What is a Virtual Viewing Party?

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A virtual viewing party is a shared viewing experience of a special Discovery Education video. The Earth Day virtual viewing party features a special screening of clips from the film STRAWS, which will help students explore why the elimination of single-use plastics is so important to the well-being of our planet. Thousands of classrooms will participate in this viewing party simultaneously. First time? Read our FAQs for additional information. The content and activities are suitable for all grades but we always recommend a preview to determine whether the content suits your needs. During this VVP your students will learn:

• The History of Straws We will learn how straws were first used by ancient civilizations up to our current disposable culture that has led to billions of plastic straws winding up in landfills or as litter, finding their way to oceans and adding to the tons of plastic debris harming marine life every day.
• The Impact of Plastic Pollution We will learn how a team of researchers estimated how much plastic waste goes into oceans annually and how much that will increase by 2025 if people continue to use plastic at the present rate.
• The “No Straw Challenge” We will meet Max Machum, an 11-year old who started his own “No Straw Challenge” campaign in Guanacaste, Costa Rica after seeing the video of the sea turtle with a straw in its nose.

Linda Booker | Producer, Director | STRAWS “Before diving into the research for this project, I didn’t realize something as small as a plastic straw was such a significant litter and ocean pollution problem,” said Booker. “My goal for this documentary is to make people think about how small habits can add up to a huge impact. Removing plastic straws is a tangible, simple change people and businesses can do that can truly help make a difference.”