Build Background Knowledge: What Is Plastic Pollution?

Unit Description

In the first half of Unit 1, students are introduced to the topic of plastic pollution and how it affects humans, animals, and the environment. First, students infer the topic of plastic pollution through a scavenger hunt throughout the school (or classroom), in which they document plastic use, waste, and pollution in their environment. Students then begin studying the documentary A Plastic Ocean, noting the transcript's portrayal of a subject as compared to the film's portrayal. Students also analyze the film's main ideas and supporting details, as well as how the ideas in the video introduce the issue of plastic pollution. Students identify and analyze the speakers' arguments by evaluating their claims as well as the soundness of their reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of their evidence. In each lesson throughout the first half of the unit, students view a film clip as a class several times. Then they work collaboratively to complete note-catchers and engage in discussions to compare the film and transcript portrayals of subjects as well as to evaluate the speakers' arguments. Students then complete the mid-unit assessment, in which they watch a clip of A Plastic Ocean and answer selected and constructed response questions to demonstrate their ability to identify main ideas and supporting details, compare the portrayal of a subject in the film and transcript, and evaluate the speakers' arguments.

In the second half of Unit 1, students address big ideas about where and how plastic pollutes, as well as what can be done about plastic pollution. Students analyze the anchor text Trash Vortex for author's purpose and central ideas. Students then learn to analyze the text for how the author distinguishes her position from that of others. Throughout the second half of the unit, students work together as a class and in small groups to read and analyze the anchor text, completing note-catchers and participating in discussions to practice analyzing the central ideas and the author's purpose and positions on plastic pollution. During the end of unit assessment, students read and analyze the end of Trash Vortex, to analyze central ideas as well as the author's purpose and how she distinguishes her position from others.

Preparation and Materials

Prepare the Performance Task anchor chart (see Module Overview page), Guiding Questions anchor chart (see Lesson 1), and Author's Purpose anchor chart (see Lesson 8).

Prepare vocabulary logs and independent reading journals.

Ensure that families are aware of the sensitive content of A Plastic Ocean and Trash Vortex such as the extreme harm of plastic pollution to humans, animals, and the environment, including images of plastic surrounding and even killing animals in order to prepare their students who may be affected by this content in advance.

Habits of Character/Social-Emotional Learning Focus

Central to the EL Education curriculum is a focus on "habits of character" and social-emotional learning. Students work to become effective learners, developing mindsets and skills for success in college, career, and life (e.g., initiative, responsibility, perseverance, collaboration); work to become ethical people, treating others well and standing up for what is right (e.g., empathy, integrity, respect, compassion); and work to contribute to a better world, putting their learning to use to improve communities (e.g., citizenship, service).

In this unit, students focus on working to become effective learners as they persevere to analyze arguments in a documentary and in the author's purpose and point of view in complex texts. Students also take responsibility and initiative as they collaborate during in-class discussions and in group analysis work. Students focus on working to become ethical people by showing empathy and compassion for the people and animals threatened by pollution. As they explore the anchor text Trash Vortex and the documentary A Plastic Ocean, students witness the habits of character that are exhibited by the filmmakers, experts, scientists, and author as they contribute to making the world a better place in numerous ways. The various people filmed in A Plastic Ocean model contributing to a better world as they inform the public about the problem of plastic pollution, inspire environmental action, share their knowledge, and work to pass laws or create inventions to reduce plastic pollution in order to improve their shared spaces and environment. The scientists and volunteers in A Plastic Ocean demonstrate other habits of character, such as taking initiative in studying the plastic in the ocean, collaborating with each other to try and improve the oceans, and persevering through cleanup efforts.

Text


A Plastic Ocean (DVD)

by Craig Leeson, director

one per classroom


Trash Vortex

by Danielle Smith-Llera

one per student