Gyre in a Bottle
Activity link: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/for-educators/teacher-professional-development/curriculum/gyre-in-a-bottle
Grades: 9+ (can be adapted for 6th graders)
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Materials:
-
- Clean
- clear two-liter plastic soda bottle
- various types of plastic containers cut into less than 3 cm pieces with scissors or a heavy-duty blender (not to be used for food preparation)
- water
- globe or computer access to project Google Earth or Maps
OSO alignment: Students learn about currents in the Pacific Ocean that force land-based plastics to drift to a location called the North Pacific subtropical gyre. The instructor passes around a water sample from the North Pacific subtropical gyre. Instructors explain how gyres function and show on a map where they are distributed throughout the world. Students brainstorm innovative solutions to solving this environmental crisis.
NGSS performance expectations: 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. 4-ESS2-2. Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features. MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.