Activity 1: Jigsaw reading activity using different articles on plastic pollution where students share
the information in their articles with the rest.
For this activity, I plan to use two Nat Geo resources, a slide
presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85IUDYzFQZw&t=966s to introduce new
vocabulary, and short articles on plastic pollution.
Articles:
1. A Whopping 91% of plastic isn't
recycled https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/whopping-91-percent-plastic-isnt-
recycled/
2. Plastic Bag Found at the Bottom of World's Deepest Ocean
Trench https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/plastic-bag-found-bottom-worlds-deepest-
ocean-trench/12th-grade/
3. Microplastics https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/microplastics/?
utm_source=BibblioRCM_Row
4. Colombia's Plastic Bag Tax https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-
stories/story/colombias-plastic-bag-tax-concrete-step-towards-fighting-marine-litter
Teaching About the World
-Scales:
The topic of plastic pollution is introduced from global perspectives through articles.
-Perspectives:
Ecological: Students get more knowledgeable and aware of plastic pollution worldwide and in their
country.
Political: Students inform themselves and others about political measures taken in Colombia to help
reduce plastic pollution.
Economic: Students learn about the role of plastic in our economy.
-Human/Natural Worlds
Students can get an understanding and more informed opinion of how plastic pollution affects our
environment, wildlife, and human life.
-Nat Geo Learning Framework
Attitudes: Curiosity: Youth deepen their awareness of the world and other people and see issues,
problems, and solutions on a global scale.
Skills: Collaboration - Youth participate in collaborative work (e.g, projects, discussions.) with diverse
participants on issues or problems outside of the classroom—in the community or in the larger world.
Knowledge: Wildlife and Wild Places - Youth recognize and communicate that local decisions and
actions can have far-reaching impacts on the global environment.
Activity 2 Description
What lesson, activity, or unit do you think will be the focus for your Activity 2 work? Describe it in one
sentence. If you know the theme (Map It, Get Outside, Care About the Planet, Connect with Your
Community, Join a Global Collaborative Project, or Plan an Event) you plan to apply, list it here.
Activity 2: Agree/Disagree discussion on plastic pollution where students can learn facts and express
their opinions about plastic pollution and make a connection to their own lives.
Theme 3: Care about our planet - Design a lesson that cultivates your students' sense of
responsibility for the health of our planet and its natural resources.
Materials: Video Plastics 101 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggh0Ptk3VGE or The Reality of
Plastics https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/reality-plastics/#the-reality-of-plastics and
worksheet with agree/disagree statements on plastic pollution.
Activity 2 & Phase 1 Learning
You are expected to integrate two key concepts from Phase 1 into Phase 2: Teaching About the
World (scales, perspectives, human/natural worlds) and the National Geographic Learning
Framework (Attitudes, Skills, and Knowledge). List a few opportunities you see for applying these
concepts. Are there specific scales, perspectives, human/natural world connections, and/or Learning
Framework outcomes you see having connections to this activity?
Teaching About the World:
-Scales:
Students take a look at plastic pollution from global, regional, and local perspectives.
-Perspectives:
Ecological: Students express critical statements and opinions on plastic pollution from an ecological
perspective.
Economic: Students consider economic factors in the group discussion.
-Human/Natural Worlds:
Students understand the effect that plastic can have on the oceans, wildlife, and humans, and how
they can adopt more responsible attitudes and habits to help reduce plastic pollution.
Learning Framework:
-Attitudes: Responsibility - Youth assume responsibility for personal and collective contributions to
the reduction of and solution to current problems in the environment.
-Skills: Collaboration - Youth participate in collaborative work (e.g, projects, discussions.) with
diverse participants on issues or problems outside of the classroom—in the community or in the
larger world.
-Knowledge: Our Changing Planet - Youth understand that the sustainability of human societies and
the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources.
Documentation
Your capstone video will be the story of one–or both!–of your activities from Phase 2. During Phase
2 you should collect ample audio, video, and photos to help tell this multimedia story. Describe a few
ideas of when, how, and where you could collect media in Phase 2. Remember that you cannot
show any student faces in any media you submit.
I could collect media (photos and videos) when students are viewing the introductory images,
watching the video, reading their articles, doing the jigsaw activity, and participating in the
discussion.
