Plastic Degradation Test
Activity link: https://encounteredu.com/take-action/plastic-degradation-test
Grades: 4+ (adult supervision, involves the use of a knife)
Duration: 30 minutes to set up (days for results to show)
Materials:
-
- Half a potato
- plastic bag
- bioplastic material (such as that used for posting magazines)
- ruler
- cork borer
- knife
- cutting board
- 4 containers, pen to label containers
- balance, soil (optional)
- saltwater (optional)
- oil (optional)
OSO alignment: Students interact with a hands-on watershed model and instructors lead a discussion on watershed ecology. Students identify the different types of waste that can be found within their home watershed and ocean backyard. Students estimate the lifespan of each waste product and view a decomposition chart either proving or disproving their hypotheses.
NGSS performance expectations: 4-ESS3-2. Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans. MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.