Children and Young People
STEM the Flow Engineering Challenge
Now bigger than ever before, our exciting engineering-based design competition is open to schools across Scotland!
STEM the Flow challenges pupils to investigate and identify a solution to help to tackle marine litter upstream at source, by either capturing litter already in our rivers and seas, or finding ways to stop it getting there in the first place!
Challenge commences August 2023
Citizen Science
We know that 80% of marine litter is estimated to come from land and we are leading a citizen science project to build a detailed picture of litter across the River Clyde and River Tay.
Your school can help contribute by completing a litter survey at your local waterway. We have put together a large format surveying guide and accompanying teaching resource for you to download. Once you have completed a survey submit your data to Clean up Scotland portal or email to upstreambattle@keepscotlandbeautiful.org.
Presentation for young people on marine litter and surveying
Activities for at home
For families and young people, you can download our new Activity Sheet for the Clyde and Tay, to complete tasks all about source to sea litter. Next time you go for a walk near a waterway, why not complete the Riverside Walk Spotter sheet. Watch our videos with interviews from special guests and learn more about source to sea litter, released as part of #Source2Sea Week of Action.
Clean Up Scotland
We are challenging all schools across the Clyde Valley and Tayside to join in a Clean Up event as part of Upstream Battle.
80% of marine litter comes from land. We want to stop it at the source. Organising a litter pick near your local waterway you will not only make a difference in your local area but also prevent litter from making its way to sea.
Career-long Professional Learning course
A free professional learning programme designed to provide the tools and resources for educators to use source to sea litter as a context for nurturing STEM learning.
We are currently seeking support to offer this CLPL course next academic year.
Find out more about the programme
Marine Litter Art Competition
We were overwhelmed by the quality of entries in this year's competition. From models and photography, to video and poetry, we saw it all. Photos and information about all the entries will be published soon.
You can also read the news article on the competition exhibition.
Young Reporters for the Environment and Upstream Battle
Raise awareness for environmental issues relating to source to sea marine litter, by getting involved in this media skills activity.
Ocean Plastics Live Lesson with Doug Allan
Doug Allan is a natural history cameraman and presenter on programmes including Blue Planet. Doug went 'live' on our YouTube channel to share his experiences, talk about his work and his own career pathway and answered questions from pupils submitted ahead of time.
Still looking for more? Have a look through the Litter & Waste resources on our Eco-Schools pages.
