One Plastic Bag
Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
Kathryn Straub
3rd-5th Grade
Kathryn Straub
One Plastic Bag Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
This story is inspirational in finding a solution to the problem that non-biodegradable plastic bags are damaging the environment and harming animals. Isatou helps clean up the environment, and helps the animals who unknowingly eat the plastic bags. Isatou is motivated by empathy and invents a solution to reuse plastic bags and converts them into a fabric. She crochets it into purses, markets them, and earns money to create a new business. This improves the lives of the Gambian recycling women.
•Design Thinking with Isatou Ceesay highlights the invention process throughout the story. Students are inspired by her thinking and S.C.A.M.P.E.R. her thinking. Then, they S.C.A.M.P.E.R. their own invention using recycled materials, namely what to do with a plastic bag..
•The English lesson prepares students to take notes using a planning map that will help them write a summary. The Standard addressed is RL2 Summarize the text and determine the theme. Three videos review how to summarize and find the theme of the story.
•STEAMie explores other disciplines in math, and art using resources provided by the publisher and more. Isatou teaches us how to cut the bags into “plarn” to crochet a purse. Her folding and cutting the bags unravels into a surprising topology. A quick lesson on how to make a mobius strip should intrigue students. The link to “Science How Stuff Works” explains the mobius and relating scientific theories. M.C. Escher and other impossible shapes are available on the website for students to create more art.
Materials:
Students will use recycled materials, regular school supplies
Google Slides:
•Design Thinking With Isatou Ceesay
•Finding Theme & Summarizing Text
Books
•Common Core Companion ELA 3-5
•One Plastic Bag Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
Extras
Science
History
Art / Music
Technology
Math
English
Copy and Paste Image of the Book
Link to Internet
Lesson Creator Grade Level
Directions: Materials:
Title:
Ambassador:
One Plastic Bag
Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
By Miranda Paul
Illustrations by Elizabeth Zunon
Created by Kathryn Straub
Empathy
Design Thinking
How does Isatou Ceesay experience empathy?
What is the problem?
Design Thinking
How does Isatou Ceesay discover the problem?
Did she ask questions?
Ideate- means to think and form ideas to solve a problem.
Design Thinking
•Brainstorm using the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique
How did Isatou ideate? Use S.C.A.M.P.E.R. to help you identify what she did to solve the problem or target?
Put an X by each way you chose to SCAMPER | Ways to SCAMPER | Tell how the object changed |
| S ubstitute something | |
| C ombine things | |
| A dapt or Add something | |
| M inify, Magnify, Modify | |
| Put it to another use | |
| E liminate something | |
| R earrange or reverse | |
Jennifer Mead - Invention Learning 2020
How Can You Recycle a Plastic Bag or Bottle?
Soccer ball
Kite
Coasters
Time to Scamper
Design Thinking
What can you do with a plastic bag or plastic bottle?
Put an X by each way you chose to SCAMPER | Ways to SCAMPER | Tell how the object changed |
| S ubstitute something | |
| C ombine things | |
| A dapt or Add something | |
| M inify, Magnify, Modify | |
| Put it to another use | |
| E liminate something | |
| R earrange or reverse | |
Jennifer Mead - Invention Learning 2020
Design Thinking is not necessarily linear, it can cycle back to reiteration, rebuilding and testing until it works! Use your thinking, “Invention Box” of supplies and tools, and create something using a plastic bag or plastic bottle. Have some fun!
Recycle website and “How-to” videos
Above is a long (22 min.) “How to” video for making a bed roll or portable sleeping surface.
What did you like?
How can you make it better?
Do you have any questions?
What are some new ideas that you introduced?
Good Readers Reread Text
A Reading Lesson for Determining Theme and Summarizing the Text
You can use the Summarizing/Theme handout for
taking notes while you read the story.
Created by Kathryn Straub
Here is a short video about determining
the theme of a story
Reading Standard RL2 Summarize Text and Determine Theme Using Details From the Text
Book Title: One Plastic Bag Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
Characters
Type here
Setting
Problem
Solution
Theme
Type here
Type here
Type here
Type here
Here is a short lesson on writing a summary:
One Plastic Bag
Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
Please write a summary using your notes from the Summarizing/Theme handout.
Click here to watch another quick lesson on how to write a summary.
Please do not forget to include the theme.
Click to add text
Art & Math with One Plastic Bag and Isatou Ceesay
Do you wonder how to make a purse out of recycled plastic bags?
Do you wonder about how math affects folding, and cutting?
Are you curious about crocheting something from a plastic bag to make your very own object, like a jump rope, purse, or a small key chain?
Here are some ideas you can explore in Math, Art, and Science…
Created by Kathryn Straub
Watch This Video of Isatou Ceesay to Learn How to Cut a Plastic Bag Into Several Strips and Finally Into One Long Strip of “PLARN” Plastic Yarn. Watch her crochet, too.
Click on the purse to find directions on how-to-crochet a jump rope.
Click on the Mobius strip and go to the YouCubed website and make a Mobius Strip with the team!
Is the Recycle Symbol a Mobius Strip?
Click on the image to take you to the Science How Stuff Works website. You can explore the mobius strip, and learn about the science and math behind it. The website has some more cool articles to read. From there, you can visit the art of M. C. Escher and learn how to draw an “impossible shape”.