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Presentation of detailed instructions for the second activity

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Presentation of detailed instructions for the second activity

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Sevinç KILIÇ,Batı Söke Çimento Secondary School,TÜRKİYE

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Sevinç KILIÇ,Batı Söke Çimento Secondary School,TÜRKİYE

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As part of the Citizen Science Collective – “Pollution Detectives” activity, students actively explored environmental pollution and microplastics through informative videos and posters. They increased their awareness of the harmful effects of waste on ecosystems and human health. During the activity, students collected litter from the school garden and nearby areas, separated the waste according to its type, counted the collected materials, and analyzed the results by creating tables and graphs in Excel. In addition, they tested a water sample using pH strips and interpreted the findings scientifically. Through these hands-on and collaborative activities, students developed environmental responsibility, scientific observation, data analysis, and problem-solving skills while understanding the importance of protecting nature and reducing pollution.

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Citizen Science Collective- “ Pollution Detectives” (activity 2)

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Citizen Science Collective- “ Pollution Detectives” (activity 2) BATI SÖKE ÇİMENTO SECONDARY SCHOOL Blue Changemakers - Youth Power for Ocean Sustainability

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Marijana Karničnik, OŠ Zdenka Turkovića, Kutjevo, Croatia

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Marijana Karničnik, OŠ Zdenka Turkovića, Kutjevo, Croatia

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Students watched the PowerPoint presentation The Pollution Detectives. The presentation helped raise their awareness of the impact of pollution on the environment in which we live. The students then participated in cleaning the banks of our Kutjevačka Rika and the surrounding area. They noticed that with a little effort and goodwill, we can change the world around us and make it more beautiful and that they can do something meaningful themselves.

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We decided to clean some field which is near my village, we wanted to make a difference. When people from the village saw us, they joined ans supported us. We collected diffrerent types of garbage and brought them to school.

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Ana Paula Carreira, Porto de Mós Portugal 

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Ana Paula Carreira, Porto de Mós Portugal 

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Students first explored environmental pollution by watching the PowerPoint presentation The Pollution Detectives. Through this presentation, they increased their awareness of pollution sources and the harmful effects of waste on ecosystems and human health. The divided the class in five groups and started to do the activity.

Afterwards, students actively participated in a field activity by collecting litter in different areas, including Porto de Mós, near the river, around the school and its surroundings, as well as in the areas where they live. They worked collaboratively to identify and collect different types of waste found in these locations.

After collecting the litter, students separated the waste according to its type and analyzed the collected materials. They observed which types of waste were most common and discussed their impact on the environment. Finally, they organized the results by creating graphs and interpreting the collected data. To conclude the activity, students carried out a final reflection, sharing their thoughts and discussing possible actions to reduce pollution and protect the environment.

Through these practical and collaborative activities, students developed environmental responsibility, observation skills, data analysis abilities, and critical thinking while understanding the importance of protecting nature and reducing pollution.

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We first started by looking for suitable places to collect trash. The group met on  Friday in Porto de Mós to collect trash. We collected mostly plastic, then paper/cardboard, and lastly the least amount off glass. We only collected two beer bottlles. Filipe recorded the videos , Diogo made the graph and the collection, Simão and Francisco collected the Trash and sent the total amount we all collected Trash and helped Diogo to make the graph. Microplastics can transmit serious diseases and cause many problems for the environment/atmosphere.

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On the 8th of May, Lia, Lara, Leonor, Margarida, and Miguel took part in a clean-up activity in Pedreiras, Porto de Mós, Portugal . Using gloves and plastic bags, we collected paper, cardboard, plastic, and food packaging. We also switched tasks between us so everyone could participate equally.

This activity showed us the importance of reducing pollution and recycling. Small actions can help protect the environment and make a positive difference.

Micro plastics can pollute water, soil, and food. They can harm animals and may affect human health by entering the body through food, water and air.

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On 16th May 2026, our group, Rodrigo, Salvador, Bernardo and Gustavo, cleaned part of Porto de Mós.

We collected 9 plastic and metal items, 4 paper items, and no glass. Most of the rubbish was plastic.

Everyone helped to collect the litter. Bernardo and Gustavo recorded videos, Rodrigo and Salvador took photos, and Rodrigo edited the project and made the graph.

In conclusion, plastic is the biggest problem because it can end up in the oceans and turn into micro plastics, which are harmful to marine life and affect the whole planet. This activity showed us the importance of protecting the environment.

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On the 11th of May, our group started by walking around the school, the river and the church in Porto de Mós, collecting any litter we could find. Rita and Constança were responsible for picking up the trash, Joana took photos and videos, and Vitória created graphs and analysed the materials we collected.

There are many dangers associated with not protecting the planet. One major example is micro plastics, which are tiny plastic particles that contaminate water, air, and food. These particles can eventually enter the human body and may cause serious health problems, including hormonal disruption and inflammation. In addition, micro plastics harm ecosystems and marine life, putting many species at risk.

In conclusion, we collected mostly plastic, some cardboard, and surprisingly very little glass. This experience showed us how necessary recycling is and how absurdly unnecessary and dangerous it is to throw trash on the ground. Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility, and even small actions can make a big difference for our future and for the planet.

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A clean up to remember

Last Friday (May 15th), we went to Pedreiras, Fonte do Oleiro, Porto de Mós and to Batalha, Portugal to clean up the streets, the river, after collecting trash, we separated it and recycled it. The major part of the group (Carlota, Janet and Mariana) were the one’s who cleaned and took photos, due to a lack of disponibility, Francisca couldn’t be present, so she was the one, that edited the pictures and analysed the types of trash. From the rubbish collected by our group. There was 45% of plastic, 30% of paper, 15% of organic residue, 7% of others (like aluminium) and 3% of glass.

In conclusion, there’s still a lot of trash, and this activity was super important, so we could notice the wage and become more conscious of our choices.

Save, reduce and recycle.

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First of all we informed our students with the slideshow that we perapared in Notebook LM.It helped us to inspire our students and explore microplastics,ecosystems and environment.

Our photographers took before,during and after photos of the area to establishclear visual records.We successfully collected a water sample from local water source to test an danalyze its quality back ın our school.

We espacially chose this area because it is near a local lake which is so near to our school the place is related to our mission - to protect the environment.

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Uğur Yıldırım /Ressam İbrahim Çallı Secondary School / Denizli /TÜRKİYE

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Uğur Yıldırım /Ressam İbrahim Çallı Secondary School / Denizli /TÜRKİYE

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After our field trip for the "Blue Change Makers" project, we took the water samples we collected into the lab to measure their acidity levels.

We conducted the pH test under the guidance of our Science teacher, Nurşen Ekiz  Ünal. With her wonderful and detailed explanations, we learned exactly how to analyze the samples and successfully completed our measurements. It was an amazing and educational experience for our team!

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LEPL Tbilisi 141 Public School / Lia Sartania 

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LEPL Tbilisi 141 Public School / Lia Sartania 

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As part of the international exchange program, Georgian and Turkish students jointly participated in an environmental clean-up campaign along a beach and the park area. The activity aimed to raise awareness about marine pollution and promote responsible environmental behavior.

After collecting and sorting the waste, students identified several types of litter, including plastic bags, plastic bottles, glass bottles, cigarette butts, food waste, candy and snack wrappers, and aluminum cans. The most common waste items were plastic bags and plastic bottles, highlighting the significant impact of single-use plastics on the environment. These were followed by candy and sweet wrappers, cigarette butts, food waste, aluminum cans, and, to a lesser extent, glass bottles.

The activity helped students better understand the sources of pollution affecting coastal ecosystems and emphasized the importance of waste reduction, recycling, and community action in protecting oceans and natural habitats. Through this joint effort, students from both countries demonstrated environmental responsibility and strengthened international cooperation for a cleaner and healthier environment.

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LEPL Tbilisi 141 Public School / Lia Sartania

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LEPL Tbilisi 141 Public School / Lia Sartania

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Empowering Environmental Action Through Citizen Science

​To foster environmental literacy and microplastics awareness, our students recently participated in a hands-on citizen science field activity based on the systematic framework outlined in our project blueprint. The students were initially divided into structured collaborative teams, each taking on specialized research roles: Collectors, Recorders, Photographers, and Analysts. After preparing their essential field and laboratory equipment—including safety gloves, collection bags, sample tubes—the teams moved to the designated fieldwork site. The Photographers began by capturing extensive "before" photos to document the baseline visual evidence of pollution, after which the Collectors safely gathered visible waste and litter from the surrounding area while monitoring general environmental conditions.

​Following the practical cleanup, the activity smoothly transitioned into the scientific data processing and analysis phase. The Photographers took thorough "after" photographs to visually demonstrate the immediate positive impact of the intervention. Back in the classification area, the Analysts took charge of the collected waste, using specialized sorting trays to separate the raw materials into distinct physical categories: Plastic, Paper, Metal, and Organic waste. By counting and logging every item for future digital graphing, the students did not just restore their local environment, but also developed vital skills in scientific methodology, data classification, and ecological citizenship

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Following the field trip and waste collection, an evaluation session meeting was held at school to discuss the waste audit results, identify local sources of pollution, and brainstorm pollution reduction strategies.

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Following our successful field trip and  waste evaluation session, our student research teams have officially transitioned to the digital reporting phase! Based on the comprehensive citizen science framework detailed in our project guidelines , our Collectors, Recorders, Photographers, and Analysts have  combined environmental cleanup with scientific data processing. After systematically documenting the baseline pollution with "before" photographs and clearing the designated area, the teams conducted a detailed waste audit at school. This evaluation allowed us to analyze the precise breakdown of our local environment's waste distribution and systematically brainstorm targeted, long-term pollution reduction strategies.

To share our scientific findings and promote microplastics awareness within our broader community, we have synthesized our fieldwork data into visual metrics. Using specialized sorting trays, the unrefined waste was carefully categorized into Plastic, Paper, Metal, and Organic materials, with every item carefully counted and logged. These physical counts have now been transformed into digital charts and graphs, accompanied by a stark contrast of "before and after" visual evidence. We are incredibly proud to publish this concise blog summary on Blogger and our community group, showcasing how hands-on scientific methodology can empower the next generation to step forward as active, digitally engaged environmental changemakers