Marine litter (5-7)

Litter in our seas can cause harm to our marine environment in a number of ways. These teaching resources will help students explore and understand the impacts of litter on our seas.

    1. Litter detectives

    This lesson provides an introduction to what litter is, how it reaches our seas, and how long it takes to break up in our environment.

    Includes an interactive litter timeline activity and looking at real waste items students bring in from home.

    1. Litter detectives (ages 5-7) Lesson plan

    Litter and plastic waste.  |  Image credit: Jon Tyson

    2. How clean are our seas?

    This lesson gives an overview of litter pollution in our ocean, looking at why it’s an important issue and focusing particularly on how animals are affected by litter.

    2. How clean are our seas? (ages 5-7) Lesson plan

    A sea turtle entangled in a discarded fishing net  |  Image credit: Mohamed Abdulraheem via Shutterstock

    3. Travelling from source to sea

    Use this lesson to explore how litter reaches our seas, with an activity mapping out your school or group's connection to the ocean and studying real beach clean data.

    3. Travelling from source to sea (ages 5-7) Lesson plan
    a large accumulation of litter

    This image captures a moment of significant environmental pollution on a Scottish shoreline with the Forth Bridge in the background.  |  Image credit: Catherine Gemmell

    4. Taking action on litter

    Explore litter in the environment near you and take action by going on a litter pick, analysing the data you record, and creating a campaign or poster to raise awareness of the problem.

    Download the Street clean assessment template

    Download the river clean assessment template

    4. Taking action on litter (ages 5-7)
    a volunteer taking part in a beach clean-up

    A volunteer taking part in a beach clean-up  |  Image credit: Billy Barraclough

    5. Artivism

    Learn how environmental artists have used art to take action on marine litter and other social issues. Then create an artivism (art and activism) piece to raise awareness amongst your school and local community of the problem of marine litter.

    Download the Artivism presentation

    5. Artivism (ages 5-7) lesson plan

    A classroom art project  |  Image credit: Kirsty Crawford

    Extra resources

    Check out the wildlife A-Z

    Learn about our amazing local species

    Check out other ocean topics for 5-7 year olds

    An underwater shot of seaweed

    Amazing ocean (5-7)

    With these resources your students will explore incredible underwater landscapes and the many creatures that live above and below the water's surface.
    A school of sardines swimming in the ocean

    Sustainable seafood (5-7)

    Learn how ocean-friendly fishing helps protect our seas and wildlife, economies and livelihoods, and helps provide safe food as part of a healthy diet.
    A shot of waves crashing into a cliff.On the cliff, 2 people can be seen.

    Protect the ocean (5-7)

    Explore why the ocean is so important, how humans benefit from and impact its resources, and how we can protect it in this series of lessons.