At-home learning resources from Learning for a Sustainable Future
WELCOME TO WEEK 11!
This week, as we explore life below water, we look closely at one of the biggest threats to water-dwelling species: plastics! 

Plastic is found everywhere in our world today, from our cars to our toothbrushes. It is both a very
common and a very useful material. But it also has significant environmental impacts. Some of these
impacts are positive—for example, plastic packaging can extend the shelf life of food and eliminate food waste, and it can help reduce emissions from the shipping of goods because of its light weight.

However, the negative impacts are considerable and have wide-reaching effects on the environment and human and animal life, especially as they often end up in our waterways.

Let's take a good look at our own consumption habits this week to see how all of us can make a difference to life below water!
About Learning Inside Out

Below you will find a selection of activities, broken down by various grade levels. These guides will be released weekly and archived on our  Learning Inside Out page , so you can always access the full catalogue.

All activities have been modified from resources on our R4R database , simplified and adapted for at-home learning as needed. The activity descriptions below should contain all the information and links that you need!

If you'd like to view the full original resource on R4R, including curriculum connections for every province/territory, click the activity title.

We want this guide to work for you, so your feedback is invaluable to us.
Use the feedback button at the bottom of this Guide, or email us at  [email protected] . We would also love to see photos of students engaging in the activities, please e-mail us any pictures or videos you have!
Week 11: Life Below Water
Sustainable Development Goal #14
Billions of people around the globe depend on oceans for their livelihoods and food sources. But our oceans and the life within them are under constant threat from CO2 emissions (which get absorbed by the ocean, making it more acidic and less hospitable to life), over-extraction, and pollution. Our look at SDG#14 this week focuses on plastic pollution, a major threat to marine and other water-dwelling life. Check out the activities below to learn more and start taking action!
Grades K-3
The short video "A Whale's Tale" and its companion lesson plan will teach the students that even the smallest creatures can make a difference when working together to combat plastics in the ocean.
  1. Watch the video
  2. Complete these follow up activities
What did you think of the A Whale's Tale activity?
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LSF's latest resource is designed to raise awareness of the single-use plastics issue through engaging and hands-on activities. The classroom resource is available on R4R, but we've also created an at-home version with 2 options:
  • Activity PDF Overview: this is the “home base” for working through the workshop on your own (you can do it with your kids, or they can work through it on their own). The PDF lays out each activity step by step and links directly to printable worksheets and slides with detailed instructions and further information. You can complete the steps at your own pace. 
  • Recorded Webinar: just play-and-go! LSF staff take participants through all necessary information and explain each activity in depth. Users are prompted to pause the video when it’s time to complete the activities, so they can take as much time as you need. Just print the activity materials ahead of time, and hit play!
What did you think of the A Million Bottles a Minute activity?
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Grades 9-12
Single-use plastics are part of a linear economy: a straight line from production to disposal that results in an environment full of waste! What lessons can we learn from nature about how to eliminate waste and close the loop?


To illustrate one disturbing example of the need to rethinking our plastics economy, view this short video: "Midway - A Message from the Gyre." Please note that you might find this program difficult to watch.
What did you think of the Redesigning Plastics Activities?
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Virtual connection is more important than ever—share your learning with us using #LearningInsideOut and don't forget to tag LSF!
Let us know how this helped your learning & teaching from home experience and what you'd like to see more of by filling out our brief feedback form!
Please share widely with any parents and teachers in your life!
Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) is a Canadian charity with over 25 years of experience working within the education system. Our Resources for Rethinking (R4R) database is an award-winning collection of resources that are peer-reviewed by certified teachers and connected to curriculum in all provinces and territories. R4R is recommended on many Ministry of Education websites.
Learning for a Sustainable Future
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