Earth Science

Students perform an experiment to learn how different types of debris break down in the environment (degrade) and how weather and sunlight affect the rate of degradation.

Students perform experiments to examine whether or not trash can float, blow around, or wash away. The effects of these characteristics on marine debris in the environment are then discussed.

Students will first define marine debris, discuss its possible impacts, and then sort household trash items into different categories to learn about different sources of marine debris. Older students then use statistics and graphing to better understand the types of marine debris that are collected each year.

In this unit, students will examine what marine debris is, where it comes from, and how it enters the marine environment.

The students will create their own laws and legal consequences concerning marine debris and identify the litter laws and legal consequences of litter in their own state.

Students will review and analyze a data set from a local marine debris cleanup. After drawing conclusions about the data, they will use it as evidence for a campaign to prevent marine debris.

Simple upcycling activity making a fish mobile out of aluminum cans.

Simple maze activity featuring a fish and a recycling bin.

Brief reading passage focused on ways to prevent marine debris (reduce/reuse/recycle).

Team-building/active activity where students use verbal directions to guide blindfolded classmates through an obstacle course, simulating navigation around abandoned and derelict vessels.

Research-based role-playing activity where students identify and investigate stakeholders on the issue of abandoned and derelict vessels.

Brief reading about the risks and solutions of abandoned and derelict vessels, including an anecdote about locating and removing vessels in Georgia.

Reading and accompanying activity about the importance and challenges faced by diamondback terrapins.

Reading and activity exploring the impacts of derelict fishing gear on whales and other marine mammals. 

Rubber band entanglement exercise simulating the impacts of marine debris entanglement on marine animals' comfort and ability to feed.