Ocean Plastic Next Generation Science Standards Alignment
K-2-ETS1-1 (Engineering Design): Students will recognize the role of engineering in solving environmental problems by proposing simple solutions to reduce plastic waste in their surroundings.
K-2-ETS1-2 (Engineering Design): Through discussions and activities, young students will analyze different ways to collect and recycle plastics, learning how these methods can help the environment.
2-ESS2-1 (Earth’s Systems): Students will explore how water transports materials, including plastics, through small-scale models and discussions about water flow and its ability to carry waste into different environments.
3-LS4-4 (Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity): Students will understand the consequences of environmental changes, such as plastic pollution, on living organisms by observing how these changes can affect local wildlife, including sea turtles.
3-5-ETS1-1 (Engineering Design): Students will define a problem—plastic pollution—and develop possible solutions, focusing on innovative ways to remove or prevent plastic waste in their communities.
3-5-ETS1-2 (Engineering Design): This standard encourages students to compare multiple solutions aimed at reducing plastic pollution, considering the strengths and weaknesses of each approach in terms of environmental impact.
3-5-ETS1-3 (Engineering Design): In this lesson, students will plan and carry out fair tests, such as experimenting with different materials to simulate the cleaning of plastics from water bodies, to determine the most effective methods for waste removal.
4-ESS3-1 (Earth and Human Activity): Students will delve into how human activity contributes to environmental problems and solutions, focusing on waste management systems and their effectiveness in preventing plastic pollution.
5-ESS3-1 (Earth and Human Activity): Students will understand the impact of human activities on environmental health by directly engaging in a cleanup activity that prevents potential marine pollution.
5-PS1-3 (Matter and Its Interactions): By exploring how plastics degrade and transform into microplastics, students will learn about the conservation of matter and the chemical processes involved in the breakdown of materials.
MS-ESS3-3 (Earth and Human Activity): Middle school students will evaluate human impacts on Earth’s systems, specifically focusing on the environmental effects of plastic waste and the societal responses to this issue.
MS-ETS1-1 (Engineering Design): Students will define criteria and constraints for design solutions to environmental problems posed by plastic pollution, applying scientific research to develop practical, sustainable innovations.
MS-ETS1-4 (Engineering Design): This involves applying the engineering design process to develop and test technologies that can prevent or clean up plastic pollution, encouraging iterative testing and redesign to optimize solutions for environmental health.