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Description
The resource is one of 12 found in Green Learning’s ECO 360- a comprehensive study of the circular economy. This particular lesson encourages students to use the 5R approach to reduce plastic consumption. Learning is based on the Plastics Pollution Primer and Action Toolkit that provides students with
• background information on the nature of plastic pollution and its effects on the environment and human health.
• direction and tools for determining their personal plastic footprints
• details of the 5 R approach to limit plastic production & consumption
• examples of successful plastic reduction efforts
• direction, tools and support for launching individual and/or class action projects
All materials required for students and teachers are included in the resource.
General Assessment
What skills does this resource explicitly teach?
Data collection and analysis
Strengths
- The resource examines an important issue with a focus on knowledge.
- The resource is thorough and easy to use.
- Teaching and learning are very well supported.
- Information is current and up-to-date.
- The lesson design does a good job connecting the issue to the students' own experiences.
Recommendation of how and where to use it
This lesson will be of particular interest to chemistry and biology teachers looking to connect knowledge and content to important current issues and to the student's own experience. It will also help students see how the integration of subject knowledge (chemistry and biology in this case) is required for a deeper understanding of complex issues and events.
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.
- Step 1Select a province
- Alberta
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Chemistry
- Knowledge and Employability Science: Environmental Chemistry (Social and Environmental Contexts Emphasis)
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Biology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Biology 20: Ecosystems and Population Change
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 30: Chemistry and the Environment
- British Columbia
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Chemistry
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Chemistry 11: Organic chemistry and its applications have significant implications for human health, society, and the environment
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science for Citizens 11:Scientific processes and knowledge inform our decisions and impact our daily lives
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Chemistry and the Environment
- Knowledge and Employability Science: Environmental Chemistry (Social and Environmental Contexts Emphasis)
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Experiential Science 20, Marine Systems: Ocean Ecology
- Grade 12
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 30: Chemistry and the Environment
- Ontario
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- :Biology: Sustainable Ecosystems
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Chemistry
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Hydrocarbons and Energy
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science (Workplace Preparation): Chemicals in Consumer Products
- Prince Edward Island
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 9: Decisions and Perspectives
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Applied Science 701A: Decisions and Perspectives
- Science 421A: Decisions and Perspectives
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Chemistry
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Chemistry 521A: Organic Chemistry
- Quebec
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science & Technology: The Living World
- Science and the Environment: The Living World
- Yukon Territory
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Chemistry
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Chemistry 11: Organic chemistry and its applications have significant implications for human health, society, and the environment
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science for Citizens 11:Scientific processes and knowledge inform our decisions and impact our daily lives
Themes Addressed
Citizenship (1)
- Sustainable Consumption
Human Health & Environment (1)
- Environmental Contaminants & Health Hazards
Waste Management (2)
- Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Source Reduction
Water (1)
- Marine Environments
Sustainability Education Principles
| Principle | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Very Good | Much of the learning is based on the students' evaluation of their own practices and experience. Any information provided is science based and all data is from reliable sources and is current. |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
| ||
| Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Good | Plastics in the environment provides an excellent example of the need to balance economic, environmental and social considerations. The environmental and social (health) impacts of economies built on consumption is well demonstrated. |
| Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
| ||
| Respects Complexity | Very Good | Many of the descriptions and activities in the lesson illustrate the size and complexity of the problem of plastics in our environment. Attention is also given to how the implementation of technology to improve the economy or society or the environment will often result in both intended and unintended consequences. |
| Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
| Acting on Learning | Very Good | Personal and community action based on what has been learned is a core component of the lesson. Students are encouraged and supported in their efforts. |
| Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
| ||
| Values Education | Good | While the footprint exercise is based on personal reflection of lifestyle, there are no explicit requirements for students to express their feelings about what they learned. |
| Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
| Empathy & Respect for Humans | Poor/Not considered | The purpose of the lesson does not include this criterion. |
| Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
| Personal Affinity with Earth | Good | The students learn how the accumulation of plastics impacts ecosystems, with special attention given to marine environments. |
| Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
| ||
| Locally-Focused Learning | Very Good | Students are connected to the issue through an accounting and analysis of their own consumption habits. |
| Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
| ||
| Past, Present & Future | Satisfactory | Some sense of plastics production and consumption over time is provided. Attention to the 5R's and successful efforts to limit plastic pollution provides an optimistic outlook for the future. |
| Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. | ||
Pedagogical Approaches
| Principle | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Open-Ended Instruction | Very Good | The students investigate their own culpability in the problems created by plastic production and consumption. |
| Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
| Integrated Learning | Satisfactory | This issue connects the fields of biology and chemistry and the primer used in the lesson effectively demonstrates this integration. |
| Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
| ||
| Inquiry Learning | Satisfactory | While highly structured, the lesson is based on students answering the question, 'what is my plastic consumption footprint'. The tools used and the procedure followed are determined by the resource. |
| Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
| ||
| Differentiated Instruction | Satisfactory | Much of the learning about plastic pollution involves reading. The practical nature of the footprint activity will however appeal to a variety of abilities and learning styles. |
| Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
| ||
| Experiential Learning | Good | Both the footprint calculation and the action project provide for learning in a 'real world' context. |
| Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
| ||
| Cooperative Learning | Poor/Not considered | The lesson has been designed for individual learning. Group opportunities do exist within the action project assignment but are not priorities in this design. |
| Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
| ||
| Assessment & Evaluation | Satisfactory | Suggestions for formative assessment are included. |
| Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
| Peer Teaching | Poor/Not considered | Peer teaching opportunities can occur with the implementation of the action project but are not explicitly called for. |
| Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
| ||
| Case Studies | Good | A number of case studies are provided in the resource's 'primer'. |
| Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
| Locus of Control | Satisfactory | Students do not have choice over content, but they do determine what action to take and how it will be implemented. |
| Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. | ||
