Educational project on marine pollution
After solving “What we leave in the sea”, case 5 of Katadoku Original, the investigation continues in class. The logic game's clues lead to new questions: how the waste reached the sea, what effects it has and how to prevent it from happening again.
The challenge that starts the project
During the clean-up of a cove, nine discarded objects have been found. Using the clues, students must work out where each object was in a 3 × 3 grid and identify the object in position 9. They can solve it on paper or on the classroom screen. The project then uses these objects to investigate their effects.
Guidance for teachers
The project starts with case 5 of Katadoku Original and continues with an investigation into the waste found.
Objective. Understand how different types of waste can affect the marine environment, analyse how they get there and propose specific prevention measures.
Skills and themes. Analysis and reasoned argument; cause and effect; finding and selecting information; prevention and environmental responsibility; developing specific proposals.
Materials. The Katadoku, printed or on the classroom screen; the project worksheet, printed or projected; and reliable sources for researching batteries.
One lesson. Suggested timing for a 55-minute lesson: 15 minutes for the Katadoku, 10 for examining the evidence and tracing the effects, 10 for reconstructing events, 10 for researching batteries and 10 for proposing measures and sharing conclusions. Select reliable sources in advance and allow brief answers in pairs.
What to assess. Some questions are open-ended and have more than one valid answer: give particular weight to the reasoning. For the battery research, ask students to identify their sources and select reliable information.
For teachers. Prepare two worksheets: first the logic case, then the activities that build on it. Print each separately or project them in class for students to answer in their notebooks.
First, solve the Katadoku online or on paper: choose whichever option you prefer. Then continue with the project activities.
Preview of the worksheet you will print
Educational project on marine pollution
Waste in the sea: the investigation continues
Before you start. Solve case 5 of Katadoku Original. Then continue with these activities.
Katadoku Original · Case 5What we leave in the seaDifficulty: Mediumhttps://katadoku.com/en/what-we-leave-in-the-sea/
CASE SOLVED!
In position 9 there was ____________________________.
Continue the investigation: discover the effects this waste can have and how we could prevent it from reaching the sea.
Evidence from the seabed
Look at the nine objects found in the case. Choose the three you consider most harmful to the marine environment and rank them. There is no single correct answer: you will need to explain your decision.
Anchor 
Bottle 
Cigarette butt 
Can 
Face mask 
Tyre 
Batteries 
Fishing net 
Shoe
- First object:
- Second object:
- Third object:
Why did you put that object first?
Which object could harm an animal without being eaten? Choose one and explain how.
Follow the trail
- 01 · The sourceDamaged batteries
- 02 · The environment
- 03 · Living organisms
- 04 · The food chainOther animals
Complete the trail and explain why a small piece of waste can affect living things that are not close to it.
Reconstruct the events
Choose one of the objects and reconstruct a realistic journey explaining how it could have ended up in the cove. Identify the point when we could still have prevented it.
The object in my investigationName of the object: __________________________
Where did it start?
What happened next?
How did it reach the water?
At what point could we have prevented it from reaching the sea? What should have been done?
The battery report
The batteries found in the cove need a closer investigation. Find out what should have happened to them once they were no longer used.
Where should we take them?
Why should we not abandon them or throw them away with any other waste?
What happens to batteries after they are collected correctly?
Note the sources you consulted:
Verdict: why can discarded batteries be a problem even though they take up very little space?
Let's protect the cove
Propose three specific measures to prevent this waste from reaching the sea again. “Do not pollute” is not enough: explain what should be done.
01 An everyday action What can we change in our habits?
02 A group action What can we organise in class or at school?
03 An action in the cove What measure would help protect this place?
Before handing it in
- I have explained my answers, not just written them down.
- I have used reliable information in my research.
- My three proposals say what to do and how to do it.