The "garbage patch" is a popular name for concentrations of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean, which has created a soupy mess.
Did you know that the GPGP...
is twice the size of Texas?
has 6 times more plastic than plankton?
80% of the plastic originates from land?
20% of the plastic originates from oil platforms and ships?
according scientists it is the largest plastic dump on earth?
are larger than waste dumps on land?
Scientific research from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California U.S. shows that 5 to 10% of the fish contain small pieces of plastic.
It is estimated that we only recycle 5% of our plastic.
I was a little hesitate to share this information with my little ones. Especially, these kiddos, because they tend to be more sensitive to these types of things. After some thought, I felt it was important, because it's a big part of our Biomes Theme and research. The students and I referred back to, The Lorax, and discussed the lesson from the story. "One small action can lead to something great or something awful." We can do our part by changing our own actions. So, I had them think about 1 action they can do in their everyday lives that can make a difference.
For homework students need to go to the student blog tab. They need to read the post and watch the videos. Then they need to respond to my question by clicking on the comment link, which can be found at the bottom of the post. Only first names are required, please no last names. An email is not required either. Students will type their response to my question in the comment box. I have arranged for all comments to be approved by me first, so don't worry if you don't see your comment right after it has been posted.
Have a great weekend!