This short documentary explores the presence of plastic in the Mediterranean Sea and its impacts on the environment and locals.
Through footage of plastic pollution and expert interviews, students learn about where plastic pollution comes from, why it needs to be addressed, and what the future looks like if we do not address it.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The documentary includes testimony from scientists, experts, and activists from different countries.
The documentary is somewhat slow-moving, allowing time for reflection.
Additional Prerequisites
Most of the documentary is not in English but it does include subtitles.
Students should be familiar with certain terms like conservation, microplastics, leaching, and single-use plastic.
Differentiation
Although not a focus of the documentary, it may be worth discussing with students the significant contribution of the fishing industry to plastic pollution.Have students research how much abandoned fishing gear is left in the oceans (most of it is plastic) and then discuss the impacts to marine life.
This resource can also be used in health classes when learning about the indirect impacts of plastic pollution on human health or in environmental science classes when learning about the bioaccumulation of toxins in the environment.
To extend this lesson, have students watch this video on potential solutions and then write a short paper about the problems and the solutions.
Scientist Notes
The resource presents the impact of plastic on bodies of water and marine resources. It provides evidence about the need to collaborate to achieve a sustainable circular economy. Therefore, students can gain insights from this video, as it will inspire them to stop plastic pollution. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Science
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS.ESS3.6 Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity (i.e., climate change).
Social Sciences
Geography (K-12)
HS.44 Assess how changes in the environmental and cultural characteristics of a place or region influence spatial patterns of trade, land use, and issues of sustainability.
