Plastic Pollution Quiz

Articles/Websites

Grades9, 10, 11, 12Biology, Earth and Space Sciences

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by EARTHDAY.ORG

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What it is

This interactive quiz from EARTHDAY.ORG gauges your understanding of plastic pollution's impact on marine life, plastic use and production in the United States, and how much plastic pollution could be in the ocean by 2050.
Students will answer ten questions and receive feedback and explanations to help them fully understand the depth of plastic pollution.

Teaching tips

Positives

Eye-catching photos are attached to most of the questions.
Students will benefit from the concise explanation and supporting data.

Prerequisites

Students should know the terms biodegradable, pathogens, and crude oil before they take the quiz.
Students can share their quiz results on Facebook or X (Twitter).

Differentiation & Implementation

This quiz pairs well with a lesson on the environmental impact of various consumer goods.
This quiz can supplement a lesson on how human activity can impact ecosystems worldwide and why this impact matters.
This quiz can enhance a classroom discussion on why businesses continue using plastic despite its harmful environmental impact.
After taking this quiz, students can reflect on their plastic use and create a plan to reduce their waste.

From the scientist review

This resource from EARTHDAY.ORG is a fun and informative quiz about plastic pollution. After a student answers each question, the quiz reveals the correct answer and often provides links to external sources. These sources include reports from the UN and the Convention on Biological Diversity, and they are all well-sourced. This resource provides a strong introduction to the scope and severity of the plastic pollution problem, and is recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
Other types: Data, Graphs, and Maps, Activity - Classroom
Language: English
Location: Earth, North America, North America > United States
Provider: EARTHDAY.ORG
Authors: EARTHDAY.ORG
Published: December 19, 2023
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · D2.Eco.3.9-12 + 7 more

Core

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

D2.Eco.3.9-12Analyze the ways in which incentives influence what is produced and distributed in a market system.

Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.10By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 11-CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 11-CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.1Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.1Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to develop an understanding of the text as a whole.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

HS-LS2-6.Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
HS-LS2-7.Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

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