From the beach to the Classroom

From the beach to the Classroom
Here at Surfdome, we are supporting an educational programme to bring the next generation up to speed on the marine plastic crisis, through our partnership with A Tale Unfolds and their literacy resource Plastic Times.
With plastic pollution now considered to be one of the biggest environmental threats facing our planet, our responsibility to educate future generations and impassion them to tackle environmental issues has never been more significant.

So how can we address this topic with young children in a way which is both engaging and age-appropriate, and yet conveys the immediacy of a global issue? Whilst themed school assemblies and visible recycling bins certainly help, children need meaningful and active learning opportunities to explore environmental issues for themselves and, better still, the chance to promote their understanding to others.
Plastic Times does just that.  Created by A Tale Unfolds, this 15-lesson unit aims to educate 7-11-year-olds on the impact that plastic, plastic pollution and recycling can have on the environment and empowers them to become advocates of change for the future.
Watch this video by the pupils at Sheriffhales Primary School in Shropshire, who have set the bar using Plastic Times to produce this powerful news report, featuring the work of our very own photographer and environmentalist, Tim Nunn, from The Plastic Project and demonstrating their own commitment to making a difference.

Films of this worth deserve to be celebrated. So, in addition to screening them within the classroom, any school that produces their own news report using Plastic Times will be encouraged to enter the LitFilmFest –  a brand new film festival at the BFI IMAX London, inviting pupils of Key Stage 2 to showcase their writing and film-making efforts on the largest screen in Britain.
LitFilmFest takes place on Monday June 19th 2017 and will feature films all of which will be written, edited, performed and filmed entirely by primary school pupils. Boasting the biggest screen in the UK, there couldn’t be a more exciting platform on which to promote and share the ideas of the next generation! In addition to this, the winners of each category will then be invited to shoot their films professionally at You Tube’s Creator Space in London.

For more information about LitFilmFest and the Plastic Times resource, visit www.litfilmfest.com.