Hello colleagues, How long do you think it takes for a tin can to disintegrate in ocean water? How about an aluminum can? a disposable diaper? an apple core? a Styrofoam cup? a plastic beverage holder?
Check out this infographic from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to find out how long these and other items take to break down in ocean water.
I love using infographics in my teaching because infographics communicate information in such fascinating ways. I used this one during a unit on the environment in a recent lesson with beginners.
Here are the steps in my lesson:
1. Students used a teacher-made handout to individually guess which of two items would break down faster, e.g. Which breaks down faster, a tin can or an aluminum can?
2. Students talked to each other about their guesses.
3. I used this NOAA infographic to create an info gap activity so that each student had different information about the items illustrated. For example, one student had the information on how long it takes for cigarette butts to break down, and another student had information about how long it takes for fishing line to break down, etc.
4. Students had to go around the class gathering information from their classmates about the amount of time different items take to disintegrate in ocean water.
5. After completing their infographic, the students revisited their guesses to see if they guessed correctly.
6. Again, they talked with a partner to compare their results and discuss the actual amount of time each item takes to break down.
7. The students wrote short sentences comparing the two items. For example: A tin can breaks down faster than an aluminum can.
8. They wrote a short paragraph saying why it is important to keep our oceans clean.
I would love to hear how other teachers structure lessons using infographics as well as any ideas teachers have for focusing on Earth Day -- which is April 22!
Teachers who work with advanced English learners may be interested in may be interested in checking out this LINCS Resource, One Ocean. This wonderfully rich resource "is filled with charts, tables, diagrams, maps, and other resources with which to integrate mathematics, geography, history, and environmental topics within the study of the ocean. There is a standards table to link the content and the activities to learning standards by grade level (this translates easily to adult education). Other features include case studies, a section of classroom activities/experiments, teaching tips, and examples of formative assessments and student thinking."
(If anyone would like to see the handouts I created for this NOAA infographic lesson, I'd be happy to share them. Please email me directly at susanfinn_miller@iu13.org)
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, English Language Acquisition