Plastic Trash and Wildlife

Trash collection can be a hassle, especially out in the ocean. The second of four parts in the Adrift in a Sea of Plastic unit has pupils research plastic trash islands in marine ecosystems. They investigate why they occur and potential...

Where does our garbage go? What is the difference between a recyclable and non-recyclable item? Pose these important, but often overlooked, questions to your class and invite them to consider the lasting and damaging effects of the...

What does your garbage say about you? Young scientists dig through a video about things people cast aside. The narrator shows the fascinating things in George Washington's garbage pile, ancient Roman garbage, and how the landfills we...

How much plastic do people use? Class members identify how plastic is involved in their daily lives by looking at food packaging either at a grocery store or at home. Learners view statistics for the amount of plastics found on a beach...

Compare waste a percent at a time. The resource contains an infographic on food waste. Using images, the informative activity describes the amount and types of food waste that occur. Pupils compare the percentage of waste from their...

Four different activities focus on the amount of trash generated and how humans can better manage waste. Learners analyze two days' worth of household garbage, test materials for biodegradability, and rate recyclability of various...

Fourth graders examine the types of garbage that they collect on the playground. They collect the information in a spreadsheet and create a graph that displays the number of types of trash found. They design and monitor a playground...

Students demonstrate effects of waste on environment and ways of reducing it, observe how much packaging goes into bag lunches each day, and survey their families to assess awareness levels and household recycling practices. Lessons all...

While plastics don't biodegrade, they do photodegrade, creating issues in Earth's oceans. The final video in the Healthy Oceans series explains why plastic in oceans causes so many issues. the narrator explains the impact of plastic...

Students are able to list the types of household waste that they produce daily. They are able to describe some other types of waste that are produced by industry or agriculture to help maintain their lifestyles. Students are able to...