Classroom Lesson with Bowman Ashe Doolin K-8 Center

On Friday, October 24, 2025, The International SeaKeepers Society returned to Bowman Ashe Doolin K-8 center to teach 74 second grade students about watershed science and marine pollution. Through use of the Enviroscapes Watershed Model, students got to get their hands dirty using food to symbolize the sources and types of pollutants on a 3-D model of a city. Using spray bottles, students “made it rain” and were able to visualize the pathways that pollutants take to become marine debris, cascading from higher elevation to lower elevation through rivers, storm drains and runoff. Next, through the Sink or Float activity, the students learned more about one of the most dangerous types of marine debris, plastic. Students learned about five of the seven types of plastic used in every day items such as food, beverage and cosmetic packaging. After getting the chance to look at and touch items of these plastic types, students made hypotheses about whether they would sink or float in seawater. Their hypotheses were put to the test using cups of water and small squares of plastic, which led the students to consider how different marine species and habitats would be impacted by the buoyancy of different items. Before carrying on with their day, the students were asked to think of solutions to prevent trash from becoming marine debris, and were encouraged to act with sustainability in mind in the future. We are so grateful to Bowman Ashe Doolin for hosting us once again, and look forward to collaborating with them again soon!