This article examines the effectiveness of a new science curriculum designed to increase 8th-grade students' knowledge and awareness of microplastic pollution. The study involved 84 students aged 13-15 in a hybrid learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, with students alternating between in-person and remote participation. The study was conducted in the United States at a public middle school in Massachusetts with schooling from grades 6 to 8. The middle school was in an inland town and thus no students lived along the coast. The curriculum combined three teaching methods: lectures, a hands-on density separation laboratory experiment, and peer collaboration through poster creation.
Pre-assessment results revealed limited knowledge of microplastics, with 90% of students providing only descriptive definitions (e.g., "small pieces of plastic") and 10% indicating no previous knowledge. Post-assessment showed significant improvement, with 100% of students able to define microplastics and 23% correctly identifying the scientific size threshold (<5mm). The percentage of students who believed plastic "never" degrades decreased significantly after the lesson, with more students correctly recognizing it takes 20+ years. The student posters demonstrated their understanding of plastic pollution issues, with 81% depicting pollution in aquatic environments and 56% specifically addressing microplastic pollution.
The study identified some limitations, including challenges with remote student engagement during laboratory activities and the need for more structured guidance to ensure microplastic concepts were emphasized in student posters. Nevertheless, student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 81% rating their learning experience highly. The researchers conclude that combining multiple teaching methods effectively increased students' knowledge and awareness of microplastic pollution, even in a challenging hybrid learning environment.
The findings highlight the importance of hands-on activities and peer collaboration in environmental education, suggesting that well-designed science curricula can successfully increase awareness of emerging environmental issues like microplastic pollution. This approach could be adapted for other educational settings to promote environmental literacy among middle school students.
The Bottom Line
This study by Hogan and Urban-Rich (2025) tested the effectiveness of a new curriculum designed to increase middle school students' knowledge and awareness of microplastic pollution through a combination of lectures, hands-on laboratory experiments, and peer collaboration. Conducted with 84 eighth-grade students in a hybrid learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers found significant improvements in students' understanding of microplastics between pre- and post-assessments. Initially, 90% of students could only describe microplastics as "small" or "tiny" pieces of plastic, but after the intervention, 100% could provide a definition, with 23% correctly identifying the scientific size threshold (<5mm). Student-created posters demonstrated their grasp of plastic pollution concepts, with 81% depicting aquatic pollution and 56% specifically addressing microplastics. Despite challenges with remote student engagement, feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 81% of students rating their learning experience highly, suggesting that combining multiple teaching methods effectively increases environmental awareness even in challenging educational settings.