The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Great Pacific Garbage Patch, Watersheds, Plastic Waste

Day 3

​

Designing Solutions for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch: Day 3

A 6th Grade STEM Lesson

Stephanie Nichols

March 2023

Notes for Teachers

• Context: This lesson takes place in a classroom for one or more hours.
• Students may work individually or in pairs.
• Focus is on designing solutions to ecological problems.
• Students will design an app or invention and describe its function in a paragraph or more.

List of Materials

• GPGP website, writing, articles and notes from previous lessons
• Materials for building models-recyclables, snipping tools, tape, fasteners, string, etc.
• App Design Template and Rubric
• Invention Design Template and Rubric

​

Standards

Life Science:

6.L2.U3.11 Use evidence to construct an argument regarding the impact of human activities on the environment and how they positively and negatively affect the competition for energy and resources in ecosystems.

​

Ed Technology:

Innovative Designer

6-8.4.d. Students demonstrate an ability to persevere and handle greater ambiguity as they work to solve open-ended problems.

6-8.4.c. Students engage in a design process to develop, test, and revise prototypes, embrace the iterative process of trial and error, and understand setbacks as potential opportunities for improvement.

6-8.4.a. Students engage in a design process for generating and testing ideas and developing innovative products to solve problems.

​

​

• ​
• ​

ELA:

6.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline‐specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Unit Objectives:

Day 1: Make a claim and support with evidence from an article about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Day 2: Create a model of watershed and investigate online resources to discover the path of water.

Describe how a watershed works.

Day 3: Identify ways to mitigate the problem of plastic waste and keep trash out of water systems.

Design an app or invention that deals with the problem of plastic waste in our environment.

Agenda

1. Students review the article from the first lesson and locate information about how humans CAN help with the problem of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

​

2. Students brainstorm in small groups or on their own to create an app, invention, or advertising campaign to help.

​

3. Students work on building a model, create a video, or design an app (illustrating screens that would be in the app).

Intro

​

Recap day 1 and day 2.

​

Intro

​

What was your claim about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

​

Can humans help with the problem of plastic waste in the ocean?

Article

​

​

Find the section of the article that discusses ways humans can help with the problem.

​

Discuss the different suggestions with your group.

Hands-on Activity Instructions: Choose One

​

Option 1

Create a Model of an Invention

​

• groups of 1-2
• brainstorm on whiteboards
• sketch and label your idea
• create a list of materials
• build the model
• write a description of the invention

Option 2

Create an App

​

• groups of 1-2
• brainstorm on whiteboards
• identify what function the app would serve
• draw the different screens the app would have
• label buttons and screens
• write a description of the app

Assessment

Each template includes a single point rubric at the end of the document. Teacher writes positive feedback under the “+” side and things to change under the delta side. There is a column for assign.

​

Photo of rubric included in App Design Template

Differentiation

1. Chunk the assignment in small group:

​

Identify the ways the article suggested humans can help.

List the ways.

Ask students what app or invention could help achieve this result.

​

1. Direct students to Oceanic Institute 7 Solutions article. Assist students in locating the headings. What ways could an app or invention assist to achieve these ideas for helping with waste?

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

1. Read the book Just Help! How to Build a Better World by Sonia Sotomayor.
2. You may not be able to build a functioning prototype of your invention or launch your app yet, but can you help your community in ways similar to those shown in the book?

Make a plan for one way you can help this week.

1. Create a poster or video encouraging people to reduce plastic use.

Code.org has an App Lab where students can bring their app to life.