MICROFIBRES: GIANT PROBLEM EDUCATOR'S GUIDE
ABOUTTHIS GUIDE Introduction Usingthiskit Inclusions EducationalProps LifecycleofaMicrofibre Disposal Glossaryofterms References ACTION/ ACTIVITYIDEA SUSTAINABILITY SEED LINKSTO DATA& THEORY 3 4 4 5 6 8 9 9 “Thechildgivesusabeautifullesson thatinordertoformand maintainourintelligence,wemustuseourhands.”(Montessori,1946).
INTRODUCTION
HOWDO MICROFIBRESPOLLUTE OURWATERWAYS? 8 million tonnes ofplasticendupinouroceans annuallyofwhichsynthetic microfibresisthelargest component(35%)(DeFalcoetal, 2019). 1.5 million trillion microfibresarepresentinthe ocean(Mishraetal.,2019). Washing Detergents Washing Machine 9million microfibresarereleasedperwash intoourwastewatertreatment plantsandintotheocean(True Cost,2020). 70percent ofallclothesmanufacturedare madefromsyntheticmaterialssuch asacrylic,nylon,rayonand polyester(BlueEnvironmentPtyLtd, 2018) Synthetic Materials Microfibres form and get passed through the laundry effluent. + + Microfibres are not filtered in our waste management system and enter our waterways. Microfibres attract plankton and other organic matter. Aquatic species eat the microfibres and enter the food chain. KEYSTATS LINKSTO THEORY& DATA
This Growing Education Kit teaches your students about the lifecycle of microfibres. There has been a lot of media attention on microplastics in our oceans and waterways however research is emerging about how intense the problem is.
ACTION/ ACTIVITYIDEA THISKIT CONTAINS: 1educator'sguide 3A2Trays 6background options 15handmade pompoms 12feltfigures 16seashells 100sofsensorycraft pieces Oodlesoffunand learning USINGTHISKIT Wasteisn’twaste it’saresource!.What otherupcycling projectscanyoudo withyourstudents? SUSTAINABILITY SEED Visitourresourcepageformore. Thiskitisdesignedtofacilitatemany activitieswhicheducate aboutmicrofibrewaterpollution,sustainabilityandwhythisis important. BACKGROUNDS Thesebackgroundscanbe mixedandmatchedforall kindsofactivities.Trya colour,textureorpattern matchingactivity.
Eachkithasover200educationalpropstohelp educateyoungmindsinthelifecycleofa microfibre.Thesecanbeusedinany combinationonanyofthebackgrounds. Thepiecesrelatingtospecificscenesrelatingto lifecyclestagesofmicrofibrepollutionarein individualpouches.However,asMontessoriis child-led,educator-structured,thesecanbe rearrangedandusedinallactiviities.
MICROFIBRES
ACTION/ ACTIVITYIDEA EDUCATIONALPROPS
Thiskitusespompomsto representmicrofibres.Usethesein allvisualrepresentationof microfibres. Microfibresattractother microfibresandnaturalmaterials andenterthefoodchain.Usethe largerpompomsforthischange.
Howmightyoumakethisintoanactivityforyoungerchildren? Youcouldtakethemicrofibresthathavespreadalloverthe sensorytrayandsortbycolourbymatchingthemicrofibresto theitemstheycomefrom?Olderchildrenmightenjoyideating onnewandbettersolutionsformicroplastics. TheseactivitieslinktothethreetenetsofMontessorieducation. Theseactivitiesbuildvocabulary,concentrationaswellasvisual discriminationandcognitivedevelopment.Forolderchildren,it reallyhelpsbuildtheircognitiveskills.
LINKSTO DATA& THEORY
ACTION/ ACTIVITYIDEA LIFECYCLEOFA MICROFIBRE SCENE Scene1showsthecreationof microfibresthroughourwashing process. LINKSTO DATA& THEORY Childrenmightbeinterestedinlearningmoreaboutmicrofibres. Lookintowatersamplesandseemicrofibresunderthe microscope.Formoreinformation,lookatourSTEMWater Pollutionkit. SUSTAINABILITY SEED Studentsmaychooseto deepdiveintotheclothing andwashingprocessand discoveractionand consequencework. ACTION/ ACTIVITYIDEA Studentsmaychooseto reclassifythemicrofibresby colour,sizeortexture.a Scene2showsthecreationof microfibresthroughourwashing process. Linkmicrofibresolutiontoissuesaroundfastfashion.Howmight wehelpthisglobalissue?Studentsmaywanttoinvestigatethe washingprocessandcreatehomemadenaturalsoapsor completecreativetextileupcyclingprojects.
LIFECYCLEOFA MICROFIBRE SCENE
ACTION/ ACTIVITYIDEA
SUSTAINABILITY SEED
Usethechopsticksand haveturnslearningabout otherculturesand developingfinemotorskills. Removethemicroplastics fromthefish'sstomach.
Scene3showsmicrofibresinour waterwaysandenteringthefood chain.
Scene4featuresafishdinnerwhich containsmicroplastics.
SUSTAINABILITY SEED
Facilitateaconversation withstudentsabout microfibresand microplasticsintheoceans. Whyisitbad?Linkthistoan Arts&Craftactivitywhere studentscreatetheirown mixedmediaaquaticworld.
Youngerstudentsmay choosetocreateaquatic worldswiththeeducational props.
Engageinaconversationaboutmicrofibresinthefoodchain. Whydoesitneedtochange?Whatmightwebeabletodo better?
ACTION/ ACTIVITYIDEA
DISPOSAL
Kits with so many pieces no doubt will lose some along the way. This is a measure of a well loved educational tool. This kit works regardless of how many pieces are lost. If anythingisdamagedalongtheway,keepthose pieces together and send them back to us. We willrecyclethemintonewkits.
SENDITBACKTOUS! Whenyouhavefinishedwiththeeducationalkit, placeitinaboxandsenditbacktous: ReplyPaid1000 22HornsbyRoad,Hornsby NSW,2077 Wewilluseallthebits! ACTION/ ACTIVITYIDEA
ALLINTERNALPIECES
ALLEXTERNALPACKAGING
All the external packaging is 100% recyclable. When opening the kit, put the external packagingintherecyclingbin.
Sensoryplayincludesanythingthatengagesayoungchild'ssensesof touch,smell,taste,sight,andsound,aswellasactivitieswhich encouragemovementandbalance.
Zosh,J M,Hopkins,E J,Jensen,H,Liu,C,Neale,D,Hirsh Pasek,K,Solis,S L,&Whitebread,D (2017) Learningthrough play:areviewoftheevidence(whitepaper) TheLEGOFoundation,DK RetrievedSeptember15,2022from* https://cmslearningthroughplaycom/media/wmtlmbe0/learning through play webpdf
ALLINTERNALPIECES
PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION
LINKSTO DATA& THEORY
MontessoriAustralia(2021) DifferencesbetweenMontessoriandTraditionalEducation RetrievedSeptember14,2022 from*https://montessoriorgau/differences between montessori and traditional education
TheTrueCost(2020) Environmentalimpact RetrievedAugust1,2022from*https://truecostmoviecom/learn more/environmental impact/
Mishra,S,Rath,C,P,Das,P(2019) Marinemicrofiberpollution:Areviewonpresentstatusandfuturechallenges Marine PollutionBulletin 2019 188 197 https://doiorg/101016/jmarpolbul201901039
SENSORIALMATERIALS
REFERENCES
REFERENCES& GLOSSARY
Montessori,M(1995).TheAbsorbentMind:AClassicinEducationandChildDevelopmentforEducatorsandParents. HoltMcDougal
Pre primaryeducationisthefirststageoforganisededucation Its maingoalistohelpveryyoungchildrenadjusttoaschool like environment,ortobridgethegapbetweenhomeandschool This couldbelongdaycare,preschoolandkindergartenclasses
SequencinginMontessoriclassrooms Ideasandplayarepresentedin themostsimplestructureandthenbecomemorecomplexasthe studentsmakeconnectionsandgrapplewithmorethanoneidea
BlueEnvironmentPtyLtd (2018) NationalWasteReport2018 RetrievedSeptember14,2022from* www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/7381c1de 31d0 429b 912c 91a6dbc83af7/files/national waste report 2018.pdf
SIMPLETOCOMPLEX
DeFalco,F,Cocca,M,Avella,M&Thompson,R(2019) MicrofiberReleasetoWater,ViaLaundering,andtoAir,via EverydayUse:AComparisonbetweenPolyesterClothingwithDifferingTextileParameters.EnvironmentalScience& technology.54(6),3288 3296.https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b06892
Montessori,M(1946) TheMontessoriMethod WilderPublications Patch,C(2020).SensoryPlayforToddlersandPreschoolers:EasyProjectstoDevelopFineMotorSkills,Hand Eye Coordination,andEarlyMeasurementConcepts.SkyhorsePublishing
SENSORYPLAY
AMontessoritermfordevelopingstudents'orderingandthinking skillsThematerialsaredesignedaround1feature,suchascolour,size, shape,etc,andthisfocusestheattentiononthat1feature
GROWING EDUCATION KITS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES DIVERTED FROM LANDFILL 200kg of landfill diverted 3201 of items upcycled 1342 pieces of clothing reused