Children at De Bloemaert primary school in the Netherlands, are spending this month learning about ‘plastic soup’ and the problem of ghost fishing nets. Lessons will focus on keeping nature clean, the effects of litter on nature, and the problem of plastic soup – the plastic litter that is polluting seas and oceans. The programme is being carried out in collaboration with Healthy Seas, Herpetofauna Foundation, Ghost Fishing and local artists.
The Herpetofauna Foundation will give the children some exciting insights about sea turtles. The Foundation promotes the protection of endangered reptiles and amphibians and their habitats, and is working with Healthy Seas to protect them by removing discarded fishing nets and other waste from the sea. Sea turtles and other marine animals can become entangled in the nets and which leads to serious injuries and death eventually.
On 6 March, the one month long school programme started with interactive presentations involving 400 children and their teachers. Afterwards every class had the possibility to meet and greet real turtles.
Furthermore, a special teaching kit containing pupil workbooks, teacher resources, a presentation and interactive games have been developed. The learning materials focus on the protection of sea turtles, and include topics such as nature, sustainability, pollution, waste recycling, and conservation.
The children will have the chance to create artwork together with real artists, and their work will be put on display at an exhibition. As part of the one month long activities on 29 March an information market will be organized with the involvement of live animals and divers in full gear, where children, parents and teachers can have an interactive experience.
