In this chemistry Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students investigate the different properties of plastics. In groups students design an investigation testing either thermal insulation or tensile strength. Included are teacher resources with an investigation template. This is a single lesson from the Ocean Plastics Science unit. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life. If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

Plastic field work (local area) is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson. This lesson provides a framework for conducting plastics fieldwork in the local area. As per most fieldwork, it consists of three phases: preparation, conducting fieldwork, and then analysis and conclusions. Depending on your school timetable and ability of your class, you will need to set aside three to four hours to complete this fieldwork activity. Suggestions for challenge tasks are included for more able students, if you teach a mixed ability class. This is a single lesson from Ocean Plastic Geography. Ocean Plastics Geography is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource. The lessons address the issue of marine plastic pollution, the harm caused by plastics to the environment and communities, how we deal with all the waste, ending with a debate on approaches to reducing ocean plastic pollution. Fieldwork templates for investigating plastics in the local area are included as well as a wealth of case studies exploring both the human and physical elements of plastic pollution. Get the whole unit’s resources here:https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

In this biology Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students will learn about plastics and bioaccumulation. This lesson is focused on how chemical pollutants cause harm to marine organisms. Included are teacher resources to model bioaccumulation and an orca case study. This is a single lesson in the Ocean Plastic Science Unit. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life. If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

In this chemistry Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students will learn how monomers and polymers dictate the properties of plastics. This lesson focuses on how plastics are made. Included are teacher resources for students to make their own polymer, using PVA and borax, to observe how changing the structure of a substance changes its properties. This individual lesson is part of a larger unit called Oceans Plastics. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life. If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

Plastic pollution: why recycle? is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource. In this design and technology Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students identify why they should recycle and how to encourage others to recycle more. Included are teacher resources for students to apply user-centred design principles to redesign a recycling bin to encourage recycling. This is a single lesson from the Oceans Plastics unit. Ocean Plastics D&T 11-14 is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource. Students are taken on the journey of how the 6 Rs can be applied to reduce ocean plastic pollution. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Exploring the 6 Rs students innovate product designs which creatively solve the problem of ocean plastics.Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to problem solve through creative design. Students will design a user-centred recycling bin to promote recycling, create a sustainable fashion brand, build a modular phone, and pitch their own unique design solution to the ocean plastic problem. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-design-11-14

Plastic pollution: design task is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource. In this the final design and technology Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students will apply their understanding of the 6 Rs. The focus of this lesson is to design an ocean friendly product. Students will work in groups to research, design, and pitch. Included are teacher resources which structure students independent and group activities. This is a single lesson from the Oceans Plastics unit. Ocean Plastics D&T 11-14 is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource. Students are taken on the journey of how the 6 Rs can be applied to reduce ocean plastic pollution. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Exploring the 6 Rs students innovate product designs which creatively solve the problem of ocean plastics.Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to problem solve through creative design. Students will design a user-centred recycling bin to promote recycling, create a sustainable fashion brand, build a modular phone, and pitch their own unique design solution to the ocean plastic problem. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-design-11-14

Plastic pollution: repair is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource. In this design and technology Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students learn how many products are designed to become obsolete and the impact this has on the environment. This lesson is focussed on students finding solutions to make it easier to repair products. Included are teacher resources that allow students to design a modular phone that can be updated and repaired easily. This is a single lesson from the Oceans Plastics unit. Ocean Plastics D&T 11-14 is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource. Students are taken on the journey of how the 6 Rs can be applied to reduce ocean plastic pollution. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Exploring the 6 Rs students innovate product designs which creatively solve the problem of ocean plastics.Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to problem solve through creative design. Students will design a user-centred recycling bin to promote recycling, create a sustainable fashion brand, build a modular phone, and pitch their own unique design solution to the ocean plastic problem. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-design-11-14 If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

This lesson helps students identify the different habitat zones on the coral reef and describe the differences in the environmental conditions. During their second dive students develop their identification skills through surveying the reef and identifying different coral types. Students draw conclusions about the reasons for the variety and abundance of coral species across the reef. This is a single lesson from the Coral Oceans Science KS3 unit. The lesson plans and accompanying activities are designed to introduce classes to what it is like to be an ocean explorer. Each lesson is designed around a ‘dive’ to investigate a particular science topic. These include identification, classification, food webs and symbiosis, adaptation and human impacts on the environment. The enquiry-based resources incorporate the scientists’ experiences and research, and enable students to explore marine life on the reef and the threats facing it. Access the other lessons in this unit here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/coral-oceans-science-11-14

Ocean for beginners X-Curric 14-16 is a Key Stage 4 (KS4) resource.This series of three lessons sets the scene for students who are about to commence Ocean Plastics 14-16. The lessons build on prior knowledge of oceans and the species and habitats it encompasses. Students explore ecosystem goods and services and answer GCSE style questions reflecting on how we use the oceans. The unit then reviews what is meant by ocean plastics pollution and encourages students to critically appraise information from different media sources. Students then go on to consider careers in this field by evaluating the work of an ‘Ocean hero’. At the end of these three lessons students will be fully prepared to embark on the full Key Stage 4 unit - Ocean Plastics 14-16. https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/oceans-for-beginners-x-curric-14-16

Plastics: what are they? Part one is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) lesson. Students follow the life cycle of a single-use bottle. Using Google Maps, students track the journey a plastic bottle goes on during its lifetime and map the possible outcomes of where it could end up. Students go on to consider some alternatives to recycling plastic, such as re-using it. It may be possible to organise a speaker to join this lesson, some local authorities offer schools programmes or outreach workshops. Ocean Plastics 7-11 is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) cross-curricular unit of work encompassing science and geography which also develops skills in mathematics, citizenship and spoken language. The unit addresses four key questions; what are plastics, where are plastics, what impact can plastics have and what can I do? These questions are answered by developing students understanding of properties of materials, living things, habitats and human and physical geography. The unit explores the pros and cons of a variety of plastic products, investigates how plastic finds its way to the ocean and looks at what changes can be made on a local and global scale. Students understand the complex issues surrounding oceans plastics through this units optimistic and innovative approach to challenging attitudes and behaviour. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-7-11

Plastics: what are they? Part two is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) lesson. In this lesson students discover some of the incredible uses for plastic i.e. medical science and space exploration and reflect on why single-use plastics have become unpopular. Students examine data from a sample of litter collected on Henderson Island. They go on to consider where the plastic litter could have come from and create a bar graph representing this data. Ocean Plastics 7-11 is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) cross-curricular unit of work encompassing science and geography which also develops skills in mathematics, citizenship and spoken language. The unit addresses four key questions; what are plastics, where are plastics, what impact can plastics have and what can I do? These questions are answered by developing students understanding of properties of materials, living things, habitats and human and physical geography. The unit explores the pros and cons of a variety of plastic products, investigates how plastic finds its way to the ocean and looks at what changes can be made on a local and global scale. Students understand the complex issues surrounding oceans plastics through this units optimistic and innovative approach to challenging attitudes and behaviour. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-7-11

Plastics: what harm can they cause? Part one is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) lesson. In this lesson students are introduced to microplastics and ocean plastic pollution and begin to understand how and why it occurs through investigating one of three case studies. They go on to discover some of the dangers plastic pollution and microplastics can pose to marine life and consider how entire food webs are impacted. Ocean Plastics 7-11 is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) cross-curricular unit of work encompassing science and geography which also develops skills in mathematics, citizenship and spoken language. The unit addresses four key questions; what are plastics, where are plastics, what impact can plastics have and what can I do? These questions are answered by developing students understanding of properties of materials, living things, habitats and human and physical geography. The unit explores the pros and cons of a variety of plastic products, investigates how plastic finds its way to the ocean and looks at what changes can be made on a local and global scale. Students understand the complex issues surrounding oceans plastics through this units optimistic and innovative approach to challenging attitudes and behaviour. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-7-11

Plastics: what are they? Part two is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) lesson. This lesson sees students investigate how plastics get into the oceans and affect marine life. Students discover how plastic pollution doesn’t start when plastic enters the ocean. They go on to consider economic, political and social elements of human geography that impact ocean plastic pollution. Students examine case studies relating to plastic pollution at home and abroad to consider the social and economic impacts. Ocean Plastics 7-11 is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) cross-curricular unit of work encompassing science and geography which also develops skills in mathematics, citizenship and spoken language. The unit addresses four key questions; what are plastics, where are plastics, what impact can plastics have and what can I do? These questions are answered by developing students understanding of properties of materials, living things, habitats and human and physical geography. The unit explores the pros and cons of a variety of plastic products, investigates how plastic finds its way to the ocean and looks at what changes can be made on a local and global scale. Students understand the complex issues surrounding oceans plastics through this units optimistic and innovative approach to challenging attitudes and behaviour. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-7-11

Plastics: what are they? Part two is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) lesson. In this lesson, students will learn about the different types of plastic and why each type might be useful. Students will then complete a practical activity creating their own plastic slime using PVA and borax (which makes a polymer) and reflect on the variety of uses for plastics. Ocean Plastics 7-11 is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) cross-curricular unit of work encompassing science and geography which also develops skills in mathematics, citizenship and spoken language. The unit addresses four key questions; what are plastics, where are plastics, what impact can plastics have and what can I do? These questions are answered by developing students understanding of properties of materials, living things, habitats and human and physical geography. The unit explores the pros and cons of a variety of plastic products, investigates how plastic finds its way to the ocean and looks at what changes can be made on a local and global scale. Students understand the complex issues surrounding oceans plastics through this units optimistic and innovative approach to challenging attitudes and behaviour. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-7-11

Plastics: what harm can they cause? is a Key Stage 1 (KS1) lesson. Students discover what happens when plastic ends up in the ocean by exploring how it affects marine life. They look at simple ocean food chains and discuss the impact of plastic pollution on these species and their habitats. Students choose a food chain to recreate and write warnings about how plastic litter can affect the species in their food chain. They conclude by considering how they could reduce the amount of plastic they use such as reusable bags and avoiding straws. This is a single lesson of the Ocean Plastics 5-7 unit. Ocean Plastics 5-7 is a Key Stage 1 (KS1) cross-curricular introduction to materials and their properties, which focusses on plastic and its abundance. Students discover how many everyday products are made from or contain plastic, understanding its versatility and resilience. They go on to discover what happens to rubbish after it’s thrown away and explore recycling, landfill and litter. Students find out how detrimental plastic is to marine life and create posters and models encouraging friends and family to recycle and reduce the amount of plastic they use. This unit encourages proactive and positive behaviours, for all our futures. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-5-7

Plastics: what can I do? is a Key Stage 1 (KS1) lesson. Students discover the 6Rs and discuss what each one means. They then make suggestions of how they could do each one through mind mapping their shared ideas. Students then complete one of three suggested art projects which not only reuse plastic rubbish but also inform others how they can help fight marine plastic pollution. The completed projects could be displayed around the school or showcased in an assembly. This is a single lesson of the Ocean Plastics 5-7 unit. Ocean Plastics 5-7 is a Key Stage 1 (KS1) cross-curricular introduction to materials and their properties, which focusses on plastic and its abundance. Students discover how many everyday products are made from or contain plastic, understanding its versatility and resilience. They go on to discover what happens to rubbish after it’s thrown away and explore recycling, landfill and litter. Students find out how detrimental plastic is to marine life and create posters and models encouraging friends and family to recycle and reduce the amount of plastic they use. This unit encourages proactive and positive behaviours, for all our futures. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-5-7

Plastics: what are they? is a Key Stage 1 (KS1) lesson. This lesson introduces students to a range of materials and allows them to compare and describe their properties. Students develop their understanding of what is meant by materials and discover four in particular; wood, metal, glass and plastic. They then discover why certain materials are chosen to make different products. Focussing on plastic, students explore the variety of items which are made from or contain plastic. They then conduct and investigation to find out which material is the most effective at waterproofing. This is a single lesson of the Ocean Plastics 5-7 unit. Ocean Plastics 5-7 is a Key Stage 1 (KS1) cross-curricular introduction to materials and their properties, which focusses on plastic and its abundance. Students discover how many everyday products are made from or contain plastic, understanding its versatility and resilience. They go on to discover what happens to rubbish after it’s thrown away and explore recycling, landfill and litter. Students find out how detrimental plastic is to marine life and create posters and models encouraging friends and family to recycle and reduce the amount of plastic they use. This unit encourages proactive and positive behaviours, for all our futures. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-5-7

Plastics: what can I do? Part two is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) lesson. In the last lesson students review the success of their campaign and the impact it had on plastic consumption. They review their targets, reflect on what went well and decide what they would do differently. They then share their results and discuss what they could do going forward. The unit of work could end with an assembly for students to share their findings and continue to spread their message. Ocean Plastics 7-11 is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) cross-curricular unit of work encompassing science and geography which also develops skills in mathematics, citizenship and spoken language. The unit addresses four key questions; what are plastics, where are plastics, what impact can plastics have and what can I do? These questions are answered by developing students understanding of properties of materials, living things, habitats and human and physical geography. The unit explores the pros and cons of a variety of plastic products, investigates how plastic finds its way to the ocean and looks at what changes can be made on a local and global scale. Students understand the complex issues surrounding oceans plastics through this units optimistic and innovative approach to challenging attitudes and behaviour. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-7-11

The Plastics Problem DT is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) lesson. In this lesson students are posed with a problem; they need to design a product which can carry several items from one location to another. They should attempt to design a new product and consider its features including strength, usability and materials. Students go on to evaluate existing solutions to this product in terms of strength, cost, aesthetics, usability and finally sustainability. They conclude by evaluating whether a new product is required based on the existing alternatives. Ocean Plastics 7-11 is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) cross-curricular unit of work encompassing science and geography which also develops skills in mathematics, citizenship and spoken language. The unit addresses four key questions; what are plastics, where are plastics, what impact can plastics have and what can I do? These questions are answered by developing students understanding of properties of materials, living things, habitats and human and physical geography. The unit explores the pros and cons of a variety of plastic products, investigates how plastic finds its way to the ocean and looks at what changes can be made on a local and global scale. Students understand the complex issues surrounding oceans plastics through this units optimistic and innovative approach to challenging attitudes and behaviour. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-7-11

Plastics: what can I do? Part one is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) lesson. The last two lessons in this unit challenge students to work collaboratively to create a campaign based on the 6R’s. First students find out about innovation, development and policy changes that have recently occurred. They are then briefed on their mission – to reduce the amount of plastic consumption in their school community. In groups students then design and implement their campaign, planning and launching it over the following week. Ocean Plastics 7-11 is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) cross-curricular unit of work encompassing science and geography which also develops skills in mathematics, citizenship and spoken language. The unit addresses four key questions; what are plastics, where are plastics, what impact can plastics have and what can I do? These questions are answered by developing students understanding of properties of materials, living things, habitats and human and physical geography. The unit explores the pros and cons of a variety of plastic products, investigates how plastic finds its way to the ocean and looks at what changes can be made on a local and global scale. Students understand the complex issues surrounding oceans plastics through this units optimistic and innovative approach to challenging attitudes and behaviour. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-7-11