LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Read about a teen who is fighting to save ocean animals by reducing plastics; explain why single-use plastics are harmful to the environment; identify ways to reduce single-use plastics.

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 8: Advocate for personal, family, and community health.

CASEL: Social awareness

KEY VOCAB

landfills

Sustainable 

Lesson Plan: Fighting to Save Marine Life

Chloe Mei Espinosa wants to help ocean animals by reducing plastics.

PREPARING TO READ

Before you read the article “Fighting to Save Marine Life,” ask your students the following pre-reading questions:

Why are single-use plastics harmful, and what can be done to reduce the use of these plastics?

READING AND DISCUSSING

  • Have your students read the article “Fighting to Save Marine Life” independently; read the article out loud to them; or have students take turns reading different sections of the article out loud.
  • After they’ve read the article, revisit the pre-reading questions. Have their answers changed?

BUILDING COMPREHENSION AND VOCAB

Check students’ comprehension of and engagement with the story with the following assessment tools:

  • Comprehension Quiz
  • Vocab Builder

EXPANDING SEL OPPORTUNITIES

Continue the learning journey with the following writing prompt:

In PLEASE TAKE THE PLEDGE, have students write a short letter or email, up to a page in length, to a local business, such as a restaurant, to ask them to stop using plastic straws. Have them start by addressing the business by name and introducing themselves. After their introduction, they should briefly explain why they appreciate the business they’re writing to, and move on to their reasons for writing. For example, they could start by saying that on a recent visit, they noticed that they were given a plastic straw when they ordered a beverage. From there, they might explain how plastic straws harm the environment, and cite specific information they learned from the article. Have them close by offering one or two potential solutions to the issue, and thanking the reader for their time.

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