Microplastics Workshops for Educators

Jen Kennedy
Teach About Microplastics Workshop March 25
Plastics are a hot topic in the news these days. How much plastic is in the ocean? How does single use plastic impact the environment? What happens to plastic as it breaks down?
 
Interested in exploring these issues in your classroom? Check out our new Teach About Microplastics workshop! The workshop targets both formal and informal educators. It is best for those teaching grades 4-9, although it can be adapted for younger and older grades.

What Are Microplastics?

The workshop focuses on microplastics. Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic marine debris, less than 5 mm in size, that end up in the ocean. Marine debris is anything that ends up in the ocean that doesn’t belong there. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines marine debris as “any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.”   Marine debris is found in the ocean and rivers worldwide, and most of this debris comes from plastic. As plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, it becomes microplastics. Microplastics can also include items like resin pellets – small pieces of plastic that are used in manufacturing.   Microfibers are a type of microplastic. They are tiny fibers that can come from clothes and other fibrous items (e.g., carpets, upholstered furniture).

Examples of microplastics
Examples of microplastics

Workshop Agenda and Materials

In this workshop, you’ll receive two lesson plans – one about microplastics, and one more specifically about microfibers. The activities can be done in the classroom or in a remote environment.  You can use your own equipment, or sign up to borrow one of our lab lending kits!
 
All attendees will receive a copy of both lesson plans, a DIY supply list so you can try the activities along with us during the workshop, plus remote support from our team later on. We will also have lending kits available for workshop attendees to borrow.

Agenda:

  • Introductions from project team
  • Presentation: intro to marine debris, microplastics and fibers
  • Microplastic lesson demonstration
  • Microfiber lesson demonstration
  • Q & A

 

Teach About Microplastics!  Next Workshop Date: Thursday, March 25

4:00-5:30 PM, live via Zoom

Free, but must register in advance. 

Register is Closed. Please fill out this form if you would like to be informed of additional workshop dates!

  • Filter pump
  • Filtering water
  • Filtering for microfibers
  • Sorting microplastics (note: image taken in a classroom pre-COVID)
  • Lab supplies
Images from microplastics and microfibers labs. Courtesy Blue Ocean Society, Rozalia Project, Boothbay Sea and Science Center.

Project Partners

This project is conducted with project partners Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean and Boothbay Sea and Science Center.

Funders

Support for this workshop was provided was provided by a grant from the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, with additional support from New England Biolabs

About Jen Kennedy

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