© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 17

Abstract

“Clean Up Crew: Empowering Future Changemakers” is a NOAA Planet Stewards 

project designed to educate, inspire, and motivate students about marine debris 

mitigation in the K-5 public school setting. This was a year-long project integrating 

marine debris education, stewardship, and outreach with Next Generation Science 

Standards (NGSS, 2013). Students embarked on a journey to understand and learn 

how marine debris impacts our coastal community, school, and homes. Together, we 

removed 327 pounds of trash from area beaches, completed more than 800 acts of 

environmental stewardship, and shared our learning with our community through 

outreach and art. Students applied STEM principles throughout the project to 

address marine debris through personal and civic action to improve our world.

Introduction

“People protect what they love....” –Jacques Cousteau. For young children, their world 

includes home, school, the backyard, and the playground. At this stage, it is essential 

to foster empathy and encourage exploration of their environment. Our backyard and 

playgrounds are the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding waterways. Our students need 

learning experiences that reach beyond the classroom, allowing them to learn about local 

biodiversity and develop a lifelong love and understanding of the surrounding environment. 

Encouraging young learners to develop a deep love for the wildlife and ecosystems 

surrounding them will empower them to make choices that protect and preserve our 

precious resources.

Clean Up Crew: Empowering Future Changemakers is a NOAA Planet Stewards project 

designed to educate young learners about marine debris and its impact on beaches and 

marine life. As coastal community residents, we witness the impact of derelict fishing gear, 

single-use plastics, and abandoned recreational equipment on our beaches and waterways. 

It is common to see sand toys, water bottles, beach chairs, and tents left on the beach after a 

busy summer weekend. This debris damages our sensitive coastal and marine ecosystems, 

from the smallest microscopic organisms to larger animals like sharks, whales, and sea 

turtles (NOAA, 2021). The pressure placed on our sensitive marine ecosystems is immense, 

Clean Up Crew: 

Empowering Future Changemakers

Kelley Hodges, Patronis Elementary School and an Adjunct Professor of Science Education at Florida 

State University-Panama City Beach Florida

The walls of the Patronis 

Elementary School media center 

were transformed to showcase 

the importance of our waterways, 

marine animals, and marine 

ecosystems

Photo Credit: Kelley Hodges
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 18 The Earth Scientist

Table 1. Possible connections to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013)

Performance Expectations

2-PS1-1 Matter and Its Interactions: Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify kinds of materials by their observable properties

K-ESS3-3. Earth and Human Activity: Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the

local environment

5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources 

and environment

Science and Engineering Practice

• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

• Analyzing and Interpreting Data

• Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Disciplinary Core Idea

• ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems: Things that people do to live comfortably can affect the world around the

• ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem: Asking questions, making observations, and gathering information are helpful in thinking

about problems. 

• ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions: Designs can be conveyed through sketches, drawings, or physical model

• ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems: Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land,

vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space

Cross-Cutting Concept

• Patterns: Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed

• Cause and Effect: Events have causes that generate observable patterns

• Energy and Matter: Objects may break into smaller pieces and be put together into larger pieces, or change shapes

Overview of Grade Level Plans for Each Nine Week Period 

First Quarter (August 10- October 8)

3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade

Major Themes Nature of Science Nature of Science Nature of Science

Stewardship Beach Clean Up & Sea Turtle Beach Clean Up & Sea Turtle Beach Clean Up & Sea Turtle

Data Collection Count/Sort Marine Debris Count/Sort Marine Debris Count/Sort Marine Debris

Outreach Activities Share with school & social media Share with school & social media Share with school & social media

STEM Career Activities Nancy Evou-NOAA Nancy Evou-NOAA Nancy Evou-NOAA

Second Quarter (October 11 - December 22)

3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade

Major Themes Energy & Transformations Earth's Features/FL Resources Climate & Weather

Stewardship Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

Data Collection Cafeteria Plastic Cafeteria Plastic Cafeteria Plastic

Outreach Activities Marine Debris Masks Marine Debris Masks Marine Debris Masks

STEM Career Activities GWMI-Virtual GWMI-Virtual GWMI-Virtual

Third Quarter (January 7 - March 11)

3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade

Major Themes Plants Life Cycles Comparative Anatomy

Stewardship Civic Action Civic Action Civic Action

Data Collection Marine Debris Data Tracker Marine Debris Data Tracker Marine Debris Data Tracker

Outreach Activities Art Contest Art Contest Art Contest

STEM Career Activities NSA-PC Field Trip NSA-PC Field Trip NSA-PC Field Trip

Fourth Quarter (March 14- May 25)

3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade

Major Themes Adaptations Adaptations & Food Chains Adaptations

Stewardship Earth Week Challenge (Choice Boards) Earth Week Challenge Earth Week Challenge

Data Collection Choice Boards & Trash Removal Choice Boards & Trash Removal Choice Boards & Trash Removal

Outreach Activities Marine Debris Art on Trash Cans Marine Debris Art on Trash Cans Marine Debris Art on Trash Cans

STEM Career Activities Michelle Duncan @ NOAA Michelle Duncan @ NOAA Michelle Duncan @ NOAA

Figure 1. Project Timeline and Stewardship Activities
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 19

and it is time to create meaningful educational and stewardship opportunities for our young 

learners and future changemakers.

The Process

This project integrated marine debris education, stewardship, and outreach with Next 

Generation Science Standards (NGSS, 2013). 

Education is the most crucial step in marine debris mitigation and a critical part of the 

project’s long-term and lasting success. (Zeh, 2021). Broad goals in designing the project 

included guiding learners to become aware of marine debris in their community, within 

their schools and homes, and engaging learners in meaningful stewardship to reduce 

marine debris through personal action and community outreach.

We started by outlining a year-long educational plan and identifying the project’s 

stakeholders. They included our school administration, classroom educators, community 

partners, and local organizations. A quarterly plan was established and shared with the 

stakeholders (see Figure 1), and tentative dates were set prior to the school year. 

Project Outcomes

■ Mobilize elementary students to engage in environmental stewardship 

activities connected to removing and eliminating marine debris in our school 

and community.

■ Remove 300 pounds of trash from area beaches and our school campus

■ Inventory plastic generated in the school cafeteria over a week and use it to 

create trash art.

■ Implement NGSS-aligned science lessons to educate students about 

marine debris.

■ Engage our students in outreach activities that allow them to share their 

learning and stewardship with our local community.

Implementation

Looking Out: Trash and Debris on Our Beaches

Our school is just miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and interconnected waterways surround 

our community. Sea turtles and shorebirds nest on our beaches, and marine life include 

dolphins, manatees, sharks, and fish. Our community has local organizations dedicated to 

conservation and education. We partnered with a local non-profit, “Keep PCB Beautiful,” to 

offer beach cleanups on three Saturday mornings between August and October. 

Our school families removed 327 pounds of trash from area beaches. We collected the trash 

and displayed it at school for all students to see. They marveled at the things people leave 

behind (hats, sunglasses, and shoes) and wrinkled their noses at other trash items (cigarette 

butts, straws, and food wrappers). The trash was cleaned, sorted, measured, and weighed in 

the STEAM Lab and integrated with NGSS-aligned science lessons.

In addition to the beach cleanups, we adopted sea turtle nests through a local NOAA affiliate, 

Panama City Beach Turtle Watch (PCB Turtle Watch). Volunteers from PCB Turtle Watch 

allowed students and families to attend nest excavations. At the excavations, we counted the 

eggs, observed hatchlings, and learned from biologists about the nesting habits of sea turtles. 
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 20 The Earth Scientist

Continuing our learning about sea turtles, we invited Gulf World Marine Institute to our 

school to share with students their work to rescue and rehabilitate stranded marine animals. 

Students participated in a mock turtle stranding and viewed artifacts like the jawbone of a 

sperm whale. All of our community partners helped students make connections between 

marine species and the impact of marine debris on animals and ecosystems.

Looking In: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle at School and at Home

Opportunities for students to investigate and observe marine debris at school and at 

home started with collecting single-use plastic used in our school cafeteria. 100% of our 

students receive free and reduced lunch. We focused our collection and observations on 

plastic generated from the cafeteria and remained mindful that many students have little 

control over how their food is prepared or served. Student teams outfitted with gloves and 

a bucket collected plastic at the end of lunch. They collected sandwich bags, straws, lids, 

trays, utensils, and bowls. The plastic was cleaned and sorted, and displayed in the STEAM 

(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Lab. With each grade level, we 

discussed the types of plastic and the amount of plastic waste generated in a week and over 

a year. We created a list of actions students can take to reduce plastic waste, and we created 

Image 1. Marine debris from beach clean-ups is placed on a 

tarp outside of the STEAM Lab. The marine debris in this photo

was used in the STEAM Lab for students to sort, measure, and 

weigh. Photo Credit: Kelley Hodge

Image 2. Students are 

using marine debris 

to learn about the 

properties of matter

Photo Credit: Kelley Hodges

Image 3. Students 

are participating in a 

mock turtle stranding

In this photo, they are 

working alongside a 

scientist to measure, 

weigh, and observe 

a stranded turtle

Together they 

moved the turtle to 

a safe location for 

medical help

Photo Credit: Kelley Hodges
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 21

recommendations to reduce plastic in our cafeteria. Student observations included plastic 

utensils and Styrofoam trays used only once. Students created a list of recommendations for 

our cafeteria provider and wrote more than one hundred letters with specific examples to 

reduce single-use plastic in our cafeteria. We invited a representative from the food service 

company to visit with our students and listen to their concerns about single-use plastic in 

our cafeteria. The visit taught us that the Styrofoam trays and plastic-wrapped utensils were 

due to COVID guidelines. Many reusable items, like lunch trays and utensils, were stored 

away for the time being. While we were not successful in reducing plastic in our cafeteria, 

our students learned they could question our cafeteria providers and seek change through 

positive communication.

Taking Action: What Can We Do?

Stewardship is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s 

care. Our goal included guiding students to learn that they can make a difference in the 

world in which they live. An essential element is encouraging them to make personal 

choices at school and home to reduce single-use plastic and marine debris. Two stewardship 

challenges were offered to the entire school, one in the fall and one in the spring. A choice 

board with nine stewardship activities was sent home with students. The choice board 

included a parent letter explaining the goals for the challenge. Challenges included 

bringing a litterless lunch, a reusable water bottle, and picking up trash at school or in their 

neighborhood. Altogether, the choice board had nine challenges. We collected data on the 

number of challenges completed in the fall and compared the data with those completed in 

the spring.

Students’ excitement and desire to engage in environmental stewardship throughout the 

school year blossomed. By November, students formed clubs and used recess time to pick 

up trash in our schoolyard. Data collected from student-driven stewardship included 

participation in campus cleanups and weighing and sorting the amount of marine debris 

collected from beach and campus cleanups. 

Outreach

Art is a powerful way to communicate, educate, and inform. In this project, we used art to 

communicate and share the stewardship activities completed by our students. Students 

Figure 2. We collected data on the number of stewardship activities 

completed through the stewardship challenges

Figure 3. Pounds of debris removed during clean-up activities
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Page 22 The Earth Scientist

created trash art and participated in a school-wide marine debris art contest. Our art 

teacher, Jessica Hughson, found inspiration in the Washed Ashore curriculum and guided 

students to create art from marine debris collected during beach cleanups. 

Artwork included a sea turtle made from buckets and shovels, a crab made from spoons, 

birds made from cups and straws. The artwork caused people to stop and think and wonder. 

It also provided an educational opportunity 

for our community to learn about the 

impact of marine debris. The art contest 

allowed students to share their learning 

about marine debris in a creative format. 

The art contest 

was a school-wide 

event; we received 

more than 55 

submissions. 

Students drew 

pictures of sea 

turtles surrounded 

by fishing nets, 

plastic bottles, and 

spoons floating 

in an ocean filled 

with wildlife. They 

chose messages like 

“Save Our Beaches” 

and “Be a Part of 

the Solution...Not 

Image 4, 5, 6. A local fishing rodeo showcased our 3rd-grade 

trash art. 100 students’ art pieces were displayed at the art show,

along with posters communicating the purpose of the art and 

the stewardship activity of removing marine debris from area 

beaches. Photo Credit: Kelley Hodge

Image 7. 87 students submitted artwork for the marine debris 

art contest. The artwork was displayed in the STEAM Lab before

the winning artwork was chosen. This image shows the artwork

displayed in the classroom. Photo Credit: Kelley Hodge

Image 8. The trash cans created from the marine debris 

art contest are stacked in front of our school

Photo Credit: Kelley Hodges
© 2023 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XL, Issue 1 Page 23

the Pollution” to accompany their artwork. We sent the images from the winning artwork to 

a local company that transferred the images to vinyl and wrapped trash cans with them. The 

trash cans now line our school and continue to inform and educate visitors, students, and 

staff about the impact of marine debris on our ecosystems.

Results

Stewardship: 

■ 120 members from our school (parents and children) removed 327 pounds of 

marine debris from area beaches. 

■ 90 students completed 357 acts of stewardship in the fall and 105 students 

completed more than 490 acts of environmental stewardship in the spring. 

■ Outreach: 300 pieces of trash art were created by our third, fourth, and 

fifth-grade students.

Conclusion

We experienced a few challenges with the implementation of this project. Each challenge 

required communication, flexibility, and creativity to accomplish the vision of the project. 

Ongoing COVID restrictions limited off-campus field trips. This required us to coordinate 

with community organizations and offer events in alternative formats. We invited the 

experts to our school and embedded learning within the normal school day. We experienced 

additional unintended positive results as students felt empowered and energized to engage 

in stewardship. We had groups of students form environmental clubs and they used recess 

to pick up trash around the school campus. We also had a wonderful response from parents 

and our community supporting our efforts to encourage environmental stewardship.

References

NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. https://www.

nextgenscience.org/search-standards

NOAA. 2021. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 26 May 2021, https://www.noaa.gov/

education/resource-collections/marine-life. 

Zeh, J. 2021. Marine debris: What is it and how can you help? NAMEPA. Retrieved January 2, 2023, from 

https://namepa.net/2017/01/04/2017-1-3-marine-debris-what-is-it-and-how-can-you-help/

About the Author

Kelley Hodges is a Science Intervention Teacher at Patronis Elementary School and an Adjunct Professor of Science Education at Florida 

State University-Panama City. She lives in Panama City Beach, Florida, and is in her 20th year of teaching. Her career in education include

teaching college, high school, middle school, and elementary school science and mathematics. Her current role at Patronis Elementary

School includes hands-on inquiry-based science instruction for students in grades 3, 4, and 5 and science instructional support and 

guidance for all classroom teachers. Since joining Patronis Elementary School, she has secured funding to support science instruction and

environmental education and developed a schoolwide environmental stewardship program focused on marine debris and its impact on 

marine ecosystems. She established a multi-age First LEGO League robotics program at Patronis supporting efforts to bring coding, robotics,

fun, and core values to young learners. Her work in the community includes curriculum development and teacher training for STEM in a Box,

a joint effort between Florida State University and the Navy Lab-Panama City. Kelley earned a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Physiology and

Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego and a Master’s Degree in Science Education from Florida State University. Kelley

can be reached at hodgekc@bay.k12.fl.us or khodges1993@comcast.