Invisible veins are connecting us all in hidden ways, my S.T.E.A.M. curriculum unit seminar asks students to consider invisible ways microplastics impact the water, the air, the animals, and the overall environment. This unit of study is centered around the metaphor of rivers as the planet's veins, yet there are other veins in the planet and this unit challenges students to uncover unseen environmental threats particularly plastic pollution and microplastics that travel through hidden veins of the planet maybe microplastics are in waterways connecting ecosystems to create a domino effect across the globe. Besides being inspired by Professor Peter Raymond the 1992 book "friendly floatees" spill (28,800 rubber ducks that drifted across oceans) as well as footage of Midway Island albatrosses dying from ingested plastic, are the hooks used to get students inspired to explore ecological interconnectedness, cultural attitudes toward water, and the concept of biomimicry. This unit of study is designed primarily for 11th–12th grade Art Foundations students at The Sound School in New Haven, CT (with adaptable versions for PreK–12), the unit spans seven 60-minute lessons. Students self-select an environmental research direction, study eco-artists and then create individual artworks, as well as present a 3 to 5 minute Google Slides presentation. Emphasis is placed on independent research, design thinking, public speaking, active listening, and personal reflection on micro plastics as an issue in the environment. Students create an artwork that depicts the topic selected.
(Developed for S.T.E.A.M. and Art foundations; recommended for Arts, Science, and S.T.E.A.M., grades K-12)
