Marine Debris Teaching and Learning Guides (Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response)

Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response (HMAR) produced these resources as a part of “A Community Approach to Addressing and Preventing Derelict Recreational Fishing Gear,” a project supported by the NOAA Marine Debris Program to reduce the negative impacts of marine debris on protected marine species and coastal habitats of O‘ahu through the detection and removal of derelict recreational fishing gear. These resources were further revised during their follow up project “Enhancing Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Across O‘ahu Coastlines.” Team members from HMAR visited educators and students to help them answer the guiding question: What is marine debris, and how can students help prevent and manage its occurrence?

The Learning Guide contains lesson plans and activities that can be directly administered in a formal or informal learning environment. This guide introduces the concept of marine debris, what it means for our ocean, and how to help address this problem. The activities in the HMAR Learning Guide should help students conceptualize ocean health. It is designed for grades 5-8 but can be adapted across the elementary and high school level by the instructor.

The Teaching Guide provides key background information on marine debris and ocean conservation for educators who are implementing marine debris lessons. It contains in-depth information on topics like currents and gyres, ingestion and entanglement, derelict fishing gear, and removal and prevention of marine debris, as well as connections back to activities and lessons in the HMAR Learning Guide.

Learn more about marine debris in the Pacific Islands region on our regional page.