Great Lakes in My World

This is an educator resource for kindergarten through eighth grade that addresses Great Lakes state learning standards, the Adopt-A-Beach program, and a service learning and citizen science program tailored to all ages. The Alliance for the Great Lakes works to conserve and restore the world's largest freshwater resource using policy, education and local efforts, ensuring a healthy Great Lakes and clean water for generations of people and wildlife. The Alliance is dedicated to fostering an ethic of learning, appreciation and care for the Great Lakes.
http://www.greatlakes.org/edu/education.asp
For more information, contact: education@greatlakes.org

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Plastic Bag Recycling

This web resource provides access to a free resource on plastic bag recycling for consumers, businesses, recycling coordinators, and retailers. Learn how to implement a recycling program, connect with a market, or find a location in your state to recycle plastic bags. www.plasticbagrecycling.org

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Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds

This is a classroom and community activity guide for teachers that addresses issues such as endangered species, marine debris, coastal geology, water use, and much more. It is carefully aligned to the California State Science Content Standards for grades 3 through 8, but can be adapted for use in other parts of the United States. It also includes "Community Action?Äù lessons adaptable for all ages up to and beyond 12th grade. The guide is available to California educators for free from the California Coastal Commission, or it can be downloaded as a PDF.
http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/waves/waves1.html

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Clean water, stormwater, litter Just for Kids

This is an interactive website for kids to help them learn how pollution enters our creeks, rivers, bays and beaches.¬Ý¬Ý
http://www.oceansidecleanwaterprogram.org/kids.asp

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Storm Drain Dan Coloring Books, Episode 2 and 3

Children learn through the "Storm Drain Dan?Äù coloring and activity books about stormwater pollution and what they can do at home and in their neighborhoods to help keep their environment clean.
http://phoenix.gov/menu/kidgames.html

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Keep Oceans Clean - The Game

The Keep Oceans Clean Ocean Awareness Campaign now has a new marine debris game online that children and adults alike can play to learn about marine debris - and win a cool desktop background image! ¬ÝThe Ocean Awareness campaign was created in partnership with Environmental Defense, Disney, The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, NOAA, and the Ad Council.
Also available on the Web site is information on how each of us can help keep our oceans clean, links to great ocean awareness games online, and links to excellent ocean resources for parents and teachers. For more information and to play the game, visit
http://www.keepoceansclean.org/

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Litter and Debris in our Waterways

This web resource was developed by Clean Virginia Waterways and provides teachers and students with a summary of sources, types, impacts of litter and debris in rivers, streams, bays, oceans and other bodies of water. Solutions to this problem are also discussed. For teachers, there is a discussion on "Litter as a Teaching Tool?Äù and a list of resources.
http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/litter.htm

Water Resources - Lesson Plans

These lesson plans support interdisciplinary and problem-based teaching about watersheds, water quality, stewardship, and management issues. Classification skills, data analysis, and experiment design are presented to promote a meaningful outdoor experience for students. Each lesson offers extensions and suggestions on how teachers can modify the lessons for older or younger students.

Classifying Aquatic Debris (Grade 3)
Helping Cleanup a Waterway (Grade 6)
A Scientific Cleanup (Grade 10)

www.longwood.edu/cleanva/teachersvawatercurriculum.htm

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Marine Debris Abatement

This EPA website provides an overview of the marine debris issue plaguing the waters of the United States. Background information on the sources and impacts of debris, relevant legislation addressing this issue, suggestions on what citizens can do, and what the EPA and its partners are doing to reduce the presence of marine debris are posted with access to additional resources of information.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris/

Assessing and Monitoring Floatable Debris

This document provides examples of monitoring and assessment programs that have been established in the United States to address the impact of floatable debris, as well as examples of mitigation activities to address floatable debris, and contact information. It is designed to assist states, tribes, and local governments in developing their own assessment and monitoring programs for floatable debris in coastal recreation waters. ttp://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris/floatingdebris/

Plastic Pellets in the Aquatic Environment Sources and Recommendations - A Summary

This report presents the goals of a study of plastic pellets in aquatic environments conducted by the U.S. EPA Oceans and Coastal Protection Division. This report summarizes what is known about the presence and impact of pellets in aquatic environments. It identifies and evaluates how pellets escape into the environment and suggests recommendations to control the problem. The study promotes EPA's national policy on pollution prevention, which is based on the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris/plasticpellets/index.html

Factsheet: Marine Debris

EPA's fact sheet on marine debris provides a summary of the marine debris issue in the United States, information about the programs and other initiatives being conducted EPA and its partners on the abatement of marine debris. http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris/factsheet_marinedebris.html

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Plastic Debris in the World's Ocean

This report draws together scientific research on the distribution of marine debris in the world's oceans and its impacts on wildlife. The information is sourced largely from papers that have been published on this subject between 1990 and 2005. Finally, it addresses workable solutions to help curb this threat to the marine environment.
http://oceans.greenpeace.org/raw/content/en/documents-reports
/plastic_ocean_report.pdf

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Quest of the Ring Leaders

Quest of the Ring Leaders is an environmental education program set in an adventure game format. By completing the game, you will gain an understanding about current environmental problems as well as methods to decrease environmental degradation. In coordination with traditional classroom activities, students will learn how they can personally protect the environment. This web-based program introduces students to a recycling program specifically for ring carriers, which produced from non-toxic, LDPE photodegradable plastic. If littered or disposed of improperly and exposed to ultraviolet light (such as sunlight), the ring carriers become brittle and break down into smaller and smaller pieces.
ITW Hi-Cone sponsors Ring Leader, a free school ring recycling program. Since it's inception in 1992, over 10,000 schools in the US, England, Ireland, Spain, and Australia have participated recycling rings. To learn more about Ring Leader and how your school can participate, visit www.ringleader.com

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Kure Waste Chase'

In this web-based game, students take on the part of an Ocean Adventures expedition member volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and explore various habitats (beach, water surface and underwater) to collect as much harmful marine debris as possible in a limited amount of time. Use the tips and handouts below to turn the ?ÄòKure Waste Chase' game into a structured learning activity for students.
http://www.pbs.org/kqed/oceanadventures/
educators/kure/gamelesson.html

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Coastworks

Coastworks is an activity book about Mississippi's coastal resources, such as plants, animals and habitats that targets students in upper elementary grades. Each book includes an answer key in the back. It is available in hardcopy format or as a downloadable PDF.¬Ý
http://www.dmr.state.ms.us/Kids/coastworks.pdf

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Radio Public Service Announcement on Marine Debris

Marine Debris Radio Public Service Announcement (33 sec. mp3 file, 534 kb) - Created by the Alabama and Mississippi Sea Grant Program and the Mobile Bay Estuary Program

Reducing Derelict Fishing Gear and Other Marine Debris

Download "Protecting Your Fishing Waters" a brochure created by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. The brochure contains information on ways to reduce derelict fishing gear and other marine debris (commercial, charter, and recreational).
http://www.masgc.org/communications/pubs/masgp/04-042.pdf

Tips for Clean Boaters

Information from the Alabama-Mississippi Clean Marina Program on how you can be a "clean boater."
http://www.masgc.org/cleanmarinas/cleanboat.htm

Facts About Marine Litter

Learn about marine litter: the problem, is it lethal, does it lasts, the law -federal and state, where is it coming from, are there solutions and what can you do about it.
http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/litter_mess.htm

Managing Boat Wastes - A Guide to Hawai'i Boaters

This publication provides best management practices, contact and resource information for Hawai'i recreational boaters. It is a joint effort of the University of Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program's Extension Service, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology; the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, the Hawai'i Department of Health, Office of Solid Waste Management and the Pollution Prevention Center for the Islands.
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/SEAGRANT/communication/publications.php

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SPLISH SPLASH

This is an activity book for teachers of children ages five to seven. It contains twelve activities concerning litter in aquatic and marine environments. Select activities can be modified for older children.
http://www.ncbigsweep.org/Splish%20Splash.html

RIPPLES

This is an activity book for teachers of children ages eight to eleven. RIPPLES is composed of 16 activities to help students learn the importance of environmental stewardship and the harmful effects of marine debris.
http://www.ncbigsweep.org/Ripples.html

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Lesson Plan: Marine Debris - Grades 3-6

Students will perform experiments to examine if debris will float, or blow in the wind. The effects of these characteristics on the marine debris are then discussed. Students will be able to define marine debris, categorize different types of debris and determine how a material can influence what becomes marine debris. http://www.hawaiiatolls.org/research/NWHIED2005/resources/MarineDebrisModule.php

Module: Marine Debris - Grades 4-12

This module is a 'toolkit' for teachers who want to teach their students about marine debris by looking at its impact on the Northwestern and Main Hawaiian Islands and performing related scientific investigations. It is designed for grades 4-12 and it is my sincere hope that this collection of 'tools' will make it easy for teachers to inspire their students to become 'student scientists' and stewards of the 'aina!¬Ý
http://www.hawaiiatolls.org/research/NWHIED2005/resources/MDM/MDM.html

Navigating Change

The Teacher's Guide to Navigating Change is a five part, Hawai'i DOE Standards (HCPS 3) aligned curriculum for grades 4-5. The guide includes five units that are designed to help students explore their relationships to the environment and ways that they can "navigate change" in their own communities.

The instructional activities focus on Hawai'i DOE science, social studies, and language arts standards as well as Na Honua Mauli Ola, guidelines for culturally healthy and responsive learning environments in Hawai'i that were develoed by the Native Hawaiian Education Council in partnership with the Ka Haka 'Ula O Ke'elikolani, College of Hawaiian Language, UH-Hilo.
http://www.hawaiianatolls.org/teachers/NavChange.php

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Sea Turtles Coloring book

The "Sea Turtles?Äù coloring book is fun, educational, and free! Kids will discover where sea turtles live and how they nest. They will also learn about the dangers to turtles, and what can be done to help them. This publication contains both English and Spanish translations.
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?
pagename=fw_turtles

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Ocean Stewardship

This site offers free resources for educators and the community, including "Seabirds and Marine Debris, Diet/Bolus Investigations, Migration Mapping" and "Prevent Plastic Pollution."
http://www.oikonos.org/projects/oceanstewardship.htm

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The Adventures of Captain Cleanwater

This is an activity book for kids about clean and safe boating. It is designed to show you how people who use boats can help keep the waterways in the United States clean.
http://www.uscg.mil/top/downloads/coloring_books/
cptnclen/slides/cover.asp

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Inky the Whale

This is the story of Inky, a female pygmy sperm whale who was found stranded on a New Jersey coast on Thanksgiving Day in 1993. She was rescued with the help of volunteers from the Marine Mammal Stranding Network and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. Scientists at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD discovered her stomach was full of plastic debris, which was preventing her from getting the nutrition she needed. The purpose of this activity book is to teach children about the problem of trash and marine debris through the true story of Inky. To strengthen the message of Inky's story, teach your children about conservation methods and demonstrate to them how to reuse and recycle products and how to reduce the amount of trash that is produced at home and in the community. Another good way of helping is to participate in a beach or shoreline cleanup as a family, group or class.
http://www.uscg.mil/top/downloads/coloring_books/inky/

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Officer Snook Coloring and Activity Book

This coloring and activity book discusses how pollution can affect the environment and how young people can make a difference in pollution prevention. It also contains the original Officer Snook story as well as games and activities. The Officer Snook Coloring and Activity Book is geared for elementary age students in the 2nd through 5th grades.
https://www.kattare.com/secure/7-dippity.com/store/st_list.jsp?catid=6

Officer Snook Hands On/Minds On Activity Book

Designed for teachers and educators, the Officer Snook Hands On/Minds On Activity Book provides many water pollution-related activities that can be used in classrooms, workshops, school presentations and community events. Several pollution demonstrations are also provided in the book. Activities and demonstrations can be adapted for any age group.
https://www.kattare.com/secure/7-dippity.com/store/st_list.jsp?catid=6

Officer Snook And Friends

This coloring book is designed as an early-childhood educational tool. It introduces children to the Officer Snook character and gives a few simple ideas about preventing water pollution. These books are for children in Pre-school, Kindergarten and 1st Grade.
https://www.kattare.com/secure/7-dippity.com/store/st_list.jsp?catid=6
This version contains English and Spanish.

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Marine Litter an Analytical Overview

This overview was prepared by the Regional Seas Coordinating Office, the Secretariat of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), the Secretariat of the Basel Convention, and the Coordination Office of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities (GPA) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in cooperation with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC of UNESCO).

The overall objective of this analytical review has been to assess the threat posed by marine litter worldwide and examine the efficacy of current instruments, programmes and initiatives that address this global threat.
http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/marinelitter/publications/default.asp

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Talking Trash

To define "marine debris" and to learn the types and amounts of marine debris found each year in national beach cleanups in the United States.

Trash Traits

To learn about certain characteristics of marine debris and how these characteristics affect where marine debris is found in the environment.

How Harmful Is It

To explore the effects of marine debris on people, animals, vessels and communities.

Clean Sweep

To experience how marine debris can affect a community and to discover that by taking action people can make a difference.

http://www.marine.usf.edu/beachbuddies/background.html

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Pollution Solutions: Litter Prevention Activities for Virginia Teachers

This is a curriculum supplement about litter and pollution prevention based on the Standards of Learning for grades K-12. It was developed by the Virginia Resource Education Council and funded by the Litter Control and Recycling Fund.
http://www.deq.virginia.gov/education/polsol.html

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