Social Studies

Turning the Tide on Trash is a learning guide on marine debris. This set of lesson plans and background information introduces educators, students and researchers to the topic of marine debris. The interdisciplinary education guide is designed to provide maximum flexibility in the classroom: it can be used as a stand-alone teaching tool or to supplement work in other subject areas.

Students will learn about the efforts of private organizations and individuals, both locally and nationally, to prevent marine debris and take steps to become involved in a stewardship activity.

Students will develop map skills by locating various nations on a globe or map, and by identifying various oceans. As a class, students discuss how an international treaty about marine pollution (MARPOL Annex V) regulates the disposal of garbage at sea.

In this unit, students will learn steps they can take to prevent marine debris, investigate what individuals and organizations are doing about the problem, and explore ways to educate others about possible solutions.

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.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  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.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  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.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  Introductory reading on the sources and impacts of derelict fishing gear.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  Discussion of litter-based sources of marine debris, including a brief look at impacts and prevention strategies, including an anecdote about seeds and litter found on the wrack line, or tidal line, in North Carolina.

This brief reading passage discusses types, sources, and impacts of marine debris, including an anecdote about recovery from Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi.

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.

Students will extend their experience in the cleanup by discussing and analyzing ways to prevent marine debris from entering the environment, including Reduce/Reuse/Recycle strategies, Personal habits; Policy change, etc. Using a 4-corners style activity, students will separate debris materials (from the debris deck) into categories for Reduce/Reuse/Recycle/Other.

This lesson includes discussions and activities meant to help students process and analyze their cleanup experience. Students will reflect on the strangest trash item collected and tell the story of its journey to the cleanup site using a medium of their choice (writing, drawing, skits, etc.).

Students will plan, prepare for, execute, and report back on a cleanup in their local area.