Visit activity: A Plastic Future?

In this activity students collect information from the Plasticity 100 years of making plastics exhibition to consider the implications of how we use plastics and the impact on our environment, ready for a debate back in school.

Is it time to rethink our appetite for plastics – how, where and why we use them, how much we buy, and how much we throw away?

Using this activity

Before the Museum visit choose one of the following motions:

We should stop using plastics.
We couldn't live without plastics.

Allow small groups to briefly consider the statement and exchange views. Ask them to cast individual votes on the motion based on whether they personally agree, disagree or don’t know. This could be done by placing sticky spots on a large sheet of paper, or with whiteboard voting handsets. Retain the results for comparison after the visit.

In the exhibition ask students to work in small groups using the A Plastic Future? sheet to collect arguments for and against the motion. You will need to write your chosen motion onto the sheet before making photocopies.

A Plastic Future? student sheet (pdf)

Back in school run a debate around the motion. Then repeat the original individual vote to see whether opinions have changed.