Beach Debris. Summary: Students collect and examine beach debris along the shoreline and identify the problems it causes for wildlife and people.

Transcription

1 Beach Debris Grade Level: 3-4 Teaching Methods: Classification, Discussion, Gaming, Observation, Reading Time: Preparation Time: 45 minutes Activity Time: hours Materials: Activity I Optional: Stake wire flags Per Group Beach Hunt worksheet Pencil Clipboard Small plastic bucket Per Student Child s size garden gloves Beach Debris Timeline handout Activity II Trail of Trash Land and Lake Cards Three signs Land, Lake, and Garbage Can Two colors of cardstock or index cards One 100 foot rope One 50 foot rope Clothespins Activity III Various trash items resin pellets or small balls of Styrofoam, piece of net or mesh onion bag, fishing line, sixpack rings, plastic bag, plastic cup, pull tab ring from a can, balloon, bottle cap, glass bottle Animal Description cards Optional: Pictures of animals listed on the Animal Description cards Cardstock Rubber bands Park Location: Beach Summary: Students collect and examine beach debris along the shoreline and identify the problems it causes for wildlife and people. Objectives: Students will sort items found on a beach and classify them as being natural to the environment or human made. Students will use a timeline to identify how long it takes at least two types of beach debris to break down or decompose. Students will demonstrate how human actions and natural forces cause trash to move between the land and the lake. Students will demonstrate the difficulty an animal encounters when being entangled in beach debris. Students will describe at least one way that beach debris can negatively affect animals. Students will name at least one way that people can reduce beach debris. PA Environment & Ecology Standards: Environmental Health A. Know that plants, animals and humans are dependent on air and water. B. Identify how human actions affect environmental health Humans and the Environment C. Explain how human activities may change the environment. PA Science & Technology Standards: Inquiry and Design A. Identify and use the nature of scientific and technological knowledge. B. Describe objects in the world using the five senses Physical Science A. Recognize basic concepts about the structure and properties of matter. Other PA Standards: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening Geography Pre/Post Lessons: Pre-visit: Family Trash Tally Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 1

2 Background: Beach drift and debris is found along every beach. Beach drift refers to anything that washes up on the beach, both living and non-living. Beach debris is generally used to describe trash that has been made by people. It includes any human-made, solid material that is found in lakes, oceans, or other waterways and along their shores. The most common categories of beach debris are plastic, glass, rubber, metal, paper, wood, and cloth. The top ten debris items collected worldwide in coastal cleanups from 1996 to 2000 are: 1. Cigarette filters 2. Food bags/wrappers 3. Caps/lids 4. Plastic beverage bottles 5. Glass beverage bottles 6. Straws 7. Beverage cans 8. Bottle caps 9. Other plastic bags 10. Cups, utensils The number one debris item is cigarette filters. Since the filters are made of cellulose acetate (a plastic polymer) and not paper, they persist in the environment and can take up to five years to break down. The International Coastal Clean-up and Fishing Line Recycling website can provide you with yearly up to date items and figures. The website address is Two characteristics of trash affect how easily it enters and remains in the water: 1) the ability to be blown around and 2) buoyancy. Objects that are easily blown around by the wind can enter waterways even if they were originally disposed of properly. A napkin that is thrown into a trash can at the beach can quickly be blown out of it on a breezy day. An object s ability to float is known as buoyancy. Plastics and some types of rubber are the most buoyant types of debris. Once in the water, floating debris can travel long distances and is more likely to come in contact with aquatic animals, people, and boats. Paper, wood, and cloth float at first, but eventually sink once they become waterlogged. Glass, metal, and some types of rubber sink unless air is trapped inside them. Objects that do sink to the bottom, especially in areas with little current, can suffocate plants and animals living there. In nature, most materials are broken down by microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi, and return nutrients and other compounds to the ecosystem. However, many human-made materials, like plastic or glass, are resistant to these processes. While wave action and rusting can break some things into smaller pieces, some materials remain in the environment for hundreds of years. Beach debris affects waterways and shorelines throughout the world. Beaches are popular vacation spots and thousands of people visit them each year. Unfortunately, many beachgoers leave behind food and beverage containers, cigarette butts, plastic toys, and other trash. This debris can be carried into waterways by wind, waves, streams, and rain. Other sources of beach debris are improperly disposed trash, storm water sewers, ships and boats, and industries. Approximately 80% of the debris found along beaches and in waterways comes from land-based sources. Beach debris can cause serious problems for both wildlife and people. Problems occur for wildlife when animals get tangled in or swallow debris. Animals can become tangled in debris accidentally or when they investigate it as possible food or shelter. Entanglement can affect an animal s ability to swim or move about, find or eat food, and escape predators. They use up energy trying to get free and may become weak, sick, injured, or even die. Animals usually swallow debris because it looks like food they normally eat. Some items may block the digestive tract or airway and cause death. Mammals, birds, fish, turtles, and crustaceans have all been affected by these problems. It is estimated that 100,000 marine mammals die every year from entanglement or ingestion of debris. Fish and crustaceans are often caught in lost or discarded fishing gear and other types of plastic or nylon netting. Fish have been found dead in plastic onion bags. They unwittingly swim into the bags and become trapped in the fine mesh. On a larger scale, a onehalf mile section of nylon net was found in Lake Superior that had been abandoned for an estimated 15 years and contained 100 pounds of fish. Many shorebirds and waterfowl in search of food are often attracted to fish that are tangled in fishing line or nets. When diving for food, birds can also become trapped in fishing line that is snared on trees or logs. This same type of debris can entangle land birds when they collect it for nesting material. Many birds, including ducks, geese, gulls, and cormorants, have also been found tangled in six-pack rings and other encircling debris. Six-pack holders are a dangerous type of trash, because animals can get caught in the holes and become injured or strangle. Manufacturers now make sixpack holders from photodegradable plastic. This type of plastic becomes brittle and breaks into smaller pieces when it is exposed to sunlight. However, because it still Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 2

3 takes up to six months to break down, it is recommended that the loops be cut before disposing of them. The ingestion of plastic resin pellets (small round pellets that are melted and used to form plastic products) is another major problem. During production, transportation, and processing, some pellets can be released into the environment. They are carried into water bodies by wind, stormwater runoff, and sewage overflows. Many types of birds have been found feeding on these pellets, because they mistake them for fish eggs or other types of food. Eagles and other predators have been found with large concentrations of plastic pellets in their stomachs after feeding on smaller birds and fish that had previously eaten them. Other types of plastic pellets and particles are created when products, such as Styrofoam coolers, cups, or plates, begin to break up after they are discarded. Foxes, rabbits, raccoons, and other types of land animals can become snared in debris or sick from eating trash that they find along the shore or in shallow water. For people, beach debris causes problems with health, safety, and recreational quality. Beach users can be injured by stepping on broken glass, cans, or other litter. Debris also makes beaches unappealing to visitors and can result in lost revenues from tourism. Floating debris creates a navigational hazard to fishing and recreational boats by entangling the propellers and disabling them. All beach debris starts with people, but we can also be part of the solution. By reducing the amount of waste we generate, properly disposing of it, and recycling, we can help reduce beach debris in our waterways and along our shorelines. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 3

4 Getting Ready: Activity I Copy Beach Hunt worksheet - one per group. Copy Beach Debris Timeline - one per student or pair. Optional: Use the stake wire flags to mark boundaries for the beach hunt. Activity II The game suggests breaking students into pairs. If the group size is under 15 then students can move through the game individually. Copy the Trail of Trash Land and Lake Cards on colored cardstock. Make the land cards one color and lake cards another. Cut apart. Optional: resize the clues and copy them onto index cards. Number the back of each card with the corresponding statement number. Laminate the cards. Select an area along the beach for the game. Place the two trails opposite each other, so that the two starting signs are close to each other with the ropes going in opposite directions. Make three signs Land, Lake, and Garbage Can to mark out the start for the Land and Lake trails and the finish line. Lay out the 100 foot rope along the beach. The rope does not have to be in a straight line. Place the Land sign at the starting end and the Garbage Can sign at the finish end. Clip a clothespin to each Land clue card to prevent them from blowing away. Place the clues on the ground number side up along the 100 foot rope in the correct order. Lay out the 50 foot rope along the beach. The rope does not have to be in a straight line. Place the Lake sign at the starting end. Place the Lake clues with attached clothespins along the rope number side up in the correct order. Activity III Place a variety of trash items on the ground. Items from Activity I can be used, but supplement as needed to spur discussion. Copy one set of Animal Description cards onto cardstock, cut apart, and laminate. Optional: Collect pictures of the animals in the clues, so students have a visual. If desired, attach the appropriate clue to the back of the picture and laminate. Activity: Activity I Beach Hunt 1. Ask the students to name some things they might expect to see on a beach. What plants and animals might be there? Would they see anything that was made by people? (buildings, docks, boats, beach towels, etc.) Is there anything they would see that doesn t belong there? (litter) Explain that items on a beach that were made by people and do not belong there are called beach debris. 2. Tell the students that they will have a chance to explore a beach. Break the students into groups of two or three. Give each group a clipboard, pencil, copy of the Beach Hunt worksheet, and small plastic bucket. Tell them that they will be doing two things when they walk along the beach: They will search for natural things that belong on the beach and for beach debris that does not belong. They will record their findings on the worksheet. They will collect beach debris in their bucket. 3. Hand out a pair of garden gloves to each student. Explain that they should only collect things that fit in their bucket. If they see something that does not fit in the bucket, they should just record it on the paper. Caution them not to pick up sharp items. Point out the boundaries for the search and send them off to record and collect items. 4. Once the groups have collected their items, bring the students together and have them sit in a circle. Ask the students to share some of the things they observed and recorded that belonged on the beach. Ask them how the items may have gotten to the beach. Ask them if the items are important to other plants and animals on the beach. 5. Next, ask the students what type of beach debris they collected. As a student answers, have them place the object in the center of the circle. Ask the other students to place any similar objects in the circle next to it. For example, all plastic objects might be put together. Discuss which types of objects are most common. What might happen to the trash if it is left on the beach? Explain that some things take a long time to go away or rot. Hand out the Beach Debris Timeline and review some of the items the students collected. Activity II Trails of Trash 1. Ask the students how the trash they found earlier may have gotten to the beach. Could any of the trash end up in the lake? How? Tell them they will play a game to learn how trash travels. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 4

5 2. Explain to the students that they will each be a piece of trash that must make its way to a garbage can. Show the students the Trail of Trash. Explain that the trail is divided into two sections; Land and Lake. Point out the Land and Lake signs. Explain that all students will start on the Land side of the trail. The goal is to reach the Garbage Can sign at the end of the Land trail. 3. Explain that the cards along the trail are numbered. When they get to a card, they should pick it up, read it, replace the card with the numbered-side up, and do what the card tells them to do. If the card tells them to go to a Lake card number, they must move to the Lake side and start at the appropriate numbered card. At any time during the game, if they get to a card that is occupied by someone, they should move forward to the next available card. 4. Tell the students they will go through the trail with a partner. Divide the students into pairs. Give each pair a number from one to four. Start the game by sending the first four pairs of students onto the trail. Send pair #1 to card #1, pair #2 to card #2, etc. As the first four cards become vacant, send the next four pairs onto the trail. Leave some space between groups, so that they do not bunch up on the trail. 5. Once everyone has reached the Garbage Can sign, regroup for discussion. How did the trash get to the beach in the first place? What moved the trash around? (people, wind, water, animals) What were some ways that the trash moved from the land to the lake? (wind, rain, waves, animals, people) How did it move from the lake back to land? (waves, currents, wind, people) Was there any trash that didn t make it to the garbage can? Why? (ask the students who went to the lake bottom to explain what happened to them) How did the rest of the trash eventually reach the garbage can? (people had to put it there) 6. Have the students look at the trash piles from Activity I or have other trash items available. What types of trash would be moved around easily? Which could be carried to the lake by wind? Which would be washed into the lake by rain? If the trash entered the lake, what would float and what would sink? Activity III Animals In Trouble 1. Place a variety of beach debris on the ground. The debris from Activity I can be used with additional items added, as needed, for discussion purposes. Have the students sit in a circle around the debris. 2. Ask the students if they can name some ways that trash affects animals that live on the beach or in the lake. Give a student an Animal Description card (and picture, if available) and have them read the clue out loud for the rest of the group. 3. Ask if anyone can select an item in the center of the circle and explain how it might harm the animal. Have the student explain how and why it would be harmful. Repeat the process for the rest of the animal cards. When appropriate during the activity, use the background information (International Coastal Clean-up and Fishing Line Recycling website) to discuss the problems associated with animals eating debris or becoming entangled in it. 4. Optional: Conduct the following activity with the students to demonstrate the problem of wildlife entanglement. The activity can be done during or after the animal cards. Give each student a rubber band (or have one student come to the front and do the activity as a demonstration) and walk them through the procedure below. Have them hold both hands up in front of their face, so the back of their hands are toward their face. Tell them to hold the rubber band in their right hand and hook one end of it over the little finger of their left hand. Then hook the other end of it over the thumb of their left hand. The rubber band should be resting across the bottom knuckles on the back of their left hand. Have them place their right hand on the bottom of their left elbow and keep it there. Tell them to try to free their left hand of the rubber band without using their right hand, teeth, or other body part or by rubbing it on any object. While they are trying to remove the rubber band, ask the students to imagine that they are gulls that have gotten their neck or beak tangled in a net, fishing line, or other debris. How would you feel if you had to struggle for several hours? How would you feel if you weren t able to eat? What might happen if you couldn t get free? 5. Explain that beach trash can be harmful to any animals that live along shorelines or in lakes and oceans. Ask what types of debris the students think are most harmful to wildlife. Why? (items, such as plastics, that blow around easily, float, and do not break down easily) 6. Ask the students if beach debris also affects people. How? What can people do to reduce the amount of beach debris? Before they leave, ask the students to help you properly dispose of any trash items they collected during their visit. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 5

6 Evaluation: Students classify and list natural items that belong on the beach and human-made beach debris that does not belong. Students determine the length of time it takes for beach debris items that they collected to break down. Students play a game to demonstrate how different types of trash move between the land and the lake. Students recognize the negative impact of beach debris on animals. Students make inferences about how specific beach debris could harm an animal and explain their reasoning. Students describe negative effects of beach debris and propose actions that can be taken to reduce it. Surfrider Foundation, Respect the Beach, Developed By: E-Concepts LLC, Albert, JoAnn and Davis, JoAnn, Extensions: Have the students sweep a section of the beach for trash and properly dispose of it. References: Davenport, Julia, California Coastal Commission, Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds, Fergus, Charles, Wildlife of Pennsylvania and the Northeast, Harrison, Hal, Peterson Field Guides, Birds Nests, Kane, Patricia F., Rosselet, Dale A., and Anderson, Karl, New Jersey Audubon, Bridges to the Natural World, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Focus on Habitat, Largemouth Bass. National Audubon Society, PA Game Commission, PA Wild Resource Conservation Fund, PA Bureau of State Parks, Pennsylvania Songbirds, A K- 12 Teacher s Guide for Activities in the Classroom, Western Regional Environmental Education Council, Project WILD, Get The Drift, Gulf of Mexico Program, Marine Debris Timeline. Turning the Tide on Trash. Wetlands, Oceans, & Watersheds, Habitat Protection. The Ocean Conservancy, Pocket Guide to Marine Debris. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 6

7 Beach Hunt Directions: Search the beach for natural things that belong there and for beach debris that does not belong there. List what you find in the boxes below. Collect beach debris items in your bucket. DO NOT pick up anything sharp or that may cause you harm. Natural things that belong on the beach. Beach Debris things made by people that do not belong on the beach. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 7

8 Beach Debris Timeline Newspaper 6 weeks Paper Towel 2-4 weeks Cardboard box 2 weeks Waxed Milk Carton 3 months Glass Bottle 1 million years Aluminum Can years Tin Can 50 years Styrofoam Cup 50 years Plastic Bottles 450 years Styrofoam Buoy 80 years Rubber Boot 50 years Wool Glove 1 year Plywood 1-3 years Cotton Rope 3-14 months Monofilament Fishing Line 600 years Disposable Diaper 450 years Biodegradable Diaper 1 year Plastic 6-pack Ring 400 years Photodegradable 6-pack Ring 6 months Plastic Bag years Cigarette Filter 1-5 years Apple Core 2 months Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 8

9 Trails of Trash Game Diagram Land Sign Rope Garbage Can Sign 50 Rope 3 2 Lake Sign 1 Clues Clues NOTE: The ropes do not have to be in straight lines. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 9

10 Trail of Trash Cards Land Cards 1. The wind blows you from the road onto the beach. Puff out your cheeks and blow out the air. Move ahead 4 spaces. 5. A storm washes you into a sewer. Sit down and spin around 4 times. Go to Lake card #4. 2. Someone missed the garbage can and you land on the beach. Sit down and count to 10. Move ahead 5 spaces. 6. You have fallen through a crack in a dock. Hold your nose and sink to the ground. Go to Lake card #2. 3. Someone left you on the beach after a picnic and ants are starting to crawl on you. Shake your body 5 times. Move ahead 2 spaces. 7. You are buried in sand. Hold your breath and count to 10. Move ahead 2 spaces. 4. You were left on the beach by someone who was fishing. Pretend to cast a fishing rod 4 times. 8. A person carries you down the beach and uses you to decorate a sand castle. Put your finger in the sand and count to 15. Move ahead 4 spaces. Move ahead 2 spaces. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 10

11 Trail of Trash Cards Land Cards 9. A gull carries you out to the lake. Flap your arms 10 times. Go to Lake card # A dog carries you under a tree. Bark 4 times. Move ahead 6 spaces. 10. The wind blows you onto a sand dune. Puff out your cheeks and blow the air out. Move ahead 1 space. 14. When walking down the beach, someone steps over you, but doesn t pick you up. Walk in a circle 3 times. Move ahead 1 space. 11. Waves carry you into the lake. Wave your arms 5 times. Go to Lake card # A bird carries you down the beach. Flap your arms 10 times. Move ahead 3 spaces. 12. You are blown near a garbage can. Use your hands to fan your face 5 times. Move ahead 5 spaces. 16. You are stuck on someone s flip flop. Shake your foot 3 times. Move ahead 6 spaces. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 11

12 Trail of Trash Cards Land Cards 17. You are caught on a raccoon s paw. Shake your hand 5 times. Move ahead 3 spaces. 20. Someone puts you in their pocket to throw away later. Put your hand in your pocket and count to 20. Move ahead 2 spaces. 18. You are buried in sand. Hold your breath and count to Someone carries you to a garbage can. Go to the Garbage Can at the finish. Move ahead 3 spaces. 19. You are caught on a gull s beak. Shake your head 5 times. 22. You are picked up during a beach cleanup. Go to the Garbage Can at the finish. Go back 3 spaces. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 12

13 Trail of Trash Cards Lake Cards 1. A strong current carries you toward land. Make a muscle and count to 15. Move ahead 4 spaces. 5. You get waterlogged and sink to the bottom. You are stuck here and cannot move. The game is OVER for you. Don t tell anyone. Sit down where you are and hold the card. 2. A storm blows you closer to shore. Wave your arms over your head 8 times. Move ahead 5 spaces. 6. High winds make waves that move you closer to land. Blow air out and wave your arms three times. Move ahead 5 spaces. 3. Wind blows you around in circles. Spin around 3 times. Move ahead 2 spaces. 7. Waves from a large boat move you up and down in the water. Jump up and down 4 times. Move ahead 2 spaces. 4. You are caught on a bird s leg. Shake your leg 10 times. Go back 3 spaces. 8. A swimmer carries you back to shore. Move your arms like you are swimming and count to 10. Move ahead 4 spaces. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 13

14 Trail of Trash Cards Lake Cards 9. You are caught on a log that sinks to the bottom. You are stuck, sit down where you are and keep the card. The game is OVER for you. Don t tell anyone. 12. It s a calm day, you aren t moving too fast. Stand still and count to 10. Move ahead 2 spaces. 10. It s a calm day. You aren t moving anywhere. Stand still and count to 15. Move ahead 1 space. 13. The waves carry you onto the beach. Go to Land. You may start on Land card #11, 12, 13, or 14 as long as they are vacant. If all cards are taken, wait until one is available. 11. You are caught on a boat propeller. Spin around 5 times. Go back 2 spaces. 14. A boater pulls you in and carries you to shore. Go to Land. You may start on Land card #11, 12, 13, or 14 as long as they are vacant. If all cards are taken, wait until one is available. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 14

15 Animal Description Cards Gull I look for food in piles of plants, shells, and other things that wash up on shore. I am a scavenger and will eat almost anything, including food that has already been caught by someone or something else. I like to eat fish eggs, which are round and clear. I make my nest on the ground out of dried grasses, mosses, rubbish, weeds, and some feathers. Canada Goose I am a plant eater. I eat the roots, stems, leaves, and seeds of plants that grow on land and in the water. In shallow water, I use my long neck to dip my head under water to pull up plants. Largemouth Bass I swim into holes and near objects, such as logs, stumps, rock piles, floating algae, and weeds. These places help me hide from my enemies and ambush my prey. If a lot of smaller fish are gathered in one area, I may swim closer to see if I can eat them. Clam I live on the bottom of the lake or bay and sometimes burrow into the sand. I filter tiny organisms from the water for food. I can t move very fast. Raccoon I come out at night and often look for food along the edge of lakes or ponds. I use my front paws to feel for food that lives in the water among plants, under rocks, or in crevices. I eat a wide variety of foods, including plants, seeds, insects, eggs, fish, and crayfish. I am very curious and will investigate just about anything in search of food. Map Turtle I live in lakes and creeks and use my large, webbed feet as paddles when I swim. I like to eat snails and clams that I crack open with my powerful jaws. I also walk on shallow lake bottoms looking for food among the plants that grow there. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks 15