Scribd
Upload
26 views3 pages

Plastic Pollution in Rivers: Lesson Plan

This lesson plan aims to research the cycle of plastics from production to consumption and waste. Over two 90-minute sessions, students will conduct individual and group research on sustainability issues related to plastic pollution in rivers. They will present their findings using audiovisual tools and reflect on plastic production, use, and waste in their daily lives. Activities include observing plastic pollution in parks, isolating microplastics from water samples and personal care products, and discussing alternatives to plastic use.

Uploaded by

Fernanda Adorno
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
26 views3 pages

Plastic Pollution in Rivers: Lesson Plan

This lesson plan aims to research the cycle of plastics from production to consumption and waste. Over two 90-minute sessions, students will conduct individual and group research on sustainability issues related to plastic pollution in rivers. They will present their findings using audiovisual tools and reflect on plastic production, use, and waste in their daily lives. Activities include observing plastic pollution in parks, isolating microplastics from water samples and personal care products, and discussing alternatives to plastic use.

Uploaded by

Fernanda Adorno
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Plastic Pollution in Rivers Lesson

Plan

Developed by: Nicole Schaller-Picard Institution: Carl-Fuhlrott-Gymnasium

Introduction:
This lesson plan aims to research the cycle of plastics, from production to
consumption and how waste is dealt with.

Objectives or Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:


13-16
• conduct individual and group research about sustainability related
issues.
Years old
• present their results using a range of audivisual tools.
• reflect upon the production, use and waste of plastic in their daily lives.

Time required:
• Session 1 (90 min): Introducton and preparation of research
• Session 2 (90 min): Conducting research, drafting findings and
presentations

Resources required:
• Observation of plastic pollution:
Microplastic net, trash bags, garbage tongs, protective gloves
shovel and bucket for taking sediment samples
• Laptops, projector, mobile phones.
• Optional: marine plastic experts for interviews and support with
isolation of plastic from sediment and analysis of the type of plastic

1
Classroom
session 1
• Students are presented with the following questions in order to start reseraching
in groups:
What is plastic? What types of plastics exist? What are the consequences of plastic
in the sea/rivers? What is microplastic and where does it come from? What are the
alternatives to plastic? What are bioplastics? What types are there? How does
plastic get into the sea? What are the health consequences of plastic? Why is
plastic such a successful material? Which plastics can be recycled well? What are
the effects of plastic on the individual SDGs? What can I do myself to avoid plastic?

• The teacher creates a padlet to divide tasks during research (example available
here).

• The teacher asks students to identify the plastic issue in their area. A possible
roadmap is:
Analysis and problem identification:
A Go to the nearby forest or park. Map out where you find garbage and pick it up
with garbage tongs.
B If there is a river near you, get a microplastic net and hang it in the water for an
hour, calculating the flow rate. Take sediment samples from the river and look for
methods to isolate the microplastic (e.g. density gradient). Discuss what kind of
packaging the piece of plastic could come from.

Classroom
session 2
• The teacher asks students to brins their shower gel or exfoliator from home. Isolate
the microplastics from it with filters.
• Students visit or lay out a plastic graveyard. Bury different packages in a separate
bed and write the date on them. In this way you can see how much of the packaging
has been naturally degraded over time.
• Optional: discuss with scientists about plastic topics. Visit a sewage treatment
plant and ask what sizes of plastic can be filtered out of the waste water.

2
• Students are asked o reflect upon what sustainable use of plastics could look like.
• Students write a plastic diary in which they write down what they consume.
Students try not to buy or use plastic for a week. Discuss where plastic is
indispensable and where there are alternatives.
• Students are asked to disseminate their findings and reflections through
exhibitions, films, podcast or lectures. Students actively try to raise awareness of
the topic.

Suggestions of variation or further reading of the lesson plan

If viable students could visit a plastic recycling plant. Moreover, the teacher can try
to engage with scientists and university students and ask them to participate in
lectures, workshops and activities with the students.

References

This reseach was conducted thansk to the support provided by:

Award within the framework of the project "Schule der Zukunft" (Academy for
Nature and Environmental Protection NRW)
Funding by the Robert Bosch Stiftung's Our Common Future programme:
http://cfg.wtal.de/leben-am-cfg/nachhaltigkeit-am-cfg/cfg-wird-in-
foerderprogramm-our-common-future-aufgenommen/ http://
cfg.wtal.de/2017/11/14/der-weg-des-plastiks-wz/

This lesson plan was selected from the 2020 Eco-Schools competition in
which teachers were invited to develop and submit lesson plans that promote
action oriented pedagogy about specific Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs).

You might also like