Download - Plastic Patrol Inquiry - Conservation Tales · Microsoft Word - Plastic Patrol Inquiry.docx Created Date: 5/18/2018 2:19:10 PM ...

PlasticPatrol

ConservationTales ©2018

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PlasticPatrolbyRebeccaTrippandTomMcConnellwww.conservationtales.com/seaturtles

Seaturtlesarebeautifulanimalsthatneedourhelp!Manyspeciesofseaturtlesareendangered,andmostoftherestarethreatened.Someofthethreatstothesurvivalofthesespeciesiscausedbyhumans.Seaturtlessufferinjurieswhentheyarehitbyboats,andthebeachestheyneedforlayingeggshavebeendisturbedbydevelopmentandhumanactivity. Butanothermajorthreatisthetrashpeopleputintheoceans.Usedfishinggear,plasticbags,6-packholders,plasticstrawsandbottles,andmanyothertypesoftrashhavebeenfoundinthestomachsofsickandinjuredseaturtles.Sometimesthesepiecesoftrashkilltheseaturtlesthateatthembecausetheylooklikeaseaturtle’snaturalfood. Eveninyoulivefarfromtheocean,youcanmakeadifference.Muchoftheplastictrashwethrowawayendupinriversandstreamsthatcarrythetrashtotheocean.Ifwereducetheamountofplasticwethrowaway,wecanhelpprotectseaturtlesaroundtheworld.Inthisinquiry,youwillcollectdataaboutthetrashyouproduceandexplorewaystoreduceyourplasticuse.Driving Questions: How much plastic trash do you produce in a week? And where does that trash go? Objectives:

• I can measure the amount of plastic trash I (or my class) produce in a week. • I can identify where my plastic trash ends up and its impact on wildlife. • I can discuss ways to reduce my plastic use and try some of the strategies I learn about.

Link – Use this link in the first part of this lesson. (https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/page/content/plastics-calculator) Prediction: In this box, write your Prediction: How many pounds or kilograms of plastic trash do you think you produce in a week?

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FindYourPlasticFootprintPeopleusealotofplastic!Manyofthethingswebuyorusecomeinplasticbags,bottles,wrappersandboxes.Sometimesthattrashendsupinariverorstreaminyourcommunity,anditcanfinditswaytotheocean.Beforeyoucanthinkaboutreducingyourplasticfootprint,youshouldknowhowmuchplastictrashyoumake.STEP1:PlasticsCalculatorGotothePlasticsCalculatorwebsiteat… https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/page/content/plastics-calculator.Enteryourfirstname,andanswerthequestionspresentedtoyou.Attheendofthequestions,youwillseehowmuchplasticyouthrowawayinayear!Writethenumberofitemsyouthrowawayinayearinthisspace!STEP2:MeasuringYourPlasticFootprintThePlasticsCalculatormaynotincludealltheplasticsyouuse,anditisanestimate.Inthisstep,youwillfindtheweightoftheplasticsyouactuallythrowawayinaweek!Youcandothisathomeforyourselforyourfamily,oryoucandothiswillyourclassatschool.Foroneweek,collecttheplastictrashyouwouldthrowawayinabucketortrashcan.Eachday,weightheplastictrashyoucollected,andrecordtheweightinthetableonpage3.Remembertosubtracttheweightofthecontaineryouweighyourtrashin.Afteryouhaveweighedyourplastictrasheachdayforaweek,findthetotalfortheweek.Youcanalsofindouthowmuchplastictrashyoumakeinayearbymultiplyingthisnumberby52.(52weeksinayear!)Howmuchplasticdidyouthrowawayinaweek?Howmuchinayear??ComparethenumberyoumeasuredtothePlasticsCalculatornumberabove.

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DataTable:PlasticTrashIThrowAwayinaWeek

Date #ofitems

TotalWeightoftrash+container

Weightofempty

container

Weightoftrash(total–container)

TotalWeightfor1week

Multiplytotalweightfor1weekby52tofindtotalfor1year.

Totaltrashin1year

Noticing Patterns and Making Inferences 1. Compareyourdatatoyourclassmatesoranotherclassatschool.Howdoyourresults

differfromotherpeople’sresults?

2. Howdoyourresultscomparetoyourpredictions?Whydoyouthinkthatis?

3. Aretherecertainkindsofplasticsyouthrowawayalotmorethanothers?

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FromUnderstandingtoAction!Nowthatyouhaveabetterunderstandingofhowmuchplastictrashyoumake,youcanstartthinkingofwaystoreducetheamountofplasticsyouuse!ReturntothePlasticsCalculatorwebsiteandgotothesectionattheendthatgivessuggestionsforwaystoreduceyourplasticfootprint.Youcanalsoviewtheposteronpage5forsomeideas,orsearchotherwebsitesforwaystoreduceyourplasticuse.1. Listsomewaysyoucanuseless plastic?

2. Whichofthoseideasdoyouthinkyoucouldtryrightaway?

3. ArethereideasyoufoundthatwouldNOTworkforyou?Why?

4. Whyisitimportanttouselessplastic?(YoumaywanttoreadConservationTales:SeaTurtles”togetsomeideas.)

5. Discusswaystosharewhatyouhavelearnedwithyourcommunity.Howmightyouconvinceotherstoalsofindwaystoreduceplasticuse?

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