Implementation of “A Plastic-Free World?” (SOI-RO-300)
Author: Lidia Ristea , ICT teacher
School/Organization: Profesor Nicolae Simache Secondary School
The “A-plastic-free-world” learning scenario, created by Angela Lucia Capezzuto, Italy, constituted a deepening of the notions about plastic pollution and a starting point for the implementation of practical activities, regarding the creation of decorative objects from plastic bottles to reduce the degree of environmental pollution.
Last year I had an eTwinning Recycle for learn English project, where I participated with the students in activities about environmental protection, waste recycling and they made final products useful for various subjects. In order to value their work and to make them responsible, activities on this topic will be continued, preparing them for orientation towards future jobs in this field.
Secondly, in the 5th grade they had an optional discipline “Environmental balances and imbalances”, where the students participated in search, research, investigation actions to find solutions to reduce pollution with plastic materials and to find uses for them so that they no longer end up in ocean waters. This school year they have the optional discipline “Competences in the era of knowledge”, based on learning through projects, where they will create useful educational software for several disciplines.
The implementation context
Plastic pollution
Recycling empty plastic bottles is a simple but important act that’s good for the environment and for the healthy of people.
I implemented the learning scenario „A-plastic-free-world” in the 7th grade, in the computer lab, where 22 students from Professor Nicolae Simache Secondary School from Ploiesti, Romania participated. The activities took place during four hours of 50 minutes each and it was necessary to adapt certain information provided in the original scenario for students aged 16-19 to students aged 13, because it is the first time that students use Europeana resources. The subjects we covered were: Science, geography, math, chemistry, Computer Science, Civic Education.
The innovative aspect of the implementation of this implementation learning scenario, which applies to a similar target audience, is that students will compact plastic bottles using a Tpet machine and create decorative objects from the compacted products.
The implementation of this learning scenario aimed to make the students responsible, to get involved in a process of self-reflection, to propose solutions to the current problems regarding environmental pollution with plastic materials, which is a problem faced by the whole planet. It is necessary to find solutions to replace or reduce plastic products to ensure a sustainable, clean environment for the health of future generations.
The narrative
The implementation of this lesson plan in the classroom had the following stages:
1. Preparatory phase – Initiation and familiarization with the resources on the Europeana platform
I presented to the students on the video projector from the materials specified in the lesson plan, I suggested ideas to them to find the information needed to create final products, which they will introduce into the action plan, created in Jamboard Google which they will present at the end of the activity .
I also recommended other materials for research in order to get a broader perspective on the students’ knowledge about the effects of plastic pollution and what is their vision of this phenomenon, how they could get involved.
12 Plastic Pollution Facts That Show Why We Need To Do More
Based on the previously assimilated knowledge, I proposed them that they describe the pollution in one word, entering three different words in the Mentimeter application, in maximum 5 minutes. https://www.menti.com/al3wfm39o1ka
- Presentation and debate
To participate in the activities, we divided the class into 5 groups of 4 students each, each group had a leader, writer, researcher and a creator (who will create the final products) who were assigned clear responsibilities and tasks. The last two students will take photos and create photo collages during the activities. They discussed plastic pollution, how it affects oceanic flora and fauna, and I asked them to describe the route of plastic materials starting to : their production – product packaging – after consumption – oceans.
They watched documentary films included in the original plan about the causes and effects of plastic pollution and the consequences of increasing plastic pollution on aquatic flora and fauna.
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/share/N01-PUB-181119-MPLAS?lang=en&controls=on
In addition to these, I also presented other materials:
For learning : Recycle things if you don’t need them, not throw them away, but the most important it’s recycling the plastic!
How Plastic Hurts the World
- Lucrul in echipa –
After viewing the materials
Participation in discussions about finding hypothetical solutions to selectively collect plastic, to create decorative objects for the home and garden and to think about making sustainable products that will help the future economy.
– They returned to the action plan and each group put their ideas in order on a sheet of paper, after which they uploaded them to the Jamboard to find hypothetical solutions to address this problem.
That’s why I recommended them to look for information about what they could create from plastic bottles so that it would have an impact on the public, so that it could be useful for the home and the garden. Each group will create a folder with the images and addresses found to use them in the creation of final products.
Creative ideas:
40 AMAZING IDEAS WITH PLASTIC BOTTLES
Model objects for home and garden
25 Awesome diys from plastic bottles
- Final products
Learn how to add and upload your own images/art, and how to arrange it on the walls of your gallery.
Creating artefacts using the Artsteps application where they will create 3D models and Jurassic Film Exhibition – plastic with the decorative objects from PET’s and for creating virtual tours.
Tutorials
ARTSTEPS – Step 3: Add and Place Artifacts
For inspiration, I recommended them to access the address below to see what could be achieved from PET’s.
Microplastics solutions for a better life
The products were created in two hours and were uploaded to the Padlet page corresponding to each section.
Completion of these tasks can take place at school, or as a homework task if the time is not enough.
- Starting from the career plan presented in the discipline Counseling and professional guidance , they will write in Jamboard as an action plan what they would do if they were future specialists in the selected field to reduce plastic pollution.
- Debate
At the end of the activity, they presented the products created in groups and participated in discussions that will be taken as future actions in the continuation of the activities during the green week in May.
https://padlet.com/industriasticlei/materials-created-t66uz44wzh31
Learning outcomes
Reflection
By implementing this learning scenario in the classroom, the students:
They gained new knowledge about the effects of plastic materials on the environment, especially on aquatic flora and fauna.
They applied the assimilated knowledge to fulfill certain tasks by creating decorative objects for the home and garden from plastic bottles (PET’s).
The responsibility for an efficient collection and management of plastic waste from which to create reliable products such as decorative objects for the home and garden.
Decorative objects – compaction of plastic bottles
They created educational materials in Canva for the media regarding plastic recycling, posted on social networks as an alarm signal for more active involvement of the competent bodies.
They learned to use the Artsteps online application to create virtual tours. https://www.artsteps.com/explore
The use of 3D applications for the design of ecological house constructions from PET, the creation of solar panels, clothing products that will contribute to the reduction of pollution but also to the promotion and implementation of these solutions on a large scale.
Presentation of the final products – artifacts by each group uploaded on the Padlet page.
To train students to search, select and use resources and digital tools presented in lesson plans.
The students acquired concepts specific to chemistry, science, improved their working skills in various digital tools and showed imagination and creativity.
Outcomes for the educator
Impact
From teaching with Europeana resources, I obtained information about how to create a learning scenario, I identified other digital tools that I recommended to students in creating educational products.
During the activities, there was a good collaboration between me and the students, but also between the groups of students.
This learning scenario was useful for the students because they moved away from the usual procedures based on textbooks, teaching, following the curriculum and proved to be extremely engaging and motivating for both the students and me.
I made some small changes to the original script, to the teaching materials, where I proposed alternatives in the national language, for some it is more complicated to understand all the notions in English. Also, the final products were based on practical activities, modeling, assembly, putting into practice the skills of good builders, imagination and creativity.
The purpose of the learning scenario was fulfilled, the students learned to navigate the platform and find Europeana resources from which they selected the necessary information.
They improved their teamwork and collaboration skills, critical thinking, online research skills and language skills. Finally, the students were captivated by the methods and tools used.
In order to have an authentic and interactive evaluation that differs from the usual tests in class, we applied the following:
https://www.menti.com/al9wpuhw7pjd
Survey: Google form–
Did you find this story of implementation interesting? Why don’t you read about the related learning scenario? A Plastic-Free World? , created by Angela Lucia Capezzuto
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CC BY-SA 3.0 NL: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Stadsarchief ‘s-Hertogenbosch.