Plastic Pollution Lesson Plans for Kids

Plastic pollution affects so many things on this planet. It is incredibly hard to rid ourselves of plastic waste because it is both cheap and easy to produce, and also quite durable. Unfortunately, plastic production and usage have devastating consequences for our Earth. Plastic bags, plastic straws, wrappers, and other pieces of plastic degrade slowly, and their production pollutes the natural resources we need to survive at an unsustainable rate.

Microplastics and plastic bottles often end up in landfills or the ocean, harming marine life including sea turtles and seabirds. There has never been a more important time to inspire our students to take action and reduce plastic pollution! SubjectToClimate has organized an array of plastic pollution lesson plans to help teachers navigate this important topic with their students to create awareness and understanding of this issue among our future generations.

Subjects: Science, Social Studies, Biology, Economics, Math, Justice, Health, Climate Action

Resource Types: Project

This project by ClimateGeneration gives students the opportunity to research, create, fund and install hydration stations at their school. Installing hydration stations allows students and staff to conveniently fill reusable water bottles, thereby reducing plastic water bottle consumption. Reducing plastic trash can be challenging, but this resource offers an easy step-by-step guide that will inspire students to take action.

The guide offered in this project has three categories: why water-bottle filling stations, project steps, and interest in trying this at your school. The resource also provides links to more information about plastic production, plastic pollution, and water insecurity. Teachers have the opportunity to submit photos of their students’ projects which can be emailed to ClimateGeneration and possibly featured on their website! Teachers and students can also work together to apply for grants to fund their school’s hydration stations. In all, this lesson plan makes it feasible for teachers and their students to play a meaningful role in reducing plastic consumption and production.

This project could be limited by a lack of space or other requirements needed for installation. Alternatively, teachers could use the project to encourage the use of refillable water bottles using existing drinking fountains. Teachers can also divide students into groups to complete various tasks such as research, creating posters/videos, fundraising, discussing goals, evaluating their work, and publicizing the project. This project incorporates math, language, and art skills. To give your students more background knowledge about the impacts of plastic pollution, check out the following videos below.

Additional Videos

Subjects: Science, Earth and Space Sciences, World Languages, Spanish

Resource Types: Lesson Plan

Inquire

Students watch a music video and identify actions and objects in the daily routine associated with disposable plastics.

Investigate

Students learn about the connection between plastics and climate change.

Inspire

Students explore efforts in Spanish-speaking countries to reduce plastic consumption, and then complete an individual or group project.

SubjectToClimate's lesson plan provides a fantastic way for teachers to incorporate a plastic pollution lesson in Spanish class. The objective of this lesson plan is to explore ways to reduce carbon emissions by decreasing the amount of disposable plastics we use in our daily routines. The lesson plan is beautifully organized and includes a variety of learning tools to keep students engaged. Let’s inspire our students and guide them to put their knowledge into action!

Spanish teachers will love this lesson because it can easily be integrated into units on daily routines, the environment, or the present tense. The layout of the lesson plan is easy to navigate and is categorized into different sections including introduction, accompanying teaching materials (teacher slideshow, and student handouts), lesson plan, and teaching tips. This lesson will also give students a chance to practice their Spanish speaking and listening skills.

The activities throughout this lesson presume novice-high Spanish-language proficiency. Students should be familiar with reflexive verbs in the present tense, verbs like gustar to express opinions and daily routine vocabulary. The vocabulary related to plastic terms is scaffolded so that students can independently navigate the Spanish-language websites and complete the final project with confidence.

This lesson plan uses a variety of teaching tools to engage students, such as games like Quizlet live and Kahoot, a music video, and two educational videos. Teachers can shorten the lesson by eliminating the vocabulary activities in the “inquire” section or eliminating either Part 1 or Part 2 in the “inspire” section. Alternatively, teachers can extend the lesson for advanced students by including supplemental reading and listening activities.

Additional Resources

› Students can explore the 2024 international treaty on plastics using this summary in Spanish of the 22 foundational points.

› This RTVE report "La Unión Europea dice adiós al plástico de un solo uso" includes text and a short video.

Recicladores de base are an important part of the recycling process in many countries. Marce La Recicladora from Colombia has an informative YouTube channel.

› To prepare to teach this lesson, teachers can learn about plastics and recycling plastic via this NPR/Frontline report from 2020

› Teachers can also review this Greenpeace España report analyzing the limits of recycling as a solution to the plastic problem.

Subjects: Social Studies, English Language Arts

Resource Types: Lesson Plan

Inquire

Students complete the Anticipation Guide individually or in groups, responding to true or false prompts and answering one question about plastic pollution and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Investigate

Students conduct research on plastic pollution and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and complete the RACES writing organizer.

Inspire

Students write a letter to a local official advocating for action on plastic pollution.

In this lesson, students research plastic pollution and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a pile of discarded plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean, and write a letter to a local official advocating for a solution to ocean plastic pollution. The lesson begins with an engaging true or false activity to get students thinking about the impact of plastic on the ocean. Then students research the problem and complete a RACES writing organizer. The lesson concludes with students writing a well-constructed letter explaining the plastic pollution problem and solutions to a local official.

Teachers will love the easy-to-follow Student Document which contains an Anticipation Guide, a RACES template, and differentiated letter templates. A helpful Teacher Answer Key makes it simple to lead the Anticipation Guide activity. The Teacher Slideshow includes videos and links to ten vetted resources that students can use to research plastic in the ocean. Teachers will appreciate the SEL check that gives students a chance to process their emotions about the impact that plastic pollution has on the oceans.

This lesson can be used exactly as it is written, but there are also opportunities for extensions and differentiation. One possible extension is for students to draw a simple map of their local waterway and its path to the Pacific Ocean. Students can include a paragraph about how trash travels in waterways and describe a land-based solution to help prevent trash from entering waterways. Instead of writing letters to officials, students can deliver a speech at a local government event (e.g., a city council meeting) advocating for more action on amount of plastic that end up in water bodies . Students can also advocate for systemic change in their schools. Ideas include banning some or all single-use plastic packaging in the cafeteria, removing vending machines from school that sell beverages in single-use bottles, or changing school policies regarding birthdays or holidays such as Halloween or Valentine’s Day (e.g., banning single-use plastic candy, banning cheap plastic toys, banning balloons, etc.). Students can educate teachers or students in other grades about the problem of plastic pollution through speeches or posters displayed in common spaces throughout the school.

Subjects: Social Studies, Civics, Health

Resource Types: Lesson Plan

Inquire

Students are introduced to the idea of reduce, reuse, recycle through an engaging video and cut and match sorting activity.

Investigate

Students practice RRR by sorting recyclables in The Great Reuse Reduce Recycle Relay!

Inspire

Students make a classroom waste management plan using the information they have gained throughout the lesson.

In this lesson plan, students participate in a hands-on and physically active learning activity to create a classroom waste management plan. Students will collaborate with their peers while learning how to identify recyclables and observing the importance of recycling in our daily lives. 

Hands-on activities are so engaging for young students and this lesson plan offers plenty of opportunities to motivate students to move and play while learning. Teachers will find an easy-to-use cut-and-match recycling worksheet with an answer key, along with directions to conduct a recycling relay. Students will sort recyclables in teams and whoever sorts all of their materials correctly wins The Great Recycling Relay!

Subjects: Science, Earth and Space Sciences, Art

Resource Types: Lesson Plan

Inquire

Students complete a KWL on plastic pollution and view six images of plastic pollution around the world.

Investigate

Students watch a video on plastic pollution and discuss.

Inspire

Students analyze artwork with a partner and then choose one artwork to analyze using the art critique star.

In this lesson on plastic pollution, students will analyze artwork about plastic pollution, understand the impacts of plastic pollution, and identify who is responsible for the problem. This lesson plan is also part of the Art for the Earth unit created by SubjectToClimate. Art for the Earth is a six-week unit that allows students to create their own data-focused art creation, intended to inspire and encourage students to create climate awareness in their local community.

Artwork is a powerful educational tool. Not only is art captivating and engaging, it can also provide an immersive experience for students. Educating students on difficult topics such as plastic pollution is made easier through visuals provided in the lesson plan and teaching materials. Some of the materials include artwork critiquing question cards, an art critique star, and vocabulary cards. Ultimately, this lesson plan provides teachers an opportunity to support and discuss students taking action to minimize plastic pollution in their own lives. 

Teachers will need to make sure their students have a basic understanding of plastic pollution, possibly by showing an introductory video on plastic pollution prior to beginning this lesson. The artwork question cards can be used and shared with students digitally - teachers will need to set this up before teaching this lesson.

SubjectToClimate offers a diverse range of resources designed to illuminate the challenges of plastic pollution. These materials provide insight into how different kinds of plastic waste adversely affect marine ecosystems, posing a threat to various marine animals. The content encourages awareness and discussion around the significant volume of plastic polluting our oceans and the importance of initiatives like beach cleanups. Additionally, the resources explore the relationship between plastic production and fossil fuel usage. Highlighting American as well as global perspectives, these educational tools are ideal for engaging students in environmental topics on Earth Day. For a comprehensive exploration of these themes, SubjectToClimate’s resource database is an invaluable tool.

About the Author

Emily has a bachelor’s degree in English and French and a master’s degree in library and information science. She spent seven years teaching information evaluation and research skills as a school librarian in K-8 public schools. As a lifelong resident of Southern Louisiana, Emily has a particular interest in how climate change affects coastal regions. She hopes to connect educators with resources that will help them to teach their students about the disproportionately adverse effects of climate change on historically marginalized communities. 

About the Author

Amanda is a stay-at-home Mom of two boys and two beagles. She has a diploma in Journalism from Sheridan College and certificates in Animal Care, Shelter Operations, and Wildlife Rehabilitation from Georgian College.