Ditch microplastics: Thinking Classroom version
Ditch microplastics: Thinking Classroom version
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Short description
Plastic objects, like the synthetic fabrics our clothes are made from, break into tiny bits - microplastics. They have been detected in human blood and whilst we don't know their impact on health, there is evidence they can damage cells.
In this activity, students apply knowledge about separating mixtures to design a filter for a washing machine that stops microplastics winding up in the ocean. Students can peer or self-assess their work using the rubric.
The new version integrates practices from Peter Liljedahl's Thinking Classroom, with a 3-part structure to support student thinking in collaborative groups:
- CARE: Students are introduced to the issue and posed a question
- KNOW: Students review the prior knowledge they will need to complete the task
- DO: Students work in groups to design a solution
Curriculum link
Blueprint year 7: Mixtures (Substances & particles unit)
Running Notes
Slide 2: Play the news story to introduce the issue. Note: The news clip is an embedded YouTube video, you will need internet connection for it to play. See weblinks below for the URL.
Slides 3-4: Explain one source of microplastics – our clothes.
Slide 5: Explain how small microplastics are by comparing their size to other objects.
Slide 6: Introduce the task – to help the engineer complete a design for a washing machine filter. Ask each student to complete the task on the student sheet.
Weblinks
CONNECT
This activity is adapted from the Connect project, funded by the European Commission.
This is a short version of a longer activity called Microplastics, which offers more scientific knowledge and skills learning opportunities, activities to carry out at home with family members and scientist interaction.
Download other Connect activities here: https://shop.masteryscience.com/collections/connect
Q&A
For the Year 7 Mastery Practice book:
For the Y9/GCSE Mastery Practice Book:
It was written to help year 7 students learn to transfer the scientific knowledge to unfamiliar situation. It can also be used by students in other years to improve their understanding of the fundamental concepts. Learning to apply is what will give students access to the 60% of marks at GCSE that demand more than recalling content. The book uses a research-based approach to teach students how to solve different types of problems.
The Practice Book has a chapter on each unit in the year 7 curriculum, based on a 5-year curriculum and AQA's KS3 Science Syllabus. Download the sample material to see exactly what concepts and types of problems are included.
The first strategy studente need to learn is to evaluate the problem and what knowledge is needed to solve it. 'Detect' simulates how an expert looks at a question. They make sense of the situation, look beyond the superficial details to find the deep structure This allows them to recognise this as an example of a problem type they have seen before, and recall the organised information they need to solve - key concepts. It ensures that students avoid their inclination to just look at the keywords, and dive in risking misunderstanding the situation. Detect is broken down into smaller steps, usually: draw a diagram, show values, identify unknown, decide the concept
This encourages students to bring into their working memory all their existing knowledge, externalise it on paper (to reduce working memory demands), and then home in on what's relevant to solving the problem.
The third stage of the problem solving strategy is the actual solution process using the knowledge from Recall.The Solve starts by showing how to use the knowledge from Recall and models a step by step process of moving towards a solution for the problem.We teach students how to write answers scientifically, using a variety of structures like claim-evidence-reasoning, and problem-solution, and cause-effect.
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