Positives

• This is a student-friendly version of a peer-reviewed paper, with glossary terms written in blue, important information highlighted in yellow, and pictures to support student understanding.
• The paper introduces students to two types of scientific instrumentation, scanning electron microscopes and mass spectrometers, which are both commonly used in research.

Additional Prerequisites

• The original academic paper that this adaptation is based on can be accessed here.
• The link to the French version of the PDF is available under "Additional Languages."
• Teachers must create a free account to download the answer key.
• For additional background on microplastics, students can watch the three embedded videos on this topic.

Differentiation

• There are numerous links to related lesson plans, articles, and videos that can be used in conjunction with this resource to create a complete lesson or mini-unit on microplastics.
• Students with a lower reading level may benefit from following along with the read-aloud video of the report.
• Students can watch the linked video interview with Schidza Cime to learn more about her research on plastic degradation.
• This paper discusses isotopes and mass spectrometry as a means to determine chemical changes, which can be further explored in chemistry classes.
• In biology classes, students can discuss how microplastics in the soil can affect ecosystems.
• Students can be challenged to create a plan for how to reduce plastic use in their school or home using the suggestions from the paper as a starting point.