The Driving Question

Did you know there is a giant area of floating trash in the Pacific Ocean called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Scientists have discovered that millions of pieces of plastic and other waste have gathered together because of ocean currents. Some of the trash is large enough to see, but much of it has broken into tiny pieces called microplastics.

In our Invention and Innovation class, we are becoming problem-solvers and change-makers! Our driving question is: How can we help clean our oceans?

As we learn about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, we are studying how pollution affects sea animals, ocean ecosystems, and people around the world. We are asking important questions, researching facts, and thinking like inventors.

Students will work together to design creative solutions that could help remove trash from the ocean, prevent plastic from reaching waterways, or encourage people to reduce waste. Some students may design cleanup robots, floating collection devices, recycling inventions, or awareness campaigns.