Activity

Sink or Swim?

Life & Environment

Time to complete: 45 minutes

Plastics are everywhere: from car parts to drinking bottles to sports equipment. Each plastic is chemically unique and has distinct properties that make it suitable for certain products. Plastics are classified #1 through #7. To find out what type of plastic a product is made from, check the bottom of the object and locate the number inside the recycle symbol. Even though some recycling centers only accept certain numbers, all plastics with this symbol are recyclable. Markets just don’t exist for all recycled products.

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Rita Korin Karl says:

November 8, 2017 at 11:50 am

Thanks to Girlstart.org for this extension activity:

Challenge students to create a prototype of a device to collect plastics from the ocean with minimal damage to environment. What will it look like? How will it be fueled? What effects will it have on marine life? Will it pick up all types of plastic or only specific types? How does it collect and store the plastic items?

Materials: Assortment of things to make a prototype; cardboard, tape, fishing net, tin foil, duct tape, paper plates, scissors (you get the idea!)

Videos you can use:

For learning about types of plastic:

KQED Properties of Plastic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXge8pZ-mDU

The Great Pacific Plastic Garbage Patch:

The Majestic Plastic Bag: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLgh9h2ePYw

KQED: Plastic in the Pacific
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9fEbqxyNl0

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