Author: 1st Grade Upper Secondary, SS Vela Luka, HR
Partners: 1st Grade Lower Secondary, Volissos High School, GR; 1st Grade Lower Secondary, Olympion High School, CY
Introduction
Zitna Bay, on the southern side of the island of Korcula (own photo, 16.3.2021)
In this learning scenario, we work on a series of papers that explore and address the problem of plastic waste currently floating in the seas and oceans, some 100-150 million tonnes. According to available data, this figure is increasing by 6.5 million tonnes every year. We will first assess the extent to which students are aware of how plastic, which is thrown everywhere uncontrolled, is harmful to nature. Next, we will explore how students experience the pollution of the sea on which they live and which most families on our island experience. In the lessons "on the ground" we organised, they were actually able to deal with this problem because we visited a beautiful beach, covered in plastic and other waste. The students were given the task of thinking, as well as collecting data for their reports, which they will create and present in their classes. In the next activity, using the 'six hats' method, they developed their critical and analytical thinking, solved the problem and made decisions. With the help of the digital game "Sort Waste", they were able to test their knowledge of correct waste sorting: how much they know about what goes into the different bins and how much waste they are able to sort in a given time. In order to get to know the different ways in which they can reduce their waste on a daily basis, each of them calculated their plastic waste footprint using a "plastic photoprint calculator". This is a diverse scenario where each student can apply critical thinking skills towards the nature around them and be a small stone in solving this big problem.
Learning Objectives
- Students will work on a variety of documents, texts and images
- They will research and analyze data to develop their critical thinking and strengthen environmental and marine conservation awareness
- They will be given a number of tools that will allow them to better recognize the harmfulness of plastic as waste and reduce its use
- They will actively participate in beach cleaning actions
- They will communicate and actively participate in the local community regarding waste collection
- Students will share their knowledge with young people in the local kindergarten and elementary school
- Eventually the power will draw a clear definition of the harmfulness of plastic in the sea
- Finally, students are asked to summarize their knowledge and express their opinions about everything they have learned or become aware of through such activities.
Task
Students at school for homework planning (own photo)
TASK 1: SCIENTIFIC MONOLOGUE "MY FRIEND
The discussion starts using Mentimeter (https://www.menti.com/ctuqdfyx4r). Students answer the questions:
- "What does the sea mean to you?
- List 3 ways that you think can prevent the accumulation of waste in the sea?
Answers are added to the Padlet board. Link to the story: https://youtu.be/rsT94fVBwa8
Listen to the story about the sea, people and the future and consider the following questions:
- What does the sea mean to you?
- How much does it mean to your parents (grandparents)?
- Talk to your grandparents about fish and the sea in their time?
- What happened?
- How do you think we can protect the sea?
- What would your scientific monologue be like? Write.
TASK 2: STUDENTS USE THE DOCUMENTS FOUND TO CALCULATE HOW MANY YEARS IT WILL TAKE TO RECYCLE THE WASTE THEY HAVE PRODUCED
Photo: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fqbw7WZrtfmmH64q7 (own photo). The students are in the field and have the task of presenting their task. The photo was taken on the beach in Žitna.
After the field classes organized on 16th March 2021. in the protected location on the island of Korčula called Kočje, and the local bay, a beach that is a natural beauty, the students were given the following tasks:
- Within the previously organised groups/teams (blue team, green team and yellow team), the students have to put all the waste they have created during this trip into a pile. They have to calculate approximately how much waste there is on average per day, and how much waste each individual generates in kilograms per year.
- We give the pupils documents with information on how long it takes to recycle certain materials. Based on the composition of the waste, calculate how many years it takes to recycle all the waste they have generated, each individually and each team.
- In order to test their knowledge on waste sorting, they play a virtual game. https://edutorij.e-skole.hr/share/proxy/alfresco-noauth/edutorij/api/proxy-guest/0899bbfb-cd78-4626-bd34-206628fc582a/index.html
- After the fieldwork, the students complete an evaluation questionnaire using the Forms tool. Link to the questionnaire: https://forms.office.com/r/MwSwMMw4cw
TASK 3: ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT
Photo: https://bit.ly/3m3SBiQ (Creative Commons). Plastic in the sea.
Humans are consuming too many of the Earth's resources. The ecological footprint is the only measure that compares the resource demands of people, water and businesses with the biological regeneration capacity of the Earth.
TASK 4: WATCHING THE DOCUMENTARY 'LIFE ON OUR PLANET
Photo: https://bit.ly/3fqoCjX (Creative Commons). Watching the documentary.
Students watch David Attenborough's documentary 'Life on our planet' https://bit.ly/3rA9YJb together.
This impressive documentary talks about the impact of the modern lifestyle on our environment. The author of the film talks about the changes he has witnessed during his lifetime and his predictions for the future.
TASK 5: THE SIX-HAT METHOD TO ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION
Photo: http://www.verkic.rs/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/6-sesira.jpg (Creative Commons). The six hats.
Students are asked to consult the following sources:
- https://www.dw.com/hr/kako-plastiku-otjerati-iz-mora/a-16743098
- https://www.bezplastike.eu/
- https://www.lec.hr/jadran-bez-plastike
- https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/
We divide them into 6 groups (the number of groups depends on the number of students). Using the questions, we prepare them for the "Six Hats" method and pose a problem that they will discuss interposing different roles. Question: "How to prevent excessive pollution of the sea with plastic waste?"
TASK 6: THE TREASURE HUNT
Photo: https://photos.app.goo.gl/K4QBSfZfQBwkGiU69 (Creative Commons). Pictures of students during the Treasure Hunt. Pictures and reports also on the school's Fb page: https://www.facebook.com/618522658355110/posts/1235540603319976/
As climate change, environmental protection and sustainable development are the main themes and objectives of EU policy, the 3rd grade students spent two very interesting hours in nature and completed the project task in groups. Through running and exploring in nature, they collected and separated various forms of waste and thus fulfilled the expectations of the different cross-cutting topics: Health, Civic Education, Sustainable Development and ICT. The aim of these activities is to encourage students to practice these activities independently, e.g. self-initiated waste collection on walks and beaches.
TASK 7: OUR HANDS MAKE THE BEACH MORE BEAUTIFUL
Photo 1: https://bit.ly/3whIOuq (Creative Commons). Plastic bottles in the sea.
Photo 2: https://photos.app.goo.gl/tfDP6SjkenZM2LL47 (own photo).Beach cleaning on the small island of Proizd.
The students make their own product (collection bucket) using the waste collected and decomposed from the beach, in this case plastic, and share it with the local community. In agreement with the local tourist board, they will arrange to place the bins on 3 beaches, and with the local service company, they will arrange for the removal of the collected waste. After creating their artefact, the students invite representatives from companies and communities to present their idea.
TASK 8: PHOTO AND VIDEO TRACKER
Photo: https://bit.ly/39x61yV (own photo). Beach and clean sea.
Find the beaches where the largest amounts of rubbish accumulate during the winter, after the summer season. The search for such beaches is done by bicycle. Students are divided into groups to visit as many beaches as possible. Through a mobile application, they will alert the local service company, which will collect the waste and take it to the recycling site.
TASK 9: PRESENTATION OF THE STUDENTS' ACTIVITIES TO CARRY OUT THE SEEDQUEST
Photo: https://bit.ly/3cEp2RG (own photo). Students on the beach.
At the end of all the activities for the realisation of the Seedquest, the students, divided in pairs decided by themselves, present their new knowledge on the theme of plastic in the sea and all that they have done on this educational scenario.
Process
PROCESS RELATED TO TASK 1
Students think independently and answer the questions asked. They have the opportunity to watch a video made by the father of a student about the island of Vis. https://bit.ly/31ByBuz. Students share their feelings about watching the video.
The answers to the questions are shared on the Padlet board opened for this Seed Quest. In class, we read the answers to the questions. Everyone participates and discusses the answers together. Padlet board: https://padlet.com/ofelijadragojevic1/9kcw1y7p1q40l1kk.
PROCESS RELATED TO TASK 2
Through a common document on One drive https://bit.ly/3dnxDHX each student enters their data on the daily and annual amount of waste produced. Next, the results on the number of years needed to recycle the waste produced are entered. Comment on the results. What can be done to reduce these quantities? What would the numbers look like if everyone started with themselves? The teacher has access to the document.
Does tetra pack go into paper or plastic? What about cans? Although there are local differences in waste sorting, what goes into the different containers and the different colours of the containers, the general rules on waste sorting are the same. How much do the pupils know about how to sort waste correctly, and how much waste can they sort in a given time?
Instructions for students: Sort waste into the correct containers. Make sure you put each waste in the container it is intended for and through the appropriate opening - waste around the container is not a pretty sight! Time it and check your performance at the end of the task.
Link to the recycling time document: https://bit.ly/3tYsVqG
PROCESS RELATED TO TASK 3
Students calculate their 'plastic' ecological footprint. How to calculate the footprint? If students wonder what their annual plastic consumption is, they consult the plastic footprint calculator: students are told to start from their daily needs and shopping habits. How many plastic bags do they take when shopping? How many bottles of water do they buy each week? Count them all and enter the values in the appropriate boxes.
The plastic footprint calculator will add up all the plastic used during the year. The available data says that the average American loses about 185 pounds a year! Multiply that by 300 million Americans and you will understand why plastic pollution is such an urgent problem.
Using the, the students each calculate their own annual plastic consumption, enter the data in the document previously submitted to One-drive and compare it with previous data.
PROCESS RELATED TO TASK 4
After watching the film, students share their impressions of the film and comment on the problems they recognised in their environment. Using the Mentimeter app, they list the endangered and/or extinct species in the Adriatic Sea and, working in pairs, make posters (Canva) about endangered species and the causes of their extinction.
Additional sources can be used to make the posters:
- https://croatia.hr/hr-HR/dozivljaji/aktivni-odmor/ronjenje/zasticene-vrste
- https://morehrvatskoblago.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/73-i-jardas.pdf
- http://www.haop.hr/hr/tematska-podrucja/prirodne-vrijednosti-stanje-i-ocuvanje/bioraznolikost/morske-vrste
The most beautiful posters were put up on the walls of the school.
PROCESS RELATED TO TASK 5
Pupils are asked to review and study the materials that have been provided. The method encourages the development of critical thinking, helping to solve problems and make decisions. The students are given slips of paper with the colours: blue, yellow, red, black, white and green and take their slips at random. In all these colours, we prepare hats for the students to wear on their heads when they discuss. When everyone chooses their colour, they are given precise instructions on how to prepare for the discussion. The question put to the students: How to prevent excessive pollution of the sea with plastic sludge?
Sequence of activities:
- We start the activity with a BLUE HAT. This hat determines the objective, i.e. it decides what is discussed. In the same way, a blue hat determines the programme for the other hats. It does not declare its opinion or position.
- WHITE HAT or realist. Is fact-oriented, asks questions and gives answers about information we have or lack. Possible questions "What do we know, what information do we need, what should we ask?".
- BLACK HAT or the realist par excellence who urges caution. It focuses on possible risks and shortcomings in our decisions. It is not good to use it often because it can be dangerous.
- YELLOW HAT or optimist. Those with a yellow hat try to find everything positive, advantages, benefits and all other values.
- RED HAT OR EMOTIONAL. He expresses his feelings and intuitions without further explanation. He likes something but often does not know why.
- GREEN HAT or creative. Finds new ideas, suggests solutions. Allows to discuss different possibilities.
In this way of communication, students share opinions in six different ways. After a certain time, we can change the colours of their hats, i.e. they choose the colour and represent their opinions towards the new colour.
Put a hat on your head - what are your thoughts while you have that hat on? Change the hat. And how are you thinking now? Share with us.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS PDF presentation: https://bit.ly/2Pbf69L
PROCESS RELATED TO TASK 6
The task is developed in phases. The first and most important one is the collection and separation of three different types of waste. The students are first divided into 2 groups.
- They start from a beach and follow the coast for 1 km and collect 3 different types of waste: paper/cardboard, plastic and glass. They were given bags and gloves. Also, at the beginning they are given a puzzle* which they have to solve to find the next clue (a bottle with the next task).
- When they find a bottle with the task, the solution has to be forwarded by the teachers via mobile phone, so that they can send them the rest of the task, which is that two students have to run 1.5 km in the shortest time possible following the task with a predetermined application.The arrival of the other students at the finish line is monitored and the collected waste is "scored" to find out the winner of this unusual race.
- After scoring, the students do a couple of stretching exercises and run back to the beach of the Poseidon Hotel.
- The collected waste must then be decomposed in special containers.
* Riddle: "You will find me on the road, the sign will tell you, And when you find me, there will be no end to your happiness! Get rid of me as soon as possible and send the teacher a picture of the task, With a quick answer, create an opportunity to win!". Text and materials. Message in a bottle: word search
PROCESS RELATED TO TASK 7
- Collect a sufficient number of bottles with which it will be possible to make 3 larger rubbish bins. These bins will only be used to collect plastic on the selected beaches.
- Instructions for making the bins: https://content.instructables.com/pdfs/ELS/57NT/GRHJHMF0/Trash-can-made-of-plastic-bottles.pdf
- After you have made the bins, make a presentation of your artefact using tools such as Canva or PowerPoint, explaining the objectives and how you made them.
- Organise the presentation of your artefact, invite representatives from the tourist board and the service company and work with them. The representative of the tourist board, in agreement with the students, proposes the locations, and the representative of the utility company - empties the containers. If the cooperation is realised, it will be possible in the future to produce more containers and put them on more beaches.
PROCESS RELATED TO TASK 8
To begin, students are asked to cycle to local beaches, take photos of potentially polluted beaches and write a report consisting of basic information: description of the problem (potential wild dump/beach, take photos and write the location of the beach).
It is then necessary to report the problem to the mobile application http://www.zakrpaj.to / Vela Luka, where the problem is automatically reported to the local municipal police who go to the location on call.
After the beach waste has been removed, a student from the group has to visit the beach again and take a photo, in order to make a 'Before-After' exhibition and warn the local population about the importance of waste disposal, as well as the collection and protection of wildlife.
The planned duration of this activity is one month (groups of students go into the field every weekend and search for polluted beaches, for a total of four weekends).
After the activity, an exhibition of paintings is hosted in the school hallway, on the school website and Facebook page.
At the end of the activity, students can still report local and wild dumping, and in this way make their family and friends aware that they are reporting via the patch.to Vela Luka app.
PROCESS RELATED TO TASK 9
To begin with, we divide the students into pairs of their choice. We make sure that the pairs are of equal ability and computer skills. We explain to them the task, which consists of preparing a presentation (Canva, Power Point, Prezi, ClearSlide) that will contain everything they have learned during this learning process. When all pairs have made a presentation, the students (together) make their presentation in front of the others in the class. The duration of the presentation and exposition should be between 10 and 15 minutes. Students have access to the RECORD to self- and peer-evaluate their colleagues. The best rated presentation will be presented to the local primary school and kindergarten children.
Further websites for consultation:
- Link to Edutorium: Tekst i prilozi zadatka-edutorij
- Website for reporting problems: http://www.zakrpaj.to/
- Protected marine species https://croatia.hr/hr-HR/dozivljaji/aktivni-odmor/ronjenje/zasticene-vrste
- The sea, a Croatian treasure: http://www.haop.hr/hr/tematska-podrucja/prirodne-vrijednosti-stanje-i-ocuvanje/bioraznolikost/morske-vrste
- Biodiversity conservation: http://www.haop.hr/hr/tematska-podrucja/prirodne-vrijednosti-stanje-i-ocuvanje/bioraznolikost/morske-vrste
Evaluation
- Better understanding of the climate change
- Creative and logical thinking
- Developing the ability to understand the relationships between different elements of the natural environment
- Learning what the value of our resource is, must and why it should be preserved
- Notions on how long does plastic take to decompose and what damage is caused to the sea and marine life if it is thrown away uncontrollably
- Developing critical thinking and problem solving abilities
- Developing a culture of cooperation through various forms of cooperation
- Keep up with the development of digital technologies and think about our own digital literacy ·
- Use the potentials of creativity and imagination
- Communication skills: being able to speak informally and collaborate with colleagues while working in a group
- ICT skills for communication and implementation of activities: Office 365 schools, Google tools, Canva, Mentimeter, Paddle, etc.
- Civic competences: by discussing the harmfulness of plastic in the sea, students develop their critical thinking and attitude. They also learn the function of the media.
- Media literacy: surfing the web and researching foreign portals for data collection
- Teamwork: students work in groups on a common project and share responsibility for their work
Evaluation and feedback from students. Link to the module query path (Office 365 school) https://forms.office.com/r/Cbj0jSjmKE
Conclusion
The main aim and purpose of this teaching scenario is to help students understand that environmental protection is a very important issue that concerns the whole world, a global problem. Before starting the activities, the teacher confronts the students to understand their knowledge, opinions, motivations. Students then explore the data to develop their critical thinking and improve their environmental awareness. With the help of various activities carried out in the field, they discover for themselves what the problems and consequences of plastic dumping in the sea are. Through the use of digital media, the students summarise their knowledge and suggestions for possible solutions for environmental protection, and pass them on to their colleagues in other schools or educational institutions. Throughout the learning process, evaluations are conducted.
Teachers Section
The students enjoyed working on the topic. They were very satisfied with the lessons outside the school. They were active in all activities. Our Seedquest offered many different activities, so it was dynamic and interesting for the pupils. They liked it best when we worked in the nature, as well as in the research and waste collection activities. The problems we had were related to the tasks they had to do on their own, such as presentations and posters, mainly because most of these activities took place during the lock down phase, when we were online, and especially because it was the end of the school year and they had to focus more on learning. Particular attention should be paid when dividing into pairs or teams so that the lower ability students are equally represented with the brighter students so that they are all involved in the activities. The 6-hats activity was particularly interesting, so it is important to choose a student to act as a role model and manage the discussion well. They were very motivated and the satisfaction of learning without a classic lesson can be a great asset. We checked their satisfaction with a learning evaluation survey https://forms.office.com/r/Cbj0jSjmKE