A colourful and engaging infographic explaining the environmental impact plastic toys can have on the environment. Credit: Stuart Loach, Envirotoy
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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
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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…
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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.
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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…
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In this investigation the pupils will learn about the greenhouse effect/ global warming and how scientists consider that the increase in carbon dioxide and other gases contributes to the increase…
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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.
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A teaching resource (lesson plan / learning flow) designed to help children observe and consider the effects of carbon dioxide on temperature. Pupils will learn about the greenhouse effect/ global…
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These resources were created by Paul Tyler for a school open day and comprise 6 linked activities, which were done by groups of pupils in rotation. The resources could also be used as part of individual lessons or as a carousel of activities within a lesson to support children’s enquiries and/ or research.
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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 into the air through a range of practices, including burning fossil fuels, driving vehicles or industry. Scientists believe that this is contributing to increased global temperatures and long-term changes to climate.
We have detailed a range of sources of information to support teachers and to support children with their own research and then we have directed to teaching and learning resources that can be used in the classroom, or for home learning.
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Plastic, once discarded, is often thought of as being out of sight, out of mind. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for the wildlife we share the planet with! Learn more…
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Use this PDF to find out about single-use plastics – plastic items that are used once and thrown away soon after. NB. This PDF is an extract from Amy and Ella’s…
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It’s important to be careful when picking up rubbish – sometimes there are items or places it is best to avoid. So, here are some of Amy and Ella’s top…
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Plastics are all made from human-made materials, created from lots and lots of chemicals, and some of these chemicals can be very dangerous. Find out more with this illustrated PDF…
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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.
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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...
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This resource introduces students to the sea turtles of Costa Rica and the importance of their habitat, assesses the dangers that they face and encourages students to consider how they…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Here are five easy ways you can reduce how much single-use plastic you use.
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The final workshop in a series of four from The Environment Agency, focussing on human impact on the oceans, microplastics and how to conduct a survey in the field.
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Third workshop in a series of four from The Environment Agency, focussing on collecting and presenting data, life cycles and alternatives to single-use plastic.
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Second workshop in a series of four from The Environment Agency, focussing on animals, habitats and ocean plastics.
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First workshop in a series of four from The Environment Agency, focussing on animals, what they eat and an introduction to issues around plastic pollution.
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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…
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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.
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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).
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Chile-based designer Margarita Talep has created a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to single-use packaging, using raw material extracted from algae. Report by Dezeen.com
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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…
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Haydon School Eco Club Karen Norton and her students ran an amazing project with her Eco Club that not only raised awareness and understanding of the issues associated with single-use plastic,…
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Here are some plastic-free Christmas tree decorations you can have a go at making - they are ideal for a gift for somebody, or for your own tree. Also featured...
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Here is an infographic we've been working on for a while to raise awareness of cigarette butts, both as a source of plastic litter but also as a threat to our health and freshwater and marine life. We've split this infographic across 3 sides of A4 so that you can easily print them out and trim them before making a large version of this information for your classroom or display boards.
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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...
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Plastic microfibres from our clothes are a big BIG problem. So, we are really happy that there is a company that is trying to reduce this problem on a bigger scale through its washing machine filters. Find out more.
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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.
Watch this video to find out more about an important charity and its dedicated staff and volunteers.
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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 them.
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‘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…
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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?
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The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day)
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A short animated film produced to support Sustainable Development learning. Watch and find out just what sustainable development really means.
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There's never been a more appropriate time to remind everybody about the UN Global Goals and the need to learn about them, raise awareness, and most importantly ... to DO something.
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A pdf – perfect for use as a poster – showing some easy ways to reduce the amount of plastic waste you generate in your everyday life.
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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 see what you think.
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Amy and Ella recorded this video a couple of years ago when they were invited to speak in schools around the UK but couldn’t make it. The girls might look…
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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,…
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See how plastic bottles can be recycled and what they can be turned into.
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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…
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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 it.
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There are many myths about what can be and what is (two very different things) be recycled - this resource from Hull University busts some of those myths.
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An engaging film about how much plastic we use and how does it affect the natural world?
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A very informative infographic about our relationship (reliance) on plastic and the realities of where and how it ends up in our environment.
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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?
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The Plastic Bank is a for-profit social enterprise that makes plastic waste a currency to help reduce global poverty while stopping plastic from entering the ocean.
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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 see what you think.
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This slideshow shows, under a microscope, some of the plastic microfibres we wash into our waterways when we wash our clothes.
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Be Plastic Clever We all have a part to play in contributing towards turning the plastic tide. In our TEDx talk at Exeter, Kids Against Plastic set out their Plastic…
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A 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 activity guide for any Scout or Guide group wanting become Plastic Clever.
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When Amy and Ella grilled Iceland supermarket boss about its use of plastic packaging.
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A fun creative activity to make a pet shark. Created by National Marine Aquarium (NMA).
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Plastic by numbers (facts and figures) by Will McCallum, head of Greenpeace UK Oceans.
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Concerns about plastic pollution and specifically how it is affecting the health of Albatrosses. A short film made by Blue Planet II.
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A Key Stage 1 maths lesson based round the collection of 100 pieces of plastic litter.
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Amy explains the reasons why we shouldn't be hitting the bottle - a short film.
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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.
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An amazing visual resource introducing and explaining about Swordfish (and their rostrum).
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A KS1 lesson guide to develop writing skills within a range of different text types, including: poetry, persuasive writing, newspaper articles and more.
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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…
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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…
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A KS2 lesson guide to develop writing skills within a range of different text types, including: poetry, persuasive writing, newspaper articles and more.
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A lesson guide that introduces the UN's Global Goals as a stimulus for learning about environmental and humanitarian issues, leading to the pupils thinking about they can contribute towards the Goals through their own actions and activities.
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A lesson that uses research about the Great Pacific Trash Island (gyre) to investigate the effects of plastic pollution.
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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.
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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 'sustainability' make this a rich and engaging lesson.
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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.
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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 science.
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A KS2 lesson that focuses on developing speaking and listening skills and how to use facts and figures during discussions and debates.
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A practical investigation saturated with interesting science, and one that has a thought-provoking environmental follow up activity.
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A KS2 lesson on exploring and classifying objects in different ways, such as by biodegradability and recyclability, and whether made-made or natural.
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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.
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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.
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A KS2 lesson guide that helps develop an understanding of key terms like 'recycling' and 'recyclable' through recording and interpreting, and classifying data.
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A lesson idea to encourage investigative and enquiry skills around the theme of decomposition of different materials.
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After some tasty research and investigation into snacks and packaging, pupils create and then advertise their own (plastic clever) snacks to sell in school.
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Plastic in our oceans is killing marine wildlife at a staggering rate
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An amazing visual resource introducing and explaining about Swordfish (and their rostrum).
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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.
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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.
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