all types of plastic contain? OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Model the chemical structure of various plastic monomers and polymers. Understand how plastics breakdown. Learn how plastics can act as a transport mechanism for toxins into the food chain. VOCABULARY Synthetic polymer – any human-made, moldable, organic material Which of the six most commonly produced plastics float in sea-water? In freshwater? Organic compound – any compound that contains carbon Molecular mass – the mass of a molecule, generally measured in grams (g) Petrochemical – chemical products derived from petroleum Monomer – the repeat-unit molecule which links in large numbers to form a polymer What processes cause plastics to breakdown into smaller pieces? Photo-degradation – the degradation of a molecule by the adsorption of photons, e.g. from sunlight Density – mass per unit 𝑚 volume of a substance: 𝑉 Hydrophobic – does not mix with water, “waterfearing” Pre-production pellet – a plastic nugget which will be melted down to produce a plastic object STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 51 MATERIALS Molecular Modelling Kit - 26 x bond stems - 14 x Carbon spheres (black) - 14 x Hydrogen spheres (white) - 5 x Chlorine spheres (yellow) INVESTIGATE a) Examine the structural formula handout. b) Begin with high-density polyethlyene (HDPE). c) Each person in the group will assemble one monomer using the molecular model kit. Work together to make sure that you make identical models. d) Once you each have correctly built monomers, assemble an HDPE polymer by connecting all the monomers from your group. TIPS • • • • For example: ___ Single bond === Double bond Three ways to show structure of propene: • Each letter represents an element/atom. A line represents a single bond, a double line represents a double bond. If two lines come together at an angle with no letter, it means there is a carbon located there. In shorthand notation, which is used on the handout, hydrogens are often left out. Make sure that each atom in the molecule has the right amount of bonds. Element C H O Cl # of bonds 4 1 2 1 You will need to experiment with the angles of the bonds to make your molecule. Remember the model will be 3-D and the shorthand notation is 2-D. a) As a class combine all the polymers to build an HDPE macromolecule. Reconstruct the macromolecule model to make an LDPE macromolecule. Use the diagrams below: HDPE LDPE ANALYZE Discuss with your team two reasons why LDPE would degrade more quickly by photodegradation than HD-polyethylene once it is lost in the environment? (Think about the structures of the macromolecules.) STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 52 APPLY In your team, construct one molecule of DDT, a pesticide widely produced and used in the 40’s and 70’s which is now illegal in the US. Persistent Organic Pollutant - An organic chemical that is generally toxic and remains in the environment for extended periods of time because of resistance to chemical, biological, and photodegradation. DDT and other persistent organic pollutants are toxic and remain for many years after they enter marine environments because the decay into their metabolites extremely slowly, similar to plastics. Also, both plastic and DDT are hydrophobic so DDT can adsorb to the surface of microplastics and increase the toxicity for animals that might ingest the plastic piece. Look at the world map of DDT levels found on pre-production pellets. Metabolite - A breakdown product or a product of metabolism (biological process) Adsorb - To stick or adhere to the outside surface of another particle Image from: International Pellet Watch http://www.pelletwatch.org Where are the highest levels of DDT and its metabolites (DDD and DDE) found? Why might older plastic debris (such as a 10 year old bottle cap fragment) be more likely to transport toxins into the marine food chain than just discarded plastic (such as a water bottle just littered in the ocean)? STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 53 RESIN CODE STRUCTURAL FORMULA POLYMER DENSITY (g/mL) COMMON USES High-density polyethylene 1.38-1.39 Bottles and food containers Low-density polyethylene 0.95-0.96 Sturdy household containers Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 1.16-1.45 Clear food packaging, shampoo bottles, piping Polypropylene 0.92-0.94 Squeeze bottles, bags, clothing Polystyrene 0.90-0.91 Bottle caps, straws, medicine bottles PLASTIC TYPE Monomer Polymer Polyethylene terephthalate SUBSTANCE 0.02-1.07 STRUCTURAL FORMULA Styrofoam, disposable utensils DENSITY (g/mL) COMMON USES 0.99 Insecticides, bug spray 1.00 Drinking, irrigating, recreation 1.03 Covers about 70% of the Earth’s surface DDT Dichlorodiphenyltrichl oro-ethane Water Seawater STEM Workshop: Inside Plastic Page 54 DRIFTING DEBRIS 3-5 What in the world are gyres? 6-8 Why do gyres form? How do gyres define plastic accumulation zones? 9-12 Can you create a microplastics heat-map? GOAL To understand how plastic moves throughout the world’s oceans. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • • OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Students will be able to map global coordinates. Students can explain why we find plastic though out our oceans. Students can explain what is a gyre and why we find accumulation zones of plastic debris. Convey to students that plastic is found everywhere throughout the ocean Explore the concept of oceanic gyres which are a natural phenomenon and their effect on the movement of plastic pollution Engage students in the concepts of 2D mapping, coordinates and plotting points PREPARE Familiarize yourself with the student activity and worksheet. Print a workbook for each team of 2-4 students. LESSON OVERVIEW IMAGINE How do scientists collect water samples from the ocean? Where in our oceans do we find plastic? DURATION About 45 minutes MATERIALS - Printed worksheet Pencil/pen Ruler Gyres are large systems of circulating currents. You can imagine a current like a stream of water but they are much larger and describe the average direction of water in that part of the ocean. Several currents moving through each ocean make up the gyre. The earth is round and spins which causes the gyres in the Northern and Southern hemispheres to move in opposite directions! STANDARDS • • • • 3-LS4-4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity 5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity 3-5-ETS1-1 Engineering Design 3-5-ETS1-2 Engineering Design STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 56 STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 57 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC VOCABULARY Gyre – large system of circulating ocean currents Watersheds – an area of land where all the water that falls in it, drains to a common outlet grades 10-12 INVESTIGATE Look at the five water samples collected from the worlds oceans. What do you see in the samples? A B C D Accumulation zone – where plastics and other floating debris is pushed by winds and surface currents. This is usually the near the center of the gyre. Coordinates – a set of values that show an exact position Latitude – a coordinate value that shows position parallel to the Equator (North or South), for example 30 degrees North. Longitude – a coordinate value that shows position parallel to the Prime Meridian (East or West), for example: 150 degrees West. E What things can you identify in these samples? How are they similar? How are they different? SHARE With your teammates, talk about: 1. What can happen if your trash or recycling does not go into the trash or recycling bin? 2. What causes plastic and other floating items to accumulate in the center of our oceans? 3. Why is plastic in our oceans harmful? STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 58 Equator Connect each sample to it’s gyre by using the coordinate information for where the sample was collected by Algalita scientists. Using a ruler to draw two lines across the map, one for longitude (N-S) and one for latitude (E-W). Draw a dot on the map where the two lines cross and that will be the spot where the sample was collected. Label the dot with the sample name. Write the name of the ocean gyre where each sample was found on the blank line. Sample A: Coordinates: 29° South and 99° West ______________________ Sample B: Coordinates: 34° North and 156° West ______________________ Sample C: Coordinates: 20° South and 63° East ______________________ Sample D: Coordinates: 31° South and 20° West ______________________ Sample E: Coordinates: 28° North and 50° West ______________________ STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash The surface currents are shown by the white lines. Help finish the map by drawing the rest of the arrows on the currents to show which way they are going. Remember the gyres in the north rotate clockwise and gyres in the south rotate counter-clockwise! Page 59 GOAL To understand how plastic moves throughout the world’s oceans OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Learn how natural forces drive ocean currents Understand the importance of gyres and accumulation zones DURATION About 100 minutes TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • • • Explain Explain Explain Explain that plastic is found everywhere throughout the oceans the different natural forces that affect water and air gyres and why they are important map coordinates PREPARE Familiarize yourself with the 2014 Algalita expedition blog: https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1z8LLfigdx09d7rhh_1Y0ixko9g&ll=34.18567785430496%2C-128.5041051750183&z=6 The BEFORE YOU START activity can be done at home prior to the in class activity. LESSON OVERVIEW VIDEO IDEAS • Modeling video from Maximenko STANDARDS MATERIALS Per group of 4 - 1 pie tray - 1 fidget spinner - 3 large marbles - masking tape - 1 ruler - 1 permanent marker - ~2 cups water - 1 bottle cap - 1 paper towel roll - 1 video recording device (or dedicated observer) • • • MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity MS-ESS2-6 Earth's Systems MS-ETS1-1 Engineering Design • Forces?? –Coriolis, wind STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 60 GOAL To understand how oceanic gyres form and how they effect how the plastic in our oceans moves. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Learn how natural forces drive ocean currents Understand the importance of gyres and accumulation zones EXPLORE Follow the crew of Algalita’s 2014 Expedition to the North Pacific Ocean and read about their adventures. Learn about what it is like to sail to the middle of the ocean, the challenges the sailors face, and the importance of monitoring pollution and understanding your environment. Go to the blog online and read about the crews adventures by clicking on the sailboat icons. List the five most surprising things you learned from the crew and their stories. 1 2 VOCABULARY Surface currents – movement of wind over the ocean 3 Gyre – large system of circulating ocean currents 4 Coriolis effect – a weather pattern that swirls clockwise in the Southern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Northern hemisphere Langmuir circulation – a series of shallow, slow, counter-rotating vortices at the ocean’s surface aligned with the wind Convergence zone – an area where two prevailing flows meet and interact 5 Now, track a plastic water bottle from the land through the North and South Pacific oceanic gyres ocean to find the accumulation zones in each gyre. Using the maps on the next 2 pages, plot the coordinates in the table to follow the path of the bottle as it is carried by ocean currents. Ok, have you plotted the drifting path of the 2 water bottles? What did you discover? Describe the path that the water bottles took with your team. Did the bottles from the North and South Pacific travel in similar ways? Accumulation zone – generally this is the center of the gyre where the majority of ocean pollution is found Coordinates – a set of values that show an exact position Latitude – a value that is shown to be parallel to the Equator or along a horizontal line At what degree of latitude did the bottle in the North Pacific end up? ____________ What about the bottle in the South Pacific? _____________ Why do you think they ended up there (Hint: What is special about that part of the ocean?)? Longitude – a value that is shown to be parallel to the Prime Meridian or on a vertical line STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 61 North Pacific Gyre Coordinates 9. 16°0’N, 170°0’W 17. 38°0’N, 140°0’W 2. 30°0’N, 120°0’W 10. 28°0’N, 174°0’W 18. 32°0’N, 142°0’W 3. 28°0’N, 116°0’W 11. 34°0’N, 164°0’W 19. 26°0’N, 148°0’W 4. 22°0’N, 118°0’W 12. 36°0’N, 166°0’W 20. 28°0’N, 154°0’W 5. 20°0’N, 130°0’W 13. 40°0’N, 162°0’W 21. 30°0’N, 158°0’W 6. 18°0’N, 140°0’W 14. 46°0’N, 156°0’W 22. 36°0’N, 144°0’W 7. 18°0’N, 156°0’W 15. 42°0’N, 154°0’W 23. 30°0’N, 140°0’W 8. 22°0’N, 162°0’W 16. 40°0’N, 148°0’W 24. 32°0’N, 146°0’W 1. 34°0’N, 118°0’W TELL ME HOW How do I map coordinates? The first number corresponds to the latitude, or the NorthSouth position. The second number corresponds to the longitude, or the East-West position. Where the 2 lines intersect is the position. 1 STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 62 South Pacific Gyre Coordinates 1. 36°0’S, 74°0’W 9. 20°0’S, 170°0’W 17. 18°0’S, 86°0’W 2. 28°0’S, 72°0’W 10. 26°0’S, 166°0’W 18. 22°0’S, 84°0’W 3. 18°0’S, 76°0’W 11. 30°0’S, 138°0’W 19. 24°0’S, 102°0’W 4. 06°0’S, 82°0’W 12. 38°0’S, 120°0’W 20. 28°0’S, 106°0’W 5. 10°0’S, 96°0’W 13. 42°0’S, 100°0’W 21. 34°0’S, 96°0’W 6. 04°0’S, 108°0’W 14. 38°0’S, 82°0’W 22. 28°0’S, 90°0’W 7. 08°0’S, 138°0’W 15. 28°0’S, 80°0’W 23. 26°0’S, 92°0’W 8. 16°0’S, 156°0’W 16. 24°0’S, 78°0’W 24. 28°0’S, 92°0’W THINK Which direction did the bottle travel this time? Clockwise or counter clockwise? Why do you think the bottles in the North and South Pacific moved the way they did? 1 STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 63 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC TELL ME HOW How do scientists know how the water in the ocean moves? One common method is to release many buoys that have attached GPS positions from various locations on the coast. Scientist track the movement of the buoys on their computer, reading the GPS coordinates and mapping them on their computer. Just like you are doing by tracking the water bottles! grades 10-12 INVESTIGATE The ocean currents are forced my many different natural phenomena. To help you understand how the wind and the spinning of the earth make our oceans move, build an ocean simulation with your team. First, you’ll need: • A pie tray, a fidget spinner, 3 large marbles, masking tape, a ruler, a marker, Your goal is to make a the tray rotate and stay stable. Practice spinning your tray slowly. Now that your ocean simulator is ready, you will test how something moving on a rotating surface moves. Now, you’ll need: • Water, a bottle cap, a paper towel roll, a camera (or dedicated observer) Pour water in the tray to make a 1 inch shallow ocean, and the edges of the tray represent the continental boundaries of the ocean. The bottle cap will be your test floating plastic piece and will help you observe how the water is moving. The straw will give you a focused air stream by blowing through gently across the water. TIPS - Remember that your ocean simulator is flat, where as the real ocean is spherical. This will make our observations different to what we would observe in the ocean. - Your ocean simulator is also much, much smaller and less complicated which will also change our observations. - Use your camera to record and replay each scenario. It will help you contrast different experiment scenarios and compare retries. Experiment with your ocean simulator to discover how floating items are forced by the wind and the rotation of the earth. Use your phone to film each different scenario you come up with from multiple angles (across the water, and above the tray as a birds-eye view). Record your findings in this table: Tray spinning (yes or no)? Wind direction Starting location of the plastic Camera angle Observations No Along the edge of tray At opposite side of wind souce Above Try this set up and record what you find The ocean currents move in a circular pattern due to the forces acting on the water (wind, earth’s rotation) and the shape of the ocean basins. With your team, summarize in a poster what you determined using your simulator about ocean currents, the forces that generate them, and their effect on objects moving with them. Coriolis force STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 64 GOAL To understand how plastic moves throughout the world’s oceans TEACHING OBJECTIVES • Guide PREPARE Familiarize yourself with: LESSON OVERVIEW OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Learn how natural forces drive ocean currents. Understand the importance of gyres and accumulation zones STANDARDS • • • • • HS-LS2-7 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics HS-LS4-6 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity HS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity HS-ETS1-2 Engineering Design HS-ETS1-3 Engineering Design DURATION About 45 minutes MATERIALS - Pen and pencil Coloring utensils STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 65 IMAGINE GOAL To understand how plastic moves throughout the world’s oceans OBJECTIVES 1. 2. To calculate plastic particle concentration from a trawl sample, you need certain information. Watch this video of a trawl being taken. Remember that the water in the ocean is always moving, either slowly or quickly. Dynamic systems can be more complicated to measure than stationary ones. As you watch, jot down what variables need to be accounted for to calculate how much water you’ve sampled and how much space you’ve covered. Learn how natural forces drive ocean currents. Understand the importance of gyres and accumulation zones. VOCABULARY Surface currents movement of wind over the ocean Gyre – large system of circulating ocean currents Coriolis effect – a weather pattern that swirls clockwise in the Southern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Northern hemisphere Langmuir circulation – a series of shallow, slow, counter-rotating vortices at the ocean’s surface aligned with the wind Convergence zone – an area where two prevailing flows meet and interact Accumulation zone – generally this is the center of the gyre where the majority of ocean pollution is found The parameters you need to be able to calculate plastic concentration in your sample depend on what you are trying to measure: Plastics/Area surface water (km2) Parameters: Width of the trawl Speed of boat Start and end time Start and end coordinates Assumptions: Plastics are found only at surface Compromises: the distance covered in space may not accurately reflect the area of surface water traveled through if the water is also moving Plastics/Volume water (m3) Parameters: Width of trawl Depth that trawl reaches underwater Speed of water traveling through the trawl (collected with flow meter, units cm/s) Start and end time of trawl Assumptions: trawl penetrates the water the same depth during the duration of the trawl. Compromises: due to waves, the volume of water sampled will not be accurately reflected by the calculations. Using the following measurements, calculate the plastic pieces/km2 and the plastic pieces/m3 that were sampled: Width of trawl: 1 m Depth trawl reaches under water: 15 cm Speed of boat: 2.5 knots (1.28 m/s) Start time – End time: 3:30 UTC – 4:00 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) Start coordinates: N33° 43’ 40” W118° 09’ 10” – N33 ° 44’ 50” W118° 09’ 32” Flow meter measurement: 25 cm/s (water is moving through the trawl at 25cm/second) Plastic particles present: 250 Plastics/km2 Plastics/m3 Coordinates – a set of values that show an exact position Latitude – a value that is shown to be parallel to the Equator or along a horizontal line Longitude – a value that is shown to be parallel to the Prime Meridian or on a vertical line Use more space if needed STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 66 STEM ACTIVITPLASTIC grades 10-12 INVESTIGATE 1. 2. Use the data from the tables to map each Algalita expedition route. Connect the coordinates from each route’s sampling transect, making sure to identify each with a unique symbol or color. Using the key, fill in each grid square containing a transect point with the color that corresponds to the plastic pollution density measured at the location. Assume that the collection coordinate represents the surrounding area (the grid square). As the map fills in, you will begin to create a heat map showing density of plastic pollution throughout the North Pacific Gyre. For grid squares containing multiple points, calculate an average. 2007 2009 A Latitude Longitude Microplastics / km2 37.20 N 133.87 W 34,058 37.18 N 134.15 W 100,691 Longitude Microplastics / km2 25.11 N 128.11 W 27,051 23.87 N 128.35 W 7,092 Latitude 38.15 N 137.45W 215,622 23.57 N 130.37 W 11,929 38.69 N 141.77 W 36,140 24.60 N 146.39 W 2,299 38.69 N 142.03 W 19,455 23.57 N 160.42 W 13,147 37.87 N 143.82 W 271,370 29.30 N 162.05 W 118,539 36.68 N 144.84 W 473,809 30.11 N 162.63 W 82,689 32.55 N 146.96 W 83,137 31.31 N 163.99 W 300,468 31.56 N 152.61 W 35,093 34.37 N 169.18 W 28,976 29.45 N 153.52 W 25,545 35.06 N 171.63 W 72,792 2008 2009 B 2 Microplastics / km Microplastics / km2 Latitude Longitude 19.29 N 156.05 W 9,428 25.63 N 158.98 W 31,207 21.65 N 160.54 W 6,447 26.65 N 160.30 W 250,937 22.10 N 160.97 W 23,449 28.01 N 160.31 W 301,683 22.96 N 162.02 W 4,560 31.15 N 160.10 W 697,193 29.95 N 165.41 W 26,063 31.15 N 159.98 W 247,230 32.01 N 165.40 W 19,067 32.50 N 159.92 W 126,316 33.03 N 167.59 W 112,119 32.55 N 160.23 W 78,192 33.01 N 168.24 W 75,674 34.29 N 144.35 W 335,492 33.01 N 168.14 W 41,843 34.37 N 143.71 W 472,261 32.84 N 170.07 W 23,426 34.67 N 141.89 W 261,518 33.76 N 162.72 W 44,863 35.98 N 139.99 W 173,182 33.76 N 160.42 W 87,324 34.51 N 157.85 W 135,430 36.16 N 157.56 W 17,909 35.69 N 147.67 W 191,285 34.68 N 142.08 W 308,807 35.91 N 141.78 W 446,352 35.84 N 140.82 W 650,726 36.08 N 140.79 W 450,530 35.89 N 139.40 W 126,837 Latitude STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Longitude Page 67 PLASTIC CONCENTRATION HEAT MAP Need scale and full border ALGALITA EXPEDITION KEY PLASTIC CONCENTRATION KEY Expedition Year Symbol Microplastics / km2 Color 2007 Blue 0 - 10,000 Blue 2008 Yellow 10,000 - 50,000 Yellow 2009 A Orange 50,000 - 100,000 Orange 2009 B Red 100,000 - 250,000 Red 250,000-500,000 Purple Over 500,000 Black STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 68 ANALYZE Many forces and factors come together to create the phenomenon of plastic accumulation zones. Ocean currents, wind patterns, point-sources of pollution, like river mouths and coastal cities, all affect plastic distribution in the ocean. The large oceans help create stable wind patterns in our atmosphere. Large high pressure systems, characterized by clear skies and high atmospheric pressure, form over the oceans. They are the ultimate force that defines the center of a gyre’s accumulation zone. They move slowly over time and force the center of the accumulation zone to shift too. Compare the four images below which show atmospheric pressure over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean for the years 1999, 2008, 2009 and 2014. APPLY Have you ever looked out over the water and thought someone should invent some technology to aid with the plastic pollution issue? People all over the world are trying, but with a lot of trial and error. The ocean is a challenging place to be, for both humans and technology, and the ocean is a lot bigger than we often imagine. We need to be aware of how our technological innovations may come with unintended consequences, like disrupting habitats or using huge amounts of non-renewable energy. Compare and contrast 2 of the tech solutions in the list below. Discuss the pros and cons for each in terms of implementation cost and unintended consequences. Also write about how you would improve these innovations. The Ocean Cleanup The Garbage-Seascaper Floating Parks Marina Trash Skimmer Seabin SeaVax Mr. Trash Wheel STEM Workshop: Tracking Trash Page 69 LOST TRASH 3-5 Why is litter still a problem? How can we influence human behavior? 6-8 How can we minimize our schools lunch waste? 9-12 Assess and critique the effectiveness and sustainability of your city’s waste management system. How can it be improved? GOAL To explore the relationships between waste, litter, people and our waste management systems. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Assist students in understanding their responsibility for preventing litter. Guide students through a discovery of litter; its sources, sinks, causes and effects. PREPARE • Print out debris category cards PROCEDURE OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Conduct a school-yard waste audit. Create a plan to address litter hotspots and habits. As a class, spend 15 minutes picking up as many pieces of debris as you can on and/or around the school campus. For each group of 4 or less, bring a reusable or reused container like a bucket or bag to put the trash in. (Inform your students of necessary safety procedures including to not pick up anything sharp or otherwise hazardous.) Back in the classroom, instruct each group to sort through the debris they collected into 4 categories: Plastic, paper, metal, mixed, and to record the number of items in each category on the group worksheet. DURATION About 2-3 hours MATERIALS - Pencil/pen Containers for picking up trash Assist students to sort correctly and answer questions. Many items are complicated by having multiple materials constructed together. Create a table on the board or screen to record the class total for each category. Students use the total data to draw a bar graph to summarize their results. Guide students through the remaining discussion questions. STANDARDS STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 71 MIXED grades 10-12 METAL PAPER STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC GOAL To explore the relationships between waste, litter, people and our waste management systems. IMAGINE IT How does tossed trash become lost trash? Think about the different ways a that trash could become litter. With a partner, share a story (imaginary or not) about the journey of a piece of trash that was lost and littered in the environment. Give the main character of the story (the piece of trash) a name and personality! Now, watch the video to hear another story: a story of a plastic bag. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLgh9h2ePYw OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Conduct a school-yard waste audit. Create a plan to address litter hotspots and habits. Have you noticed litter in and around your school? Describe, sketch, or share with a partner the litter situation. How much litter is there, how often, when, where and what kinds do you see? VOCABULARY Waste – unwanted materials Waste characterization – sorting waste by type of material and form Waste stream – the flow pathway of waste from disposal to landfill, incineration, recycling or reuse Waste audit – a study of the amount and types of waste that are created by a certain group STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 73 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 DATA SHEET GROUP TOTALS CLASS TOTALS PAPER & PLASTIC PAPER PAPER & PLASTIC PAPER PLASTIC ALL 3 PAPER & METAL PLASTIC ALL 3 PLASTIC & METAL PAPER & METAL PLASTIC & METAL METAL METAL GRAPH YOUR RESULTS using the class totals to compare the amount of each litter type found on the school campus. In the mixed column, use the class total for all items containing 2 or more kinds of materials. Total number of trash items 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Plastic Paper STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Metal Mixed Page 74 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 ANALYZE IT Think back to when you and your class collected the litter. Were there certain areas where you found the most litter? Describe those areas. For example, maybe there is a lot of litter near trashcans. That could suggest that the trashcans aren’t emptied often enough, that there isn’t a good sorting system for recyclables, or that there aren’t any lids on the bins to keep the trash securely inside. Based on where the litter was found, what sources did the litter come from? Are there activities, habits or problems that may have resulted in more litter in those locations? What makes that item “waste”? Some reasons might be: • It’s function as a container is lost because it was opened. • It’s dirty and contaminated. • The owner was done using it. • There isn’t the option to recycle it. What was the most common item that your class found? ____________________ Explain why this common item is unwanted? In my opinion…. Did you find any items in the waste audit that could have been repurposed or recycled? What are they? STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 75 APPLY IT You just completed a waste audit on trash that you collected around your school campus and analyzed they data. Now let’s come up with a plan to stop school litter in its tracks. TIPS! What is the best way to persuade someone to change their behavior? Try the Golden Circle! (Simon Sinek) Why should they change, how should they change, what should they change? WHY? HOW? WHAT? The most important thing is to communicate with the other people who learn, teach and work at your school about the issue. Persuading and helping people to change their behavior is not easy to accomplish, but it can be effective, especially when everyone works together. As a class or in groups, decide how you want to share your message to educate the others at the school and ask them to take action. You can: • design a poster, • create a piece of statement art, • distribute a brochure, • start a petition or fundraiser • organize a school assembly • your idea…. ____________________________ List 3 facts about plastic pollution on your campus that you can include in your message: 1. When thinking about your message, keep these items in the back of your mind: • Who needs to be educated? • About what? • How will you get your audiences attention? • Can you reuse any of the trash found in your cleanup in the message? 2. 3. List 3 action items that will help reduce plastic pollution on campus. 1. 2. 3. STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 76 GOAL To reduce lunch waste at school and cultivate school awareness of plastic smart eating habits. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Assist students in understanding their personal lunch packaging habits and the schools lunch packaging system. Challenge students to think outside of the box when communicating alternative ideas to the students and cafeteria. PREPARE OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Conduct a lunch waste audit Make a PSA to educate student body on plastic smart habits. DURATION About 3-4 hours MATERIALS - This activity can be used as a stand alone, or conducted twice in a before/after evaluation of the effectiveness of the students’ PSAs. Familiarize yourself with: • Print out waste category cards • Decide when and where to conduct the lunch waste audit • What day of the week will work best for the class, where is a big area to lay out the tarps etc. • Split your students into groups of 4 or less Different amounts of trash are produced on different days of the week and different parts of the year… STANDARDS • • MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity MS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity Pencil/pen Clipboards Reusable gloves, aprons, goggles Tarps and trash signs Pesola, luggage or personal scale 2 5 gallon buckets STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 77 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 IMAGINEit Instruct students to take 2 minutes to picture your schools lunch system. Ask them to consider: • Is there a cafeteria at your school? Do most people bring their lunch or eat in the cafeteria? • Is there a central eating place or does everyone spread out? Do people eat inside the classrooms, outside, both, neither? • How do your friends that bring lunch pack their lunches? Are there any common habits or trends? • How is food in the cafeteria packaged? Are there any cafeteria rules regarding waste, utensils, hygiene, taking certain foods? • Are there trashcans? Are there recycling bins, compost bins, or food share bins? Are they clearly labeled? EXPLOREit Working with school staff, collect all bags of lunch waste from one day. Instruct student to put on aprons, googles and gloves before starting the activity. Each group should have one designated data recorder. As a class, weigh each bag. Data recorders write the weight of each bag on the data sheet and calculate the total weight of trash produced in one day at lunch. Each group is assigned one (or 2) bag of trash. The number of bags analyzed will equal the number of groups of students. Depending on the number of groups vs total bags, half of the bags should be analyzed. Each group may have to analyze 2 bags of trash. Tally the number of bags analyzed, and calculate the percent of bags analyzed. This number will be used later to extrapolate the part of the trash you analyzed to calulate totals… Students analyze trash bags; 1. Spread out tarp and carefully dump out bag of trash 2. Make sure not to rip the bags as they will be used later in the study. 3. Start sorting the trash into garbage, compost, and recycling piles on each tarp 4. For any items containing liquid, open them, dump the liquid into a bucket, sort packaging. 5. For packaged food items, open and separate accordingly. Students can also make a pile of unopened food. 6. Help class create any additional categories for items with specific circumstances, e.g. spork packets, sandwich baggies, trays, unopened food, juice packets, etc. 7. Once all the trash has been sorted, each team counts the items in each pile and records them. 8. Compile all similar piles from each group, then weigh each category using the trash bag. Record data. 9. Estimate the volume of liquid collected in the bucket and write it down in the data sheet. Weigh the liquid, and subtract the weight of the empty bucket. 10. Clean up. Back in the classroom, guide students through discussion questions and follow-up project, creating a PSA. STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 78 APPLYit Lead class to discuss what was surprising about the lunch waste audit data? Which extra categories were needed to produce better data? For before/after: were there any categories that were removed in the after audit? Why? Guide students to visualize data as a class through a graphic, graph or chart. Can be digital (Excel. Tableau, etc.), hand-drawn (poster) or 3-D (wall graph). If doing before/after, consider creating an easily visible or sharable version. Ask students to jot down two problematic items or categories observed in their lunch waste (2 min). TIPS Students can consider these questions to determine the most problematic item. 1. What was the single most abundant waste item? 2. What is a problem with a straightforward or easy to implement solution? 3. What Is an issue with a complex solution where better education is needed? Students discuss with a partner to convince the other that their item/category is more needed/important/urgent to address (3 minutes). After discussion, each student summarizes the other persons argument (4 min). Ask students the come up to the board and write the item or category down. Duplicate answers receive a check mark. Ask students to form groups of up to 4 or 5 students who want to address the same issue. Student groups take 5 minutes to jot down 1 or 2 ways that the problem-item could be addressed. Suggest students to think about what behavior or system should be changed in regards to the item. Examples: • Work with cafeteria to offer sporks on request instead of mandatory • Educate students on packing waste free lunched • Establish a recycling stream on campus and create effective signage Each group comes up to board to add their best idea for how to address a certain item/category, next to the item. Teams work through PSA development model worksheet and create PSA. STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 79 RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLE COMPOST COMPOST COMPOST COMPOST LANDFILL LANDFILL LANDFILL LANDFILL LIQUID LIQUID LIQUID LIQUID GOAL To reduce lunch waste at school and cultivate school awareness of plastic smart eating habits. INVESTIGATE Bag # Bag Weight 2. Team Count Class Total Count Class Total Weight Landfill OBJECTIVES 1. Category Conduct a lunch waste audit Make a PSA to educate student body on plastic smart habits. Recyclable Compostable Liquid VOCABULARY OTHER CATEGORIES Waste – unwanted materials Waste characterization – the process by which the composition of different waste streams is analyzed Waste stream – the complete flow of waste from domestic or industrial areas to final disposal Waste audit – a process that can be used to determine the amount and types of waste that are created by your organization Public Service Announcement - A message in the public interest that is spread without charge to raise awareness, change public attitudes and behavior towards an issue Total => If you aren’t sure if something is recyclable or compostable, find out! -ask a teacher or volunteer -use your city’s recycling instructions online, -use this guidelines: Paper – compost if soiled, recycle if clean Metal – almost always recyclable Plastic- recycle if hard/rigid and large than ~10 cm Landfill if flexible or small Mixed materials – depends on waste hauler Foam – depends on waste hauler PLA #7 – compost if collected by city # bags analyzed: Total weight of trash analyzed: % bags analyzed: Total weight of landfillable trash per day? STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 84 DESIGN You've just completed a lunch waste audit and seen how much garbage, recyclables and compost are created in a single day at your school. As a class or in small groups, create a PSA (public service announcement) to educate your school how to reduce the collective plastic and waste footprint. How will you make sure any one who sees, hears or watches your main message, will actually change their behavior? Record the message your group decided on: MAIN MESSAGE: Start with answering these questions. Who are you trying to reach? Who’s the audience? Be as specific as possible. What do you know about this groups social media preferences? Do they like to read, watch videos, have very little time, prefer in depth info or brief info? AUDIENCE: AUDIENCE PREFERENCES: BEST FORM OF PSA: Based on your previous answer, what would be the most effect form of a PSA? A video, poster, sculpture, assembly, other? How will the setting, color, and sound help to create the most persuasive mood for the audience? SETTING: COLORS: SOUNDS: MOOD: How will you grab the audience’s attention? HOOK: STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 85 APPLY A PSA should be straight-forward to be effective. It should include three parts: Ask : what behavior or change do you want to influence? ASK: Why: provide the most persuasive and meaningful reason for your ask. People often need a strong reason to change. WHY: **Use the most current, relevant and accurate data and information for the best results. How: explain clearly and simply how people can participate. HOW: Sketch out the PSA script, storyboard or outline. Use a larger surface or digital device if possible. Once the outline is established, assign roles or jobs for each group member and make the PSA. Test your PSA on a sample audience to get some initial feedback. Edit your PSA and start sharing it! TEST Plan a way to test changes in behavior. Did your PSA have a strong impact on lunch waste at your school? Do another waste audit in a couple of weeks or months to quantify your results. STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 86 GOAL Become an expert about your city’s waste systems and advocate for positive plastic-smart and sustainability changes to the system. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Engage students in a deeper exploration of the waste processing system by helping them to find a personal connection to it. Assist students with thinking outside of the box when exploring alternative waste management systems by asking provoking questions and sharing external resources such as articles, forums, etc. PREPARE STANDARDS OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Investigate the complexities of your city’s waste and recycling programs Create an improvement plan for your city’s waste management system. Address city/business officials with improvement suggestions. • • • HS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics HS-LS4-2 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity HS-LS4-5 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity DURATION About 3-4 hours MATERIALS - Pen or pencil Poster/butcher paper Markers Computer STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 87 GOAL Become an expert about your city’s waste systems and advocate for positive plastic-smart and sustainability changes to the system. IMAGINE What would the most efficient waste management system or situation be for your city/town? Describe or draw 5 aspects of the system. EXPLORE For 15 minutes, research your city‘s waste/recycling/composting program. Jot down a question you have but weren’t able to answer through your research. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Investigate the complexities of your city’s waste and recycling programs Create an improvement plan for your city’s waste management system. Address city/business officials with improvement suggestions. VOCABULARY Waste – unwanted materials Waste characterization – the process by which the composition of different waste streams is analyzed Waste stream – the complete flow of waste from domestic or industrial areas to final disposal. Waste assessment – a snapshot of what and how much is being discarded, as well as how it is being disposed, Share your question with your partner, and have your partner share their question. Spend 5 minutes trying to find the answer to your partner’s question, then take turns to share what you learned. Together, assemble a list of state and city ordinances and regulations pertaining to waste. Color code the regulations to categorize the items by the type of waste they pertain to. STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 88 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 DESIGN Waste is created and processed in many different parts of the city (world) and in different systems. Depending on where you live, plastic waste is handled in different ways. Managed waste - landfill, home waste bins, recycling bins, recycling plants, sewage and waste water treatment plants, industrial composting Mismanaged waste - River catchment systems (booms), litter and street sweeping, airborne plastics (microfibres) Potential resources to use: internet, library, experts (interview city officials, businesses) Group work: In a visual display, outline your city’s waste flow. Include both managed and mismanaged plastic waste, groups dealing with or creating waste (residential, commercial, waste processing businesses, official regulators and informal collection), and relative amounts of each flow (shown by arrow size or a number) Think back to the IMAGINE activity and take turns to share what an ideal waste management system would look like. Look at the below diagram from the New Plastics Economy which outlines two waste systems, our current linear (make, use, dispose) system, and an alternative circular system based on better design and recycling, and alternative material flow pathways. Create a visual outline or plan of action for your city on how to improve or redesign the current system. Start by analyzing your original visualization for gaps, unknowns, and dead ends in the info you found about the city’s systems and regulations. STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 89 APPLY Write a formal letter to your city council with your ideas on how to improve to your city’s waste system. First determine which city/business official(s) need to be addressed or would have jurisdiction over your suggestion by researching the various positions and interests of potential contacts. To write an interesting an effective letter, keep your requests, ideas and explanations as simple and clear as possible. Use these questions as a guide: 1. Why is your suggestion/request important and urgent? 2. Are there any anticipated positive consequences? 3. What potential negative consequences of change have you thought of, and what are possible ways to prevent them? 4. What are potential rebuttals that the city officials could argue, and what is your counter argument? 5. What is the estimated cost of implementation for your suggestion change, and how do you think that money would best be confirmed? 6. Who/which stakeholders would need to be involved or would be effected by the suggested improvements? After revising and editing your letter, send the letter. EXPAND Go further by continuing to refine your suggestions/requests/ideas. Address councils during meetings, collaborate with local groups who can support your work, etc. Put your words and ideas into action! STEM Workshop: Lost Trash Page 90 REFUSE REUSE 3-5 How do we redesign our habits to be plastic-smart? 6-8 In which ways can we influence the straw culture of local restaurants? 9-12 Use a school-wide survey to gauge and transform school waste habits GOAL Redesign daily habits to be plastic-smart, at school and at home. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Measure your weekly plastic footprint. Find creative alternatives Engage your entire family in transitioning to be plastic-smart. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • • Assist students in understanding the importance of being aware of the costs of using plastics. Challenge students to think creatively of alternatives to single use items by helping them understand family limits (time, money) and by thinking first of what they already have access to for reuse and repurposing. Help the students stay true to their pledge of reducing their dependency on single use plastics, by following up regularly, celebrating successes and offering support and tips on perseverance. PREPARE STANDARDS DURATION In class: 1 hour, two weeks in a row At home: 20 minutes a day, for a week MATERIALS - Pencil/pen STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 92 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 PROCEDURE Screen the ReSup video for your class. Students estimate how many of each item on the grid they use themselves in a week, and how many their family uses in a week. Poll students by asking them to raise their hand for their individual estimate, and tally the totals. As a class, calculate the class total and average (per student) for each item. Instruct students to take the grid home and watch the video with their family. Students record with their family (or individually), how many of each plastic item they use on a daily basis. 1. During the day, for 7 days, everyone participating keeps all of their used disposable plastic items with them (use the grid to see what to keep). 2. At the end of each day, combine everyone’s plastic in a pile, and sort into the 4 categories. 3. Count the items in each category and record the number in the grid. Record the number of people who collected trash that day at the top of the grid. After 7 days of recording, students bring their grid back to school. In class, student tally their weekly average for each item. For each item and each day, students divide the total by the number of family members participating, then add those numbers for the week, to get 4 weekly averages. As a class, calculate the weekly average. Compare the actual to the estimate. Students then individually identify their Top Item of the Day for each of the 7 days. For 5 items (bottles, plastic bags, straws, and 2 types of to-go containers), students work in groups to come up with alternative products, habits, reuse options and repurpose options. Ask them to come up with several different ideas, (e.g. one for each group member). Once the lists are complete, as a class, chart ideas for each item (one at a time). Have students write down the top 1 or 2 alternatives that they think would work best for them for each item. Follow up with students, the next week and/or next month, to share experiences and challenges with changing their habits and their families habits. STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 93 GOAL Redesign daily habits to be plastic-smart, at school and at home. IMAGINE What do you think of when you hear the phrase “throw-away lifestyle”. Jot down words, pictures, ideas, even songs, that come to mind. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Measure your weekly plastic footprint. Find creative alternatives Engage your entire family in transitioning to be plastic-smart. When you throw a plastic object “away”, where does it go? Draw or write a story about what happens to it. STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 94 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 Single Use Plastic Daily Log Item Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Total Item: Item: Item: Item: Item: Item: Item: Item: Amount: Amount: Amount: Amount: Amount: Amount: Amount: Amount: # family members participating Plastic Bottles Plastic Bags (shopping, bread, dry cleaner, ziplock, etc) Plastic To-Go Packaging (clamshells, cups, ketchup/mustar d packets, etc) Plastic Drinking Straws Top Item of the Day (complete in class) STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 95 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 Alternatives to Single Use Plastics Item Alternative #1 Alternative #2 Which alternative do you think would be best for your family? STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 96 APPLYit When you go to a restaurant, do you normally get your water or other beverage with a straw in it? Do you use a straw just because it is there? In this activity, create a note (like the one below) to leave on the table after your family has finished eating out at a restaurant. The goal is to help make the restaurant more aware of single use straws and other plastic foodware. To get started, think about the message you want to get across to the restaurant managers and wait staff. List some ideas below: 1. 2. 3. An example: STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Sketch yours here: Page 97 GOAL Influence the restaurant culture around single use plastics. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Conduct an assay of plastic straw use in the local city/town center Practice written and vocal communication skills and evidence based persuasion. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • Guide students through a critical analysis of variations in straw use due to the effect of business type, region, culture, education PREPARE Decide how to split your class up to look at the concentrated business section of your city • An example could be splitting them into 2 groups and have each group look at one side of the street • Another example could be assigning each student a couple businesses so that all the businesses are looked at STANDARDS DURATION About 3-5 hours MATERIALS - Pencil/pen Large paper or screen to map out business district STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 98 IMAGINE GOAL • Rethink our dependency on plastics throughout our daily lives OBJECTIVES • • Understand the importance of reducing single use plastics Realize the impact of straws on your community BUSINESS TYPES • • • • • Sit down restaurant Fast food franchise Independent fast food Café Bar Talk with the person next you about what gives our society a “throw away culture”? Straws are a type of single use plastic that we often don’t need at all. What best describes your use of straws. a. I love using a straw and always use one. b. I use a straw for health reasons. c. I use straws when they are available but I don’t mind drinking without a straw. d. I like using straws but bring my own paper or reusable one. e. I don’t like using a straw and will take it out of a drink if there is one in there. f. I ask for “No straw please” and am upset when I get one. EXPLORE Conduct an analysis of straw use for the food related businesses that are located in a central part of the local city/town. As a class, find the area of town that has the most concentrated area of food related businesses. Make a sketch of this area (hand-drawn or digital) which includes boxes for each food related business, the business name and type, and space for other information you’ll collect. In groups, as decided by your teacher, contact each business to collect the information below: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What is the approximate daily or weekly straw use at the business? What is the average number of people visiting the business per day? What is their straw policy? i.e. do they give it to you, self serve etc. Have their customers ever brought up the issue of straws or plastic waste? Do they offer alternatives or considered them? If so what kind? Add the collected data to the map of downtown. Use the data to determine: 1. 2. 3. 4. What is the average weekly straw usage for each business type? What is the average straw usage per day per person in the area? About how many straws are used per week in the defined area? Is there a type of business that uses more straws than others? STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 99 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 DESIGN SOME IDEAS Placard stating straws available upon request Offer reusable straws With your group, list as many alternative products or procedures the businesses could adopt to reduce their straw use? Be specific. What positive and negative consequences would the alternative have for the business (in terms of money, sustainability, efficiency, customer satisfaction, etc.)? Alternative: Alternative: Positives Negatives Alternative: Positives Positives Negatives Alternative: Negatives Positives Negatives Pick one business to focus on. What would be the most beneficial alternative system for the business? Outline a plastic-smart straw transition strategy for the business, including the timeline, costs, marketing ideas, etc. Best alternative: Transition outline: STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 100 APPLY Write a letter to the business for which you developed a straw policy transition plan to share your idea. TIPS • • • • • Write with a professional and friendly tone Write clearly and concisely Use an active voice (I would like to…., not, It would be nice if…) Be courteous Keep your letter to one page. Use this outline to get started. In the sample letter below, bullet point what you’ll include in each paragraph. Sender’s Address Your Name Your Address Your City, State, Zip Code Date Recipient’s Address Name Title Company Address City, State, Zip Code Salutation Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name Body Text Introduction (introduce yourself, and your reason for writing) • • • Body (supporting info and details of your suggestion, your transition plan) • • • Consider offering to meet in person to further discuss your ideas Closing (reiterate your request, thank your reader for their time) • • • Signature Block Signature Name Organization Affiliation STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 101 GOAL Rethink our dependency on plastics throughout our daily lives TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Connect students with groups responsible for certain waste procedures on campus (e.g. janitors and custodians, administrators, district supervisors, etc. Guide students through survey development, administration and analysis by providing feedback and additional resources. Modified from Harvard PSR online resources?? OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Learn how your school manages it’s everyday materials Implement a proper survey and analyze the data Use survey results to suggest effective improvements in waste production and management habits of student body, district PREPARE STANDARDS DURATION About 8 weeks ACTIVITY TYPE Class/teams/individual MATERIALS - Pencil/pen STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 102 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC GOAL Rethink our dependency on plastics throughout our daily lives OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Learn how your school manages it’s everyday materials Implement a proper survey and understand how to analyze the data Use survey results to suggest effective improvements in waste production and management habits of student body, district grades 10-12 IMAGINE Create a survey questionnaire for the people at your school (students, teachers and staff) to answer the question: What is the plastic waste culture at your school? Get started by brainstorming as a group: Material flow areas in school: Types of plastic associated with flow area: E.g. Cafeteria Campus quad Outdoor lunch benches Classrooms Vending machines STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Groups of people associated with flow area: Waste collection systems associated with flow area: (Use school website, personal observation, talk with custodian) Page 103 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 DESIGN Using the information outlined for one material flow area in the table, begin designing the survey using the below guide. The goal of the survey is to find out what behaviors people have to plastic that they use at school, what opinions they have about trash and plastic pollution. Changing behavior requires understanding behavior incentives. What behavior exists now Why? What is the desired behavior? Once you understand a person’s motivation for behaving a certain way, it is possible to educate, persuade, influence them in an effective way. Your survey should attempt to understand the behaviors and motivators of the group in your material flow area. Design the Survey Make sure you survey a random representative group of people or your results won’t be meaningful. Define research objective If you miss parts of your population (coverage error), or if people can’t or won’t answer a question (nonresponse error), your data will be inaccurate. Define sample frame (what group, time frame, spatial frame are you investigating?) Types of questions How will the survey be administered (computer, in person, paper) Open-ended E.g. short answer Closed-ended E.g. choose an answer or number that best describe you or the situation Closed ended questions that measure something can have 3 different types Nominal Chose a unique answer E.g. multiple choice options Ordinal Chose answer from a scale E.g. rate on a scale from 1-10 Good for measuring attitude *Include 5-7 options and a middle option *Avoid agree/disagree What is your plan to make sure to get a random representative group of people to answer your survey? Draft questions (What do you need to find out?) Summarize what you need to find out here, then draft 10-15 questions (and answer choices if applicable) on a separate paper or computer document. Interval Chose value from a scale E.g. indicate value (number) on a scale Good for measuring amounts STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 104 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE Tips for a good survey TEST 1. Keep it short. 2. Start with easy questions. 3. Put sensitive and demographic questions at the end. 4. Include only relevant, needed questions. 5. Avoid technical terms and jargon. 6. Be specific in wording by using clear, concise phrases, and including time and location information if needed. 7. Avoid emotional language. 8. Make sure to include all possible answers and mutually exclusive answers in closed ended questions. 9. Each question should only ask or measure 1 thing. 10.Randomize similar questions. 11. Find out who you are surveying by asking demographic questions. 12. Keep in mind question order. Evaluate Survey grades 10-12 Once your 10 - 15 questions are drafted, its time to check them for reliability and validity. A question has reliability if it means the same to everyone. A question has validity if it measures what it is intended to. Pair up with someone from a different group. Take turns surveying each other. By answering the survey questions out loud and explaining their thinking process for each question out loud they will help you determine if your questions were well understood and were understood correctly. Read the draft survey one question at a time to your partner. Ask them to answer the question and explaining their thinking process out loud before and/or after they answer. You can ask them things like “What made you respond that way?” or “What is going through your mind?” On the attached worksheet, jot down notes about: • Did they understand the question as intended – if not, how did they understand it? • Was there confusion about how to answer the questions and/or the question options? • Did they have any unanticipated response? What was it? • Where there any consequences from the language or cultural references used? What were they? • Any suggestions they have that will help improve the survey. Back in your group, work together through each question to compare notes and edit your survey questions as needed. Administer Survey Determining Sample Size In general, the sample size (N) which is the number of people you survey can be used to estimate how meaningful your results are, using the equation 1/√N. With N=10, the margin of error is about 32% (you can’t be sure your mean and percentage values represent the entire population you are trying to characterize. But with N=500, the margin of error drops to about 5% and you can be very sure that your results represent the entire population. Before administering your survey, its important to make sure everyone uses the same procedure. As a group decide, how you will ask someone to participate, what instructions you’ll give the respondent, what incentive you’ll provide (if any), what mode the survey will be taken in (digital, paper, interview), and promises that the information will stay confidential. If your school requires a form to be signed for surveys, make sure to provide that as well. 1. As a group, create a written plan that includes all of this information. 2. Determine who (in general) will be asked to complete the survey (refer to first table in worksheet), and how many responses you need for your data to be meaningful. In general the more the better! Analyze Responses Once you’ve collected enough responses, use a data collection tool (e.g. Excel spreadsheet, Tableau etc.) to analyze the results. For each question, begin by coding the results. Give numbers to each possible answer and record those numbers in a spreadsheet. Calculate the appropriate statistics for each question – mean, median, percentile, percentage. For open ended questions consider calculating the frequency of each response. For closed ended questions consider calculating the percentage or mean of a specific answer. Keep in mind your overarching research question during this process. STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 105 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE grades 10-12 Survey Evaluation Notes # Question understood as intended? Confusion about answers? Unanticipated responses? Any language/cultural consequences? Improvement suggestions? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 106 APPLY You have created, evaluated and administered your survey questionnaire. You’ve also analyzed the results! Now its time to do something with that information. Create a short video or report that you can use to petition and/or address your school body/board/district about issues related to waste production and management at your school. Report responses Include: • method of data collection • dates and geography of collection • description of target group • description of sample methods • characterization of respondents • data results • conclusions and call to action Visualize results What did you learn about the waste culture at your school? Brainstorm improvements that can be made to the ways your school body manages it’s materials. What needs to happen to implement those changes? How can your audience be persuaded to change their behaviors? What are the motivating factors for their current behavior and what will motivate them to change their behavior? What could possible incentives be? Main message: Audience: Call to action: Supporting information: How will your suggestion/call to action improve the waste situation? In your group, create a report and/or video to share with your school body/board/district! STEM Workshop: Refuse Reuse Page 107 RECYCLE RESIN Recycling plastics is complicated! These activities will guide students through a discovery of the different aspects of plastics recycling from product design, to waste management systems, to the economic system. 1 Design a product, recycle it, and redesign it with recycling in mind – all with beeswax. 2 Use the physical properties of different products to sort common single-use plastic items. Design a classroom recycling plant! 3 Simulate the recycled plastic market as Materials Recovery Facility managers and recycled plastic buyers. GOAL To understand why recycling plastics is so complex. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Students design a toy using beeswax. Explore concepts of cause and effect by relating product design to recycling efficiency. DURATION TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Engage students in a basic recycling experiment. Challenge students to problem solve based on critical thinking. PREPARE Familiarize yourself with the student activity and worksheet. Print a workbook for each student. Group students in teams of 4. Collect materials for students to construct a sorting system STANDARDS About 1.5 hours EVALUATION IDEAS MATERIALS Beeswax, metal spoons, forks BACKGROUND STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Page 109 VOCABULARY Plastic Resin Recycle Design IMAGINE As a team, make a list of 3 things that are made of plastic and which include 2 or 3 different kinds of plastics in it. They can be toys, school items, containers, etc. Remember, different colors don’t always mean different materials. 1. 2. 3. DESIGN Pick one of the items, and draw it in the ORIGINAL DESIGN bubble as accurately as you can. Use a ruler to measure the object’s main dimensions. Label the dimensions of the object in your picture. How is the different object Remember, constructed? How colors does not are the different always mean materials different materials. connected? Are they glued, molded, snapped together? Make a list of the different materials in the object in the table next to the ORIGINAL DESIGN bubble. The next step is to make a wax model of your object. Assign a color of wax to each material. Think about how much wax of each color you’ll need, which will depend on the size of your model. Try to make it between 5-10 cm (2-5 inches). APPLY DISCUSS What was most challenging about making your product? Collect the beeswax. Make your model. Record construction time. Cool your mini-models in a cool place to harden. Be accurate when using the different colors of beeswax to represent the different materials. TEST What was challenging about disassembling the model? Why should the redesigned model be easier to recycle than the original version? What was challenging about disassembling the redesigned model? What was easy? Switch models with a teammate. Disassemble the model separating each color beeswax into different piles to imitate the recycling process. Record how long it took to disassemble the model in the ORIGINAL DESIGN table on the worksheet. DESIGN Redesign the object that you disassembled in a way that makes it easier to recycle, but so that it is still functional. Use the recycled beeswax to reconstruct the model with the new design. Fill out the table next to the RE-DESIGN bubble with your redesign changes and construction time. TEST Trade objects again in your group. Time yourself how long it takes to disassemble this object. Did it take longer or shorter than disassembling the first version? By how much? STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Page 110 ORIGINAL DESIGN Name of object: Material Beeswax color 1 2 3 Time to Build: Time to Recycle: RE - DESIGN Name of object: Material 1 2 3 Time to Build: Time to Recycle: Beeswax color GOAL To understand the basics of the recycling system and the complexities of recycling plastics TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Engage students in designing and engineering a basic recycling plant for commonly recycled materials. Challenge students to problem solve based on experimentation. PREPARE OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Expand knowledge of the materials recovery and sorting facilities by designing one for your classroom. Develop problem solving and critical thinking skills related to designing and testing mechanisms to sort materials by material type. DURATION About 5 hours – adjust time as needed MATERIALS - - - Printed worksheet Pencil/pen Construction materials and tools, e.g. cardboard, paper towel rolls, containers, foil, rope, staples, wood, fabric, hammers, nails, tape, tables, chairs etc Items to help sort, e.g. buckets & water, arc magnet, bike wheel, fan Used items to sort; water bottles, caps separated, sandwich baggies, straws, beverage cups, foam containers, chip bags (12 or more of each) Collect items or ask students to bring in: Materials to construct a sorting system Items to sort (categories listed in procedure) BACKGROUND why are some products/plastics recyclable and some aren’t (How2Recycle), product complexity– talk about additives/why plastics get downcycled PROCEDURE After students complete the IMAGINEit activity, facilitate a class activity to design and build a recycling plant in the classroom using materials around the classroom, or from home. The goal is to develop a simple sorting process that will separate 6 different common plastic items: 1. plastic water bottles (#1), 2. bottle caps (#2), 3. sandwich baggies (#4), 4. straws (#5), 5. beverage cups (#6), 5. foam containers (#6), 6. chip bags (mixed). Begin with showing the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CFE5tD1CCI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y68tBxVrnXg (???) Divide students into 6 groups. Each group creates a list of properties of one of the 6 items on poster paper. Prompt them to think about the differences from the other items to get started. They can consider weight, density (do the float or sink?), shape, possible behavior in wind and in water, type of material (is it magnetic, is it rigid or flexible, is it transparent?, is it all one kind of material or made of mixed material?). Put up posters around class and ask students to walk to each poster to read and make any suggested edits (in a second color). Guide a class discussion to summarize posters. Divide class into same 6 groups and provide a poster to each group (different from original item). Ask students to brainstorm 3 different possible ways to separate their item from the other 5 using easily obtained materials. Students should sketch on the poster what each sorting mechanism will look like, and list different materials they’ll need to build their sorting mechanisms. Ask students to bring in items for the next session. In the next session, students experiment with construction items to devise a way to separate their item from the other 5 in the group. Provide access to construction materials and several of each of the 6 items. Consider allowing students to move to other teams based on ideas they have for different items. Once each group succeeds test them all in a row as a class! Facilitate a discussion about challenges that were faced and how certain items could be made so that they would be easier to separate. STANDARDS STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Page 112 GOAL To understand the basics of the recycling system and the complexities of recycling plastics IMAGINE Draw a picture of your city’s recycling system. Include arrows to show how materials that you put in your recycling or trash bin end up at the MRF or recycling center. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Expand knowledge of the materials recovery and sorting facilities by designing one for your classroom. Develop problem solving and critical thinking skills related to designing and testing mechanisms to sort materials by type. VOCABULARY Materials recovery facility (MRF) – a facility that collects and sorts waste materials for further processing through recycling, landfilling, incineration or reuse Recycle – to break down or restructure a product to return the material to a new product The trash that you throw away at home or at school has to go somewhere! There is no “away”. In most cities in the United States and in many other countries, trash is collected by trucks who bring the materials to a place called a MRF. The MRF sorts all the trash on a huge system of conveyor belts with machines and people working together. Watch the video to see how a MRF works. How do you sort your waste at home? Do you have just one bin for trash, two bins (trash and recycling), three bins (trash, recycling and compost) or more? Below, draw, color and label each kind of bin that you have at home that your city employees will collect on a regular basis. Draw lines from the different items to the bins to show how the items are managed in your city/town. If you aren’t sure, guess and use a dotted line. STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Page 113 ITEM POSTER ITEM CHARACTERISTICS For example, shape, weight, density, color/transparency, rigidity/flexibility, magnetism Sorting Mechanism #1 Sorting Mechanism #2 STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Sorting Mechanism #3 Page 114 GOAL TEACHING OBJECTIVES PREPARE OBJECTIVES STANDARDS DURATION MATERIALS STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Page 115 GOAL IMAGINE OBJECTIVES VOCABULARY STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Page 116 DESIGN STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Page 117 POLYMER POLITICS 1 Persuasion, power and campaigning, for a plastic-smart snack time. 2 Prepare for and conduct a debate about a component of the plastic pollution situation. 3 Outline the school’s current plastic waste situation and governing system and envision a transition plan. GOAL Develop basic civics skills of communication and power literacy by running an campaign based on snacks and their plastic packaging. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Explore how power and confidence look and feel like. Practice communicating clearly and confidently. Create a campaign poster and participate in a voting process. DURATION About 2 hours MATERIALS - Pencil/Pen Colored pencils/pens Poster paper (1 per group of 4) STANDARDS TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Establish the connection between government and the environment Understand how the voting system works and the consequences that can occur PREPARE Set up voting system. Can be digital, paper, or raise of hands, but should be anonymous. PROCEDURE Students work through IMAGINEit activities. Allow students 3 minutes to think about what power looks, feels and sounds like to them. Screen TEDed video (https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-to-understand-powereric-liu) and ask students to jot down, on the worksheet, ideas and words that stand out to them. Make space for students to stand and mingle. Ask students to stand in a way that makes them feel strong and confident. Discuss how body language impacts other’s perceptions of oneself and ones own perception of self (standing up straight, chest out and hands on the hips can change ones mindset from negative to positive). Student pretend to be someone they each think is a confident person (it could be a politician, actor, a personal rolemodel). Ask them to go around the room and introduce themselves to the other people in the room, as their pretend character, to practice their positive body language. Minority will and majority rule activity. Ask students to come up with various snack types and record them on the board. Once 5-8 types are listed, students form groups and are assigned (or pick) a snack type. Its okay for group sizes to vary and for a majority of students to be working on one snack type. Students create a campaign poster for their snack type about why it is better in terms of plastic smart packaging. Minority groups should try to convince individuals in majority group to change preference, by using argumentation based on smart packaging. The posters should be designed to persuade and educate. Allow students to discuss, research different packaging types and the pros and cons. Groups share posters and reasoning with class and class can ask questions. At end of sharing period, students take anonymous vote on ballots to choose which snack will be allowed/offered the rest of the week, based on how environmentally friendly (plastic-smart) the packaging is. Reveal vote. Ask students how many students were persuaded to vote differently than they originally did. Were any minority groups able to gain supporters? How? Students complete REFLECT section of worksheet. STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 119 IMAGINE Think to your self: what does power look, feel and sound like to you? Solutions to global challenges, like plastic pollution, are often stumped politics. Governmental systems like democracies are slow to change, but as politics become more and more local, people get more power over change. Understanding the game of politics is all about understanding power. Watch this TEDed video about power and jot down words and ideas that stand out to you. Think about powerful people in the world. How do they hold themselves? Having confidence is a big part of looking, and being, powerful. Even though you may not feel confident, you can trick your mind into being confident by how you hold yourself. Stand up straight but relaxed, and smile. Put your hands on your hips. Do you feel more confident already? Even try holding a fist in the air like a superhero would! REFLECT Being able to persuade people to change their minds is an important and challenging part of politics. When is comes to the environment, there are many different powerful groups often wanting opposing outcomes. Reflect on the process and outcomes of the snack campaign. Were you able to persuade any students to vote for your snack? What did your group achieve and what challenges did you face in the snack campaign? Achievements Challenges STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 120 GOAL Practice communication and develop flexible ideology through a debate on a relevant plastic pollution topic. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Prepare for debate through research and conversation with peers. Prepare for debate and challenge personal ideas and beliefs by listening and asking questions to a peer with an opposing viewpoint. Practice open debate through a fish-bowl format discussion. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Challenge students to develop strong argumentation but to also criticize their own ideas and beliefs. Ask student to be open to new concepts. Use techniques such as “Yes, and…” and acknowledgement followed by counterargument or probing question. Give students space to change their opinions, ask questions, explore new ideas and experiment with communication. Encourage students to speak for both sides of the argument and challenge students to debate from reasoning rather than belief. PREPARE Collect resources for students to begin research (optional). STANDARDS DURATION About 2 hours MATERIALS - Pencil/Pen Printed worksheet STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 121 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 PROCEDURE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Instruct students to complete IMAGINEit activity to determine their general perspective on environmental issues, eco-centric or anthropocentric. More answers in Column A designates an Anthropocentric perspective and more answers in Column B designates an Ecocentric perspective. Students pair with a peer of the same perspective and spend 30-60 minutes preparing facts and arguments on a discussion topic (Example topics listed below). Students pair with a peer of the opposite perspective to share facts and discussion points. At this point ask students to “wear the other’s shoes” by listening carefully, asking clarifying questions and interviewing the other person on their opinions and reasoning. Students pair with a peer of the same perspective again to share what they learned by talking with the person of a different perspective and to do follow-up research on the points brought up that were foreign, unknown, confusing, etc. Allow students to switch sides during an argument, and to speak for both perspectives. Students conduct a fishbowl type debate. A small group of 4 students (two from each perspective) sit in the middle or front of the room. Instructor begins the conversation by asking the leading question and giving each student 1 minute to argue their reasoning. The discussion flows organically with students tapping on other students to answer a question or continue the debate. Students not in debate circle may raise their hands to be called into the debate circle. Students not in debate circle take notes and listen to be prepared to enter the debate. Ideas to introduce before debate: Be aware of motive attribution asymmetry – a bias whereby two groups with opposing view points perceive their own group to be driven by positivity (love) and outsiders to be driven by negativity (hate) (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25331879). It occurs in political rivalries (e.g. conservatives vs. liberals), religious rivalries and even psychology rivalries (e.g. anthropocentric vs. ecocentric). Practice flexible ideology – constantly challenge your own beliefs and ideas. Be critical not only of new ideas presented by others but of your own reasoning. Be the one to “blur the lines” by moving beyond stereotypes and the status quo. Do this by asking probing questions of opposing views, trying to see the similarities between opposing views and looking for common goals and how two opposing sides might need or benefit from collaboration. Watch or screen in class for more info: https://www.ted.com/talks/arthur_brooks_a_conservative_s_plea_let_s_work_together?r eferrer=playlist-talks_to_restore_your_faith_in Debate topics: • Who is at fault for plastic pollution: consumers (product buyers) or producers (product manufacturers)? • Who should cover the cost of cleaning up and preventing plastic litter: tax payers or businesses? • Should all single use plastics be banned from further production? • Should corporations selling plastic products be limited to certain plastic types to make recycling simpler? • Should students at this school be required to pack plastic-free lunches? • Should plastic water bottles be sold at school? • Should product manufacturers and designers be responsible for recycling/repurposing their product at the end of its consumer life. STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 122 IMAGINE Take this brief quiz to determine your perspective on environmental ethics: Column A Column B What is more important to protect? Human survival Ecosystem survival Are humans the central element on planet earth? Yes No Nature is here for the use of humans. Agree Disagree Betterment of human society is more important than preservation of Earths ecosystem. Agree Disagree Humans will be able to survive a changing planet with ingenuity and technology. Yes No Total your answers in each column. Did you have more answers in Column A or B? __________________ Your instructor will tell you which column corresponds with an anthropocentric perspective and with an ecocentric perspective. APPLY 1. Practice flexible ideology – constantly challenge your own beliefs and ideas. Be critical not only of new ideas presented by others but of your own reasoning. Be the one to “blur the lines” by moving beyond stereotypes and the status quo. Do this by asking probing questions of opposing views, trying to see the similarities between opposing views and looking for common goals and how two opposing sides might need or benefit from collaboration. 2. 3. 4. Prepare for a class debate by collecting supporting facts and points of argumentation to support your viewpoint. List them in the table provided. Following your initial research and planning, you’ll pair with a peer of an opposing perspective. Share ideas and take notes. Practice listening and ask clarifying questions to learn more. Meet with a different peer with the same perspective as you. Share what you discussed and learned from your conversations with the opposing side. Use that information to adjust your own arguments, do more research, find additional supporting information and critique your own thinking. Your instructor will lead the class in a debate. Use your prepared notes and take notes during the debate, so that you are ready when you get called in. REFLECT What challenges did you face during the debate? What was easy and what do you need to practice more? Describe how you and/or your peers challenged your own beliefs or ideas. STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 123 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 Debate Notes Debate topic: Supporting facts and discussion points: Opposing perspective facts and discussion points: Rebuttal points: Debate notes: STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 124 GOAL Develop a plan for your school or district on how to become more plastic-smart by focusing on one problem item. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Challenge students to investigate the current system via personal interaction with school administration. Much of the needed information will likely not be available online. Challenge students to imagine the best possible scenarios when outlining their alternative situation/system. Ask probing questions to help them think beyond what they’ve already heard of, seen or read. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. 4. Outline the current system and power structure at play regarding the plastic item. Imagine and define an improved alternative system. Design an action plan for transitioning from the current the alternative system. Write an imaginative narrative of the transition. DURATION 14-6 hours PREPARE • • This activity builds strongly on the Lost Trash 3 activity. Students can use their research and work from Lost Trash 3 to create a more effective argument/story/plan for governing bodies of the district and city regarding waste production and management. Secure access to internet and contacts to school administration personnel who students can interview and interact otherwise with. PROCEDURE Students form groups of 2-4. Students watch this video (https://www.ted.com/talks/eric_liu_why_ordinary_people_need_to_underst and_power) then work through the workbook following the instructions and prompts to fill in the tables and write a narrative. STANDARDS MATERIALS - Pencil/Pen - Activity inspired and informed by Eric Lui TED talk “Why ordinary people need to understand power” (https://www.ted.com/ talks/eric_liu_why_ordi nary_people_need_to_ understand_power) REFERENCES STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 125 GOAL Develop a plan for your school or district on how to become more plastic-smart by focusing on one problem item. IMAGINEit Our societies – and schools - are generally structured by a governing body. Creating a change in the social system therefore usually requires involvement in politics - or civics. In democratic governments, people hold the power. But a person only has power by exercising it, by being involved. Through this activity, you’ll start learning about the systems of power that govern our society and how you can take part and change those systems and structures. As a class, you’ll watch the video of Eric Lui’s TED talk “Why ordinary people need to understand power.” OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. 4. Outline the current system and power structure at play regarding the plastic item. Imagine and define an improved alternative system. Design an action plan for transitioning from the current the alternative system. Write an imaginative narrative of the transition. EXPLOREit Use the following chart to outline the parts of the governing structures of your school district and city that control waste production and management. (Use your work from Lost Trash 3). Start by identifying a common plastic waste item produced through your school (spork packets, foam trays, vending machine beverage bottles, water cups). Write that item in the space at the top of Table 1. In Table 2, you’ll outline the forces of power that are at play in keeping the status quo that you outlined in Table 1. These are important to understand, as these are what you’ll try to influence or act on to change the status quo, by either getting that force to work for you or to neutralize its effect in your situation. IMAGINEit In Table 3, you’ll describe what the ideal (plastic-smart) situation would be regarding that item or the function it serves. Explain how that situation would look at your school in terms of the school body, the waste management teams and the governing bodies involved. In a report, write a narrative that describes the entire transition using all the information and ideas you’ve gathered so far. Write it as the success story of how a group of students championed their cause for a more sustainable and plastic-smart school, school district and/or city. Report all the different skills that were employed (research and planning, communication - negotiation, persuasion, framing issues, how groups were engaged to participate, how obstacles were overcome, how advocacy was employed, how conflicts were navigated etc.), what values where upheld and reintroduced in which groups and how that was accomplished, which systems supported and which systems challenged the process (media, economic, political), which social demographics and organizations were involved and how, which systems were built on, rerouted or deconstructed? APPLYit The more descriptive detail you include the more clear and powerful your intention will be. Share your narrative with the groups you’ve identified to be integral to the situation (e.g. your school and district leaders, your city officials, your social groups, business leaders). Simply writing your story is the first step to allowing it to become a reality. But sharing it and acting it out will lead to an improved future. STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 126 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 Table 1. The Status Quo ITEM: Outline the system by which the item is provided by the school. Do research online and by talking with school administration, representatives, custodians etc. What company supplies the item? Who at the school/district is in charge of purchasing the item for the school? Why is that item purchased by the school? Are there any regulations forcing the school to purchase the item? Who at the school buys or uses the item? What function does the item fulfill? Which regulatory bodies are involved? How is the item distributed at the school? Who pays for the product? The school or students? Describe how this waste item is managed as fully as possible. Do research online and by communicating with school administration, representatives, custodians etc. to supplement your prior knowledge and assumptions. Is the item recyclable or not? Does the school have a recycling system? How likely is it that the item is actually recycled/repurposed? What can you learn about the US/global market for the type of plastic that the item is made of? If yes: do students know to, and actually recycle the item? STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 127 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 Table 2. The Forces of Power outline the forces of power that are keeping the status quo of the waste situation for your chosen item How or why is each force effective at controlling the current waste production and management situation that you described in Table 1? How could this force be influenced positively or negatively ? What actions would be needed? Money (How is the marketplace controlling the situation?) People (Who is ultimately controlling the situation?) Ideas (What well established and accepted ideas are controlling the situation?) Information & Misinformation (What know facts, misconceptions or false news is controlling the situation?) Threat of force (Are there any consequences or penalties for groups that don’t abide by the rules which are thereby controlling the situation?) Force of norms (Are there any social trends, habits, tendencies or biases that are controlling the situation directly or indirectly?) STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 128 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 Table 3. Future Vision and Action Plan ALTERNATIVE ITEM OR REPLACEMENT SYSTEM: Outline the alternative situation by which the item is provided by the school. How would the alternative system look like to the student body and school officials? What would be purchased by the school? Would anything need to be disposed of? How would regulations be different? What would be the same? What costs would be incurred? How would the waste management system be affected? Which regulatory bodies are involved? What would be different? Explain why your alternative is an improvement from the current situation and any ways that it might be worse. Outline a plan of action for your school/district/city governing body that clearly explains how the transition from the current situation to your improved, alternative situation would be accomplished. What is the ultimate objective of the transition? What’s the broad strategy? What obstacles / opposing groups are expected and what plans are there to overcome them? (look back at the Forces of Power table) What tactics would be employed to achieve the transition? (E.g. concrete steps to take) What environment will the transition take place in? (What groups will be involved?) What groups are or can be persuade to work with and support you? (look back at the Forces of Power table) STEM Workshop: Polymer Politics Page 129 POLLUTION TECH-SOLUTIONS 1 How can a cereal and milk model be used to simulate ocean plastic extraction complexities? Followed up with a construction challenge, explore basic circular design concepts. 2 What are the existing technologies used to combat plastic pollution? Do they have unintended consequences and how can they be improved? 3 Explore alternative product economics and business models and design an improved system to replace a common plastic item. GOAL Experience design and implementation challenges of technological innovation aimed towards reducing plastic waste and extracting it from the oceans. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • Guide students through abstract though experiments using hands-on models and scaling concepts. PREPARE STANDARDS OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. Simulate plastic dispersal and break down using a cereal and milk model. Experiment with plastic extraction methods using the cereal and milk model. Learn circular economy and thoughtful design concepts through design challenge. DURATION About 120 minutes (60 min for each activity) MATERIALS Activity 1 - Pencil/Pen - Coffee filters (1/pair) - Tweezers, chopsticks or hemostats (1/pair) - Small kitchen strainer (1/pair) - Cereal (1/4 cup / pair) - Milk (1 cup / pair) - Bowls (1/pair) Activity 2 - Sheet of paper - Length of string - Paper towel roll - Staples - Paperclips - Glue and/or gluestick - Pen - Pencil and eraser - Ruler - Additional construction materials optional, e.g. hard to recycle items (containers, packaging, toys, etc) - (1 of each per group of 3-4) STEM Workshop: Pollution Tech Solutions Page 131 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 PROCEDURE Activity 1. Cereal and Milk Model 1. Distribute bowl with milk, and the cereal in a separate container to each pair of students. 2. Guide students through 3 phases of the model. For each phase students record their description of the model using the senses of sight, taste, smell and touch. Using those notes, students discuss predictions about the ocean – plastic situation. Use probing questions such as, “What does the cereal-milk model teach you about how plastics break down in the ocean?” “What problems can you predict researchers and companies have when they try to extract (remove) microplastics from the ocean?” “What did you learn about extraction methods from trying to remove the cereal from the milk using the different tools?” 3. After each phase of the model is completed, students work different groups to discuss the model’s similarities and differences to the ocean/plastic situation. After group discussions, facilitate a class share and discussion. Phase 1. Control phase. Milk is free of plastic contamination (cereal). Students describe milk writing notes in Column 1 of table. Phase 2. Addition phase. Cereal is added to milk (ocean contains plastic particles). Students stir milk, moving it around watching it break up into smaller particles. Students describe the model writing notes in Column 2 of the table. Phase 3. Photodegradation phase. Students let model sit for 10-20 minutes, stirring briefly every 5 minutes or so. This stage simulates long term changes to plastics in an ocean environment including photo and oxidative degradation (cereal becomes soggy and loses its structure), fragmentation (cereal fragments), and chemical leaching, non-visible sugars and flavors released into milk). Students return to model, continue stirring cereal, and again observing the model, writing notes in Column 3 of the table. Phase 4. Extraction phase. Students experiment with three extraction tools (clean-up methods) to test challenges and effectiveness of each method. The tweezers represent targeted removal (generally of large plastics such as ghost nets). The kitchen strainer represents a large net (used in studies and for regional removal methods like river mouths). The coffee filter represents a fine mesh collection system (could remove smaller particles but not chemicals or extremely small particles, and takes much more time to remove). Students compare methods writing notes in Column 4. Students also record notes on final model. STEM Workshop: Pollution Tech-Solutions Page 132 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 PROCEDURE Activity 2. Circular Design Challenge Group students into teams of 2-4 and name groups or ask students to come up with a team name. Provide each group with a box of construction supplies (listed under materials). Students are instructed to build a “product” with a specific function (allow 10-15 minutes). Students sketch their product, name it, and list the materials used and amount of each material. Each group passes their product and worksheet to the next team in a rotation format. Students are instructed to disassemble the product and build a new but different product using all of the materials that were used in the first product. Any materials from the first product that were not used should be listed, and any new materials used should be listed. Allow 10-15 minutes for disassembly and reconstruction. Students again sketch and name their product. Repeat the previous step 2 more times. Again students must use all materials passed to their table. Any materials not use must be listed. At the end of the last round, collect the worksheets and tally the amount of materials not used by giving one point for each separate piece. The team with the fewest points wins the round. Repeat the entire activity but with a different premise. Instruct students that this time, each material piece not used in the reconstruction is a negative point for the whole class (simulating the environmental cost of wasteful design). The aim is to incentivize smart design, where products are easily disassembled and materials used are easily reused. (Or -1 point for whole class (environmental cost), and -1 point for team (business cost). Have students analyze their experience in the two rounds by asking students to move to one or the other side of the classroom. Ask students to share with each other why they decided what they did. Did it get easier or harder to reconstruct a product from the 1st to the 4th iteration? Ask for both rounds. 2. Did the function of the products improve or decline from the 1st to the 4th iteration? Ask for both rounds. 1. Ask students to write down how their design thinking and process changed from the 1st to the 2nd round. STEM Workshop: Pollution Tech-Solutions Page 133 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 ACTIVITY 1. CEREAL & MILK MODEL Phase 1. Control Phase 2. Contamination Phase 3. Dispersal and Break down Phase 4. Extraction Describe milk without cereal Add cereal and describe Wait 10 minutes then describe Remove cereal with 3 different tools. Describe end result. Sight Smell Taste Touch Predictions about Ocean Plastic EXTRACTION METHOD COMPARISON Tweezers Strainer Coffee Filter Pros Cons Other notes STEM Workshop: Pollution Tech-Solutions Page 134 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC ACTIVITY 2. CIRCULAR DESIGN CHALLENGE grades 10-12 ROUND 1 GROUP 1 Name: GROUP 2 Name: GROUP 3 Name: GROUP 4 Name: Product Name Product Name Product Name Product Name Sketch Sketch Sketch Sketch Function Function Function Function Materials Used: Materials from previous group not used: Materials from previous group not used: Materials from previous group not used: New Materials Used: New Materials Used: New Materials Used: STEM Workshop: Pollution Tech-Solutions Page 135 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC ACTIVITY 2. CIRCULAR DESIGN CHALLENGE grades 10-12 ROUND 2 GROUP 1 Name: GROUP 2 Name: GROUP 3 Name: GROUP 4 Name: Product Name Product Name Product Name Product Name Sketch Sketch Sketch Sketch Function Function Function Function Materials Used: Materials from previous group not used: Materials from previous group not used: Materials from previous group not used: New Materials Used: New Materials Used: New Materials Used: STEM Workshop: Pollution Tech-Solutions Page 136 GOAL Develop analytical, evaluation, and comparative skills by critiquing and improving both preventative and endof-the-pipe technological interventions to plastic pollution. TEACHING OBJECTIVES Challenge students to conduct research in an explorative manner, looking beyond the easy to find information, to more obscure and indirect sources and using them to deduce and make educated estimates PREPARE STANDARDS OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Analyze and evaluate an existing technological intervention. Design improvements or alternatives for the existing intervention using creative and abstract thinking. DURATION MATERIALS STEM Workshop: Pollution Tech Solutions Page 137 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 PROCEDURE CASE STUDIES Preventative Examples 1. 2. 3. 4. Biodegradable PLA plastics Leash the cap attempts by Arrowhead Plant based plastics Streets weeping programs End-of-Pipe Examples 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The Ocean Cleanup Seabin Project Baltimore Waterwheel Pyrolysis companies Waste 2 Energy programs Students individually complete IMAGINE exercise. Students work in groups of 2-4 and choose a case study to research and present on. Instruct students to use news articles, reports, critiques, company outreach and websites, etc. to develop a poster about a technological innovation, either preventative or end-of-pipe. Posters should include at least: • The main function or claimed function of the technology. • A description of how the technology works including materials, labor and energy costs (estimated). • A summary of its recorded impact (how well has the technology reduced or addressed plastic waste?) • An analysis of any recorded negative impacts (externalities and unintended consequences). Can be long-term, ecological, social, systemic. • An overall evaluation of the sustainability and effectiveness of the technology (using the provided matrix). Once posters are completed students conduct a poster sharing session, where groups move to different posters, and members from each group take turns presenting their poster. Students form new groups of 2-4 based on the technology they want to develop improvements or alternatives for. Each group creates a new poster to attach to bottom (or display next to) original poster. The new poster should outline: • The details of the improvement / alternative. • How the new technology serves the same function or has the same end result as the original. • What negative consequences of the original are addressed by the redesign or alternative. • What unintended consequences might the redesign/alternative have? • Why is the redesign / alternative better than the original in terms of sustainability and effectiveness? Students conduct a second poster share session, focusing on the redesign/alternative, and using the original to provide context. As a class, students order originals and redesigns based on what has the most promising potential for positive impact on a global scale. Facilitate a student discussion in Fish Bowl format (https://teaching.berkeley.edu/active-learningstrategies) to argue whether preventative or end-of-pipe technologies should receive more funding, support and which is a more effective intervention. Fish bowl discussions are set up with a small group of students representing different groups sitting in a center circle. The rest of the students sit in their groups or normal seats. Students in the center circle begin discussion and can tap in students from the outside group to come in to add supporting information and new ideas. STEM Workshop: Pollution Tech-Solutions Page 138 GOAL Develop analytical, evaluation, and comparative skills by critiquing and improving both preventative and endof-the-pipe technological interventions to plastic pollution. IMAGINE Designing, engineering and building technological innovations are key ingredients in reducing the amount of plastic waste produced, littered and lost to the environment. It is important to clean the environment, but equally or even more important to prevent more waste from being produced in the first place. Many solutions have already been devised and implemented but with varying success and effectiveness. New ideas are great but we need to be able to evaluate them to be sure they are really doing more good than harm. Choose a technological item that you use regularly (e.g. phone, car, game). OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Analyze and evaluate an existing technological intervention. Design improvements or alternatives for the existing intervention using creative and abstract thinking. ______________________ How does it positively impact your life? How does it positively impact the environment and other people (directly and indirectly)? When designing a product to fill a need, want or function, it is easy to get carried away and forget about the unintended (or unknown and untested) consequences the product has. These are often negative and felt by or paid for by the environment or other people. These outside impacts are called externalities. How does it negatively impact your life? How does it negatively impact the environment and other people (directly and indirectly)? STEM Workshop: Pollution Tech-Solutions Page 139 STEM ACTIVITY : INSIDE PLASTIC grades 10-12 TECHNOLOGY COMPARISON MATRIX INPUTS (Costs) Materials (Common or rare?) Energy (Renewable or non-renewable?) (Few or many?) Labor (High or low?) Time (Long or short time to implement or be effective?) Overall Cost (Fair or unfair?) (Long or short durability?) high--------------low OUTPUTS (Consequences) Material Beneficial waste? Ecological Benefits? Social People benefited? Political Benefits? Economic Profits? Unrecyclable waste? Harms? People negatively impacted? Challenges? Losses? EFFECTIVENESS (Input – Output) Impact on plastic pollution situation vs. …. Size/amount of material Effective ----------------- Ineffective Ecological disruption Effective ----------------- Ineffective People impacted Effective ----------------- Ineffective Time spent Effective ----------------- Ineffective Energy required Effective ----------------- Ineffective Policy impacted Effective ----------------- Ineffective SUSTAINABILITY (mark each loop as beneficial or harmful) Positive feedback loops Negative feedback loops STEM Workshop: Pollution Tech-Solutions Other sustainability notes Page 140 GOAL To understand the economic challenges to changing our plastic production and recycling systems. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. TEACHING OBJECTIVES • • Assist students in understand the complex connections that make up the plastics economy. Challenge students to think of the plastics economy in a holistic manner. PREPARE STANDARDS Conduct a cost/benefit analysis of plastic recycling improvements. Explore the impacts of including an environmental cost for plastic production. DURATION About 3 hours – adjust time as needed MATERIALS - Printed worksheet Pencil/pen STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Page 141 GOAL To understand the economic challenges to changing our plastic production and recycling systems. IMAGINE Watch the video for an overview of the linear and circular economy designs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E_irYHyrGU. As you watch, jot down key concepts and ideas/terms to look up and read more about. OBJECTIVES 1. 2. Conduct a cost/benefit analysis of plastic recycling improvements. Explore the impacts of including an environmental cost for plastic production. Read a case study that catches your interest from the following list. Jot down ideas or questions that pop up in your mind as you go. (https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/building-blocks) Think about a plastic product that you use. The challenge is to design an alternative business model for the product. Write down the product (or service) that you will redesign: STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Page 142 DESIGN To start developing ideas for a circular design for the product or service, explore the topics on this page https://www.circulardesignguide.com/methods. Make a chart that outlines your understanding of the parts of the plastics economy relating to that product. What materials, resources, jobs, expenses, outputs, effects are part of the system? Make your chart as complete as possible, without using external references, then use external resources to refine your diagram. Start sketching your chart here and use a large surface once you have an outline. Now, use the Business model canvas to formulate ideas on a new business design for your product or service. Use sticky notes, stacked or numbered to allow for multiple ideas and concepts. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/design/Business_Model_Canvas_Final. pdf ? STEM Workshop: Recycle Resin Page 143 LEARNENGAGEACT PREVENTING PLASTIC POLLUTION algalita.org 148 N. Marina Dr. Long Beach, CA 90803 562.598.4889