Ocean Trash Can

National Standards for Grades 7-10

This exercise examines various types of pollutants, their sources, and their effects on the ocean, its inhabitants and the surrounding coastline. Students classify ocean pollution into five basic categories: debris, toxins, dissolved nutrients, particulates, and oil. They model the effects of ocean pollution with activities examining a variety of topics: the effect of the pH of various liquids on calcium carbonate; the effects of dilution, buffering capacity, salt and acid runoff; acid rain; the ability of water to purify itself; and oil spill clean-up. As a final project, students design and write a newsletter containing articles with pertinent pollution topics such as current laws, pollution, effects, bioaccumulation, and prevention. Requires four class periods plus research time.

Required, but not included: six 1-gallon milk containers. Designed for 24 students working in six groups of four. 

Sh. wt. 3lbs, DIM 13” x 12” x 5”