Microplastics

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 supp

“Plastic Pollution and You,” published by New York Sea Grant, is a 15-lesson curriculum focused on marine debris sources, impacts, and solutions. These hands-on lessons and activities help students learn the different types of plastics, their impact on marine and freshwater ecosystems, and about ways to address and prevent plastic pollution.

Microplastics, or plastic particles smaller than 5mm, and the closely related microfibers might be small in size, but they have a huge impact on our environment.

Marine debris is a pervasive, global problem and one that is felt locally in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).

Our ocean and Great Lakes are polluted with a wide variety of marine debris, ranging from large fishing nets and abandoned vessels, down to the smallest plastic particles that can’t be seen with the naked eye. These microplastics are found throughout the ocean, from tropical waters, to polar ice, and even in fresh water and the air we breathe. 

Developed as a means to educate the next generation about ocean trash and, most importantly, how we all can prevent it. Created through an educational partnership between Ocean Conservancy and the NOAA Marine Debris Program. Flexible curriculum, appropriate for all ages.

Designed as a stand-alone teaching tool or to supplement lessons for educators in both formal and informal settings. Appropriate for students grades K-12, with a focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) objectives.

One of the main types of marine debris that you hear about today is plastic marine debris. In many places, it is the main type of debris that you will see as you walk along a beach, though perhaps not underwater. As common as they are on our beaches and in our homes, how much do you really know about plastics?

In this lesson, students assess where particles are suspended in the water column (using a premade plastic slurry). Next, the slurry is mixed into a tub of water that is designed to mimic seawater and students take samples to assess the amount, size, and type of the particulates. Students relate this activity to what they might actually find in the ocean.

In this lesson, students analyze the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup data to make inferences about which countries documented the most amount of marine debris and the types of debris found/collected. Students also answer prompts about why some states or countries had much higher amounts of marine debris reported than others.

Through discussion,vocabulary, and hands-on activities, students will learn about debris composition and what happens to trash once it enters waterways. Students will also explore the formation of mircoplastic through a simple, hands-on activity using a piece of paper.

Students use a graphic organizer to review existing solutions to microplastic marine debris, and brainstorm feasible, actionable solutions to microplastics. They discuss challenges to implementing solutions.

Plastic pellets (also called “nurdles”) are small pre-production pieces that are shipped around the world to factories that melt them to produce a variety of products. Pellets are often lost during transit, and because they float can be found throughout the ocean and on beaches everywhere.

Students learn about at least two possible impacts of microplastics on the marine environment. They calculate the surface area of rectangular prisms of various sizes and create an argument that the greater surface area of small plastic pieces can potentially accumulate more toxins.

Students extract microplastic beads from personal care products, explore ways microplastics get into the ocean, and learn about a researcher who studies microplastics. This activity is available for Grades 6-8, within the "Sources and Transport" unit.