The Increase of Single Use Plastic in our FDA Community

6th Grade Science Class

Dr. Natalia

INTRODUCTION

Plastic inventions change the world dramatically. Plastic is a synthetic polymer that was originally meant to be easily shaped.

Polypropylene - one example of polymer

It was first invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt. Plastic is a long chain polymer which is similar to cellulose in a plant's cell wall. In the beginning of the invention, plastic was aimed to be used as a substitute to preserve scarce natural resources such as wood, metal, stone, bone, tusk, and horn. Over time, plastic gained more popularity due to its cheaper price, safety, and sanitary reasons.

Use of polypropylene in our life

However, in the 1960's, the first observation of plastic debris in the ocean began the environmental concern.

A sea turtle entangled in a ghost net

People started learning that many plastic products are disposable and they last forever in the environment. Plastic waste can take 20 to 500 years to decompose (United Nations), i.e. not fully disappear, just get smaller.

(Science History)

Plastic takes 20-400 years to decompose

TASK

Create a poster to present the social problem of single use plastic at FDA

PROCESS/RESOURCES

Your teacher will create groups of 3-4 students. Use the six step PPA to create a policy that would help us deal with limiting the use of single use plastic in our daily life. You are going to spend a few days working on this project to do research and observation, then create a poster.

Define the problem

Research online about:

the use of plastic at FDA
what happens at FDA to the plastic once you throw it away.

Gather evidence

Make an observation for 3 days in the classroom.

What kind of single use plastic and how many each is being used during your 3 days observation
What is being done to that single use plastic once it's being used.

Example of data table

Type of plastic	Amount	What happen to the plastic after being used
Plastic cup	4	Thrown in the regular bin
Food wrapper	15	Thrown in the regular bin
Plastic container	1	Thrown in the recycle bin

Identify the cause

Based on your observation, identify the cause of the use of single use plastic

Evaluating the existing policy

Evaluate the policy about:

● how the garbage in the school is being processed

Develop a solution

Proposed ways to limit or decrease the use of single use plastic in our daily life.

Select the best solution

Based on some ways that you developed previously, choose the best solution and create a poster. Use the given template, fill each section, then put them together into a poster.

EVALUATION

Use this following rubric to evaluate your poster

Grading Criteria	Excellent (A)	Acceptable (B)	Minimal (C)	Need revision (D)
Content	Well-written text and carefully chosen visuals work together to illustrate and inform about the poster subject.	Descriptive text and appropriate visuals work together to inform viewers.	Text contains inaccuracies and some visual materials lack pertinence or impact.	Text scanty and inaccurate, visuals lack impact.
Design	Logical and easy to read, type and visuals neatly executed, layout complements the content.	Fairly logical, type and visuals mostly neat and easy to understand.	Somewhat disorganized, fails to complement content.	Disorganized, hastily, and carelessly planned.
Visual appeal	Pleasing use of color, shapes, symbols, and other graphic elements captures viewers’ attention and interest.	Good use of color and eye-catching graphic elements.	Good ideas overshadowed by other elements that distract or give a cluttered appearance.	Little constructive use of color or graphic elements.
Creativity	Incorporates unique but pertinent ideas, design elements, visuals, or text that make the poster stand out.	Contains some unique or imaginative elements.	Contains some good, although not entirely original, elements.	No evidence of creativity

CONCLUSION

You have done comprehensive research on plastic and how we can limit the use of single use plastic. Remember that every big step starts with a single step, and it starts with you. You can change the world

STANDARDS

6-8WHST.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source by applying discipline specific criteria used in the social sciences or sciences; and quote or paraphrase the data/accounts and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. (MS-PS1-3), (MS-PS1-7)

6-8.RST.7 Identify and match scientific or technical information presented as text with a version of that information presented visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table). (MS-PS3-1)