Title: Picking at Plastics
Educators on the team: (for certification max: 4/team – GY Permission for 6) Maccione, Hemberg,
Goulder, Poplin, Penderleith, Strickler
When & Where you attended a training. Dates Aug 18-19, 2014 Town/State Greensboro, NC
Students use knowledge from across the disciplines to strengthen their understanding of each subject’s
content and its related careers through topic or theme oriented realistic problem-based activity-rich
lessons.
Theme that this lesson would tie to: Plastics in Our Environment
Specific Topic Concept within that theme: Properties of Plastic and their uses
PROJECT IDEA + brief notes & supplies
BASIC CONCEPTS
Concept: Students will learn about the history of
plastic. They will research plastic and its uses as
well as different kinds of plastics. Students will
make a guitar pick and decorate it to show how
plastic can be used in our society.
Math – compare sizes of guitar picks
LA – retell how to make a guitar pick
SS – discuss how plastics are useful in our society
PE – students will participate in movement
activities using finished products
MU – they will play different rhythms/tempos
with their guitar picks
Science –
 Concepts –properties of matter
Materials – sponges, variety of plastics
(raincoats, plastic bags, plastic wrap, plastic
bowl) coffee filters, paper, paper towels,
dollar store towels
 Goal / Objectives Standards – KP2.1 KP2.2 Matters, Properties
and Change
KP2.1 Classify objects by observable physical
properties
KP2.2 Compare the observable physical
properties of different kinds of materials.
 Careers – scientist, chemist, physicist,
environmentalist
 Project – how different materials absorb or
do not absorb water.
Expandable/non-expandable toys, sponges,
dollar store towels
First, we will explore porous and non-porous
properties. We will use a dropper to see if
different materials are porous or nonporous. Then, students will place the
porous/non-porous items in the water and
observe what happens.
 Assessment – students will physically sort
items by whether they are porous/nonporous
 Extension – make bioplastic from gelatin
Basic Plan: What is plastic? Introduce plastic by
having a variety of plastic objects available and
letting students touch, feel and explore the
objects. Complete a KWL (what I know, what I
want to know, what I learned) chart to find out
what children know about plastic.
Bring in different types of plastics for children to
explore with (raincoats, plastic bags, plastic
wrap, plastic bowl). Students will experiment
with items to see how porous/non-porous they
are. In class, we will discuss the history of
plastics and guitar picks. Then, they will use
shrinky dinks to make guitar picks. Students will
make a guitar with a cereal box/tissue box and
rubber bands. They will orally retell how-to steps
CC. 2103
Technology & Engineering –
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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for making a guitar pick. In PE, they will
complete rhythm based patterns with their
bodies.
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The children will be assessed on how plastics
can be used/reused to help us.
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Skill level (Grade Range): Kindergarten
Timing of Lesson: 1 month – 20-25 minutes a day
Basic Supplies:
Tissue boxes or cereal boxes
Paper towel rolls
Paint/paintbrushes
Shrinking plastic sheets
Markers
Rubber bands ( will be stretched around the
guitar body)
Poster board
Toaster oven
Scissors
All Subjects:
Individual Subjects:
IT Resources:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CfL5xl2N1Q
How Its Made- Plastic Bags (will show a short
portion of the video)
CC. 2103
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Concepts – designing and constructing a
guitar pick
Goal / Objectives Standards – KP2.1 KP2.2 Matters, Properties
and Change
KP2.1 Classify objects by observable physical
properties
KP2.2 Compare the observable physical
properties of different kinds of materials.
Careers – instrument engineer, instrument
designer, instrument craftsman
Project - shrinking the plastic and making a
finished product, make a guitar out of a
tissue or cereal box.
Teacher-led research on different
kinds/types of guitar picks using internet
and technology in the classroom. Guitar
design will be based on the shape of the
boxes that were donated (tissue box, cereal
box).They will build by attaching the “neck”
(paper towel tube) using tape/glue with the
help of a teacher. They will attach the
rubber bands for the strings. They will
compare/contrast their guitars to a real
guitar.
Assessment – participation in the finished
product and also assessment of whether
they made a usable guitar and guitar pick.
Math –
 Concepts – measurement, estimation
 Goal / Objectives  Standards – K.MD.1 Describe measureable
attributes of objects, such as length or
weight
K.MD.2 Directly compare 2 objects with a
measureable attribute in common
 Careers – data analyst
 Project – how many of the little picks will fit
into a big one? Compare size before and
after the shrinkage. They will use some preshrunk shrinky dink picks and compare them
to the finished guitar picks. Students can
sort piles of the guitar picks into groups
based on size/thickness.
 Assessment – Can students make a good
estimation of how many will fit into a large
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnRRDIFNxoM&list
=PL72931AA82BC79F29&index=8
LEGO… The Building Blocks of Fun
Other Resources:
Contact recycling center to find out about
different types of recyclable plastics and what
recycled plastic is turned into.
Misc:
Gifted – write their own instructional step by
step for making the guitar pick
Photos: pictures will be added as project is
completed (copyright laws prevent us from
copying and pasting photographs from the
internet). Not if you cite them.
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LA –
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SS –
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Art –
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CC. 2103
pick? And can they check their guess.
Extension - time it takes to shrink the pick,
size of decorations before and after
Concepts – speaking, listening
Goal / Objectives Standards – SL.K.1 Participate in
collaborative conversations with diverse
partners
RI.K.1 With prompting and supporting, ask
and answer questions about key details.
Careers – author for instructional manuals,
cookbooks
Project – Step by step, how-to instruction
(will be completed whole group) We will
make a simple chart with pictures and words
for the students to refer to.
Assessment – Orally retell the steps for
making a guitar pick.
Concepts – history of plastic and guitar picks
and how it has changed over time
Goal / Objectives Standards – K.H.1.1 Explain how things have
changed over time
Careers – historian, researcher,
Project - show a video on a factory making
plastics, beginning, middle and end of
manufacturing process
We will complete a Then/Now discussion as
a class using real plastic and non-plastic
objects (ex. plastic bags/paper bags, glass
bottle/plastic bottle, paper milk
carton/plastic milk carton). We will focus on
the benefits of using plastic versus other
items.
Assessment – Draw a picture of a plastic
item and dictate how that item is useful.
Concepts – decorating the guitar pick and
making a guitar out of a tissue box/cereal
box.
Goal / Objectives Standards –
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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PE –
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K.V.2.3 Create original art that does not rely
on copying or tracing
K.V.3.1 Use a variety of tools safely and
appropriately to create art
Careers – artist, guitar maker
Project – decorate their guitar pick using
permanent markers (because the markers
can withstand the high temperatures
needed to make the guitar picks, while paint
and washable markers will not withstand
the high temperatures). Students will
decorate the pick using their first initial and
at least 2 colors. They will make a guitar out
of a tissue or cereal box. Tools used will be
scissors, markers, wax paper, spatula,
toaster oven, oven mitts and cookie sheet.
Assessment – Does the children’s guitar pick
and guitar work and is it visually pleasing? A
rubric will be used to assess final products (2
colors, first initial, when pick is used does it
produce a sound)
Concepts – creating rhythms and beats with
body motions
Goal / Objectives Standards – PE.K.MS.1.4 Use non-locomotor
and locomotor skills in response to even and
uneven rhythms in order to integrate beat
awareness
Careers – dance instructor, dancer
Project – students will participate in rhythm
based patterns using hands, feet, body.
Students will use the instrument they built
in T & E.
Assessment – can they do simple AB, ABC,
ABB patterns with their bodies?
Music –
 Concepts – to play a simple rhythm using
the guitar and guitar pick
 Goal / Objectives  Standards – K.ML.1.3 Execute simple
rhythms using body, instruments, or voice
 Careers – musician, music teacher,
composer
 Project – play the guitar with the picks
CC. 2103
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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CC. 2103
Assessment – can they play a short song on
the guitar?
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief