Grade 3-5

Students will explore using texture as a means of communication and begin to work with the materials used in this curriculum.

An exploration into how man-made and natural substances break down when discarded into the environment and how some everyday objects we throw away may not really go away.

Students will conduct an experiment to try and create a polymer of their own using the scientific method. They will also investigate the properties of various manmade polymers.

Students will explore their current understanding of how color can be used to express feeling and emotion and will learn how visual artists use color. Next students will apply their knowledge to create a piece of art that expresses a particular emotion.

In this introductory lesson, slides will show examples of marine debris and also of Washed Ashore sculptures. Whenever possible, actual examples of marine debris and sculpture work will be provided. The lesson will conclude with a brainstorm activity to look at the plastics used in everyday life.

Have you ever found litter on the beach and wondered what it is and where it came from? In this project, organized by Oregon Sea Grant and supported through funding by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, students focus on one particular item of marine debris and try to learn about the item's story. What was the item originally used for?

Have you ever found litter on the beach and wondered what it is and where it came from? In this project, organized by Oregon Sea Grant and supported through funding by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, students focus on one particular item of marine debris and try to learn about the item's story. What was the item originally used for?

Have you ever found litter on the beach and wondered what it is and where it came from? In this project, organized by Oregon Sea Grant and supported through funding by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, students focus on one particular item of marine debris and try to learn about the item's story. What was the item originally used for?

In this lesson, students will learn about the impact of school waste on the environment. They will use math to measure some/all of the waste produced in one day on campus, and brainstorm ways to reduce that waste.

In this lesson students will learn about which types of matter can decompose by conducting a simple experiment. Students will observe changes over time due to decomposition, notice patterns and classify materials based on their ability to decompose, and explain how matter changes through decomposition.

In this lesson students pose questions about the nature of the litter found around their school, make predictions, do a campus cleanup to cultivate environmental stewardship, and then brainstorm solutions to prevent litter. 

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--> In this activity, students will use persuasive communication methods to contact a local retailer to educate and encourage them to shift to more sustainable practices. Note: Environmental science and marine debris is an interdisciplinary field.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  In this activity, students will learn about the fundamentals of water treatment systems and the challenges that microplastic particles present to both waste and drinking water systems.

In this activity, students will learn how plastic pollution that is in our communities and on our shorelines can end up in our lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Students will record what type of plastic pollution they find in their community as they walk through their neighborhood, around their school, or in a local park, shoreline or beach using a map. This data collection will indicate the type(s) of pollution found, identify its potential sources, and begin to think about local solutions to plastic pollution.