Diving Into The Garbage Gyre: Division One: Cross-Curricular Connections to Garbage Island

Grade 1
Science
Science Inquiry	1–2 Describe materials and objects that have been observed and manipulated, and identify what was done and found out.	Students can explore what different materials are in the gyre and how they got there. They can discuss and explore the changes that have taken place (break-down, decomposition).
Building Things	1–7 Construct objects and models of objects, using a variety of different materials. 1–8 Identify the purpose of different components in a personally constructed object or model, and identify corresponding components in a related object or model.	Investigate the Dutch engineer’s idea of building an island out of the garbage collected in the ocean. Using plastic or other material that do not breakdown, discuss and build an experimental structure to survive in the ocean.
Senses	1–10 Describe the role of the human senses and the senses of other living things, in enabling perception and action.	Discuss with students how the creatures in the ocean can be affected by the garbage. Show pictures of the fish and birds that have been affected by eating the garbage. Discuss that this is a large problem that effects more than just humans.
Needs of Animals and Plants	1–11 Describe some common living things, and identify needs of those living things.	As part of this outcome, students can explore how sound travels across and in water and discuss how this might affect the sea-life and potential living considering the obstruction of the gyre.
Social Studies
My World: Home, School, and Community	Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how identity and self-esteem are enhanced by their sense of belonging in their world and how active members in a community contribute to the well-being, growth and vitality of their groups and communities	Discuss with students their impact on the environment and what it means to be an active citizen. Show students the garbage gyre and discuss how humans have affected the vitality of their community.
	1.1.3 examine how they belong and are connected to their world by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry: What are our responsibilities and rights at home, at school, in groups and in communities? (C,CC, I)	Collect the bottles or garbage at the school for a week. Present what you have acquired to your class. Discuss how being a responsible member of society means to take care of your surroundings. Discuss and implement plans that can make your school a more garbage free zone.
	1.1.4 determine what makes their communities thrive by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry: In what ways do people help one another at home, at school and in groups to ensure the vitality of their community? (C) • How do our actions and decisions contribute to the well- being of groups and communities? (C, I, PADM) • How does caring for the natural environment contribute to the well being of our community? (C, LPP)
Moving Forward with the Past: My Family, My History and My Community	Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how changes over time have affected their families and influenced how their families and communities are today.	Discuss why the gyre exists now and it did not exist before. What caused this? How will this affect us and our community?
	1.2.2 analyze how their families and communities in the present are influenced by events or people of the past by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry: What is my family’s past in our community? (CC, I, TCC) In what ways has my community changed over time (e.g., original inhabitants, ancestors, generations, ways of life)? (CC, TCC) How have changes over time affected their families and communities in the present? (I,TCC)
Math
Number	Develop Number Sense	Students can collect and count bottles and other recyclables. Calculations and estimates can be made based on information they gather regarding the collection of bottles and other recycles and consider their data as representative of their class, school, city, province, country etc. Discuss further what would happen if we added or took away from those results by recycling or throwing away.
Patterns and Relations	Use patterns to describe the world and to solve problems.	Sort objects into recyclable vs. non-recyclable objects while discussing what could end up in the gyre.
Shape and Space	Use direct and indirect measurement to solve problems.	Calculate the estimated size of the gyre and compare that to other objects in the world (ie: countries, water bottles, bottle caps). Discuss larger than, smaller than, etc.
Health
Learning Strategies	L–1.2 demonstrate independence in completing tasks and activities, when appropriate explore different ways to know, or come to know, new things; e.g., seeing, smelling, touching
Life Roles and Career Development	L–1.6 Demonstrate an awareness of the ways in which people perform responsibilities in the community, including paid and unpaid work	Show videos of our country and other countries and what they are doing to reduce their contribution to the gyre.
Volunteerism	L-1.7 Describe ways people volunteer in the school and in the community L-1.8 Select and perform volunteer tasks in the classroom	Start a recycling program with your students and have them volunteer to collect and sort recycling from around the school.
Grade 2
Science
Exploring Liquids	2.5 Describe some properties of water and other liquids, and recognize the importance of water to living and nonliving things 2.6 Describe the interaction of water with different materials, and apply that knowledge to practical problems of drying, liquid absorption and liquid containment (2-6)	Using the Garbage Gyre, the students can explore the properties of water and other liquids, and they can recognize the importance of water to the environment and living/nonliving things The students will also learn and be able to describe the interaction of water with different materials, and be knowledgeable about drying, absorption and containment
Buoyancy and Boats	2.7 Construct objects that will float on and move through water, evaluate various designs for watercraft	The students can explore and construct objects out of garbage to learn about moving on and through water using watercrafts
Hot and Cold Temperature	2.8 Recognize the effects of heating and cooling, and identify methods for heating and cooling	Although it is slightly off topic, it is possible to take some time to further explain liquids, and explain hot and cold temperatures
Social Studies
Communities in the Past	2.2 Social Studies is a bit of a stretch, but you could possibly include the Communities in the Past unit
Math
Adding and Subtracting		Using garbage (ex: bottles or bottle caps), the students can add or subtract
Counting to 100		Using garbage (ex: bottles or bottle caps), the students can count to 100
2-D Objects		Using different pieces of garbage, students can explore 2-D shapes
3-D Objects		Using different pieces of garbage, students can explore 3-D shapes
Shape and Space
Odd and even Numbers		Using garbage (ex: bottles or bottle caps), the students can explore odd and even numbers
Counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s		Using garbage (ex: bottles or bottle caps), the students can count by 2s, 5s, and 10s
Describe Relative Position
Making Patterns		Using garbage (ex: bottles or bottle caps), the students can explore patterns/making patterns
Health
Time to accomplish goals	L – 2.4 Recognize that it takes time and effort to accomplish goals	The students can use the garbage gyre and the situation to understand that it takes time and effort to accomplish goals
Importance of volunteerism	L – 2.7 Explain why volunteerism is important	The students can use this opportunity to volunteer, and learn the importance of volunteerism
Select and perform volunteer tasks	L – 2.8 Select and perform volunteer tasks in the school	The students can perform volunteer tasks (such as recycling in the school, or neighborhood)
Grade 3
Science
Animal Life Cycles	3.10 Describe the appearances and life cycles of some common animals, and identify their adaptations to different environments. 3.11 Identify requirements for animal care.	Students can investigate the life forms which live in the ocean. Research their life-cycle. Compare this to a life-cycle of an animal on land. How does this garbage patch affect the life of the ocean life-forms? Discuss extinction in both environments.
Building with a Variety of Materials	3.6 Use, safely, a variety of tools, techniques and materials in construction activities. 3.7 Construct structures, using a variety of materials and designs, and compare the effectiveness of the various materials and designs for their intended purposes.	Investigate the Dutch engineer’s idea of building an island out of the garbage collected in the ocean. What are the different things you can build that would be sustainable in the ocean against the elements and constant salt water? Discuss and build an experimental structure to survive in the ocean.
Testing Materials and Designs	3.8 Evaluate the suitability of different materials and designs for their use in a building task.	Before building a “mock plastic island”, have the students explore and investigate the durability and sustainability of different materials. Explore the opportunities available of building with plastic and garbage.
Hearing and Sound	3.9 Describe the nature of sound, and demonstrate methods for producing and controlling sound.	As part of this outcome, students can explore how sound travels across and in water and discuss how this might affect the sea-life and potential living on a newly built garbage island. How would life on this island be with the way sound travels?
Science Curriculum Outcomes not covered:
Rocks and Minerals
Social Studies
Communities in the World	Grade 3 students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how geographic, social, cultural and linguistic factors affect quality of life in communities in India, Tunisia, Ukraine and Peru.
	3.1.1 appreciate similarities and differences among people and communities 3.1.2 examine the social, cultural and linguistic characteristics that affect quality of life in communities in other parts of the world questions for inquiry: • How does daily life reflect quality of life in the communities (e.g., employment, transportation, roles of family members)? • How does access to public services affect the communities? (e.g., schools, hospitals, libraries, transportation systems)? • How are the various leaders chosen in the communities (e.g., within families, within schools, within communities, within government)?	Look at what sorts of things the people in other countries would throw away based on their way of life, resources and goods and services (etc.). What would they use from their environment and resources that would produce garbage or could be recyclable? Who makes decisions about how garbage is collected or if they wanted to implement environmentally friendly methods of waste disposal?
	3.1.3 examine the geographic characteristics that shape communities in other parts of the world by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry: • Where, on a globe and/or map, are the communities in relation to Canada? • In what ways do the people in the communities depend on, adapt to and change the environment in which they live and work? • In what ways do the communities show concern for their natural environment? • How does the physical geography influence the human activities in the communities (e.g., availability of water, climate)? 3.1.4 examine economic factors that shape communities in other parts of the world by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry: • What are the main goods and services produced by the communities studied (i.e.,agricultural activities, manufacturing activities)? • What goods and services do the communities import from and export to other parts of the world? • What are the main forms of technologies, transportation and communication in the communities?	How does what they import/export affect their waste management? Investigate how long their garbage would take to get to the garbage gyre or would it? How would they implement or communicate any changes? What technology do they have to help or hinder the process?
Global Citizenship	Grade 3 students will be introduced to the concepts of global citizenship and quality of life. 3.2.1 appreciate elements of global citizenship: • recognize how their actions might affect people elsewhere in the world and how the actions of others might affect them • respect the equality of all human beings	Discuss how the garbage patch affects other people. How could everyone contribute to it or prevent it from growing.
	3.2.2 explore the concept of global citizenship by reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry: • What are some environmental concerns that Canada and communities around the world share? • In what ways can individuals and groups contribute to positive change in the world? • How do international organizations support communities in need throughout the world (e.g., UNICEF, Red Cross, Development and Peace)? • What are examples of international organizations formed by individuals (e.g., Free the Children, Médecins sans frontières (Doctors Without Borders))? • What are examples of international organizations formed by nations (e.g., UN)?	The Garbage Gyre can be used in all of the listed social studies discussions.
Math
Number	Develop Number sense	Students can collect and count bottles and other recyclables. Calculations and estimates can be made based on information they gather regarding the collection of bottles and other recycles and consider their data as representative of their class, school, city, province, country etc.
Patterns and Relations	Represent algebraic expressions in multiple ways	Calculate unknown information using one-step addition and subtraction.
Shape and Space	Use direct and indirect measurement to solve problems.	Calculate the time garbage takes to collect: in a household, city, country etc. Calculate how long the garbage takes to travel from: the store to the household recycle bin, the recycle bin to the city waste management facility, the facility to the ocean, from the ocean to the gyre. Calculate the weight and size of the recyclables that are collected in class. Measure the estimated size of the gyre. Create a sample gyre in a basin in the classroom and measure the distances the garbage travels. Research the actual distances from key port points (Hawaii, California, Japan etc.) to the Gyre using a large map.
Statistics and Probability	Collect, display and analyze data to solve problems.	Create and interpret graphs including information collected in class, websites and videos.
Math Curriculum Outcomes not covered:
Patterns and Relations	Use patterns to describe the world and to solve problems. (1, 2, 3)
Shape and Space	Describe the characteristics of 3-D objects and 2-D shapes and analyze the relationships among them.