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Plastic Bag Teaching Resource

INQUIRY LEARNING - Exploring plastic bag issues

INTRODUCTION

The KESAB / Zero Waste SA Program explores the issue of single use plastic shopping bags using an inquiry based, integrated approach. This resource provides a range of activities to develop student knowledge and skills throughout the program. We recommend that students work in groups to plan and implement their inquiry and to communicate and evaluate their learning. However teachers can modify the program and alternate between individual, group and whole class learning strategies.

PROGRAM OUTLINE

Learning activities are presented in the following sequence:

1. Tuning In

How many plastic shopping bags?

Advantages and disadvantages

Environmental impacts

Seal entanglement - Simulation

 

2. Preparing to Find Out

Government response

Identifying the issues

Research planning

 

3. Finding Out

Comparing alternative views

Group Research Projects

• Impacts on Wildlife

• Sustainable Futures

• Government Initiatives

• Public Opinion / Behaviour

• Alternatives

4. Sorting Out

Group displays and presentations

Visual and oral representations

Life Cycle Analysis

 

5. Going Further

More about Plastics

Making your own polymers

Additional experiments

 

6. Making Connections

Related issues

Topics for further discussion or research

 

7. Ready for Action

What do you know?

DOWNLOAD

KEY COMPETENCIES(pdf)

DOWNLOAD

EARLY / PRIMARY YEARS ACTIVITY SHEETS (pdf):

• Plastic Bags - Australia's Least Wanted

• Plastic Bag Fashions

• A Day in the Life of a Plastic Bag

• Plastic Bag Re-think

• Plastic Bag Survey

• Plastic Bags on Land, Water & Air