The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

“A Plastic Bag for Mom”– A Plastic Bag Testing Activity

“A Plastic Bag for Mom”– A Plastic Bag Testing Activity

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A 5^th Grade STEM Lesson

Jeremie Cobarrubias-Gallardo

May 30, 2023

Notes for teachers

• This lesson may take two to four 45-minute class periods depending on the length of time the students take to make the outputs. This lesson has three (3) expected outputs.
• This hands-on activity is best done in groups. Since this lesson has three (3) outputs, it is best to have 3-5 members. Ensure that children with various skills be intentionally grouped together.
• The book can be read by the teacher or can be viewed as a video. The teacher can pause to discuss some parts of the story.
• Plastic bags can be collected through a school drive, or the students can be asked to bring plastic bags from the house, if available.
• The crocheting kits may be bought in bulk if needed.
• Canva accounts are available for teachers.
• A comprehensive list of resources about the book can be found at http://oneplasticbag.com/.

List of Materials

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• A copy of “One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia” by Miranda Paul (Author), Elizabeth Zunon (Illustrator)
• lesson worksheet
• a collection of different kinds of plastic test
• crochet hooks
• video of the Plastic Test
• materials for Plastic Test
• Data Collection Sheet
• Chromebooks
• LCD projector or smart board

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The Plastic Test is Retrieved from: https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/nyu_plastic_activity1#:~:text=Holding%20a%20plastic%20piece%20lengthwise,to%20carry%20out%20the%20activity.

Standards

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Standards

Physical Science

5.P1U1.1

Analyze and interpret data to explain that matter of any type can be subdivided into particles too small to see and, in a closed system, if properties change or chemical reactions occur, the amount of matter stays the same.

Writing Standards: Text Types and Purposes

5.W.2

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

Craft and Structure

5.RI.4

Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.

Speaking and Listening Standards

Comprehension and Collaboration

5.SL.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and

texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

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Standards

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Standards

Math

5.MP.1

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Mathematically proficient students explain to themselves the meaning of a problem, look for entry points to begin work on the problem, and plan and choose a solution pathway. While engaging in a productive struggle to solve a problem, they continually ask themselves, “Does this make sense?" to monitor and evaluate their progress and change course if necessary.

Once they have a solution, they look back at the problem to determine if the solution is reasonable and accurate. Mathematically proficient students check their solutions to problems using different methods, approaches, or representations. They also compare and understand different representations of problems and different solution pathways, both their own and those of others.

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Objective(s):

Today, the learners will:

• read and understand the story “One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia” by Miranda Paul (Author), Elizabeth Zunon (Illustrator)
• learn about Isatou Ceesay (a short definition of what a biography is can be discussed)
• identify the properties of plastic that make it durable.
• determine what an industrial or manufacturing engineer does. (career focus)
• perform the Plastic Test.
• write an informative essay.
• create an infographic about plastic.
• make a prototype bag that is made of used plastic bags.
• present their proposals.

Agenda (lesson time)

• ENGAGE:
• Quescussion Activity
• Looking into Isatou Ceesay’s life (3 minutes)
• Vocabulary Word Search (2 minutes)
• Read- Aloud: One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia” by Miranda Paul (Author), Elizabeth Zunon (Illustrator) (5 minutes)
• Discussion about the story (5 minutes)– (focusing on the importance of being agents of change for a great cause)

• EXPLORE:
• Exploring what an industrial engineer or manufacturing engineer does (5 minutes)
• Stretching to Compare Properties: The Plastic Test (30 minutes)
• EXPLAIN: Discussion on the properties of plastic. (25 minutes)
• ELABORATE:
• Discussion of the rubric for grading the proposal (infographic and information essay) for the chosen plastic for the bag. (5 minutes)
• Crocheting of the prototype bag for (80 minutes)
• EVALUATE: Proposal Presentation (20 minutes)

Anticipatory Set

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• Group the students into 3-4 members. (Please note that the students can be grouped according to their various learning needs.)
• Without saying anything, show students a set of photos or a video depicting the amount of wasted plastic bags.
• Quescussion: Give time for the students to formulate questions (no statement allowed) about the photos that they had seen, or the videos watched. This activity may run for about 10- 15 minutes. Ensure that all the students in the group were able to share their questions. Provide the students with a handout that they may use to write their questions.
• Give time for the group to share the top three questions. Inform the students that the class will go back to these questions at the end of the class.
• Share the Driving Question: What is in my bag?
• Tell the students that the class will be reading about how a country solved its plastic bag problems.
• Give a short background of the author of the story and answer the Word Search worksheet for vocabulary enrichment.
• Read and discuss the story, “One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia” by Miranda Paul (Author)

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

• Using the worksheet, explain the activity to the class. Explain that they are taking the role of an industrial engineer who was asked by a bag company to identify the kind of plastic that they should use to make a bag specifically for a busy mom.
• In the worksheet, give time for the students to discover what an industrial engineer or a manufacturing engineer does. Depending on the needs of the students, they may be either given a video or a set of links to explore.
• Group the students. (3-5 members for each group)
• View and discuss the video that explains the Plastic Test Activity.
• Discussion on the properties of plastic. (Note: this link gives a more comprehensive discussion of the Plastic Test) (TeachEngineering, n.d.)

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This is an authentic bag made by a student from Aguila Elementary School, Aguila AZ.

• Using Canva, allow the students to create an infographic presentation to propose the best kind of plastic for the bags. (Note: Educator Canva is available)
• Guided by the rubric for an informative essay, the groups are also expected to write a multi-paragraph opinion essay for their proposal presentation.
• Give ample time for the students to finish these reports and a small prototype for the bag that they will use as props for their proposal. The students may be shown videos on how to crochet the bags.

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Assessment

• At the end of this lesson, the student will present their proposal. This will ensure that the students understood the discussion on the Plastic Test and the process that industrial or manufacturing engineers follow. Moreover, they will showcase their knowledge of the properties of plastic as they discuss why their plastic is the best to use for making the bag for moms because of its durability.
• The outputs would be graded through an infographic rubric, an informative essay rubric, and an oral presentation rubric.

Differentiation

• Since there are three outputs for this lesson, the students can be assigned to create any of the three using the student’s unique skills (or multiple intelligence)
• infographic- Spatial-visual intelligence; Interpersonal intelligence
• information essay- Verbal-linguistic intelligence; Interpersonal intelligence
• bag prototype- Spatial-visual intelligence; Logical-mathematical intelligence

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Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

• The students may do research on other materials that can be upcycled to create new accessories such as bracelets, hats, and the like.
• The students may also do a commercial or a bag review.
• The prototypes may be made into bags and can be sold as a fundraising project.

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