Synergy: Garbage

GARBAGE is material discarded by humans because it’s no longer of use. Sometimes called trash, rubbish, or waste, these objects include organic matter such as food scraps, dry goods like boxes and bottles, and consumer products made of plastic, wood, metal, glass or cloth. Garbology is the study of modern trash.

Read the recently published narrative nonfiction for middle grades, then learn more at the websites:

TOTAL GARBAGE: A MESSY DIVE INTO TRASH, WASTE, AND OUR WORLD written by Rebecca Donnelly and illustrated by John Hendrix traces the history of the trash and waste generated by humans. In addition, readers learn about the different types of garbage, how it’s managed, and what individuals can do to reduce their impact on the Earth. ARC courtesy of Henry Holt and Co., an imprint of Macmillan.

HISTORY OF GARBAGE from SWA provides a brief timeline of trash.

To read the article, go to https://swa.org/DocumentCenter/View/277/History-of-Garbage-PDF.

GARBOLOGY from BBC is an article exploring patterns in people’s waste.

To read the article, go to https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220429-garbology-how-to-spot-patterns-in-peoples-waste.

GARBOLOGY from UW video shares the work of garbologists at the University of Washington.

To view the video, go to https://youtu.be/1C2aQuK_LD4.

Book Review: Plastic Ahoy! Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

PLASTIC AHOY! INVESTIGATING THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH by Patricia Newman tells the story of scientists investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The narrative unfolds as a mystery being solved by a team of scientists lead by three female researchers.

Written for grades 4-8, this highly illustrated work of nonfiction contains photographs, diagrams, and a map to help readers understand the science behind the exciting research project. Up-close photos show scientific experiments in action. “Trash Talk” sidebars provide important insights into the the scientific method being employed and the problem of plastic pollution. The book concludes with ideas for how youth can take action in their own community. Notes and ideas for further reading round out this excellent educational resource.

Similar in style to the SCIENTISTS IN THE FIELD series popular with older children, this book is a great way to introduce younger readers to the world of science and scientists. It will be a popular addition to the school library collection.

Go the Five Gyres Institute at http://5gyres.org/ and the NOAA Marine Debris website http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/ for lots of background information.

For more visual information about the garbage patch, do a Google Images Search to locate dozens of visual containing maps and infographics such as the one at Visual.ly at http://visual.ly/great-pacific-garbage-patch-0. Ask students to pick the visual that they think best represents the problem and explain why.

To learn more about the book’s author, go to http://www.patriciamnewman.com/. Her blog contains lots of book extension ideas. Go to http://www.patricianewmanbooks.blogspot.com/.

Publisher ARC used for review