Lesson Plan - 5 Big Questions About Plastic Recycling

Watch a Video: What You Need to Know About Plastic Pollution
Discuss: Why is it a problem that plastic does not break down completely? 

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know. 

• disposable
• degrades

Set a Purpose for Reading
Encourage students to look for details about why recycling plastic is difficult.

1. What evidence does the author give to support the claim that America’s plastic waste problem is “huge”?
The author supports this claim by sharing that the average American tosses 218 pounds of plastic each year and that about half the plastic produced is used only once before being discarded.
^{R.8 Reasons and Evidence}

2. What are two reasons more plastic does not get recycled?
Sample response: One reason is that sorting and recycling the many different kinds of plastic is expensive and time-consuming. Another is that plastic can usually be recycled only once or twice.
^{R.3 Cause/Effect}

3. According to the article, how can people “drink smarter”? 
The article explains that people can drink smarter by using a reusable water bottle instead of single-use bottles and by skipping straws or using reusable ones.
^{R.1 Text Evidence}

FEATURED SKILL: Problem and Solution
Use the Skill Builder “Solving the Plastic Problem” to have students identify the problem and solutions described in the article. 
^{R.5 Problem/Solution}