Nature’s Academy created this Standards-Based Curriculum as part of their Science Literacy Project, part of an effort supported by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.
This curriculum is focused on interdisciplinary topics addressed through place-based field trips (located in Manatee County, Florida). These activities allow students to use data from the Nature's Academy Citizen Science Database to observe trends in various environmental indicators (litter collected, weather patterns, dissolved oxygen levels, wind speed, and biodiversity). Students practice graphing, drawing conclusions from data, and presenting their results. During "Litter Lessons," students also participate in their own litter cleanup and upload their data to the Citizen Science Database.
This curriculum incorporates lessons on marine debris into a broader investigation that helps students make the connection between the various parts of an aquatic ecosystem, as well as understand how people can impact such environments. It is designed to be used by fifth-grade teachers that are participating in the Nature’s Academy hands-on educational program in Florida, detailed in this project profile. It outlines the specific standards that are covered by the included lessons, provides background information meant to best prepare students and teachers for participation in the field trip activities, and includes comprehensive lesson plans that utilize the Nature’s Academy Citizen Science Database.
Although this curriculum is aimed at students and teachers participating in the field trip program, the materials provided may prove to be a useful resource for many educators.