A n important part of doing your bit and changing the world for the better is to be interested, informed and reflective. So, we’ve put together a collection of resources that we hope will be helpful.
Below are some BIG blue buttons that give you quick access to some themed resources. Or, you can just search or filter the resource bank.
If there are any resources you would like (that we haven’t provided already), do get in touch.
Happy learning!
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”
Albert Einstein
Themes
Sets of resources grouped by theme
The Resource Bank
Filter and search the full resource bank for individual resources
All schools that register on the Plastic Clever Schools initiative get access to an interactive Pupil Workbook, teaching resources, worksheets and datasheets - all for FREE! Sign up here: KAP…
A project with the aim of engaging young people in exploring their perceptions of and researching what they feel are the key issues in the plastics circular economy. The project…
Use this image as a discussion prompt or as part of the 'Where Does Plastic Go?' lesson
Use this image as a discussion prompt or as part of the 'Where Does Plastic Go?' lesson
Use this image as a discussion prompt or as part of the 'Where Does Plastic Go?' lesson
Use this image as a discussion prompt or as part of the 'Where Does Plastic Go?' lesson
Every Month, 129 Billion Face Masks are dumped into our Environment According to French clean-up charity Opération Mer Propre “There risks being more masks than jellyfish,” But as the global…
Every year millions of people around the globe take part in the Plastic Free July challenge, choosing to refuse single-use plastics and drastically reducing the amount of plastic waste ending…
A colourful and engaging infographic explaining the environmental impact plastic toys can have on the environment. Credit: Stuart Loach, Envirotoy
Why did we set up a plastic free toy shop? By Stuart Loach, founder of Envirotoy. In the summer of 2019 I was deciding the next path to take in…
Youth have been protesting all around the world over inaction on climate change. Join a global movement pushing for change. Became a Youth Ambassador and learn more at realfoodsystems.org.
The Earth's climate has changed many times in response to natural factors. But over the course of the last century we have seen an unusual rise in the average global…
Global warming could do more than just melt polar ice. It could change our maps, and displace people from cities and tropical islands. An educational video from National Geographic.
These resources were created by Paul Tyler (https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/paultyler) for a school open day and comprise 6 linked activities, which were done by groups of pupils in rotation. The resources could…
What is Climate Change? Climate change is the long-term shift in average weather patterns across the world. Humans have contributed to the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases…
Recorded at Geneva airport before Amy and Ella headed back home after presenting at the Young Activist Summit at the UN HQ on December 10th 2019.
On a recent trip to the Portuguese islands of The Azores, the Kids Against Plastic team saw it not so much as a holiday, but an opportunity to investigate if…
The UK Plastics Pact are tackling the issue of problematic or unnecessary single-use plastic, changing how we make, use, reuse and recycle these items. 2020 is fast approaching... just over…
Amy investigates what happens if microfibres are released from our clothes when they are washed in a washing machine, and if they are, what happens to the fibres once they enter…
With the current governmental push for a deposit return scheme, and a continuous reliance on recycling as the answer to our plastic consumption, should we really be focussing all our…
Here are five easy ways you can reduce how much single-use plastic you use.
Teacher Resources from The Environment Agency We're delighted to be able to share these Teacher Resources aimed at pupils in lower Key Stage 2. It is the fourth workshop in a series of four…
Teacher Resources from The Environment Agency We're delighted to be able to share these Teacher Resources aimed at pupils in lower Key Stage 2. It is the third workshop in a series of four…
Teacher Resources from The Environment Agency We're delighted to be able to share these Teacher Resources aimed at pupils in upper Key Stage 1. It is the second workshop in a series of…
Teacher Resources from The Environment Agency We're delighted to be able to share these Teacher Resources aimed at pupils in lower Key Stage 1. It is the first workshop in a series of four…
Big corporations that use billions of tonnes of single-use plastic a year globally are a BIG part of the single-use plastic disaster, but as this video shows, when shareholders demand…
A 'hands-on' (or should it be 'bands-on') practical lesson looking at how certain man-made material hazards (litter) can restrict an animal's ability to feed properly. Curriculum coverage NC references Working Scientifically using straightforward…
A stimulating and practical KS2 lesson to demonstrate the problems plastic and other harmful materials might pose for beak feeding animals (who accidentally ingest them when they 'grab' feed). Curriculum coverage NC references Working…
Chile-based designer Margarita Talep has created a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to single-use packaging, using raw material extracted from algae. Disappointed by the abundance of non-recyclable materials currently used to contain…
A Powerpoint presentation made by students of Haydon Eco Club. The students created and used this as part of their KS2 / KS3 Transition Project. For more information about the…
Part 2 of a two-part blog post about plastic microfibres that are shed from our everyday clothing and the impact they have on our rivers and oceans. Check out this…
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK's leading marine environment, not-for-profit organisation. It works for the increased protection of the seas around the United Kingdom. It organises out hundreds of…
Learn about the hidden horror that are man-made material microfibres - tiny pieces of plastic clothing fibres that get washed out of our clothes, and into our waterways, each time we wash…
'Cora Ball' was inspired by corals that filter ocean water. This laundry ball will help capture microfibres when you do your laundry. It can even pick up hair. This nature-inspired…
Every time we wash clothes that are made from man-made fibres they shed tiny micro plastics that make their way through our water treatment plants and into our oceans when…
Cleanups are a great way to remove plastic pollution already on the beach, but how do we stop it from getting there in the first place? This short video explains…
The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day) employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand—how you get Americans to…
A short animated film produced by the production company «Animaskin» for UNICEF Norway and the UN Association of Norway to support Sustainable Development learning via unicef.no/skole/barekraft. What is Sustainable Development?…
Volunteers have removed an astonishing 12 million kilograms (nearly 12,000 tons) of plastic from a short stretch of a Mumbai beach. But their efforts will be in vain unless the…
David Luke make Eco school uniforms from plastic bottles, turning waste into up cycled stylish and practical clothing. This film shows how they now have the ability to make sweatshirts, cardigans,…
See how plastic bottles can be recycled and what they can be turned into. This animation showing how plastic bottles can be recycled is brought to you by recyclenow.com.
A thought-provoking photograph showing a bulldozer working on a landfill site.
Could reusable water bottles with built-in purification filters offer more than just a travel solution? Would their use reduce the number of plastic bottles sold and littered? Find out more…
A short but very powerful film about how a whale - dying from plastic ingestion - is seemingly trying to communicate this (and perhaps more) to the humans that found…
Worldwide, humans produce 260 million tonnes of plastic each year. Plastic does not decompose over time so much of our waste plastic ends up in the ocean. Maddie Moate explains…
We’ve all been told that we should recycle plastic bottles and containers. But what actually happens to the plastic if we just throw it away? Emma Bryce traces the life…
Sky News looks at a new project that could help tackle the global plastic pollution crisis. But is this the solution to replace single-use plastic bottles? Take a look and…
Plastic microfibres slideshow Every time we wash our clothes in the washing machine, thousands of plastic microfibres are shed, entering the rinse water. When the fibres leave the washing machine,…
Case study and guide for becoming a Plastic Clever Guide or Scout Group Thanks to Hannah Marsh and the 1st Thatcham Guides, we have just made available a case study and…
When Amy and Ella grilled Iceland supermarket boss about its use of plastic packaging.
The Shiant Isles are home to large populations of seabirds, including thousands of Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills found on the cree slopes of the island Garbh Eilean. The islands are…
Concerns about plastic pollution and specifically how it is affecting the health of Albatrosses. A short film made by Blue Planet II.
A Key Stage 1 maths lesson based round the collection of 100 pieces of plastic litter. With linked Lesson Resource. Curriculum coverage: Maths Write numbers to 100 Know number facts to…
As part of our Clear Plastic UK project inspired by the UN's Global Goals we have been learning about the environmental and social impact of our use and abuse of…
A new initiative is combining drones, tidal studies and navigation technology to try and work out where the millions of tonnes of plastic we dump in the sea ends up.…
What's the difference between a 'ray' and a 'skate'? Find out with this intere'sting' non-fiction poster. Credit: The Deep, Hull.
A KS1 lesson guide to develop writing skills within a range of different text types, including: poetry, persuasive writing, newspaper articles and more. Curriculum relevance Develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for…
An excellent video by Algalita a non-profit organisation dedicated to the protection of the marine environment. The video covers plastic (as a material) the issues associated with plastic pollution, and some…
A funny audiobook, written by Georgina Stevens, narrated by Jeremy Irons, about a Tiger Shark named Finn, who gets into a spot of bother. Also featuring a brand new, beautiful…
A KS2 lesson guide to develop writing skills within a range of different text types, including: poetry, persuasive writing, newspaper articles and more. Curriculum coverage NC references Write accurately, fluently, effectively and at…
A lesson guide that introduces the UN Global Goals as a stimulus for learning about environmental and humanitarian issues, leading to the pupils thinking about they can contribute towards the…
A lesson that uses research about the Great Pacific Trash Island (gyre) to investigate the effects of plastic pollution. Curriculum coverage KS2 Science Working scientifically reporting and presenting findings from enquiries…in…
A non-fiction text about plastic pollution that supports the Reading Comprehension Lesson Guide.
A KS2 reading comprehension about plastic pollution and its effects. NC references Spoken Language: articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including…
A lesson resource to support the linked lesson Pros and Cons of Plastic.
A KS2 lesson that encourages pupils to consider the Pros and Cons of plastic before making and justifying a personal opinion about the positive and negatives associated with plastic. This…
A hands-on activity that requires the application of knowledge and skills to classify a selection of products based on whether they contain plastic or not. The work on 'environmental impact', 'recyclability' and…
How is plastic recycled? And is all recycling a good thing? Just two of the themes covered in this KS2 lesson about properties and changes in materials. This lesson has a…
A resource to support the lesson guide Plastic Recycling Process.
An interesting lesson about the different groups / scientists that lead the early work that led to the creation of plastic, and how evidence is used to support or refute…
A KS2 lesson that focuses on developing speaking and listening skills and how to use facts and figures during discussions and debates. English: Spoken Language listen and respond appropriately to…
A practical investigation saturated with interesting science, and one that has a thought-provoking environmental follow up activity. National Curriculum Relevance taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and…
A KS2 lesson on exploring and classifying objects in different ways, such as by biodegradability and recyclability, and whether made-made or natural. Science Working scientifically gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data…
This lesson resource is associated with the linked lesson: Making Plastic - Lesson Guide.
Learn about the material that is plastic (it's properties, how it is made) and ask whether it is OK to discard items made from it. This lesson has a linked…
A KS2 lesson guide that helps develop an understanding of key terms like 'recycling' and 'recyclable' through recording and interpreting, and classifying data. Maths Interpret bar charts and pictograms Use pie…
A lesson idea to encourage investigative and enquiry skills around the theme of decomposition of different materials. The learning culminates in giving opportunities for pupils to develop important presentation skills. KS2…
After some tasty research and investigation into snacks and packaging, pupils create and then advertise their own (plastic clever) snacks to sell in school. English: Spoken Language give well-structured descriptions,…
A resource to support the Key Stage 1 maths lesson guide '100 Pieces of Plastic'.
The Sky Ocean Rescue campaign has been working hard to highlight the impact of plastics on marine life, from bottles to microbeads. This film warns us of how significant and disturbing the impact of…
An amazing visual resource introducing and explaining about Swordfish (and their rostrum). Credit: The Deep, Hull.
A colourful poster showing the current state of coral in the oceans. Credit: The Deep, Hull.
A selection of images showing litter in the environment to show just how ubiquitous plastic pollution is, and how - once you start looking for it - you find it everywhere.…
A resource to support the lesson guide 'Water Bottles - lesson guide'.
A KS1 lesson that helps pupils to identify different types of plastic: single use vs reusable, and the skills associated with using data to answer questions and persuade. Curriculum coverage Maths interpret…
A lesson guide suitable for KS1 and KS2 that looks at the term 'recycling' and how this applies to (or not) different materials such as plastic. Curriculum coverage KS1 Science Working…
A lesson resource linked to the lesson guide 'Plastic Recycling'.
A lesson guide to help encourage an understanding of the hazards presented to natural environments and living things by plastic pollution. Curriculum coverage KS1 Science Working scientifically using their observations and…
A lesson to encouraging investigation, discussion around different materials, with a focus on plastics. Curriculum coverage Key Stage 1 Science identifying and classifying distinguish between an object and the material from…
Investigating materials based on their properties and making decisions about the suitability of materials for different contexts and situations. Curriculum coverage Science KS1- identifying and classifying KS1- performing simple tests…
A reading comprehension lesson guide using the linked non-fiction text about plastic pollution. Curriculum coverage Spoken Language: articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes,…
A non-fiction text about plastic pollution that supports the Reading Comprehension Lesson Guide.
A Key Stage 1 lesson involving collection, sorting and interpreting litter data found in the school playground. Curriculum coverage Maths Interpret simple tables & pictograms Ask & answer comparison questions…
A Key Stage 1/ 2 investigation into the biodegradability of plastic. Curriculum coverage Working scientifically KS1 observe closely using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions gathering and…
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