Introduction
Plastics are a huge part of our everyday lives. Many of the products we use daily are made out of or contain plastics. So what happens to the plastic product when we are done with it? This is a concern for many environmentalist because plastic has become one of the major substances to have a negative impact on our earth’s environment. We hardly ever think about how something as simple as a plastic bottle or a one-time use plastic bag can play a major role in the ecological devastation on earth. Why then are we not trying to control the use and disposal of this damaging material, known as plastic?
When we think about this question, we have to consider the convenience of using plastic in our daily living. The convenience of bottled water packaged in lightweight plastic, which can be easily carried and can be thrown away as soon as the water is consumed, thereby eliminating the need to carry it around. Consumers also like one time use plastic bags because they are more durable, lighter and take up less storage space than paper bags. Is convenience worth it, knowing that more than one-third of all plastic disposable packaging like bottles and bags end up littering the environment? We will be discussing this question and other questions pertaining to this environmental issue in this curriculum unit.
An important part of this unit is to bring awareness of this issue to my 8th grade students and their community on the Navajo reservation. In recent years, there is an increase of environmental issues dealing with single use plastics in nearby communities and on the vast land of the Navajo Nation. It is my intention to inspire students to become actively involved in learning about their surrounding environment and to engage in solving real world issues through environmental engineering. The curriculum unit is in alignment with the Next Generation Science Standard, on human interactions and their impact on the environment. In addition, this unit integrates the Navajo cultural teachings to support my students in understanding the importance of continuing our ancestral ways of keeping harmony with Mother Earth (Nihima Nahasdzáán).
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