EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Participants in the Gulf of Mexico Marine Debris Collaborative offer links and downloadable educational materials for people of all ages to learn about marine debris. Whether you are a formal educator or just interested in learning more, there are general and region-specific resources available.
How Can Different Polymers be Identified?
Lab activity for 5th to 10th grade.
https://www.teachervision.com/earth-science/how-can-different-polymers-be-identified
NOAA EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Activites and curricula for all ages and audiences are available at
the NOAA
Marine Debris Program's website. These resources focus on STEAM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) standards and were
developed or funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program. Both formal and
informal educational resources are available.
Washed Ashore Integrated Arts Marine Debris Curriculum
This 12-lesson curriculum connects science and art to help students
understand the plastic pollution problem and communicate about it
through art.
http://washedashore.org/iamdc/
MARINE DEBRIS MONITORING TOOLKIT FOR EDUCATORS
The Marine Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators was created
through a collaboration between the NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP)
and the Office of National
Marine Sanctuaries. This toolkit provides many useful marine
debris resources and adapts the MDP's Marine
Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project, a robust citizen
science monitoring initiative, for classroom use. The Toolkit is
designed to assist teachers in educating their students about marine
debris and involving them in marine debris research and outreach.
Using the Toolkit, students conduct marine debris surveys, which can
help to provide valuable information on where, when, and what kind of
debris is showing up. Students can enter their data into a national
database, analyze monitoring results, and become involved in marine
debris stewardship within their communities. You can find the toolkit
below, or on the NOAA Marine Debris Program website here.
The Educator's Guide to Marine Debris: Southeast and Gulf of Mexico
https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/publications-files/TheEducatorsGuidetoMarineDebris_SE%20and%20GoM%20Education%20Kit.pdf