What Do We Leave Behind? Methods Project By, Vanessa Ceccarelli

Garbage Collecting (Homework from pervious class) Make a list of everything you throw away for one day. (For Example: soda bottles, paper napkins, plastic bags.)

QUICKWRITE: What is “away?”

Garbage Collecting Pair Share/Share Out What is “away?” What did you throw out? What surprised you about your list?

Garbage Collecting Group Collaboration In groups, make educated guesses about how many weeks/months/years each item will last in our environment before decomposing. Example: Wool sock – 1 year

Garbage Collecting Share Out Each group share their proposed list with the class. Write each list on the white board.

Scientists’ Approximations banana -- 3 to 4 weeks paper bag -- 1 month cotton rag -- 5 months wool sock -- 1 year cigarette butt -- 2 to 5 years leather boot to 50 years rubber sole (of the boot) to 80 years soup or vegetable tin can to 100 years aluminum soda can to 500 years plastic 6-pack rings years plastic jug -- 1 million years Styrofoam cup – unknown/forever? glass bottle – unknown/forever? Source:

Garbage in the Oceans Experiment Part 1: GARBAGE Add water to jar Add water to jar Add large items to jar Add large items to jar Shake jar Shake jar Retrieve items Retrieve items

Garbage in the Oceans Experiment Part 2: BROKEN DOWN GARBAGE Add small items to water Add small items to water Shake jar Shake jar Retrieve items Retrieve items

Garbage in the Oceans Experiment Part 3: TOXIC WASTE Add food coloring to jar Add food coloring to jar Shake jar Shake jar Retrieve food coloring Retrieve food coloring

Garbage in the Oceans Experiment Part 4: Share Out What did you observe? What did you observe? What was the most difficult part of this experiment? What was the most difficult part of this experiment? How does this connect to what is really happening to the earth’s oceans? How does this connect to what is really happening to the earth’s oceans?

Garbage in the Oceans Experiment Plastic to Plankton: up to a 6:1 Ratio

"There must be a reason why some people can afford to live well. They must have worked for it. I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use." - Mother Teresa

Do Something! Final Unit Project: Start a campaign Conduct research and write a persuasive essay Film a mini-documentary report Create a piece of art Write a short story Create a brochure Topic ideas: Garbage Pollution from automobiles Deforestation