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Video Story telling: Digital Plastic Detectives
Curaçao
Video Story telling: Digital Plastic Detectives
Curaçao
Content
This playlist supports teachers, educators, and facilitators in delivering the GreenKidz: Plastic & Recyclen lesson with confidence, creativity, and local relevance, using creative, digital storytelling tools.
The playlist offers a student-centered, media-based approach that turns learners into active “Plastic Detectives”, not just in the classroom, but through the lens of their own mobile phones or tablets.
By creating short video reports, participants explore plastic pollution issues in their daily lives and share real-world observations, solutions, and reflections. This activity helps educators confidently guide the process and encourages young people to raise their voice as eco-advocates.
Through badges, youth, youth workers, and organizations can build confidence and credentials in digital storytelling, environmental education, and youth leadership.
By completing this activity, you will
- Explore the topic of plastic and recycling using interactive and media-based tools
- Guide or complete the creation of a short video report (1–3 minutes)
- Understand where plastic comes from and its environmental impact
- Identify plastic-related problems in your school, home, or neighborhood
- Discover creative reuse or recycling solutions
- Reflect on personal and community actions to protect the environment
- Strengthen digital skills such as storytelling, filming, and sharing
Get inspired
This activity combines the proven impact of the GreenKidz Plastic & Recyclen lesson with the power of youth voice and video creation. It transforms young learners into “Plastic Detective Reporters” who document their findings, interview community members, and propose local solutions—all while learning how to communicate responsibly in a digital world.
Whether highlighting single-use plastic at school, showcasing a family recycling habit, or proposing new ideas for waste reduction, youth will develop key competencies in sustainability and media.
The GreenKidz “Plastic en Recyclen” lesson plan was developed to help children in Curaçao learn about the serious impact of plastic waste—and how small changes can lead to big results. It uses real-life examples, hands-on activities, and colorful visuals to make learning fun and practical.
From understanding the difference between recyclable and non-recyclable plastics to discovering how long different materials stay in nature, this lesson helps you teach students to become part of the solution.
Take action: activities for different roles
Explore the role-specific badges below to access activities designed to enhance your understanding and support young people in the area of recycling.
Young people: Can learn how to use technology in story telling by making a storyboard and short format video: “Plastic Detective Report video”. By interviewing someone or show a place that illustrates plastic use or waste, and sharing the short video.
Youth workers: Guide youth through the reporting process, use group discussions and examples to spark ideas and provide tech or storytelling support.
Youth organisations: Can Integrate this video activity into sustainability or media education programs, increasing access to digital storytelling tools to reach youth.
Claim open badge recognition
Upon completing the activities, participants can claim digital badges recognizing their competence in:
- Searching and evaluating digital content (DigComp 1.1)
- Environmental awareness (Digital Youth Work)
- Responsible Consumption (UN SDG 12)
- Youth storytelling and media creation
Suggested Follow-Up Activities
- Organize a contest: Turn your video activity into a community-wide or neighborhood based contest. Invite youth to submit their best Plastic Detective Report—a short, creative video that highlights a real plastic problem and a smart solution. Encourage storytelling, humor, or local culture.
- Turn your video into a podcast: Give your video report a second life as audio storytelling. Learners can use phone or a simple mic record a version of the video report as a podcast, add extra facts or interviews and reflect on your experience as a “Plastic Detective”. Using free tools to record and publish.
- Discover more activities and videos in the GreenKidz Plastic Detective program. Think about how topics like plastic pollution, recycling, and environmental awareness connect with each other. Consider how you can help young people become eco-smart citizens by supporting them in building essential environmental and life skills.
- Expand to other Sustainability or Social topics: Encourages youth to apply their digital media skills to real-life challenges they care about, turning learning into leadership.
Who created this resource
This activity was developed by the Curaçao Innovation & Technology Institute (CITI) in collaboration with GreenKidz Curaçao.
For over a decade, GreenKidz has empowered children and adults to take action for a more sustainable future. This activity supports their ambition to expand the use of digital tools to engage young people, amplify their voices, and inspire them to become critical thinkers, advocates and future leaders in sustainability.
Get activity badge
Plastic Detectives Educator! Get this badge
This badge recognizes that the Youth Worker has actively participated in the delivery of the first part of the GreenKidz lesson “Plastic and Recycling”. The GreenKidz “Plastic en Recyclen” lesson plan was developed to help children in Curaçao learn about the serious impact of plastic waste—and how small changes can lead to big results. It uses real-life examples, hands-on activities, and colorful visuals to make learning fun and practical.From understanding the difference between recyclable and non-recyclable plastics to discovering how long different materials stay in nature, this lesson helps you teach students to become part of the solution.
By guiding students through multimedia content, discussions, and interactive tasks, you will help them:
- Understand where plastic comes from and its long-term environmental impact.
- Recognize the difference between waste disposal, reusing, and recycling.
- Identify the effects of plastic pollution on Curaçao and the oceans.
- Reflect on personal choices and changes they can make to protect the environment.
This badge forms the basis of environmentally conscious behavior and is in line with sustainability education in elementary education. Through interactive and playful learning, youth workers will become real “Plastic Detective Educators” equipped with knowledge and actions to train students to reduce plastic pollution in their community.
Skills and experiences gained
This badge aligns with LifeComp and DigComp competence frameworks and supports the development of:
- Searching and evaluating digital content (DigComp 1.1 )
- Environmental awareness (Digital Youth Work)
- Responsible Consumption (UN SDG 12)
You have to finish 1 task to get the badge
Tasks
Task no.1
Evidence verified by: one activity organiser
Before teaching this lesson, ensure you:
- Review the GreenKidz Lesplan “Plastic en Recyclen.”
- Print or prepare digital access to the Afvalkaart, Afbreektabel, and infographic "Where Does Plastic Go?”
- Queue up the animated video “The Plastic Journey” or YouTube link.
- Prepare materials for both digital and offline versions of the three student activities.
- Familiarize yourself with the badge criteria and evidence collection process.
Complete the following tasks and activities to earn the Plastic Detectives Educator badge.
- Evidence verified by: one activity organizer.
- Trainer-Led Activities & Instructions
Activity 1: The Plastic Problem
Objective: Introduce students to global plastic issues.
- Show the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2CV7FW2zPs
- Facilitate a class discussion on what they saw.
- Choose format:
o Digital: Students complete Kahoot quiz individually or in pairs.
o Offline: Distribute printed worksheet quiz.
Claim the badge
Task: Encourage reflection questions: “What surprised you?” and “How can we fix this?”
Evidence: Submit a screenshot or photo of quiz completion by students
Task no.2
Evidence verified by: one activity organiser
Activity 2: Trash Timeline Challenge
Objective: Understand plastic decomposition times.
- Set up:
o Digital: Use a Genially or H5P timeline activity.
o Offline: Distribute printed waste item cards and prepare a large timeline on the floor or wall.
- Guide students to place items based on decomposition estimates.
Claim the badge
Task: Discuss how long plastics stay in nature compared to organic materials.
Evidence: Submit a photo or screenshot of the students doing their timeline work.
Task no.3
Evidence verified by: one activity organiser
Activity 3: Waste Sorting Relay
Objective: Practice waste sorting.
- Set up:
o Digital: Use an online sorting game or presentation.
o Offline: Organize a relay race using real items or printed cards and labeled bins.
- Debrief with a discussion on why sorting matters and how it affects recycling.
Claim the badge
Task: Make this competitive and fun, then use mistakes as teaching moments.
Evidence: Take a short video or photo of the students during the sorting activity.
Location
Curaçao
Skills
ESCO
#develop a recycling program
ESCO
#checking recycling procedures
ESCO
#advising about pollution prevention
ETS-TR
#Consciously provides space for dialogue and interaction taking into account learners’ values and beliefs and offers space to reflect on them in the educational context
Organisers
Digital Youth Work Resource Hub
Awero not-for-profit organisation manages this platform and develops it together with leading educational organisations. The European Union's programme Erasmus+ granted co-funding for building the first version of this platform. Contact support@awero.org.
Platform
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