Your life would be very different without plastic. Plastic is used in everything from food containers to cars. What do you think people would do if plastic was suddenly scarce?
Write a science-fiction story about a future time when plastic is scarce. To do so, you will research plastic and its many uses. Here are some questions to guide your research:
What is plastic?
What are some important uses of plastic?
Could plastic be made out of materials other than fossil fuels?
Will we ever run out of oil, the raw material of plastic?
What would life be like if plastic was scarce?
Are you ready? Begin by visiting the Web sites listed in Step 2. Look for answers to the questions above, and write down what you learn in the note-taking boxes.
With teacher supervision, you may use search engines to research other Web sites. You also can research plastic at the library. When you are ready, follow Steps 3 and 4 to write your science-fiction story.
Step 2. Research
Research answers to the questions you were asked in Step 1. Visit these Web sites. Take notes about them on this page, too!
Toolbox Tip: Click here to learn how to use search engines to find information.
