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Understanding Plastic Pollution K-6

Elementary, Middle

Description

The resource aims to create an understanding through action, of plastic pollution.  Students will learn about the dangers of plastics in the environment, become playground monitors and determine how much garbage is on their playground.

The activity involves the students selecting an area to be monitored for a period of four weeks.  During this time they will visit the area, collect the garbage and record the types and amounts they find.  After assessing the data trends for the four weeks, the students discuss how to reduce the amount of garbage on the playground and if there is a need to create an awareness campaign for their school community. Discussion questions are provided as well as a suggestion for extending the learning.

This resource is part of a compilation of activities that enable teachers to integrate climate change research into their classrooms through fun, engaging and accessible learning experiences.

General Assessment

Recommendation of how and where to use it

Understanding Plastic Pollution is best suited for the elementary Science classroom.  Students will learn about the impact of garbage on local environments. It supports curriculum outcomes relating to  human impacts on the environment and habitats. The resource should be planned to coincide with fair weather and may have its greatest impact as an Earth Day activity.

The Discover Our Climate learning activities are designed for grades primary to six and focus on Atlantic Canada. Each activity encourages students to be curious and create solutions for the on-going climate challenges we face.   

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

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  • Alberta
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    • Kindergarten
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
    • Grade 1
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      • Science
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        • Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
    • Grade 3
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      • Science
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        • Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions
    • Grade 4
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      • Science
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        • Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions.
    • Grade 6
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      • Science
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        • Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions
  • Manitoba
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        • Characteristics and Needs of Living Things
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        • Growth and Changes in Animals
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        • Habitat and Communities
  • New Brunswick
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        • Explore Your World: Diversity and Social Responsibility
    • Grade 1
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      • Science
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        • Explore Your World: Diversity and Social Responsibility
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      • Science
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        • Explore Your World: Diversity and Social Responsibility
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      • Science
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        • Our Local Environment : Learning and Living Sustainably
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        • Exploring Our World: Attitudes
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        • Needs and Characteristics of Living Things
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        • Animal Growth and Changes
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      • Health Education
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        • Health: Environmental Health
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        • Habitats
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      • Health Education
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        • Health: Environmental Health
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        • Health: Environmental Health
  • Northwest Territories
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        • Life Systems: Characteristics and Needs of Living Things
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Life Science: Growth and Changes in Animals
  • Nova Scotia
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        • Primary Science: Living Things
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        • Science 1: Needs of Living Things
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        • Social Studies 1: Age Appropriate Action
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        • Science 4: Habitats
  • Nunavut
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        • Life Systems: Characteristics and Needs of Living Things
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      • Science
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        • Life Science: Growth and Changes in Animals
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      • Science
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        • Life Systems: Habitats & Communities
  • Ontario
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        • Needs and Characteristics of Living Things
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        • Interactions: Environments
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        • Animal Growth and Changes:Investigating the Needs and Life Cycles of an Organism
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        • Habitats
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        • Units & Outcomes
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      • Science
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        • Animal Growth and Changes
    • Grade 4
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Habitats and Communities

Themes Addressed

Citizenship (1)

  • Sustainable Consumption

Ecosystems (1)

  • Appreciating the Natural World

Waste Management (3)

  • Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
  • Solid Waste Disposal
  • Source Reduction

Water (1)

  • Marine Environments

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