Theo and the Giant Plastic Ball

As you know by now, one of the big community service/ecology projects I've been thinking a great deal about is the idea that my classroom of eager 2nd and 3rd graders could possibly help in banning the use of plastic carrier bags in Ann Arbor. So far, they've decorated and sold cloth grocery bags as a fundraiser for Roots and Shoots, made posters and brochures about the effect of billions of plastic bags on the environment, and talked to a representative of Whole Foods Markets about their green mission.

I've been searching for either a book or video to further inspire us, but - until now - have been unsuccessful in finding something that was age appropriate. Months ago I backordered a book for children called Theo and the Giant Plastic Ball, and have just heard that it is at last on its way to me! This book is perfect - it's about a little boy who can't afford a soccer ball so he decides to collect discarded plastic bags to make one. Of course, he ends up with a gigantic ball that proves to his town that something needs to be done about all those bags.

I thought a good follow-up idea may be to get as many plastic bags as we can to make a huge ball, just like in the book. We could ask the school community to donate all the bags we all have stashed around. Parents and children taking walks around their neighborhoods can pick up as many as they can, too.

I can imagine us then presenting this big ball to Ann Arbor city council as a symbol of the environmental damage plastic carrier bags cause. Thoughts on this? How many bags can YOU donate to our giant ball? Would you be willing to collect bags from your neighbors, friends, and relatives?

Let me know!