What do
Elephants
have to do with
PLASTIC?
TEACHER’S RESOURCE KIT
Table of Contents
Introduction
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Appendices
Introduction
Plastic is an important part of your students’ daily lives. It is found
in everything from toys to toothbrushes, so students have lots of
interaction with different types of plastic. The three activities
outlined on the following pages have been developed to educate
students about plastic. They also encourage children to look twice
at things that are commonplace.
This Teacher’s Resource Kit is part of the National Elephant Tour,
and is brought to you by the Environment and Plastics Industry
Council (EPIC), a council of the Canadian Plastics Industry
Association (CPIA).
The kit was developed in direct response to the success and
feedback EPIC received during the National Elephant Tour.
Since its inception in 1996, this educational program has visited
more than 128 elementary schools across Canada and reached
more than 20,000 students with key learnings about plastic.
Educators and kids enjoyed the interactive learning of the
in-school presentations, but teachers asked for more in-class
support to further expand on the students’ learning about
plastics and the environment.
The activities in this kit integrate multiple subject areas, are fun
and interactive. Although they can be taught independently,
we recommend teaching all three as an entire learning unit.
A c t i v i t y 1 explains the history of plastics and answers the
question, “What do elephants have to do with plastic?” It also
demonstrates to the students the role that plastics play in our
everyday lives. There is a creative extension that puts one of the
3Rs into action - REUSE.
A c t i v i t y 2 explores some of the important properties of plastic.
One demonstration will show how lightweight plastic is and how
plastics help REDUCE the amount of waste going to landfill. Students
test the barrier abilities of plastic and see how strong plastic really is.
A c t i v i t y 3 teaches students (and teachers!) what those
identification numbers on the bottom of plastic containers really
mean, and how they can help identify different types of plastic.
In the Appendix, you will find background information and support
material for the activities.
Some of the activities will require an assortment of plastic
items. Before you begin, you may want to have your class
begin collecting different plastic items from home and bring
them to a designated centre in the classroom. Remind your
students to wash out the containers. Be aware of any
peanut allergies and consider omitting peanut butter jars
from your collection.
There is also a questionnaire enclosed. Please take a moment to fill
it out and send it in. Your feedback is appreciated and will help us
further develop this Teacher’s Resource Kit to best meet your needs
in the classroom.
Introduction
Plastics Education Unit
The lesson plans enclosed have been developed to assist you in teaching
students about plastics, in a fun and interactive way. Each of the lesson
plans has been designed to meet the new learning outcomes outlined in
the draft of “The Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes” –
Pan Canadian Protocol for Collaboration on School Curriculum. Each
lesson plan has been designed to involve students in the inquiry-oriented
investigations that integrate multiple subjects, and can be taught as an
entire learning unit, or independently.
Specific Learning Outcomes, Grade 2
• Demonstrate awareness that properties of materials may be
conserved through some operations but changed by others
• Describe properties and interactions of familiar liquids and solids
• Investigate, observe and interpret properties of familiar liquids
and solids
• Identify ways that we use liquids and solids
• Describe and demonstrate ways we use our knowledge of solids
and liquids to maintain a clean and healthy environment
• Ask questions that lead to exploration and investigation
• Record observations using written language, pictures, and charts,
with guidance in the construction of charts
• Classify materials and objects according to two or more attributes
• Construct and label, with assistance, concrete object graphs
and pictographs
• Describe what was done and what was observed, using concrete
materials, captioned pictures, and oral language
Introduction
Kit Contents
We have provided you with examples of each of the 7 types of plastics,
samples of resin and examples of products made from recycled plastic.
You may refer to these samples while teaching the unit, and pass the
products around the classroom, for the students to look at and touch
the different types of plastic.
In this box, you will find:
1) One product made from each of the major plastics:
You can refer to these products in Activity 1 - What Do
Elephants Have To Do With Plastic? - “Plastics at School” and
“Plastics at Home”; Activity 2 - Properties of Plastic - “Barrier
Ability Test” and “Strength Test”; and Activity 3 - Plastics and
the Environment.
• the test tube container is an example of polyethylene
terephthalate (or PETE for short) 1
• the mini Blue Box is an example of High Density
Polyethylene (HDPE) 2
• the piece of vinyl tile is an example of Polyvinyl
Chloride (PVC) 3
• the white grocery bag is an example of Low Density
Polyethylene (LDPE) 4
• the margarine tub is an example of Polypropylene (PP)
5
• the plastic wine glass is an example of Polystyrene (PS)
6
• the applesauce container is an example of other plastics,
usually mixed 7
2) Samples of resin from each type of plastic (in the form of pellets or
flakes - used to make new plastic products):
You can refer to the resin samples in Activity 3 - Plastics and the
Environment - when discussing the recycling process and how new
plastic products are made.
•
1
- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE)
•
2
- High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
•
3
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
•
4
- Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
•
5
- Polypropylene (PP)
•
6
- Polystyrene (PS)
•
7
- Other
3) One product made from each of the recycled plastics:
You can refer to Activity 3 - Plastics and the Environment when discussing how plastics can be recycled to make new
plastic products.
• the plastic pocket folder is made from recycled PETE
• the piece of orange plastic fencing is made from recycled HDPE
• the piece of green pipe band (the middle black layer between the
two green (virgin PVC) layers) is made from recycled PVC)
• the grey plastic bag is made from recycled LDPE
• the black strapping is made from PP
• the ruler is made from recycled PS
• the grey block is a piece of plastic lumber made from other
recycled plastics
Introduction
Activities at a Glance
Activity
1. What Do
Elephants
Have To Do
With Plastic?
2. Properties
of Plastic
3. Plastics
and Our
Environment
Subjects
Skills
Materials
Science,
Language Arts,
Visual Arts,
Social Science,
Technology
Brainstorming,
Visualizing,
Drawing, Sorting
chart paper, drawing paper,
markers, pencil crayons
and/or paint, journal or note
paper for follow-up
Science,
Language Arts,
Mathematics
Measuring,
Observing,
Hypothesizing,
Predicting
2-litre plastic pop bottle,
6 pop cans, pitcher of water,
2 plastic shopping bags,
metre stick, string, aluminum
foil, paper bag, plastic bag,
3 slices of bread, wax paper,
stretch wrap, 4 elastic bands,
4 margarine or yogurt tubs or
large juice cans, marbles
(or other weights of equal
size), paper towel tube
Science,
Technology,
Mathematics
Classifying,
Communicating,
Interpreting,
Recognizing
Patterns
different types of plastic
containers (ketchup bottle,
yogurt, margarine),
polystyrene foam trays and
cups, clear plastic pop
bottles, detergent and
shampoo bottles, grocery
bags, ice cream tubs, clear
take-out food containers,
any containers with an
identification number visible
Activity 1
Elephants
PLASTIC?
What do
have to do with
Subjects:
Skills:
Duration:
K e y Vo c a b u l a r y :
Science, Language Arts,
Visual Arts, Social Science,
Technology
Brainstorming, Visualizing,
Drawing, Sorting
Two 45 minute periods
Plastic, Invention
Learning Outcomes
Students will explore the importance of plastic in their daily lives.
Materials Required
Your class will need: chart paper, drawing paper, markers, pencil
crayons and/or paint, journal or note paper for follow-up.
Overview
Students discuss the influence and importance of plastic in their
lives. They learn the reason for its invention and draw their
impression of this event. They explore the effect of inventions
with family members.
Activity 1
Procedure
Plastics at School
Please see Activity 1, Sheet #1: “Plastics at School”
Hand out a copy of the activity sheet to each student.
Ask your students
“What things in our classroom are made
from plastic?” Have them record their answers on the sheet. Discuss as a
class, “Why do you think all these things are made from plastic? What is
special about plastic?”
Background
The History of Plastics
In the 1860s, elephants
were being shot in large numbers in Africa and there was a threat of
overharvesting. This threat worried billiard ball manufacturers, because
they made billiard balls from the ivory of elephant tusks. In fact, one firm
offered a prize of $10,000 to anyone who would provide a substitute for
ivory. John Hyatt, an American, accepted the challenge and set about
finding a solution. This led him to produce a billiard ball made from his
invention called celluloid, the first form of plastic. As a substitute for ivory,
the invention of plastic helped to save the lives of thousands of elephants.
The material was also used in the manufacturing of objects such as piano
keys, dental plates and men’s collars. Other forms of plastics were introduced
gradually over the next few decades. Today, almost all of celluloid’s earlier
applications have been taken over by more modern plastics.
If you take a look around you, it would be difficult to imagine life without
plastic. Car parts, kitchen utensils, astronaut suits, toys, clothes, healthcare
products, carpeting and many other things are made from plastic.
Activity 1
Introduce the idea
that we haven’t always had
plastics. They were invented some time ago. Talk about what the
word “invention” means, using some examples. Ask your students
“Why do you think plastics were invented?”
Please see Activity 1, Sheet #2 “Peanut the Elephant”.
You may wish to make photocopies and distribute
them to the students and have them colour Peanut,
or you may want to use it as a teaching aid and post
it on the board.
Te l l t h e s t u d e n t s t h e s t o r y
of the invention
of plastics based on the background provided. Some students may
not know that ivory comes from the tusks of elephants. You can
also tell them that piano keys were made from ivory before the
invention of plastics.
Have the students draw a picture
that depicts the invention of plastic. Have them share their
drawings with the class by displaying them and talking about them.
Activity 1
Science at Home
Please see the “Science at Home” letter to parents.
Photocopy and send it home to the parents or guardians asking for their help with the
following activity and extensions. An evaluation sheet is also included for the parents
to fill out upon completion of each assignment.
You may wish to photocopy the evaluation forms to send along with the Science at Home
activity sheets.
Plastics at Home
Please see Activity 1, Sheet #3: “Plastics in your Home”
Photocopy and distribute the activity sheet, entitled “Plastics in your Home.”
Have your students list all the things that are made from plastic at home in:
a) their bedroom
b) their kitchen, and bring the list to class. Discuss as a class.
Activity 1
Extension #1
Plastic Everywhere
This activity requires students to go through magazines, catalogues
or flyers at home and cut out pictures of plastic items to bring to
class. If this is not possible, bring print source material to class and
have students work in the classroom setting. As a class, brainstorm
categories for sorting their plastic items (i.e. kitchen items, toys,
etc.). Their pictures can be mounted on bristol board or a bulletin
board displaying the different categories.
Activity 1
Extension #2
Create with Plastic
Begin by explaining to the class that everyone will be reusing
(one of the 3Rs) plastic to create a class display. You could show
them a sculpture you have made from discarded plastic components.
The theme for the display could relate to a theme the class is
currently working with, or you could get ideas from the class for
other themes such as a farm, pond, musical instruments, or a story.
The final product can be a tabletop display, a mobile or something
else creative! Each student can build a component that contributes
to the group theme. Their sculptures can be coloured with markers.
Decide how much space your final work of art will require and where
to display it.
Extension #3
Science at Home
Ask the students to tell their family that evening what they learned
about when and why plastics were invented. Have them ask their
parents/guardians/grandparents to tell them about an invention that
happened in their lifetime and how it changed their lives. Have them
record the invention and share these stories in class the next day.
Science at Home
Dear Parent or Guardian,
Over the next few weeks, your child will be asked to do some
work at home in preparation for their science class. We would ask
that you or some other responsible person might work with them
on their assignments.
The activities will be done at home and hopefully will make
your child more aware of specific materials and the impact they
have on our environment. As the work is being done in class, the
teacher will send home the corresponding work sheet. The
assignments do not require a great deal of time but they are ones
that you can discuss with your child.
Additionally, your child will be asked to bring in samples of
different kinds of plastic from home. We would ask that you save
margarine containers, ketchup bottles and other plastic containers
so that your child can bring them to class.
At the end of each activity you will be asked to evaluate the
work your child did on the assignment.
Your help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Name:
Date:
Science at Home
Evaluation
Please complete the following evaluation sheet based on the Science at
Home assignment your child has completed.
Once you have completed it, please return it with your child to school.
1. How long did it take to complete the assignment?
2. Did your child stay on task throughout the activity?
Please explain.
3. Did your child ask questions during the activity? If so, what were
some of the questions?
4. Did your child want to learn more about the activity?
5. Did your child initiate the work, or did you have to keep them
involved?
Thank you for taking the time to complete this evaluation. Your input is important to
us so that we may continue to improve the education units we deliver to your child.
Activ ity 1
S H E E T #1
Name:
Date:
Elephants
PLASTIC?
What do
have to do with
Plastics at School
1. What things in our classroom are made of plastic?
2. What are some reasons things are made of plastic?
3. What does “invention” mean?
4. Why do you think plastics were invented?
5. Your teacher has told you why plastics were invented.
Draw a picture to show why plastics were invented.
Use the back of this sheet.
Activ ity 1
S H E E T #2
Name:
Date:
Elephants
PLASTIC?
What do
have to do with
Peanut the Elephant
SCIENCE
AT
HOME
Activ ity 1
S H E E T #3
Name:
Date:
Elephants
PLASTIC?
What do
have to do with
Plastics in your Home
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Please help your child find items in the bedroom and the kitchen
that are made from plastic. Then help them record them in the
appropriate columns below.
BEDROOM
KITCHEN
Activity 2
Properties
of PLASTIC
Subjects:
Science, Language Arts,
Mathematics
Skills:
Measuring, Observing,
Hypothesizing, Predicting
Duration:
Three 45 minute periods
to perform all three tests
K e y Vo c a b u l a r y :
Property, Flexible, Protection,
Weight, Mass
Learning Outcomes
Students will examine three different properties of plastic
packaging materials: its weight, its barrier ability (to keep
things fresh and spill resistant), and its strength.
Materials Required
We i g h t Te s t :
A 2-litre plastic pop bottle, 6 pop cans,
pitcher of water, 2 plastic shopping bags, a metre stick, string.
B a r r i e r A b i l i t y Te s t :
Aluminum foil, paper bag,
plastic bag, wax paper, 3 slices of bread, 4 elastic bands,
4 margarine or yogurt tubs.
Activity 2
S t r e n g t h Te s t :
Aluminum foil, wax paper, stretch wrap,
paper bag, 3 elastic bands, 3 margarine or yogurt tubs or large juice
cans, marbles or other weights of equal size, paper towel tube
Overview
This activity allows students to make predictions and compare
different materials on the basis of three different properties.
Each test is independent of the others.
Background
Manufacturers take into account the physical properties of various
materials when designing a package for a product. Some products
can be packaged in lightweight, flexible containers, while fragile
items require heavier and usually more rigid packaging. Liquid
products need containers that don’t leak or spill easily. With food,
the package must ensure that what’s inside remains fresh and edible
until consumed. And all packages must withstand the trip from
producer to warehouse to store to consumer.
Companies who manufacture plastic products are continuously
finding ways to reduce the amount of plastic used. Often less plastic
is required in producing products than other materials. For example,
on average, 1 kg of plastic is used to make 110 plastic grocery bags,
compared to the 8 kg of wood required to make the same number of
paper grocery bags.
Activity 2
Procedure
Weight Test
Please see Activity 2, Sheet #1: “Weight Test”
Hand out a copy to each student.
Before beginning the demonstration, take a poll and have the students
guess (through a show of hands) how many cans they think it would take
to fill up a 2-litre pop bottle. Ask students to tell how they would test
their guesses.
Using a pitcher, fill one empty pop can with water and then pour the
water into the empty pop bottle. Repeat with the remaining pop cans,
until the pop bottle is full. After visually displaying the 6 pop cans beside
the one empty pop bottle, test to see which weighs more. Ask students for
their opinions on how this could be done.
Put the cans into a plastic bag, and the bottle into another plastic bag.
Use the metre stick as a balance and tie a string around the centre of it.
Hook one bag on each end of the stick. The bag with the cans will weigh
more and will tip the metre stick. You are actually comparing the mass of
each material. The cans have a greater mass than the plastic bottle.
Metre stick
Plastic bag
2L pop bottle
Plastic bag
6 pop cans
Activity 2
S H E E T #1
Name:
Date:
Properties of Plastic
Weight Test
1. How many pop cans does it take to fill one 2-litre plastic pop bottle?
Colour your answer.
2. Which weighs less: a 2-litre plastic pop bottle or six metal pop cans?
3. Draw and explain what happened when you put the bottle and
cans in the plastic bags and balanced them on a metre stick.
Activity 2
Procedure
Barrier Ability Test
Please see Activity 2, Sheet #2: “Barrier Ability Test”
Hand out a copy to each student.
Te s t A
You can have the students do this in pairs or as a
demonstration. Place similar size pieces of bread from the same loaf in a
paper bag, a plastic bag and a pouch made from aluminum foil. Leave them
at room temperature for 2 or 3 days and check to see which remained the
freshest.
Te s t B
You can do this demonstration with four containers of the
same size. Cover the mouth of a container with plastic wrap and secure it
with a plastic band. Place one teaspoon of water on top of the material. Do
the same thing to other containers covered with aluminum foil, paper and
wax paper. Leave the containers overnight and check the results. Did the
moisture soak through?
Te s t B Vi s u a l
Water
Plastic wrap
Elastic band
Plastic container
Activity 2
S H E E T #2
Properties of Plastic
Barrier Ability Test
Te s t A
1. Describe the bread before you put it into the containers.
2. What materials did you use to cover the bread?
3. After letting the bread sit in the containers for three days,
what did you see? feel?
4. What would you put your sandwich in to keep it fresh
until the next day? Why?
Te s t B
5. What happened to the materials where you put water on top?
plastic wrap
aluminum foil
paper bag
wax paper
Activity 2
Procedure
Strength Test
Please see Activity 2, Sheet #3: “Strength Test”
Hand out a copy to each student.
You can do this as a demonstration using three plastic tubs or metal
cans of the same size. Cover the mouth of the container with wax
paper and secure it with an elastic band. Hold the paper towel tube
over the wax paper. Have one student drop a marble through the
paper towel tube, repeatedly until the wax paper breaks. Make sure
the tube is positioned over the same spot on the wax paper for each
drop. See diagram on this page.
Have the students repeat this with
aluminum foil and again with
plastic wrap, and see which breaks
first. Next repeat the test, but first
prick five holes in the test material
with a toothpick or safety pin.
Cut 4 equal-sized pieces of plastic
wrap, aluminum foil, paper bag and
wax paper. Have the students put
each of the pieces in their hands
and pull on them. Did the material
tear easily? Can you pull it equally
in both directions?
Activity 2
S H E E T #3
Properties of Plastic
Strength Test
1. Label the
experiment
diagram.
2. Fill in the chart to show your results.
MATERIAL
COVERING
NUMBER OF DROPS BEFORE
THE COVERING BROKE
Wax paper
Plastic wrap
Aluminum foil
Paper
3. What happened when you put five holes in the test
materials?
4. Put plastic, metal and paper in order from strongest to
weakest:
strongest
weakest
5. What happened when you pulled the materials?
plastic wrap
aluminum foil
paper bag
wax paper
Activity 2
Questions
Discuss as a class:
1. Why do we store foods in containers or protective coverings?
2. Where does your family store foods to keep them the freshest?
3. Which material keeps food freshest?
4. Which material is the strongest?
5. What do we use these different materials for? Is one type of
material better for some uses?
6. When you bring your lunch, how do you keep your food separate
and keep it from drying out or leaking?
7. Which container do you think is lighter? Plastic or metal?
Science at Home
Please see Activity 2, Sheet #5:
“Plastics on Our Shelves”
Hand out a copy of the activity steet
to each student.
Have the students do a survey of containers/packages at home.
By looking at a shelf in their fridge and a shelf in the cupboard or
pantry, have the students count the number of items that are mainly
plastic, metal, cardboard or glass. They can calculate the totals for
their findings on the activity sheet entitled, “Plastics on Our Shelves”.
The next day you can discuss the results of their findings as a class and
decide which is the most popular fridge material and which is the most
popular cupboard material.
SCIENCE
AT
Activity 2
HOME
S H E E T #5
Name:
Date:
Properties of Plastic
Plastics on Our Shelves
Dear Parent or Guardian,
Help your child count the number of items made from plastic, glass,
metal and cardboard found on the shelves of your fridge and cupboard.
FRIDGE
Plastic
Glass
Metal
Cardboard
1. Which material occurred the most:
in the fridge?
in the cupboard?
2. Was there a difference? Explain why.
CUPBOARD
Activity 3
PLASTICS and
our Environment
Subjects:
Skills:
Duration:
K e y Vo c a b u l a r y :
Science, Technology, Mathematics
Classifying, Communicating,
Interpreting, Recognizing Patterns
One 45 minute period
Texture, Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle, Category
Learning Outcomes
Students will investigate the relationship among form, shape, colour,
texture, strength, and the identification number of an object and its
function. Students will sort and classify plastic items by identification
number, which helps in the recycling process.
Materials Required
Many different types of plastic containers such as a ketchup bottle,
yogurt and margarine containers, polystyrene foam trays and cups,
clear plastic pop bottles, detergent and shampoo bottles, grocery
bags, ice cream tubs, clear take-out food containers, any containers
with an identification number inside chasing arrows.
Overview
The students explore the attributes of plastic. They look for similarities
within groups with the same identification number and differences
between groups. They try to relate the characteristics of a group of
plastic containers to the kinds of products sold in the containers.
Activity 3
Background
Different categories of plastic have different characteristics.
For example, plastic pop bottles are made from PETE, 1 .
This plastic is strong, clear and is ideal for carbonated soft
drink bottles, salad dressing containers and peanut butter.
You and your students will find that the different categories
have noticeably different characteristics. Your students may
need some help with vocabulary to describe these attributes.
Different types of plastics are produced by using different
chemicals, including pigments which are added to create
the wide range of colours available. Check with your
local municipality to see which plastics can be recycled
in your community.
Recycled plastics are used to make bottles, containers, rulers,
binders, compact disk trays, carpeting, clothing, and many
other plastic items.
Activity 3
Procedure
Please see Activity 3, Sheet #1: “Plastic Containers”
About two weeks ahead of the activity have samples
of containers with a 1 , 2 , 3 etc. on them. Show
the students that containers have these numbers and
what they mean. Hand out a copy of the activity
sheet to each student.
Divide the class into 7 groups. Assign group number one to bring in
plastics with 1 on them, like empty pop bottles. Ask group number
two to bring in items with 2 like detergent bottles and milk jugs.
Ask group number three to bring in plastic with 3 like detergent bottles
or other reusable plastic containers. Ask group number four to bring in
samples of plastic with 4 on them, like shopping bags, garbage bags and
bread bags. Ask group number five to bring in samples of plastic with 5
on them, such as yogurt and margarine tubs. Ask group number six to
bring in plastic samples with 6 found on them, like foam meat trays,
foam coffee cups, take-out food containers and clear clamshell bakery
containers. Have group number seven bring in plastics with 7 , like
ketchup bottles, clear cheese wrap and packaging from bacon.
NOTE:
Be very careful about peanut butter containers.
Avoid having them in the room because of students who may have
peanut allergies. Alternatively, have the entire class collect plastic
containers with identification numbers, and ask the staff to help you.
Remind students to wash out containers.
Activity 3
Group the containers by number
on separate
tables, i.e. all the 1 on one table, all the
on a second table and
so on in the classroom. Give each student a copy of the handout
sheet “Plastic Containers”. Have your students move from table to
table filling out the columns as they go. Give the class a sufficient
amount of time to do this, then call the students together for a class
discussion of their observations. Discuss as a class the characteristics
of each group number. What do these containers have in common?
What is sold in these kinds of containers?
2
Show your students a new plastic
container
and ask them to guess its identification number. Ask them to give
reasons for their guesses on their activity sheet.
Make a summary chart
of the properties for each type
of plastic. Record their answers on chart paper or the chalk board if
you like. Refer to the chart in Appendix 2 - Plastics Recycling for
information on properties and products sold for each type of plastic.
Activ ity 3
S H E E T #1
Name:
Date:
Plastics and
Our Environment
Plastic Containers
Your teacher has grouped plastic containers by number on different tables.
Observe each group of plastic containers carefully.
Fill in this chart for each group.
I DENTIFICATION
N UMBER
C AN YOU SEE
THROUGH IT ?
C AN
YOU BEND
IT EASILY ?
D OES
IT COME
IN DIFFERENT
COLOURS?
WHAT ARE SOLD
IN THESE
CONTAINERS?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Mystery Container
What number do you think is on the bottom of this container? Why?
Activity 3
Science at Home
Please see Activity 3, Sheet #2 & 2a: “Plastic
Identification Numbers at Home”
Procedure
1. Give each student a copy of the Activity sheet “Identification
Numbers at Home”.
2. Each time the student’s family discards a plastic container, they record
the item under its identification number column of the activity sheet.
3. Ask the students to do this for a period of two weeks.
4. Have their parents sign the activity sheet showing that they knew the
class was involved in this study.
5. At the end of two weeks, collect the sheets and post them in the class.
6. Have the students make a graph of their family data as in the
following example using coloured stickers. Have them use Activity
Sheet 2a “Identification Numbers at Home Sticker Sheet” to make
their own graph.
EXAMPLE:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
NUMBER
OF ITEMS
1
2
•
•
•
•
3
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
4
5
6
7
I D E N T I F I C AT I O N N U M B E R
7. You may want to make a large graph of the whole class data to post
with the students’ sheets.
Activity 3
Extension
Have your students each bring in a small plastic container. Make up
a big batch of dessert gelatin and pour it into the containers. Let it
set in the staff fridge. Let the students turn out their gelatin molds
onto a plate and eat them.
Explain that plastics can be molded into different shapes, just like
the gelatin. The plastic is melted and then poured into a mold.
Some plastic containers can be recycled by turning them into
pellet or powder form and remolding them into new products.
Questions
1. Which identification number had the largest number of items?
For what are these containers mainly used?
2. Are there category numbers that most households in the class use?
That very few use?
3. Which numbers are recycled in your community?
4. Why is it important for us to recycle?
SCIENCE
AT
HOME
Activ ity 3
S H E E T #2
Name:
Date:
Plastics and
Our Environment
Plastic Identification Numbers at Home
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Please help your child count the items found in your home
with each of the identification numbers listed below. Put a
checkmark for each item under the number and then total the
checks at the bottom.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
PETE
HDPE
PVC
PP
LDPE
PS
OTHER
TOTAL
Parent/Guardian Signature
SCIENCE
AT
HOME
Activ ity 3
S H E E T #2A
Name:
Date:
Plastics and
Our Environment
Identification Numbers
at Home-Sticker Sheet
1. Use your “Identification Numbers at Home activity sheet”. Add up the
1 plastic containers in your 1 column. Write the total under 1 in
the chart below. Do the same for the other identification numbers.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
N U M B E R O F C O N TA I N E R S
2. Place the right number of stickers in a neat row above the 1 on the
chart below. Do the same using the right number of stickers for the
other identification numbers.
1
2
3
4
5
I D E N T I F I C AT I O N N U M B E R
6
7
Activity 3
Extension 1
Invite a local recycling or waste management co-ordinator to speak
to your class about local recycling programs and find which plastics
are recycled in your community. You might also want to call your
municipal office’s public works department for a recommended local
recycling facility for a class field trip.
Extension 2
Please see Activity 3, Sheet #3: “Reusing plastic
to make a Bird Feeder”
Your students can reuse margarine tubs to make a bird feeder.
Emphasize that this is an example of reusing an item, not recycling
it. Use this activity to clarify the meaning of each of the 3 R’s.
Extension 3
Have your students produce a menu for a nutritious, garbageless
lunch for a school outing and have them describe the reusable
containers in their lunch.
Activ ity 3
S H E E T #3
Plastics and
Our Environment
Reusing plastic to make a Bird Feeder
MATERIALS:
• 2 empty plastic
margarine tubs,
one about 500g
(1 pound) size,
and one about 250g
(1/2 pound) size
• a lid from the
larger plastic
container
• a plastic
straw
• nylon string
• a nail to
poke holes
1.
Use the nail to poke a hole in the
middle of the bottom of each
margarine container. Poke a hole in
the middle of the big container’s lid.
2. Thread the nylon string through all
the pieces as shown in the drawing.
The big container, turned upside
down, makes the roof. The
straw, threaded on the
string, helps to hold up the
roof. The small container
is the dish of food. The
lid of the big container
is a tray at the bottom.
3. When all parts are
threaded, tie a knot in
the string to keep them
all together. Then tie the
string to a tree branch
and fill the dish with
birdseed.
Appendix 1
Background
for Teachers
What is Plastic?
Plastic is the term
that refers to materials constructed
from polymers, or giant organic molecules. Polymers are very long
continuous chains that are created by the chemical bonding of many
identical or related basic units.
Plastics can be formed
into desired shapes through
different processes such as extrusion, molding, casting, or spinning.
The starting materials are called resins and they can be found in the
form of pellets, powders, or solutions; from these are formed the
finished plastic products that we use everyday.
Plastics are
strong, shatter–resistant, lightweight, reusable,
recyclable and economical. A product of crude oil and natural gas,
plastic can be adapted to meet specific needs.
The Invention of Plastic
Plastic was first invented as a substitute for ivory. In the 1860s,
elephants were being shot in large numbers in Africa and there was
a threat of overharvesting. The ivory from the elephant tusks was
being used in the manufacture of billiard balls and piano keys. The
first form of plastic, called celluloid, was then used in the production
of billiard balls as a substitute for ivory. So, the invention of plastic
helped save the lives of thousands of elephants.
Appendix 1
How are Plastics Made?
Today most plastics are made from crude oil and natural gas. The oil
or gas is transported from the well to a refinery. Refineries use various
processes to produce fuels and petrochemicals. Petrochemicals are
used to make many products, including fertilizers, lubricants and plastic
resins. Plastic resins are melted so that they can be formed. The material
is then shaped and cooled into the final form of a product through a
variety of processes including casting, extrusion, blow or injection
molding, and foaming. Chemical additives are often used in plastics
to stabilize, strengthen and colour the final product.
Plastics in Our Everyday Life
Today, plastics are essential to the quality of our everyday life. At home,
plastics can be found in the form of food containers, utensils, flooring,
TVs and VCRs. At school, plastics are found in our rulers, pens, chairs
and carpets.
In cars, plastics form bumpers, dashboards, steering wheels, airbags, and
seats. Plastics are used to make toys because they are resistant, attractive,
colourful and sturdy. Plastics are used to protect us in the form of safety
goggles, safety helmets and shin guards. They are used to keep products
longer under hygienic conditions through packaging, film wrap and selfclosing bags. Plastics play a key role in the health industry, through its use
in artificial limbs, contact lenses, disposable syringes and intravenous bags.
In electronics, plastics can be found in cellular telephones, computers,
audio and visual cassettes and microchips.
Plastic offers the construction industry a sturdy and economical solution
to insulation, window and door frames, eavestroughing, and floor covering.
Airplanes and space shuttles are built with a high percentage of plastic parts,
including the airplane seats, astronaut helmets, cabin walls and the cockpits.
Appendix 2
PLASTIC S and the
Environment
Reduce
There are several steps that manufacturers can take to reduce the
amount of material used in a product or its package. One way is as
subtle as “light–weighting” and therefore it often goes unnoticed by
the general public. Light–weighting simply means using a different,
lighter resin mass to produce the same thing. Some other measures
include:
• A 2-litre plastic soft drink bottle used in the 1970s had a mass
of 67 g. Today a soft drink bottle weighs 47 g.
• Plastic grocery bags have been reduced in thickness by over 1/3
between 1976 and 1990, without loss in strength.
• Manufacturers are offering concentrated forms of their products,
which occupy less space and require less packaging.
• Refillable or reusable pouches also reduce waste, as does the
elimination of double packaging - an outer box or container
found on some products that doesn’t contribute to the use of
the contents and isn’t required to guard against tampering.
• Source reduction almost always saves on packaging costs too,
so manufacturers have a built-in competitive economic reason
to use a good source reduction technique in their packaging.
Appendix 2
Reuse
Large manufacturers not only have reduced the amount of plastic needed
to make bottles, but have also encouraged the reuse of their own containers.
For example, consumers may now use pouches of detergent to refill the
original bottle. The average consumer has come up with the largest number
of ways of reusing plastic. Have you ever cut off the top of a detergent bottle
to make a funnel? Have you ever reused margarine containers to freeze food?
Have you ever reused your grocery bag for your lunch or books? Have you
ever used plastic milk crates to shelve books or store CDs?
Recycle
Most commonly used packages now bear a number surrounded by three ‘chasing’
arrows. In sorting centres, plastic products are then easily identified and classified
according to their specific resins. The seven codes listed below correspond to
the six most common volume packaging resins, plus a seventh category - other.
Recycling materials can use less energy than making a new product out of raw
materials. Plastic items are collected, sorted according to their code (which
indicates the resins used in the original manufacturing process) the material is
cleaned, ground into flakes or pellets and then melted to form new products.
Recycled plastic is used to make rugs, insulation, clothing, piping, fences, motor
oil and windshield wiper fluid containers.
Recycling has emerged as a practical method in addition to other waste
management alternatives to deal with plastics, especially with products such
as the polyethylene terephthalate bottles used for carbonated beverages, where
the process of recycling is fairly well developed. More complex solutions are
practiced for handling the commingled plastic scrap.
It is assumed that students will have discussed Reduce, Reuse and Recycle many
times previously in various classes. The ethic of the 3Rs should be fairly clear in
students’ minds.
Appendix 2
Beyond the 3Rs
The 3Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle – are three very important ways
to manage solid waste. But other methods, such as incineration,
are also important. Many believe that the best approach to effective
waste management is one that takes into account all of the waste
management options. This is called an integrated approach.
It recommends using the 3Rs in addition to other effective waste
management solutions.
Plastics, more so than other materials, are ideally suited to incineration
because they are manufactured from natural oil and gas. For those
plastic products that have reached the end of their useful life (which
may be after they have already gone through the three Rs),
incineration will allow us to recover some of their energy. This energy
can then be used in industrial plants or in municipal heating systems.
The whole process of recovering and reusing energy through
combustion is called Energy-From-Waste.
Yet another important solution to waste management is landfill.
Not all materials can be reduced, reused, recycled or incinerated,
which means that once they have served their useful life, they may
have to be disposed of in a landfill. It is important to remember,
however, that landfill is just one part of a bigger solution that takes
into account all of the different ways to effectively manage solid waste.
Appendix 2
Degradability
Degradation is generally a complex and slow process. For a material
to biodegrade, it must be exposed to the correct combination of
acidity, temperature, nutrients, particle size, moisture, air and
bacteria. Under modern landfill conditions, many materials
generally regarded as degradable (i.e. food, yard waste, paper, etc.)
deteriorate either slowly or not at all. Coatings or heavy printing
further slow down
the degradation rate.
Photodegradable plastic systems are not being promoted as a means
to reduce landfill because the ultra violet needed to cause
degradation is not present.
Under the correct conditions, the physical properties of plastics
containing biodegradable additives can be reduced. However,
sanitary landfills are typically run in a “dry” mode (i.e. clay cap,
removal of leachate). This results in insufficient moisture for
large-scale degradation to occur.
In view of these conditions, the addition of biodegradable materials
of any type will not extend the useful life of landfill sites.
Appendix 2
PLASTIC S
Recycling
SAMPLE PRODUCT
1
PETE
2
HDPE
3
PVC
4
LDPE
5
PP
6
PS
7
OTHER
PROPERTIES
RECYCLED INTO...
2-litre soft drink and juice bottle
holds carbonated
beverages, transparent
T-shirts, carpeting,
pillow stuffing, binders
bleach bottle, milk jugs, detergent or
oil bottles
hard and rigid, chemical
resistant, easily coloured
new detergent and oil
bottles, binders, fencing,
plastic lumber
siding, piping, credit cards
resistant to sunlight and
cold temperatures
siding, pipes, car parts,
irrigation pipes, traffic
cones, sign posts, other
building materials
plastic grocery and garbage bags,
stretch wrap, bread and zipper bags
flexible, strong, soft, waxy
feel, lightweight
new shopping bags,
grocery bags, garbage
bags, plastic lumber
margarine and dairy tubs,
patio furniture, indoor-outdoor
carpeting, car battery cases, apparel
and personal care products such as
toothbrushes and hairbrushes
does not absorb moisture,
high melting point, stiffens
in thin sections
car battery cases, car
parts, milk crates,
measuring cups
meat tray, foam coffee cups, building
insulation, protective foam packaging,
TV housings, video and audio
cassettes, egg cartons, clear take-out
food containers and CD trays
good insulator, can be
clear, rigid, foamed
desk supplies like rulers,
CD trays, video cassette
cases
ketchup bottle, cheese packaging,
bacon packaging
made from a variety of
different types of resin,
excellent barrier, resistant
to oxygen and grease,
multi-layered materials
picnic tables, park
benches and fencing
Questionnaire
Please take a moment to fill out this questionnaire. Fax it back to
(905) 281-1801 or mail it back to 50 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. Suite
500, Mississauga, Ontario, L5B 3C2. Attention: EPIC Education
Program. Your feedback is appreciated.
1a. Did you find EPIC’s Teacher’s Resource Kit useful?
Yes
No
b. Would you recommend this Teacher’s Resource Kit to other
educators?
Yes
No
Please comment:
2. Did you use all three activities in your class as an entire unit?
Yes
No
If not, why?
3.
The lesson plans are:
fun
take too much time
easy to follow
too difficult for Gr. 2
interesting
too easy for Gr. 2
other
4. What other support materials would you like to receive with
these activities? (i.e. poster, video, slides, etc.)
continue on next page
5. Would you be prepared to pay for this kit complete with plastic samples?
Yes
No
If so, how much?
6.
How did the students react to the activities?
interested
liked them
bored
enthusiastic
indifferent
disliked them
other
7. Do you think the students learned anything about plastics?
8.
Which activity was the most popular among the students?
Please check the most popular.
What Do Elephants Have To Do With Plastic?
Properties of Plastic
Plastics and our Environment
9.
Which activity did you find most interesting?
Please check your favourite.
What Do Elephants Have To Do With Plastic?
Properties of Plastic
Plastics and our Environment
10. On a separate sheet of paper, please provide any other comments and/or
suggestions that you may have to improve this Teacher’s Resource Kit.
11. Can we contact you if we have any questions?
Yes
School Name:
Teacher Name:
Telephone:
Fax:
Address:
City
Province
Postal Code:
No