Get That Trash Out of Our Splash!
Provided by: Stone Living Lab|Published on: May 22, 2026
Grades: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Science, Health
Authors: Libby Gifford
Region: United States, Massachusetts
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This special education lesson plan, developed for students in substantially separate classrooms, guides students in monthly outdoor field work to collect litter, test water quality, and report their findings.
- The lesson references taking student to the Cheese Cake Brook in Boston, but can be adapted to any local watershed.
Teaching Materials
Classroom Implementation:
- The lesson is designed to target IEP goals including one-to-one correspondence, accurate recording, cooperative work, and community safety, and includes extensive visual supports, adaptations, and scaffolding notes throughout.
- Consider using the lesson in general science classrooms.
Prerequisites:
- Ensure students familiarity with clean vs. dirty and the difference between natural materials and litter or trash.
- Go over the data collection tools in the classroom extensively.
- Depending on students' ages and needs, consider introducing the topic with this lesson, which includes an activity for building a watershed model.
Preparation:
- Follow school and district protocol for outdoor and off-site learning.
- For the data collection, teachers will need:
- Nitrile gloves
- A bucket on a rope
- A tightly sealing container to transport water back to school if not
measuring in the field - A sharps container
- Test strips
- Visual supports (included)
- Tracking forms (with clipboard and writing implement) or marine debris
tracking app
In this lab, students will collect and test water samples to learn about trash and pollution in water. The lab encourages students to think about where pollution comes from, its impacts, and what they can do to help address it. The lab is designed for students with some background knowledge of sustainability; therefore, additional resources on pollution may be needed depending on students' backgrounds. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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