Understanding the plastic cycle (i.e., how plastic is made, how it is used, and where it goes when we throw it “away”) is important to comprehend how we have reached unsustainable levels of plastic production and plastic pollution. This lesson will introduce students to what the definition of “plastic” is, teach them about the plastic lifecycle, and introduce the concept of a circular economy.

Learning about watersheds is important in order to understand how waterways are connected and why our interactions play a larger impact on an ecosystem. Students will be shown a visual representation of a watershed and have a chance to visualize different sources of plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Finally, students will be asked to consider their own watershed and what sources of local pollution may exist.

Plastic pollution in the environment is not only ugly to look at but has the potential to impact ecosystems in many harmful ways. This lesson introduces the impacts of plastic pollution on ecosystems while inspiring action to create solutions. Students will participate in activities to understand the impacts of entanglement and ingestion on wildlife, with a focus on animal species found in the Great Lakes ecosystems.

Plastic is found nearly everywhere and will become an even larger problem if we don’t develop new solutions to reduce its impact. This lesson will introduce students to the concept of a Solutions Hierarchy as they learn about approaches to plastic pollution solutions, and an introduction to the different levels that action on plastic pollution can happen and the groups involved. The lesson will also engage students in a creative exercise to identify and develop a solution relevant to their own lives.