Properties of Matter - Plastics

My Grade 5’s are studying “Properties of Matter” right now in science and a nice off-shoot of what we are studying is the use and misuse of plastics. The grade 5’s were shocked (and saddened) at some of the statistics. As a result, we went online and found a few very interesting infographics that help to explain “plastics” and the importance of recycling and using alternative methods.

The infographics are compliments of "The Plastiki".

The Majestic Plastic Bag is a mockumentary video produced by Heal the Bay. The video chronicles the journey of a plastic shopping bag from a store, through a park, and to the ocean. Watch the video below.

This lesson also lead to another interesting conversation about the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch”.

Compliments of the website “How Stuff Works”.

"In t­he broad expanse of the northern Pacific Ocean, there exists the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, a slowly moving, clockwise spiral of currents created by a high-pressure system of air currents. The area is an oceanic desert, filled with tiny phytoplankton but few big fish or mammals. Due to its lack of large fish and gentle breezes, fishermen and­ s­ailors rarely travel through the gyre. But the area is filled with something besides plankton: trash, millions of pounds of it, most of it plastic. It's the largest landfill in the world, and it floats in the middle of the ocean."

Watch the videos below for a little more information on the garbage patch.





Something to think about.

Mr. Boettger