Life Science

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.

This lesson is best done after completion of one lesson in each of the sections Composition & Abundance, Sources & Transportation, and Impacts. Students will take everything they have learned about marine debris to create, develop, and complete a project to share their knowledge.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  A summary of the ways turtles in USVI can be impacted by marine debris.

The goal of this lesson is to demonstrate what happens to animals that get trapped by some kinds of marine debris. Students will experience similar effects to those that happen to animals that get trapped. This activity works well as an engagement activity.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  A summary of the distribution of marine debris (specifically microplastics) throughout the water column and food web.

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.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  In this activity, students will have the opportunity to research and present different perspectives from community members considering a policy on plastic bags.

Students will learn about public outreach campaigns and the communication tools that are used to educate and encourage the public to change their behavior. Students will then utilize their creative talents to explore and develop a component of an outreach campaign to educate consumers about New York State’s Bag Waste Reduction Law.

Communities across the world have implemented various policies to reduce the presence of plastic pollution. Policies that aim to change personal and business use of disposable plastic items, in the forms of bans or fees, have grown in number. In this activity, students will read about the current status of these policies in the United States and their local communities.

Through these activities and lessons, students will explore what it means to be a scientist, break down assumptions and misconceptions about science identities, and ultimately see themselves as scientists in action. 

See the effects of trash on an area by trying to find all of the items on this scavenger hunt. Students will be able to illustrate the types of human-made trash that occur in our urban spaces and explore how these items can affect the human and non-human world. 

Explore the properties of plastic trash and see how they behave in the marine environment. Students will be able to describe that different types of plastics float, sink, or stay neutrally buoyant once they enter the ocean. Students will be able to begin to make connections between where a marine organism lives and feeds and their likelihood of debris exposure.

In this session, students will learn about the Chumash History of the Swordfish and how it is connected to the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini tribe.