Lesson Planet
Search educational resources
  • Sign In Try It Free
  • AI Teacher Tools
    • Discover Resources Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more
    • Curriculum Manager (My Content) Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders To Access the Curriculum Manager Sign In or Join Now
    • Browse Resource Directory Browse educational resources by subject and topic
    • Curriculum Calendar Explore curriculum resources by date
    • Lesson Planning Articles Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom
    • Our Story
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Pricing
  • School Access
    • Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet — with no cost to teachers
      Learn More
  • Sign In
  • Try It Free

Hi, what do you want to do?

Create a lesson plan
Create a lesson plan
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Find a teaching resource
Find a teaching resource
The Problem of Plastic Trash Islands Lesson PlanThe Problem of Plastic Trash Islands Lesson Plan
Publisher
Bonneville
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
5th - 8th
Subjects
Science
5 more...
Resource Type
Lesson Plans
Audience
For Teacher Use
Duration
3 days
Instructional Strategies
Direct Instruction
2 more...
Technology
Video
Presentation
Internet Access
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
Lesson Plan

The Problem of Plastic Trash Islands

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This The Problem of Plastic Trash Islands lesson plan also includes:
  • The Problem of Plastic Trash Islands (.html)
  • Two Column Notes Instructions for Educators (.pdf)
  • Participation Quiz (.pdf)
  • Storyboard Outline (.pdf)
  • Presentation Rubric - Student (.pdf)
  • Presentation Rubric - Teacher (.pdf)
  • Project
  • Join to access all included materials

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 solutions to the problem, then create a presentation of their findings.

22 Views 16 Downloads
CCSS: Designed

Concepts

pollution, ocean pollution, ecosystems, plastic, ocean currents

Instructional Ideas

  • Team up with an English teacher for the research portion of the project
  • Invite an environmental scientist to talk about issues regarding ocean pollution

Classroom Considerations

  • Scholars need access to Internet or newspaper articles

Pros

  • Includes a sample presentation for the class to reference
  • Lists some possible lesson extensions

Cons

  • None

Common Core

RI.5.1 RI.5.7 RI.5.9 W.5.7 W.5.8 W.5.9.b

See similar resources:

Activity

Environmental Expert Presentation

North Haven Middle School
Individuals or groups select an environmental issue, then spend time researching and creating a presentation to share in class. By allowing learners to choose the issue that matters most to them, you will motivate them to do...
6th - 12th Science
Lesson Plan

Oils and Plastic

Curated OER
Peruse the properties of polymers with your materials engineers, chemistry aces, or emerging ecologists. The inquiries in this resource include puncturing polyethylene plastic bags, dissolving polystyrene cups, creating a polymer...
5th - 10th Science
Instructional Video

How Much Plastic is in the Ocean?

Be Smart
Plastics in our oceans not only create unsightly litter, but they also threaten habitats. A video episode maps the location of the majority of the plastic debris and explains the impact the debris has on our world. The lesson also...
5 mins 6th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Video

What Really Happens to the Plastic You Throw Away

TED-Ed
Inspire environmentally conscious young minds with an exceptional video, which traces the life cycles of three different plastic bottles after they are thrown away and move through the earth with different journeys through a...
4 mins 6th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Discovering Japan Through Cooperative Research

Curated OER
Search a variety of sources to create a multimedia or book project about Japan. Learners use the independent investigation method to plan and conduct research about Japan. They use the information they discover to create a computer book...
4th - 6th English Language Arts
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Video

Preventing Plastic Pollution

California Academy of Science
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...
5 mins 6th - 10th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Plastic in the Sea

National Wildlife Federation
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...
3rd - 8th Science
Activity

Moja Island

Practical Action
Did you know that 1.3 billion people live without any form of electricity? Discover an array of possible renewable energy options by taking a trip to Moja Island, an online learning resource that will equip you and your...
6th - 9th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Unit Plan

Biography Project: Research and Class Presentation

ReadWriteThink
I Have A Dream ... that after the lesson, all individuals master the reading, writing, researching, listening, and speaking skills the biography project helps them develop. Martin Luther King, Jr. serves as a topic example for a model...
6th - 8th English Language Arts
CCSS: Designed
Lesson Plan

The Last Generation: Climate Change and the Marshall Islands

PBS
Are some families down to their last generation? The final segment of a two-part climate change series investigates the vanishing Marshall Islands. Scholars divide into research teams to analyze three different individuals whose lives...
8th - 12th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Try It Free
© 1999-2026 Learning Explorer, Inc.
Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources

Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter

Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Health
  • Language Arts
  • Languages
  • Math
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts
View All Lesson Plans

Discover Resources

  • Our Review Process
  • How it Works
  • How to Search
  • Create a Collection

Manage Curriculum

  • Edit a Collection
  • Assign to Students
  • Manage My Content
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use