Bioplastics+(middle+school)+(Mark+Rovereto,+Deonna+White?)


 * Bioplastics**

This activity focuses on bioplastic as a realistic alternative to many petrochemical plastics currently being produced. Though this activity, children will not only learn about the history and current state of plastics and bioplastics, but will be better able to better understand complex causation as it applies to plastic production and consumerism. In addition, the lesson will also promote the ecoliteracy goal of understanding not only the failures of past and current technology but the potential for change, in this case the potential of bioplastics. Students will be presented with several samples of different things made of plastic, like a cup, a toy, and any other products. There will be a short discussion on the presence of plastics in everyday life, and then a presentation will be given on the short history of plastics and the problems the industry presents. This will be followed by a short exposition on bioplastics immediately flowing into an interactive demonstration where a type of bioplastic is made with the children, allowing them to observe and comment on the consistency color and other properties. They will then be able to pour it into molds to dry. After the bioplastic has dried, a longer discussion on the differences and similarities between plastic and bioplastic will be held, with some samples handed out of commercial bioplastics along with the plastic examples from earlier. A brief presentation to solidify what was brought out during discussion and to present the history and future of bioplastics will then be given. Children will be able to take their bioplastic and put finishing touches on it, like sanding or trimming it. At the end of the day, each participant will have their own piece of bioplastic along with a small factsheet and recipe for that bioplastic to take home, along with a fact and question sheet for parents.

As a pretty major side note, timing for this activity will be tricky. Without bioplastic being made beforehand, this will have to span two weekends (hopefully consecutively). As such, its viability in the current format of modules is questionable. However, if kids were able to sign up for the next weekend right after the bioplastic is made, I’m sure there would be a near 100% participant retention rate.

Useful Links:

Green Plastics, where I found the recipes for homemade bioplastic: []