Teacher participants of the CNMI Marine Debris Curriculum – Feedback Workshop with the CNMI Public School System and MINA present. From left, Asap Ogumoro (CNMI PSS), Esco Ulloa, April Liske-Clark, Nina Manglona, Jolly Ann Taisacan (MINA), Angela Camacho, James Montenegro, Enterina A. Calvo, and Mack James. Not in the photo is Deseriee Pendergrass.
MINA photo
(MINA) — The Mariana Islands Nature Alliance is proud to announce the release of the CNMI Marine Debris Curriculum, a locally developed educational resource to increase student awareness and engagement in addressing marine debris across the CNMI. This project was made possible through funding by the Marine Debris Foundation, with the following participating teachers from Saipan and Rota: Esco Ulloa, April Liske-Clark, Nina Manglona, Angela Camacho, James Montenegro, Enterina A. Calvo, Mack James, and Deseriee Pendergrass.
The curriculum is designed specifically for middle school students, grades 6th through 8th, in both public and private schools. It incorporates a place-based approach that reflects the CNMI’s environmental challenges and cultural context of the Mariana Islands.
The curriculum includes six comprehensive lessons with ready-to-present Google Slides, activities, worksheets, and links to additional materials. The curriculum is broken down into six comprehensive lessons: 1) What is Marine Debris?, 2) Plastics to Microplastics, 3) Natural Disasters and Storm Preparedness, 4) Marine Debris Impacts, 5) Awareness Campaign, and 6) Student Design Project. These lessons integrate hands-on learning and creative student-led campaigns and align with Next Generation Science Standards, offering an engaging way for students to take an active role in environmental stewardship on their campuses.
During the pilot implementation phase, the middle school teachers reported high levels of student engagement. Following the implementation, teachers gathered for a feedback workshop to share ideas for improvements and future use.
During the workshop, the teachers were asked if they would use the curriculum again, and all eight said “Yes!” One teacher shared that “the curriculum helped students see the importance of environmental issues, and they were more engaged in learning because the lessons felt directly relevant to their world.” Another teacher said the “hands-on project helped students understand the real impact of marine debris and gave them a concrete example of how pollution affects local ecosystems.”
The whole curriculum is freely accessible on MINA’s website at minapacific.org and is open to educators, parents, and community groups looking to spark youth-led environmental action.
About MINA
The Mariana Islands Nature Alliance is a 501(c)(3) environmental conservation organization and has been serving the Marianas since 2005. MINA fosters community and science-based conservation programs to enhance and sustain the CNMI’s environments and cultures. If you’d like to support MINA’s efforts in empowering communities for conservation, call (670)-233-7333 or email minaoutreach@gmail.com/.
