Marine Debris

Coastal hazard education resources

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines marine debris as “any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned in the marine environment or Great Lakes.” Simply put, it's trash in the water.

Selected curriculum

Kristen Kelly clears derelict fishing net from a reef.(Photo: NOAA Fisheries/Steven Gnam)

Topic	Grades	Type	Title
What marine debris is	K-2, 3-5, MS, HS	Data Sheet	ICC Datasheet
	3-5, MS	Data Sheet	Graphing Marine Debris
	3-5, MS, HS	Background Information	CoastWatch: Marine Debris Intro
		Handout	CoastWalk 2018 Data
		Handout	2018 Top 10 ICC
		Handout	ICC Foam, Plastic, Glass 2018
	MS, HS	Presentation	History of Marine Debris
Where marine debris comes from and how it moves	K-2, 3-5, MS, HS	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Ocean Full of Debris Game
	3-5, MS	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Marine Debris Source Sorting Relay
	3-5, MS	Activity, Field Trip	CoastWatch: RCAC Popcorn Spill
	3-5, MS, HS	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Predicting the Path of Marine Debris
	3-5, MS, HS	Case Study	CoastWatch: Science From Bath Toys Case Study
	MS, HS	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Currents and Coriolis
	MS, HS	Presentation	Movement of Plastics
Effects on the ecosystem	K-2, 3-5	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Bioaccumulation Tag
	K-2, 3-5, MS	Activity	CoastWatch: Feeding Frenzy
	K-2, 3-5, MS, HS	Activity	CoastWatch: Entanglement Challenge
	K-2, 3-5, MS, HS	Activity	CoastWatch: Fishing Line Tug of War
	3-5, MS	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Albatross Bolus Investigation
		Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Stations- Effects of Marine Debris on Ecosystems Intro
		Activity	CoastWatch: Top of the Ocean Mat Sculpture
		Presentation	Birds & Plastic Ingestion
		Presentation	CoastWatch: Stations - Effects of Marine Debris on Ecosystems
	3-5, MS, HS	Activity	CoastWatch: Gyre Dangle Sculptures
	3-5, MS, HS	Case Study	CoastWatch: Midway Atoll Case Study
	MS	Lesson Plan	Monterey Bay Aquarium: Plastics in the Water Column
What plastic is	3-5, MS	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Plastic Polymer Lab
	3-5, MS, HS	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Plastics in Society
		Handout	CoastWalk Data By Plastic Type
		Handout	Estimated Life Span of Plastic Products
		Handout	Plastics By Number Chart
What we can do	K-2, 3-5, MS, HS	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Seas and Rivers- Human Coastal Connection
	3-5, MS	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Upcycle Hats
	3-5, MS, HS	Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Art Exhibition
		Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Designing Debris Solutions
		Lesson Plan	CoastWatch: Marine Debris Masks
		Worksheet	Home Plastic Trash Audit
	MS	Lesson Plan	Monterey Bay Aquarium: Plastics Reduce Use Recycle

Thanks to these education partners, who collaborated to develop curriculum relevant to this coastal hazard: Alaska SeaLife Center, Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, UAF Alaska Sea Grant, Prince William Sound Regional Citizen Advisory Council, Prince William Sound Science Center