Too Much Waste at P.S.149Q

5-415/5-419

Jennifer Butler

INTRODUCTION

There is too much waste at P.S. 149Q. Students leave garbage in desks, including water bottles and disposable masks lying around. There are recycling bins in every classroom (as well as the hallway), but they are being used for garbage. Therefore, the recycling bins are not being used appropriately. All garbage is combined in all bins, including blue recycling bins which as a result makes it difficult for cleaners to sort garbage or set bags outside for recycling collection.

Where does all this classroom and school garbage go? It ends up in landfills which ultimately ends up in the ocean, harming delicate ocean life and endangered species.

Why is this harmful? Sea creatures such as sea turtles confuse plastic in the ocean for jellyfish and get sick and eventually die. Sea creatures get trapped up in plastic soda rings, and then grow to be this way. This is just to name a few of the issues.

A lot of students don’t see the bigger picture of what happens when they throw a water bottle into the regular garbage can, but when taught about the issue, it can make a huge difference.

Take a look at how these students in the state of Hawaii made a difference in order to protect the world’s oceans.

Kids Take Action Against Ocean Plastic

TASK

It is up to you to do your part to save the planet. It may seem small, and you may think there is not much you can do, but that is wrong! The future needs you! Over the next few days, we will come up with a plan on how we can help in school on ways to better promote and implement the recycling bins.

By the end of this project, we will keep track of the hallway bins and create a Flipgrid to share with the school. This can allow you to voice your opinion on how this isn’t just about the school, it also impacts the world’s oceans!

You will do your part to protect the world’s oceans by using the PPA Process. This process will require you to follow the six steps to solving a real-world problem. The six steps of the PPA Process are: Define the problem, Gather the evidence, Identify the cause, Evaluate the existing policy, Develop a solution, and Select the best solution.

Days 1 and 2: Gather the Evidence

By the year 2050, it is estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. How are we contributing to this problem? Every water bottle that is thrown into regular trash and is not recycled (including the ones in our school) will end up in a landfill and will be dumped into the ocean.

We can make a difference! For the next two days, you will gather research about the topic. You will research the effect of what happens when we throw a water bottle into the garbage and do not recycle.

You will research the types of plastic we use every day (including in our cafeteria and the classroom)! You will then create a poster or write about the types of plastic we use and see in schools.

Topics to Research (Choose 1)

● How are plastic water bottles made?

● What happens when water bottles are thrown into the trash vs. recycling bins?

● What alternatives to plastic water bottles are available?

● Where does plastic really end up?

Use the following links to help kickstart your research:

· The Big Problem with Plastic

· What will Happen if you do not Recycle Practice

· What really happens to Plastic you Toss

· We Know Plastic Bottles are Choking our Planet

· What Really Happens to the Plastic you Throw Away

· Life of a Plastic Bottle

· Powerful Video: Why we need to stop Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans

Day 3: Gather the Evidence

With your group, read and discuss why it’s so important to protect the ocean from plastic.

Use the resources below to help you learn more about how what else happens to plastic in oceans (can it also affect rivers), how it affects wildlife and why there is still hope:

· Why Plastic is SO Much Worse Than You Think!

· How Big the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Really Is

· Garbage in the Ocean

· The Incredible Transformation of World's Most Polluted Beach

Day 4: Identify the Causes

Use the links below to read and write about what is causing so much ocean pollution.

· One Bottle at a Time

Day 5: Evaluate the Existing Policy

Now that we know more about why there is so much plastic in oceans, use the link below to read about some of the specific policies that are in place right now, especially in regards to schools.

· Zero Waste Skills

· DSNY - Educational Resources

Day 6: Develop A Solution

With your partner, you will create a Flipgrid informing others about the benefits of recycling plastic water bottles and why they are important to the Earth. Remember to use the information from the resources that you learned about during your research.

PROCESS/RESOURCES

Students will be grouped based on the following roles:

Group 1: Poll students - “Do you use plastic water bottles or a reusable bottle”?

Group 2: Count hallway recycling bins throughout school, as well as how many hallway bins are being used correctly.

Group 3: Create signs promoting importance of recycling to reduce overall waste for appropriate use of how students are grouped,

Group 4: Promote use of reusable water bottles, when and how to clean and for daily use. Students can create posters, flyers or a flipgrid to share with students virtually.

EVALUATION

Task	3	2	1
Task	WOW! Simply Amazing!	Getting there!	Uh oh! Not There Yet!
*Group Work*	Worked together with other members of the group and contributed with his/her role.	Partially worked together with other members of the group and contributed with his/her role.	Rarely worked together with other members of the group and contributed with his/her role.
*Knowledge of Content and Topic being Researched*	Conducted a lot of research from multiple sources in order to have enough knowledge to continue with project.	Conducted a sufficient amount of research to have enough knowledge to continue with project.	Did not conduct enough research to be able to complete project successfully.
*Presentation of Content-*	Research project included all components:	Research project included some of the components:	Research writing does not include any of the components.
*Poster, Flyer or Flipgrid*	-Why recycling is important	-Why recycling is important
	-how students can do their part in school

CONCLUSION

The Connect and Extend will be to the final Amplify Science Unit (Unit 4 - Ecosystem Restoration). A large part of this unit focuses on ocean life. In the Amplify unit, their focus was on Rainforest Restoration. The end of unit activity had the students come up with a Rainforest Restoration plan. The focus of this project will be to come up with a plan of their own on how they can reduce waste and in turn become advocates for ocean restoration.

STANDARDS

3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems:

● Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on land, vegetation, streams, oceans, air, and even outer space. But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments. (5-ESS3-1)

● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1.B: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1.C: Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.

● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1.D: Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from the discussions.