Learning Exemplar: Year 3/4 : Plastics topic: Science and English: Summer 21
We are looking for ‘botheredness’ from our pupils. For the sake of good learning as much as anything else but also for the sake of nurturing young people who will grow up confident to speak their truth, we want our pupils to be bothered about the knowledge they encounter and feel empowered to use it/ respond to it in ways that might make a difference.
Our year 3/4 pupils have been learning about plastic in their science topic and about persuasive writing in English. They have set out to make a difference here by writing letters to supermarkets about their use of plastic. These letters were all correctly formatted with addresses and date etc but the formatting on here defeated me.
Letter 1
Dear Sir/Madam,
We’re here today to share to you our concerns regarding the plastic crisis our planet is facing. We are particularly worried about the amount of plastic bags you’re still offering to the public.
When we recently visited your store in Gloucester we were horrified to discover the amount of plastic bags you’re still offering to the people out there. We are thinking in the 21st century plastic bags should be a thing of the past and instead of plastic bags for life it should be paper bags for life.
We are ashamed about the total amount of UK supermarkets which are still offering plastic bags to the public to help carry their shopping. Really, why do they even need plastic bags when you can just use biodegradable products? Why are you not doing what Morrisons are doing and selling paper bags instead of plastic bags? I just can’t believe how so many supermarkets are still using plastic bags for helping everyone.
How would you be feeling if every single time you had a gulp of water you also have a plastic bag in your system? This happens daily for some creatures like turtle and Whales all over the seven seas. When they have this plastic they will either die from starvation or slowly suffocate and die! The reason why they starve is because the plastic that the creature’s eating is blocking its digestion system so it won’t be able to eat.
Were you aware that scientists predict by the year of 2050 the plastic bags that we know today will be more than the amount of fish in the ocean if we don’t react now? Recently scientists have done studies that show that none only animals are living and dying, but we too humans have plastic in our system!
If a fish has Nano plastics in them and if we eat that same fish, us humans also have those plastics in us. Studies also show that new babies are born with plastics in their blood stream which could damage their lung cells! Plastic pollution none other is impacting the sea creatures also if sea grass, seaweed and coral is swarmed in plastic they will slowly die.
And then it will cause erosion to our cost lines making damage which cannot be repaired this is otherwise known as irreversible damage! And did you know that a group of albatross chicks were found in their nest dead, scientists have opened this up and found plastics in their system! It is thought that their parents have given this too them with its plastic diets.
We know that covid 19 has had an impact but it doesn’t mean you have to change your ways here are a few ideas on how you can improve your business. My first suggestion is that you should STOP using plastic wrappings to cover your food products. That way you could use biodegradable wrapping like potatoes or mushrooms. Second make all your food loose to sell to the public because then there will be less plastics on animals environments and habitats. And also you must aim to have no plastic in your area so you can become a plastic free supermarket. I feel that by the year 2023 you need to stop. And also you can reuse some products and make them into an eco-friendly product like a plant pot or a devise because they’ve made plastic bags out of mushrooms so surely it’s possible with devises. And whilst you’re doing that you should also try to encourage your customers to bring in biodegradable pots.
Stores and supermarkets could make a big difference to how the people could fink about the plastic crisis. If you continue making good changes to your stores then surely all your customers will follow your behaviour. To be honest right now I hear the phrase plan B used when plan A doesn’t work as you expected but let’s change that to planet A we only have one and you can’t go to planet B so let’s work together and make the planet A the planet we deserve to have.
We are looking forward to your response.
Yours faithfully
Charlie
Sapphire Class 2021
Letter 2
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are writing to you to share our concerns regarding the plastic crisis our planet is now facing we are very concerned about the amount of plastic you use in your fruit and vegetable aisle. We have seen that almost everything is wrapped up in thin plastic that is potentially non-recyclable in your super market
When we recently visited one of your stores in Cheltenham, we were devastated to find out how much plastic waste is in your fresh food department. It’s horrifying to see what might be swallowed by an animal later on. Why do cucumbers have to be wrapped in plastic? Why turnips? Why parsnips? Why avocados? We see no reason.
We are embarrassed by the amount of plastic in U.K. supermarkets and stores. I do not get why bananas [and many others] need to be covered in plastic packaging or bubble wrap. It does not make sense if they have a tough skin! You know if you want to be the number one super market do what Morrisons have done. Morrisons have banned all plastic bags in there super market and they have paper bags for life. How impressive! We should have got rid of plastic packaging and wrapping years ago it’s disgraceful. Surely instead of using plastic you can use biodegradable packaging to protect fruit and veg with weak skin. We have also seen that lose apples cost more than pre-packaged apples. Why?
How would you feel if every time you drank water you swallowed a plastic bag? Well that is what happens to dolphins, turtles and many others daily. When they swallow the plastic bag they usually either suffocate slowly and die or starve to death because the plastic blocks their digestive system. Did you know that scientists predict that there shall be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050? Studies show that potentially all new born babies have micro/nano plastics in their blood stream! Did you know that sea grass is getting blocked with plastic that means they can’t stop the tides eroding U.K. coast lines. 9 out of 10 sea birds have plastic in them! It has been predicted that by 2030 we will not be able to stop the plastic crisis!
We have a few suggestions and ideas. First, ban all use of plastic wrapping in your fresh food department. Why not use biodegradable wrapping? It’s much better for the environment and it is usually made from potatoes or mushrooms so you can plant it into the ground and turn it into compost. Next make all your fruit and veg departments have no plastic wrapping at all. Also you need to aim to be a plastic free super market by 2023. We ask you to please encourage your customers to bring their own non plastic containers and glass bottles for fresh food and fresh drink.
Shops can make an almighty difference in how people look at the plastic crisis. If you continue to make good choices, your costumers will follow. In all truth we have until 2030 and there’s no plan B so let’s keep plan A lets work together! And save the planet we have.
We look forward to your response
Yours faithfully,
Lucy and Bonnie
Sapphire Class 2021
Letter 3
Dear Sir and Madam,
We are writing to you to inform you of the plastic crisis confronting our planet. We are most concerned about the food packaging in your shop that is unnecessary plastic.
Since we visited your shop in Cheltenham, we were absolutely devastated by how much fresh food was wrapped in plastic, such as bananas, avocados, cucumbers and many more fruit and veg items that don’t have to be covered in plastic. Those plastic sheets are then thrown away by people who don’t care to recycle.
We are fully ashamed by the crazed mass of U.K. supermarkets that have been wrapping fruit and veg in plastic/bubble wrap. Why does society have to have food in plastic? Shouldn’t people have some choice? And shouldn’t biodegradable containers be cheaper than plastic sheeting? In our century that is one of the things that needs to be accomplished in the nearest possible year.
Did you know that animals are dying at an alarming rate because of plastics blocking there body systematics? Recently, the amount of living creatures on our planet has been dropping at an utterly outstanding rate! Would you like it if you accidently swallowed a Haribos wrapper with a glass of water? This catastrophic event happens to thousands of sea animals and corals every day. Were you aware that every tiny part of plastic that ever entered the seven oceans is still there, standing in the depths? Recent studies have said that if sea ‘forests’ die, some land will be eroded away by the sea. Pollution in our oceans is as bad as it comes.
We have big suggestions on how to exit plastic tyranny for your supermarket. Firstly, have all the plastic on your bakery items banned. A huge amount of bread is completely suffocating because of its wrapping system. Instead, maybe have apricot boxes with the food inside them. Secondly, various fresh food items reign plastic. On occasion to that mistake, you could take the plastic off, and then use that to build statues to fascinate and attract customers. This advice will help solve plastic and give you twice the money! We need to know that by the first of January 2023 00:00 AM there will be no plastic at all in your supermarket(s).
Supermarkets can have a big impact on how community thinks about this chaos – We bet there’s an average 3.9876 billion tonnes weight of plastic in at least Europe! If you change your shop for the Gods of good, then surely your clients will follow your path.
Yours Faithfully,
Edward and Lucas,
Sapphire Class