Ocean Plastic Unit
Explore the world of sea turtles to see what makes them so important to our oceans - and to us!
Understand the impact of plastic pollution on our oceans and planet!
Design & engineer eco-friendly, plastic-capturing prototypes in our STEAM lesson plan!
Become part of the pollution solution right now on our outdoor “field trip”!
This unit begins with the
Teacher Resource Kit
Tailored for students in grades 3-5, this 24-page kit enhances the video content by diving deeper into the urgent environmental issue of plastic pollution in our oceans and its detrimental effects on marine life, particularly sea turtles.
Teacher Resources
The Teacher Resources section serves as the foundation of the kit, offering an introductory overview that prepares educators to effectively deliver the unit's content. It includes a detailed guide on how the lessons align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), comprehensive reference materials to deepen the teachers' understanding of plastic pollution, and engaging classroom discussion prompts that encourage critical thinking and student participation. This segment ensures that educators are well-equipped to tackle the complex topic of environmental conservation.
Art Lesson Plan
Aligned with the National Core Arts Standards (NCAS), the Art Lesson Plan encourages creative exploration of environmental themes. Through art projects like eco-collages, students visually represent the journey of plastic from everyday use to oceanic pollution. This artistic approach not only enhances understanding of the material but also fosters creativity, allowing students to express the environmental impacts and solutions through their artwork. This segment emphasizes the importance of integrating art with science to fully grasp the consequences of human actions on marine life.
STEAM Lesson Plan
The STEAM Design Lesson Plan combines elements of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics to challenge students to develop their own solutions to reduce plastic pollution. Highlighting existing technologies such as the Interceptor and FRED, this lesson encourages innovation and problem-solving. Students engage in the engineering design process, creating prototypes and models that reflect their understanding and response to the environmental challenge posed by plastic waste.
Activity Lesson Plan
This segment extends learning beyond the classroom through interactive outdoor activities and games that reinforce the unit's themes. Accompanying the unit's thematic song, the Outdoor/Game Lesson Plan includes hands-on activities like community clean-ups and educational games that highlight the importance of action in environmental stewardship. By participating in these activities, students not only apply what they've learned in a real-world setting but also develop a personal connection to the material, enhancing their impact on preserving marine environments.
Preview the
Video Series
Plastic Muddled Ocean Turtles
Animated Adventure
Plastic Muddled Ocean Turtles - Part 1
JP Rothbone plans to dump plastic bags into the ocean, thinking sea turtles will consume them. However, the vigilant Boneheads intercept to thwart his plan, protecting the turtles. While Bonehead daydreams of heroism, T-Bone and Wishbone lead the mission's success.
Plastic Muddled Ocean Turtles - Part 2
The reality of Bonehead's mission is radically different than his heroic daydream, but he and his team still manage to board JP's airship and stop his cronies from dumping the plastic bags into the ocean. As usual, T-Bone gets all the credit, much to Bonehead's chagrin.
It’s Your Planet Too!
Understanding the Plastic Problem
Unraveling the Plastic Threat to Sea Turtles
Join host Bobby Donohue at HOPE Headquarters as he explores the impact of plastic pollution on ocean life, especially sea turtles. Learn how plastic waste travels from everyday use to the ocean, posing dangers to marine species like leatherback sea turtles, which can mistake plastic for food, leading to serious health issues. Discover the transformation of plastic into microplastics and its infiltration into the marine food chain. This video emphasizes the significance of our choices in mitigating marine pollution and offers insights into how we can help protect sea turtles and marine ecosystems.
Connecting the Dots: Sea Turtles and Ecosystem Balance
Discover the vital role of sea turtles in marine ecosystems, where they act as keystone species influencing their environment profoundly. This video shows how their dietary habits benefit other marine life and ocean health, highlighting their impact on jellyfish populations and seagrass beds. Learn about sea turtles' symbiotic relationships and their crucial contribution to marine biodiversity. The video also tackles the threat of plastic pollution, emphasizing the need to protect sea turtles to preserve ocean well-being and, by extension, human life. Join us to understand the importance of sea turtles in maintaining ecological balance and how we can contribute to their conservation.
Plastic's Path: From Convenience to Crisis
This video delves into the world of plastic, revealing its journey from everyday use to the ocean, where it becomes a lasting pollutant. Students will learn about plastic's non-biodegradable nature and its breakdown into harmful microplastics, contributing to vast oceanic garbage patches and threatening marine life like sea turtles. The story of a single plastic bag illustrates the broader issue of plastic pollution, highlighting its impact from the ocean's surface to its depths.
Think Like Engineers!
Green Technology to Clean the Plastic
Innovative Solutions for Ocean Plastic Cleanup
This segment showcases innovative technologies like the Ocean Cleanup's Interceptor and FRED, the robot dedicated to removing debris from our waters, alongside BeBot, designed to clean up beach litter. These technologies are not just presented as solutions but as catalysts to spark the imagination of young viewers, encouraging them to conceptualize their own strategies to fight plastic pollution.
You Have the Power!
YOU Can Make a Difference Right Now!
"Hey No More Ocean Plastic" Music Video
"Hey No More Ocean Plastic" is an upbeat song that reinforces the importance of taking care of our environment by reducing plastic waste. Through relatable lyrics and a catchy tune, the song encourages kids to be mindful of their plastic usage and disposal, and emphasizes the consequences of plastic pollution on marine life, such as sea turtles. By taking simple actions like recycling and reusing, kids can work together to create a cleaner, healthier future for our oceans and the planet.
NGSS Alignment
Grade 3
Grade 3 dives into the wonders of life science. Through this episode, students learn about sea turtles' vital role in marine ecosystems, emphasizing species interconnectedness. By addressing the impacts of plastic pollution on marine life, including sea turtles, the content underscores the profound implications of human activities on biodiversity and species survival.
Grade 4
Fourth graders are introduced to the intricate dance between Earth's systems and human activities. The series guides them from neighborhood plastic litter to the ocean depths, illustrating the path of water and the adverse effects of human-induced plastic pollution on Earth's systems. The narrative also highlights the inherent dangers of plastic to marine ecosystems, driving home our responsibility in the plastic dilemma.
Grade 5
For Grade 5, the series delves deep into matter and its interactions, spotlighting plastic's unique properties. Discussions around plastic's transition to microplastics and its enduring, non-biodegradable nature enable students to grasp matter conservation and material characteristics. Tying human actions to environmental consequences, the series also introduces engineering solutions, motivating students to identify, design, and refine strategies to combat plastic pollution.
Engineering & Design Grades 3-5
Within the realm of engineering and design, students from grades 3 through 5 embark on a transformative journey to combat plastic pollution. They delve into the groundbreaking efforts of organizations harnessing science and green technologies. By identifying the pressing issue of plastic waste, students engage in designing innovative solutions, comparing and refining multiple strategies to address the problem. Through hands-on challenges, students not only grasp the intricacies of engineering design but also actively experiment, assess, and enhance their own solutions to mitigate plastic's environmental impact.
