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SUSTAINABILITY ASSIGNMENT

SUSTAINABLIITY PROJECT - ACTIVITIES 1 - 11
 

LEARNING OUTCOME

Students will…

  • Recognise actions taken around the world to address plastic waste

  • Understand that all sectors of the economy (i.e. government, producers and consumers) can play a role in addressing plastic waste.

  • ​

SUCCESS CRITERIA

Students can…

  • Work collaboratively

  • Undertake research online

  • Apply research to a real-world context and consider the positives and negatives of their idea

  • Prepare and deliver a pitch for their idea

  • Participate in class and group discussions.

 

ACTIVITIES

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ACTIVITY 1 - Read the following and access the Take 3 website.

TAKE 3 MOVEMENT
About the Movement
Take 3 is an Australian charity removing rubbish from the environment through education programs, international campaigns and clean-ups. Take 3's call to action is simple: Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach, waterway or... anywhere and you have made a difference. Their message has sparked a global movement that encourages everyone to get involved and help protect our oceans from plastic pollution. They've educated over half a million students with their school education programs, more than 100,000 people have participated at Take 3 clean-ups and events, and their global #Take3fortheSea campaign has removed over 30 million pieces of rubbish from the environment.

View the Take 3 website.

 

ACTIVITY 2 - Think-Pair-Share task below.

Students are to complete a THINK-PAIR-SHARE routine around the following question:

  • How do we impact the ocean?

Once complete you can invite students to share their ideas with the class. Through this process ensure students have considered the following impacts:

  • Plastic pollution

  • Marine entanglement

  • Overfishing, harmful fishing practices and bycatch

  • Pollution (such as oil spills and agricultural runoff)

  • Coastal development

  • Ocean warming, coral bleaching and ocean acidification

 

there are clearly many ways that we impact the ocean, but in this lesson they will be focusing on plastic pollution.

 

ACTIVITY 3 - Watch the clip and read the Factsheet below.

  • Watch the following clip - Take 3 - Plastic - and read the Plastic Pollution Factsheet.

  • Once complete, answer the following questions:

    • How does plastic get into our ocean?

    • What sorts of plastics make it into our oceans?

    • What happens to plastic when it gets into the ocean?

    • What problems does plastic cause?

Differentiation:
For students that have completed the above tasks:

  • Invite students to suggest what they already know about plastic pollution in our oceans. For example, what problems does it cause? How does it get there? What sorts of plastics make it into our oceans? What happens to plastic when it gets into the ocean?

 

ACTIVITY 4 - Responsibility for Waste

Answer the following questions:

  • Who is responsible for plastic waste: governments, producers or consumers?

  • What role do you think each sector in our economy should play in reducing plastic waste? What actions could each sector take?

View the following clip with and record anything you notice that helps answer the questions you have just worked on.
 
Take 3 - Global Action (https://vimeo.com/451391283)
Once complete, students are to return to the answers to the previous questions and record any new information. Consider the following points discussed in this clip:

  • The government in South Korea taxes consumers for the amount of waste that consumers generate.

  • In some states in Australia, consumers get money back for returning bottles and other containers for recycling (container deposit scheme).

  • The government in Vanuatu created legislation to ban single-use plastics.

  • Producers could only create products that can be recycled.

  • Governments can educate consumers.

  • The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment provides a vision for companies to take action on plastics.

There are many ways that each sector can take a role in addressing plastic waste.
Step 3.

 

ACTIVITY 5  - Addressing Plastic Waste

Divide the class into groups of four or five students. Explain to students that they need to work in their groups to conduct research into the examples of addressing plastic waste presented in the clip they watched previously, as well as finding other examples from around the world (not just Australia). They will need to conduct their research online.
Students groups are to research one Australian example and one example from a foreign country.
For each example that they research, students need to address the following questions:

  • Describe the example you are looking at.

  • What country is this example based in?

  • Which sector of the economy is responsible for this action?

  • How will this example address the issue of plastic waste?

  • What do you like or find interesting about this example?

 

ACTIVITY 6 - Waste Solution.

Step 4. Once students have found their two examples, they should continue working in their groups to select one idea and start thinking about how this idea might work in their own community, state or country. This plan can be in a draft format, and students can use the following points to guide their planning:

  • What are the details of this idea?

  • How would this idea help solve the problem of plastic waste in our oceans?

  • What is most exciting or promising about this idea?

  • Would this idea work on a national level in Australia or would it be better suited to a state or community level? Explain your reasoning.

  • What would be required from each sector of the economy to make this idea work?

  • What challenges would you expect this idea to have? How could these be addressed?

  • How would you know when your idea has been successful? What might success look like?

 

ACTIVITY 7 - SWOT Analysis.

Once students have developed their idea they conduct a cost-benefit analysis of their idea by use this SWOT Analysis Template to test their idea.

 

ACTIVITY 8 - Prepare to Pitch your idea.

Once students have had time to research their idea and answer the questions, they are to prepare a pitch to share this idea.  Students will make their pitch to a camera and the clips will be shared digitally. However, students need to imagine that their pitch will be seen by representatives of the different sectors who will need to be involved in delivering the idea and ensuring its success.
Students can use the following points to help them prepare their pitch:

  • Briefly introduce the topic by answering the following questions:

    • What idea are you proposing?

    • Why have you chosen this idea? State the need you are addressing.

    • What is the problem with plastic waste in our oceans and how will this idea help to address it?

    • What is the chosen location for this idea? Why have you chosen this location?

  • These Pitch Tips may also be useful in helping students design and develop their pitches.

Students can then dig a bit deeper by considering the following:

  • Describe your idea in detail, including the role of all sectors (i.e. government, producers and consumers) in helping to make this idea successful.

  • Think about what drawings, plans, diagrams, maps and photographs you want to include and how you will include them.

  • Describe the goals of your idea.

  • Describe the benefits of this project.

  • Describe potential challenges and how these might be addressed.

  • Explain how you will measure success.

 

ACTIVITY 9 - The Pitch

Begin scripting your pitches. Students will have two minutes to do their pitches and all members of their group should play a part in their short presentation.
The following pitch structure could be useful:

  • Hook: Something relatable and interesting to capture the audience's attention, for example, "Don’t you just hate it when you’re swimming in the sea and something slides across your leg? You hope it’s not a shark, but you’re surprisingly disappointed to find out it’s a plastic bag. Isn’t it strange that you’d rather have a shark wrapped around your leg than a plastic bag? The truth is, with the amount of plastic waste in the ocean, that ‘thing’ in the water is more likely to be a bag. Or a bottle. Or an old thong. Gross."

  • Challenge: Explain the problem that your idea will combat, for example, "In a business-as-usual scenario, the ocean is expected to contain 1 tonne of plastic for every 3 tonnes of fish by 2025, and by 2050, more plastics than fish (by weight)." (Source)

  • Solution: Describe your solution, for example, "We propose to introduce local recycling centres in each neighbourhood where people have to deliver their recyclable waste to a recycling hub in exchange for discounts on their council rates."

  • Ask: What do you need to make your idea a reality, for example, "We cannot do this without your support. With the support and participation of all of you, we can help protect our oceans from plastic waste and ensure a cleaner, greener future for all of us. We thank you for your time."

If you want to get creative with their pitches this is encouraged.
Again, the Pitch Tips can help students prepare for and practise their pitches.
Pitch your ideas to the camera.

 

ACTIVITY 10 - THE PITCH

At the end of each pitch, invite other groups to share what they liked about the idea being pitched, what they were confused about, and anything they thought could be improved.
At the end of this sharing session invite groups to come back together and invite groups to share their experiences of their pitch, including the following questions:

  • What things about your idea did people react positively to?

  • What things about your idea did people suggest may need to change and how could you alter these elements of the project?

  • Include the answers to the above Questions in your Reflection

 

ACTIVITY 11 - Reflection

Students are to work independently to respond to the following:​

  • How has this lesson helped you understand who is responsible for addressing the problem of plastic waste?

  • What is still unclear or confusing for you?

Differentiation/Extension
Take Action for the Global Goals
Explore further the United Nations Global Goals, sharing this poster with other classes. Discuss where to place it around the school, make your own poster.

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