Let's create continuous conversations about climate change education: Spreading the Sediment of Science!

Ocean Plastics Unit (3-5)

Provided by: Ocean Wise

Lesson Plans Grades 3-5

Synopsis

This 6-lesson unit plan teaches students from grades 3-5 about the impacts of plastics on the ocean ecosystem and how they can help keep the oceans clean.
The resource includes a student workbook with questions and reflections related to plastic usage and its impact on the environment.
Students will get to see the Indigenous connection to nature through stories about the T'Sou-ke, Ahousaht, and Haida Nations' shoreline clean-ups.

Subjects: Science

Authors: Ocean Wise

Region: United States, Global

Languages: English, French

Positives

The unit includes various resources that help students understand how plastics affect our oceans.
Students will be inspired by the people who took the initiative to clean their own communities and the impact it had.

Prerequisites

Teachers will need to either print the student workbooks or make them editable digitally before teaching the lesson.
Students may need explanations on different definitions not stated in the glossary of this lesson plan.
The video, A Whale’s Tale – Hope Works, by CBC Kids in Lesson 2, is now private. Also, in Lesson 2, the links for Ocean Wise materials on the Take Action page are broken. Teachers can find the link to the Plastic Pledge HERE.
Students will need an account on Esri GIS Education to use Marine Debris – Environmental Science GeoInquiries by ArcGIS in Lesson 4.
The video in Lesson 4, The Epic Journey of The Plastic Ducks, by Emma Dobken, makes two very brief references to alcoholic beverages.
To access some materials for Lesson 6, such as the Ocean Wise Clean Up Data Card, teachers may need to create an account at Ocean Wise.

Differentiation

Younger students can be asked to name their favorite ocean creatures and research how plastics affect their well-being.
Students can organize a campaign to clean up plastics around the school and set up plastic recycling waste bins around the campus.
Social studies students can research policies around the world established to address plastic usage and identify those that can be replicated in their communities.
In science, students can research innovative technologies that are removing plastics in the ocean and present them in class.
Math students can practice data collection and graphing as they collect data during a community clean-up.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.