What is the effect of plastic waste on planktons' ability to fulfill their ecological roles?
In this project, students will collect plankton from our local waters and learn how plastic pollution impacts their function in the environment. Then the class will create mathematical models illustrating what they've learned culminating in a surprising and impactful exhibition of work.
In this project, students will collect plankton from our local waters and learn how plastic pollution impacts their function in the environment. Then the class will create mathematical models illustrating what they've learned culminating in a surprising and impactful exhibition of work.
Planning
1. Samples and Teaching Models
Annotated images pulled from live samples.
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This model of my plankton species is 1:100000 scale.
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The beginning of the project will involve collection of samples of plankton. In collaboration with USD's department of ocean studies we will make our best efforts to identify what we find. Students will make a "teaching model" of their chosen organism with it's functional parts separated into layers.
Included on the teaching model will be initial data visualizations expressing the research that students have begun. |
2. Data Visualizations
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For the second product, students will create a more complex data visualization that expresses the most urgent or impactful conclusions from their research. In my case, I developed a model which predicts the mass of microplastics that are contained within the digestive tracts of plankton in a given sample of water. It is a range with 3 variables so our data visualization is also 3 dimensional.
These models will be abstractions of information, but should present a good opportunity for students to justify their calculations and reasoning. |
This is a model of our plastic volume, not our data visualization. The data viz is the last part of our planning to complete.
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3. Plastic Volumes
The last product will be a 3D volume made of reclaimed plastic bags. The volumes are designed so that participants can climb inside. We will shine footage of the plankton species that we studied and use the volumes as practical mathematical models which illustrate the conclusions reached earlier in the project. Sitting within the volumes will be a surprising and educational experience.
The Petradome is 47.8 M^3 when inflated. That volume of seawater would have approximately 220 pieces of microplastics contained within the plankton swimming there.
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Reclaimed plastic bags make up the volumes and will be recycled at the end of the project.
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This view is from within the inflated volume. The projector is outside shining onto the outer surface of the volume.
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Here's a short example of how the volume inflates.