Marine Debris “MAP”-ping in the Classroom: NOAA Shares Updated Resource for Educators
August 14, 2023 – On July 24, 2023, NOAA Marine Debris Program Education Specialist Alexandria Gillen and Monitoring Coordinator Hillary Burgess led an impactful workshop for marine educators focused on the Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP) at the National Marine Educators Association national conference.
Gillen and Burgess presented on the importance of monitoring and opportunities to integrate marine debris monitoring into the science classroom, including an updated guide for educators intended to support MDMAP surveys with students. Educators participated in hands-on activities like sorting debris with MDMAP data sheets and exploring the MDMAP database. More than 30 educators attended the session, and were able to take home lessons and resources for implementing marine debris monitoring in their learning environment.
The NOAA Marine Debris Program is proud to provide a number of free, accessible resources for educators to teach about marine debris and inspire their students as stewards of their environment. To stay up to date on new resources, including the updated MDMAP Guide for Educators, subscribe to the NOAA Marine Debris Education Newsletter.