be a solid waste survivor – take the community challenge ... · “garbage / trash / waste”...

Primary Unit 1

A KENTUCKY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COUNCILPRACTICAL LIVING, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES INTEGRATED UNIT

Standards: ConsumerismPractical Living: PL-E-3.1.5, There are consumer decisions (e.g., reducing, recycling, and reusing) that havepositive impacts on the environment.Practical Living: PL-E-3.3.2, To protect all citizens, there are community guidelines (e.g., school inspectors,trash collections, water treatment, waste treatment, animal control, immunization) that promote healthy livingenvironments in the community.

Standards: Life ScienceScience: SC-E- 2.1.2,Earth materials provide many of the resources humans use. The varied materials havedifferent physical and chemical properties, which make them useful in different ways. For example, as buildingmaterials (e.g., stone, clay and marble), as sources of fuel (e.g., petroleum and natural gas), or growing theplants we use as food.Science: SC-E- 3.3.3, All organisms, including humans, cause changes in the environment where they live.Some of these changes are detrimental to the organism or to other organisms, other changes beneficial (e.g.,dams built by beavers benefit some aquatic organisms but are detrimental to others).

Standard: GovernmentSocial Studies: SS-E-1.3.3, In order for a democratic form of government to function, citizens must plan anactive and responsible role (e.g., participating in the election process, obeying the law).Standard: EconomicsSocial Studies: SS-E-3.1.1, Scarcity requires people to make choices about using goods, services and limitedresources.

Lesson Title and Description of Activities, Essential and Guiding Questions and Standards

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“THE NATURAL SORT” -- Students will sort common school objects appropriately as naturalobjects or man-made products, then begin to identify the natural resources used to make thedifferent products.Standard: Science: SC-E-2.1.2Essential Question #1: How do my family and I depend on the resources in our community and ourworld?Guiding Questions:♦� What is a natural resource?♦� What is a product?

“IT FEELS SO NATURAL!” -– Students will identify natural objects or man-made products byusing only their sense of touch.Standard: Science: SC-E-2.1.2Essential Question #1: How do my family and I depend on the resources in our community and ourworld?Guiding Questions:♦� What is a natural object?♦� What is a man-made product?

UNIT OVERVIEW

Be a Solid Waste Survivor – Take The Community ChallengePrimar y

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Title and Description of Activities, Essential and Guiding Questions and Standards

A NATURAL BEGINNING” –- Students will identify natural resources used to make commonproducts after playing “Trash Bingo”. They will also begin to learn the difference betweenrenewable and nonrenewable resources.Standard: Science: SC-E-2.1.2Essential Question #1: How do my family and I depend on the resources in our community and ourworld?Guiding Questions:♦� What is a natural resource?♦� What are renewable and nonrenewable resources?

“RESOURCE-FUL KENTUCKIANS” –- Students will learn about Kentucky’s natural resourcesand several products made in Kentucky. They will also discuss ways to conserve natural resources.Standard: Science: SC-E-2.1.2Essential Question #1: How do my family and I depend on the resources in our community and ourworld?Guiding Question:♦� What types of resources do I consume?

“BATTLING ‘THWANTS’ AND ‘THNEEDS’” -- Students will listen to the book, The Lorax, byDr. Seuss, then discuss the difference between wants and needs. The discussion will lead students toa better understanding of what it takes to survive and what might happen if natural resources aredepleted.Standard: Social Studies: SS-E-3.1.1Essential Question #1: How do my family and I depend on the resources in our community and ourworld?Guiding Questions:♦� What types of resources do I consume?♦� What happens when all of the natural resources are consumed?♦� What is the difference between a want and a need?

“WHAT A WASTE!” –- Students will learn the difference between solid waste and litter. Theywill also begin looking at the amount of waste they and their families make.Standard: Practical Living: PL-E-3.1.5Essential Question #1: My family and I use resources that create solid waste. How does that affectthe environment?Guiding Questions:♦� What is the difference between litter and solid waste?♦� How much solid waste do my family and I make?

“ LEARNING ABOUT THE 4 R’S” – Students will begin to learn how to REDUCE, REUSE,RECYCLE and RESPOND in a positive way to how they handle solid waste.Standard: Social Studies: SS-E-3.1.5Essential Question #2: My family and I use resources that create solid waste. How does that affectthe environment?Guiding Questions:♦� What choices do my family and I have about how we reduce, reuse, recycle and respond to

solid waste?♦� What are the best ways to dispose of our solid waste? (e.g., most cost effective, safest, and

healthiest)


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“HOMEMADE RECYCLED SEED CARDS” –- Students will learn to reuse newspapers bymaking recycled paper greeting cards containing wildflower seeds.Standard: Practical Living: PL-E-3.1.5Essential Question #2: My family and I use resources that create solid waste. How does that affectthe environment?Guiding Question:♦� What choices do my family and I have about how we reduce, reuse, recycle and respond to

solid waste?

“LUSCIOUS LAYERED LANDFILLS” -- Students will learn about the different layers oflandfills and their functions by constructing an edible model.Standard: Practical Living: PL-E-3.3.2Essential Question #2: My family and I use resources that create solid waste. How does that affectthe environment?Guiding Questions:♦� What are the best ways to dispose of our solid waste? (e.g., most cost effective, safest,

healthiest)♦� What is a sanitary landfill?

“ONCE UPON A LANDFILL” –- Students will investigate how landfills looked long ago byinterviewing older people about how they handled solid waste.Standard: Practical Living: PL-E-3.3.2Essential Question #2: My family and I use resources that create solid waste. How does that affectthe environment?Guiding Questions:♦� What are the best ways to dispose of our solid waste? (e.g., most cost effective, safest,

healthiest)

“GARBAGE / TRASH / WASTE” –- Students will make a list of synonyms for solid waste, makea Venn diagram to compare the synonyms and discuss organic and inorganic kinds of waste.Standard: Science: SC-E-2.1.2Essential Question #3: How can I affect the way my family, school, and community use resourcesand properly dispose of solid waste?Guiding Questions:♦� What is organic waste?♦� What is inorganic waste?

“POTATO TRAPS” – Students will make “potato traps” and learn how insects aid in thedecomposition process. They will also learn the importance of composting, both naturally in natureand at home.Standard: Science: SC-E-3.3.3Essential Question #3: How can I affect the way my family, school, and community use resourcesand properly dispose of solid waste?Guiding Questions:♦� How do insects help speed up the decomposition process?♦� Why should my family and I compost?


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“BUTTON BRIGADE” –- Students will create a plan to organize the classes at school to do aschool-based service learning project that will help promote proper waste disposal.Standard: Social Studies: SS-E-1.3.3Essential Question #3: How can I affect the way my family, school, and community use resourcesand properly dispose of solid waste?Guiding Questions:♦� Can one person, or a small group of people, really make a difference in changing recycling

attitudes in our community?

“PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE” -– Students will develop a family solid waste action plan totake home and present to their parents and other family members.Standard: Social Studies: SS-E-1.3.3Essential Question #3: How can I affect the way my family, school, and community use resourcesand properly dispose of solid waste?Guiding Questions:♦� What can I do to encourage family members to reduce, reuse, recycle, and respond to solid

waste disposal problems?

“TEACHING OUR FAMILIES ABOUT SOLID WASTE – A CULMINATINGPERFORMANCE TASK” –- In this final activity that ties the unit together, students will make a“resource vest.” The vest will be used as an aid to teach family members about solid waste issues.Each family will then be asked to help students keep a calendar on which they will record familyefforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle, thereby responding to the solid waste disposal problem.

Language Arts♦� Read the Lorax, Dr. Seuss. Write a letter to the Once-ler suggesting how to make “thneeds” without using

all of the Truffula Trees.♦� Write couplets to the environment on recycled brown grocery bags. Use twine to hang them in trees as a

tribute to mother nature.♦� Keep a “Writing Journal” to show what you learn about solid waste.

Technology♦� Keep databases of solid waste items♦� Design spreadsheets about solid waste♦� Use the Internet to research solid waste information

Arts and Humanities♦� Sing “This Land is Your Land”. Discuss lyrics that describe ecosystems.♦� Write songs about solid waste, using familiar tunes. Create dances to go with the songs.♦� Make recycled sculptures♦� Make collages of recycled items

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Primary Unit 5

Integration, continued

Math♦� Weigh and graph solid waste♦� After collecting solid waste from the school grounds, lay it end to end and measure the length. Have each

class do this, add the total for each class.

Science♦� Conduct inquiry investigations on decomposition (e.g., Does a banana peel rot more quickly in air, water,

soil, etc.?).

Social Studies♦� Look at atlases to identify the location of natural resources. Focus on continent identification, reading

legends, map skills.♦� Share A River Ran Wild, by Lynne Cherry. Discuss the Nashua people and/or the industrial revolution

and their relationship to the environment.♦� Talk to older acquaintances about how they dealt with solid waste when they were young.


Primary Unit6

Science: SC-E-2.1.2, Earth materials provide many of the resourceshumans use. The varied materials have different physical and chemicalproperties, which make them useful in different ways. For example, asbuilding materials (e.g. stone, clay, and marble), as sources of fuel (e.g.petroleum and natural gas), or growing the plants we use as food.

Students will sort common school objects appropriately as natural objects orman-made products, then begin to identify the natural resources used tomake the different products.

Two signs labeled “natural objects” and “man-made products”Two empty tablesCommon school objects for students to sort

Approximately thirty minutes

Natural Resource: a raw material or energy supplied by nature (e.g., water,minerals, or plants). Petroleum is a natural resource used to make plasticand many other products, and sunlight is a natural resource used to powerlights and heat homes.Natural Object: an item not made by man or machine.Product: an item manufactured, or made, by hand or by industry forconsumers to buy and use.

How do my family and I depend on the resources in our communityand our world?

What is a natural resource?What is a product?

CommunicationProblem SolvingObservation and Classification

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Be a Solid Waste Survivor – Take the Community ChallengePrimary

Activity Description

Materials

Standard

Length of Lesson

Vocabulary Words

Essential Question

Guiding Questions

Skills Used

Step 1: This activity begins the “Solid Waste Survivor”unit with students discovering that natural resources arethe raw materials used to make the products that they useeach day. Before beginning this activity, make two signs:one with the words “NATURAL OBJECTS” written on it,and the other with the word “PRODUCTS” written on it.

This activity can take place at two tables in theclassroom, or on the floor. Place the “NATURALOBJECTS” sign in one area, and the “PRODUCTS” signclose to it. Also, have a collection of objects found in theclassroom in a container for the students to sort.

Activity

Product Natural Object

Chalk RockPaper TreeGlass SoilTape Class petPencil PetroleumScissors WaterBook Leaves

Primary Unit 7

The Natural Sort, continued

Be a Solid Waste Survivor – Take the Community ChallengePrimar y

Step 2: Explain to students that they will be sorting objectsinto two categories, natural objects and products. Askstudents if, by looking at the types of objects in thecollection, they can explain the difference between naturalobjects and man-made products (Refer to the TeacherFact Sheets found at the beginning of this publication formore background information about “Products” and“Natural Resources”.)

Step 3: Call on students to take turns selecting objectsfrom the container to place by the appropriate signs. Asstudents take turns sorting the objects, ask them to explainif people and/or machines made the objects, or if theobjects are just a natural part of the environment. Explainthe term “natural resources” to students by saying that theyare materials people can “harvest” or take from the Earth.Introduce students to the idea of natural resources beingused by people to make the products we use by asking ifanybody knows the natural resources used to make specificproducts from the collection.

Step 4: Ask students to search the classroom for productsnot made from natural resources. Help students understandthat everything we use has its start as a natural resource.

Ask students to tear or cut pictures frommagazines and catalogues showing avariety of products and natural objects.Give students choices of making aposter, creating a booklet, or making abrochure explaining the differencesbetween man-made products and naturalobjects. Explain that they will be usingthe collected pictures to illustrate theirwork.

Literature Connections

The following books containinformation about productsmade from natural resources.

1. The Reason for a Flower,by Ruth Heller

2. What is a Plant, by BobbieKalman (The Science ofLiving Things Series)

3. A New Coat for Anna, byHarriet Ziefert

Assessment

Science Extension

Divide students into teams and take them on ascavenger hunt outside the building to look for naturalobjects and man-made products. Each team should takealong pencils and a science journal or a clipboard andpaper to record findings. Explain that the recorder foreach team is responsible, with the help of teammates,for making two columns on the paper, and labeling onecolumn with the words “natural objects” and the othercolumn as “man-made products”. Give the students aspecified amount of time to search for different items.At the end of that time, gather the students in a group todiscuss the findings. Graph the results of the scavengerhunt.

Primary Unit8

It Feels So Natural!Science: SC-E-2.1.2, Earth materials provide many of the resourceshumans use. The varied materials have different physical and chemicalproperties, which make them useful in different ways. For example, asbuilding materials (e.g. stone, clay, and marble), as sources of fuel (e.g.petroleum and natural gas), or growing the plants we use as food.

Students will identify natural objects and man-made products by using onlytheir sense of touch.

A class collection of natural objects and man-made productsSmall plastic containers (large enough to hold each object)Clean laundered tube socks (enough to hold containers)Permanent markerPencil and paper for each student to use to record guesses

30 – 60 minutes (depending on the depth of the lesson)

Natural Object: an item not made by man or machine.Product: an item manufactured, or made, by hand or by industry forconsumers to buy and use.


What is a natural object?What is a man-made product?

CommunicationProblem SolvingClassificationWriting

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Materials

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Step 1: Before class time, gather a collection of naturaland man-made objects. Each object needs to be smallenough to fit inside the “feely sock”. Step 2 givesdirections on how to make “feely socks”.

Step 2: Reuse clean plastic icing, margarine, cheese orsmall ice cream containers to put down into the toes ofold laundered tube socks. Use a dark-colored permanentmarker to number each “feely sock”. As each item isplaced inside a sock, record the number of the sock andthe item placed inside that sock. Also, record whether theitem is natural or man-made. This will become theanswer key to use during the activity.

Activity

Natural Man-madeRock DishesStick ClothingTree JewelryWater SoapGrass EraserClouds Glue bottleShell PencilLeaf JewelryEgg ScissorsSoil Crayon

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It Feels So Natural! continued


Step 3: Remind students about sorting the differentitems in the activity “The Natural Sort”. Ask studentsif they remember the difference between a naturalobject and a man-made product. Ask students if theywere able to find any products in the classroom thatwere not made from natural resources. Remindstudents that man-made products begin as naturalresources that have been harvested, or taken, from theEarth.

Step 4: Challenge the students to use only their senseof touch to try to guess what the common object isinside each sock. The students will also need todecide whether the object hidden inside each sock is anatural or manmade object. Students will need torecord the number of the sock, along with the nameof the object and the word “natural” or “man-made”beside each number. Depending on the grade level ofthe students, this activity can be completed in a largegroup setting, in small groups, or individually in alearning center.

Rachel W.

1. Rock Natural Object2. Eraser Manmade Product3.4.5.6. Leaf Natural Object7.8.9. Marker Manmade Product10.11.

This is an example of what a student answer sheetmight look like as guesses are being recorded.(Younger students could draw pictures of theirguesses and write N.O. for natural object and M.P.for man-made products, if working individually.)

Assessment

Extensions

1.� Give students a copy of the list ofobjects found in the “feely socks” ifthey are having trouble guessing theobjects by simply using their senseof touch. For younger students,pictures of the objects could be usedas an aid to help in the identificationprocess.

2.� After checking students’ answersfor accuracy, call on one person at atime to orally describe, for the restof the class, the object inside the“feely sock”. Model for the studentsby giving examples of products thatare made from the object if it is anatural object. If the object is aman-made product, encouragestudents to tell the natural resourcesused to make the product, alongwith other clues about the product.

Each student’s recording sheet can beused as an assessment tool to check forunderstanding of natural objects versusman-made products. For assessmentpurposes, do not use the recording sheetto check for correct responses as towhat is inside the “feely socks”.Instead, check to see if the studentwrote the terms “natural” or “man-made” beside appropriatecorresponding objects.

Primary Unit10

A Natural BeginningAdapted from “Tracing Trash Back to Its Roots”, from Quest for Less, an EPA Publication

Science: SC-E-2.1.2, Earth materials provide many of the resourceshumans use. The varied materials have different physical and chemicalproperties, which make them useful in different ways. For example, asbuilding materials (e.g. stone, clay, and marble), as sources of fuel (e.g.petroleum and natural gas), or growing the plants we use as food.

Students will identify natural resources used to make common productsafter playing “Trash Bingo.” They will also begin to learn the differencebetween renewable and nonrenewable resources.

Copies of bingo cards for each studentPencil for each upper primary studentSmall circles or beans for each early primary studentChart paper and markers for teacher

Approximately one hour

Natural Resources: raw materials or energy supplied by nature (e.g.,water, minerals, or plants) Trees are a natural resource used to make paperand water is a natural resource used to generate electricity to power homesand businesses.Renewable Resource: naturally occurring raw material that, when properlyused and managed, can be restored or replenished.Nonrenewable Resource: a raw material that can be depleted faster than itnaturally regenerates (e.g., petroleum, metals, etc.)


What is a natural resource?What are renewable and nonrenewable resources?

CommunicationProblem Solving

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Materials

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Length of Lesson

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Step 1: Remind students that people need naturalresources in order to manufacture man-made products.(Refer to “The Natural Sort” and “It Feels So Natural”activities.) Explain that during this lesson, students willget to play “Trash Bingo” as they learn more about thenatural resources used to make products they use. Also,explain to students that they will learn about renewableand nonrenewable resources. (Refer to Teacher FactSheets about “Natural Resources” for backgroundinformation.)

Activity

Step 2: List the five following categories of naturalresources on a piece of chart paper: animals, fossilfuels, metals, plants/trees and sand. Discuss with thestudents some examples of products that are made fromthese natural resources. List each product exampleunder the appropriate heading. Brainstorm with thestudents to develop a more complete list of things thatare made from these natural resources. Remindstudents that all man-made products begin as naturalresources!

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A Natural Beginning, continued


Step 3: Explain the rules for bingo, and hand out thebingo cards designed for older primary students found onthe next page.

For early primary students, custom-make classsets of bingo cards for this lesson by visiting thefollowing website and downloading a free sharewarecopy of “BingoMaker”: “http://www.5starshareware.com/Homehob/Greeting-Cards/bingo-cards.html”. (Please refer to the example given on thenext page of how to enter information onto the tablewhen using “BingoMaker” shareware.)

Step 4: For upper primary students, select words fromthe product list created on the chart paper (or thesuggested list in the sidebar on this page) and call outone word at a time. Instruct students to find the category,or categories, that each item belongs in on their bingocard and write the name of the product inside theappropriate box or boxes. There may be more than onenatural resource for each product (for example, a pair oftennis shoes might fill three categories: plant, fossil fueland metal).

For early primary students, call out thecategory, along with a corresponding product. (A “callcard” will be printed along with the class set of bingocards when using “BingoMaker” shareware.) Instructstudents to cover the appropriate space if the productappears on their bingo cards.

Step 5: The first student to fill the card wins. Use theT-R-A-S-H letters as free spaces. Be sure to check eachstudent’s bingo card to see if all answers are correct!

Step 6: After the bingo game, or in a separate block oftime, instruct each upper primary student to circle theitems that are made from renewable resources. Leadstudents into a discussion of which resources arerenewable and which are nonrenewable. Explain tostudents that both renewable and nonrenewable resourcesneed to be managed appropriately or they could bedepleted. Explain to students that during the “SolidWaste Survivor” unit, they will be learning ways toconserve natural resources.

Give students the following information:

We have been learning about products andsome of the natural resources used to makethose products by playing bingo. Think about a favorite toy or game youhave at home. Write a history of that toy orgame, tracing it back to the natural resource orresources used to make that toy or game.Were the resources used to make the toy orgame renewable or nonrenewable? Why?

Journal Activity

Assessment

Common Products

Aluminum can Grocery bagAluminum lawn chair HamburgerApple core Leather jacketBicycle tire JeansBologna sandwich Milk jugBook MirrorNylon shoelace BreadCereal box Sandwich bagCotton shirt Soda bottleEgg shells WindowGlass bottle of juice Wool hatWater bottle WireCheese Glass vaseLunch box Backpack

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A Natural Beginning, continued

*This is an example of how to enter information to make early primary bingo cards using “BingoMaker” shareware.Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5

Heading METALS FOSSIL FUELS ANIMALS SAND PLANTS/TREES1 Aluminum Can Milk Jug Hamburger S Cotton Shirt2 Bicycle R Egg Shells Window Book3 Fork Sandwich Bag Chicken Glass Juice

BottleH

4 T Plastic Chair Wool Hat Mirror Cereal Box5 Wire Bicycle Tire A Glass Pickle

JarApple Core

Extensions

3.� Ask students what happens if wekeep using more and more naturalresources. How can we stop usingso many natural resources? How canwe use more renewable resourcesthan nonrenewable resources?

4.� Ask students to bring one of theirfavorite “things” from home toshare with the class. Have eachstudents be prepared to tell wherethe item came from, including theresources used in producing it, andhow it came to be in their house.What will happen to the item whenit is old,�broken, or no longer needed?


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Primary Unit14

Resource-ful KentuckiansScience: SC-E-2.1.2, Earth materials provide many of the resourceshumans use. The varied materials have different physical and chemicalproperties, which make them useful in different ways. For example, asbuilding materials (e.g., stone, clay and marble), as sources of fuel (e.g.,petroleum and natural gas), or growing the plants we use as food.

Students will learn about Kentucky’s natural resources and several productsmade in Kentucky. They will also discuss ways to conserve naturalresources.

Ale 8 soda Plastic milk jugPaper Cotton T-shirtPackaged muffin or bread Can of cornBag of apples CheeseLeather (belt, shoe, etc.) Glass bottle of syrupWooden baseball bat Plastic bottle of ketchup


Renewable Resource; naturally occurring raw material that, when properlyused and managed, can be restored or replenished (e.g., wood, leather).Nonrenewable Resource; a raw material that can be depleted faster than itnaturally regenerates (e.g., petroleum, metals, etc.)Raw materials: still in their natural or original state.Consumption; the amount of any product or resource (material or energy)used in a given time by a given number of people.Scarcity; limited supply of a resource or product.


What types of resources do I consume?

Communication and Problem SolvingResearch and WritingObservation and Classification

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Materials

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Step 1: Introduce, or review, the concept of naturalresources with students by asking the followingquestions: Can people make natural resources? Arenatural resources things we can use? Where do we haveto go to find natural resources? Are they necessary forhuman life?

Step 2: Remind students that natural resources are theraw materials used to make products that we can buy atlocal stores – even at school.

Activity

Kentucky Natural Resources

Cattle BariteNatural Gas CoalApples PetroleumTitanium Iron OreCorn SoybeansLimestone TomatoesFish Wheat

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Resource-ful Kentuckians, continued


Step 3: Display all of the products from the “MaterialsNeeded” list. Explain to students that the products ondisplay were made in Kentucky. Ask students to identifywhat natural resources they think were used to makeeach of the products. List those natural resources on thechalkboard or on a chart. Help students with this step ifthey are not sure, or have research materials on hand forstudents to use to find background information on rawmaterials. The following web sites offer extensiveinformation on Kentucky natural resources and products:

♦� http://www.atasteofkentucky.com/prideofky_products.asp?ID=6343

♦� http://www.louisville.edu/~easchn01/kentucky/1envi.html

♦� http://www.kyagr.com/buyky/index.htm

Step 3: Ask students to look back over the list of naturalresources used to make the products and list theresources as renewable or nonrenewable. Review themeaning of these two terms, if necessary.

Step 4: Focus students’ attention to the nonrenewableresource list. Ask students what they think might happento these resources if producers and consumers continueto consume them so quickly. Encourage students todiscuss ways to conserve different natural resources.

Step 5: Share the picture book, The Garbage Monster, byJoni Sensal, with students. Encourage students to discusswhat they think is happening in the pictures. (The bookdescribes how a girl deals with a garbage monster byrecycling him.)

Step 6: Instruct students to draw or paint pictures toshow how they can conserve natural resources. Use thepictures to create a bulletin board display.

Assessment

Ask students to select a favoritenatural resource. Write about why it isa favorite. Explain whether it isrenewable or nonrenewable. If it isnonrenewable, explain what might bedone to conserve it.

Homework Assignment

Have students take the list of naturalresources generated during thebrainstorming session home and discusswith their families the resources theyconsider most important. Rank theresources from most important to leastimportant. Ask students to bring backthe lists made by their families and sharethe top five with their classmates.Analyze the results with students.NOTE: Explain that each family hasdifferent priorities if the top five list ofresources vary among students.

Extensions

1. Give students opportunities toexplore the web sites listed in thislesson to learn more aboutKentucky’s natural resources andproducts.

2. Invite speakers from localindustries to visit and talk about theprocesses used to manufacture goodsfrom start to finish.

3. Visit a local industry to watch aproduct as it is made.

Primary Unit16

Battling “Thwants” and “Thneeds”Adapted from “Dr. Seuss and Resource Use”, from Quest for Less, an EPA Publication

Social Studies: SS-E-3.1.1, Scarcity requires people to make choices aboutusing goods, services, and limited resources.

Students will listen to the book, The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss, then discuss thedifference between wants and needs. The discussion will lead students to abetter understanding of what it takes to survive and what might happen ifnatural resources are depleted.

One copy of the book, The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss

Approximately one hour on two different days

Consumption: the amount of any product or resource (e.g., material orenergy) used in a given time by a given number of consumers.Scarcity: limited supply of a resource or product.Natural Resource: raw material or energy supplied by nature.Ecosystem: a system made up of a community of living plants and animals.When one part of an ecosystem is disturbed, it affects the entire ecosystem.Pollution: the contamination of soil, water, or air by discharging ordiscarding potentially harmful objects or substances.


What types of resources do I consume?What happens when all of the natural resources are consumed?What is the difference between a want and a need?

CommunicationProblem SolvingListening

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Materials

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Step 1: If necessary, introduce and discuss theconcepts of natural resources and productconsumption with students (refer to the Teacher FactSheets found at the beginning of this publication).Review the vocabulary words for this lesson. Pointout that as population increases, so does theconsumption of more and more products and naturalresources. All of this is hard on the environment.(This would be a good time to review the differencebetween renewable and nonrenewable resources.)

Activity

Essential Necessary LuxuryFood Phone BikeClothing Stove PoolShelter Car ToysWater Books BoatMedicine Paper CD’s

Primary Unit 17

Battling “Thwants” and “Thneeds”, continued


Step 2: This activity can take place either inside thebuilding, or in a quiet spot outside. It is important to createan atmosphere free from distractions before attempting toread this story. Once the students are settled and ready tolisten, read the book, The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss. Explainbefore starting the story that this book, like many of theother Dr. Seuss books, has “pretend” words, but some ofthe pretend words in this book contain real words.

Step 3: After reading the story, discuss what the Once-lerdid to cause problems for the Truffula tree forest and itsresidents. (Factories were built, the air and water werepolluted, animals moved away, all of the Truffula treeswere cut down, and the ecosystem was destroyed.) Ask thestudents why they think the Once-ler’s face is never shown(maybe because the Once-ler is ashamed of what hisactions caused in this ecosystem). Discuss why thestudents think the Once-ler felt the need to use all of theTruffula trees, instead of listening to the Lorax (greed formoney, desire to create jobs for his relatives). Ask forsuggestions of things the Once-ler could have done insteadof destroying all of the Truffula trees (replanted, lookedfor ways to recycle thneeds, or looked for other products toproduce using different resources). This lesson can becontroversial so make sure students understand that mostpeople in business and industry are responsible and this isa story to help them understand what can happen whenpeople are not responsible.

Step 5: Ask students to go home and retell The Lorax totheir parents. As a family, talk about things they need inorder to live a comfortable life.

Step 1: Ask students to name the different products theyuse during the course of a day (e.g., toothbrush, shoes,CDs, bike, clothing, . . .). Make a list of these items onchart paper or the chalkboard.

Step 2: Instruct students to categorize the listed words as“essential for survival”, “necessary for living in today’ssociety” or a “luxury”.

Step 3: After the new categories have been completed, askstudents if they are surprised at the number of products wereally need as compared to the number of products that areluxuries (or wants). Remind students that all manmadeproducts require raw materials for production and create“waste” when they are no longer useful.

Assessment

Extensions

1.� Have students rewrite a new ending forThe Lorax so the Truffula tree forestand all of the animals inhabiting theforest are saved. This writing projectcan be done individually, or in smallgroups. (Groups of students may wishto act our their new endings for the restof the class.)

2.� Ask students to think about andexplain what the Lorax’s message“UNLESS someone like you cares awhole awful lot, nothing is going to getbetter. It’s not,” means (answersshould include the need for futuregenerations to protect and care for theEarth).

3.� Students can draw pictures to illustratetheir favorite part of the story, TheLorax.

Day Two

Say to students:1.� Think of a few of your most important

needs.2.� Make a list of at least three of those

needs. How can you and your familyconsume fewer natural resources whilestill using those needed products?

3.� What could happen if people continueto consume more and more resources?

-RXUQDO�$FWLYLW\

Primary Unit18

What a Waste!

Practical Living: PL-E-3.1.5, There are consumer decisions (e.g.,reducing, recycling, reusing) that have positive impacts on the environment.

Students will learn the difference between solid waste and litter. They willalso begin looking at the amount of waste they and their families make.

A variety of individually wrapped snacks and packaged foods


Solid waste: material that has been discarded because it has worn out, isused up, or is no longer needed, such as packaging, newspapers and brokenappliances.Litter: waste materials carelessly discarded in an inappropriate place.

My family and I use resources that create solid waste. How does thataffect the environment?

What is the difference between litter and solid waste?How much solid waste do my family and I make?

WritingProblem SolvingOrganizing DataGraphingComputation

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Materials

Standard

Length of Lesson

Essential Question

Guiding Questions

Skills Used

Vocabulary Words

Step 1: Show the students a variety of individuallywrapped snacks. Ask students if the packaging of thesnacks is useful. (They should respond that it keeps thesnacks from getting old and dirty.) Explain that cerealboxes, plastic jugs and other materials that things areboxed, or stored, in are used to protect the food. Askstudents what happens to the wraps or containers oncethe food is eaten or becomes old? Explain that oncesomething no longer has any use, it is thrown away andbecomes SOLID WASTE. Also, explain thatimproperly discarded solid waste is called LITTER.

Activity

Dinner Containers

Soup – metal can with labelHamburger – plastic tray and clear plastic wrapKetchup – plastic bottle, lid, paper labelApple sauce – glass jar, metal top, paper

labelCarrots – plastic bagIce cream – plastic or cardboard containerMilk – plastic jug with lid or waxed cardboard

carton

Primary Unit 19

What a Waste! continued

Step 2: Ask students to list everything they ate at homefor dinner on the previous night, or the last night they ateat home. Stress that they need to be as accurate aspossible, including “extras” like ketchup, butter, or salt.

Step 3: While students are listing their food items, theteacher should make a list of food items on thechalkboard, or overhead projector similar to theinformation shared in the box labeled “DinnerContainers” on the previous page. Share this list with thestudents and explain that each student will write besidethe food items they ate at home the materials used tomake the containers each food item was in whenpurchased at the store. Some students may need to seevisual examples of some food containers. Others mayneed to hear several examples, similar to those listed bythe teacher.

Step 4: Once the students finish listing the materialsused to make the food containers, ask each student tocount the total number of containers used in his or herhousehold on the previous evening. Add the total numberof containers used by the entire class. Multiply thisnumber by 365 to obtain a rough estimate of the totalnumber of containers used in one year. Ask students toestimate how much of the classroom would be filled withthat many containers.

Step 5: Remind students that toys, shoes, furniture, andmany other things we purchase also come in packagingof some sort. Ask students to think about the amount ofsolid waste created by those types of items.

Step 6: Share with students that on the average, eachperson in the United States throws away over fourpounds of solid waste each day. Help students multiplyfour pounds by the number of people in their family toobtain an estimate of the amount of waste produced byeach family each day. Then multiply that number by 365days to obtain the amount of waste thrown away eachyear. Add the yearly total for each student to obtain theapproximate poundage of waste produced each year byfamilies represented by the entire class. WHAT AWASTE!

Assessment

Extensions

1.� Take students on a “litter”walk around the schoolproperty to pick up litter.Stress with the students to useprecaution and ask an adult tohelp if they find broken glassor sharp objects.

2.� Ask students to begin thinkingof ways to reduce the amountof solid waste thrown awayboth at home and at school.

3.� Ask students to calculate howmany days it would take themto accumulate solid wasteequal to their weight if theyused a rate of four pounds perday.


1.� Ask students to make postersto show others the differencebetween littering and disposingof solid waste in an appropriatemanner.

�� Hang finished posters aroundthe building and communityafter they are completed.

Primary Unit20

Learning About the 4 R’s

Practical Living: PL-E-3.1.5, There are consumer decisions (e.g.,reducing, recycling, reusing) that have positive impacts on the environment.

Students will begin to learn how to REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE andRESPOND in a positive way to how they handle solid waste.

A large box labeled “Classroom Trash Collection Box”A large tarp or old sheet to lay week-old trash on for sortingFour smaller boxes labeled “Paper”, “Glass”, “Plastic”, “Metal”

Approximately one hour on the fifth day of the activity

Reduce: to decrease the amount of waste, either by using wiser purchasinghabits or by reusing or recycling more items.Reuse: a type of SOURCE REDUCTION activity involving the use of aproduct or container for the same purpose or a different purpose.Recycle: to collect, sort, process, and convert materials that would havebeen thrown away into raw materials used to make the same or newproducts.Respond: in this context, the act of reconsidering waste-producingactivities and expressing preferences for less waste.Municipal Solid Waste (MSW): waste collected from homes, institutions(e.g., schools or hospitals), commercial establishments (e.g., businesses andrestaurants), and some industries, and taken to sanitary landfills. Alsoknown as garbage, trash, refuse or debris.


What choices do my family and I have about how we reduce, reuse,recycle and respond to solid waste?What are the best ways to dispose of our solid waste? (e.g. most costeffective, safest, and healthiest)

CategorizingProblem Solving

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Materials

Standard

Length of Lesson

Essential Question

Guiding Questions

Skills Used

Vocabulary Words

Step 1: Introduce this lesson by telling students that, asa class, everybody will be throwing all DRY trash intothe large box marked “Classroom Trash CollectionBox” for an entire school week. Emphasize that allWET trash, or uneaten food, should be thrown into theregular trashcan. Explain that students need to rinse allbottles and cans.

ActivityRecyclable Materials

♦� Aluminum and steel cans♦� Cardboard♦� Newspapers and magazines♦� Glass jars or bottles♦� Plastic containers♦� Other materials recycled in your

community

Primary Unit 21

Learning About the 4 R’s, continued

Step 1: In one week, spread a tarp or sheet on the floor.Dump the box of trash collected in the “ClassroomTrash Collection Box” onto the large tarp or sheet.

Step 2: Ask students to gather around the trash so theycan help count the pieces of trash that were thrownaway during the previous week.

Step 3: After the pieces of trash have been counted,and the number has been recorded, explain that there isan easy way to reduce (decrease) the amount of trashthat was placed in the collection box. Show studentsthe four boxes marked “Paper”, “Glass”, “Plastic”, and“Metals”. Tell students to take a good look, once again,at the trash. As each piece of trash is held up, askstudents if the trash might be placed in one of the foursmaller boxes, or if it can be reused in the classroomor at home. Any trash not fitting into one of thesecategories should be put back in the collection box.

Step 4: After all of the trash has been resorted, countthe pieces remaining in the “Classroom TrashCollection Box”. Compare the previous number ofpieces of trash with the number after the items aresorted. Ask students if the number has decreasedsignificantly. Explain.

Step 5: Divide the students into cooperative workinggroups and have each group come up with at least fiveways to reduce the amount of waste that goes into the“Classroom Trash Collection Box”. Discuss thedifferent ideas with the entire class. (Emphasizereducing and reusing by suggesting such things asusing plastic containers rather than plastic wrap inlunch boxes, using lunch boxes instead of lunch bags,bringing juice in a thermos instead of purchasing juiceboxes, etc.)


Day 7

Reading and Writing Connection

Read the book, Recycle! by Gail Gibbons tostudents. Then give students the followingdirections for a writing assignment: Write about what you might be able to dodifferently at home that will help reduce theamount of trash you and your family collect eachweek for the garbage truck to take to the landfill.

Step 6: Ask students for suggestions of what to dowith the sorted trash items. If the school has arecycling program in place, explain to students thatthis sorted classroom trash can be recycled alongwith other items in the building. Show studentswhere the recycling containers are located in thebuilding so they will begin using the containers forpersonal trash, when needed. If there is not an activerecycling program within the school, but there isone in the community, tell students that the sortedtrash items will be taken to the community’srecycling center.

Step 7: Explain to students that the items beingtaken to the recycling center need to be sortedbecause the different categories of recyclable wastewill be compacted at the local recycling center.Then the compacted waste will be sent to industrieswhere the materials can be reprocessed and turnedback into raw materials that can be used to makenew products. Explain that by reusing and recyclingwaste, students and industry are saving naturalresources, reducing the amount of waste beingburied at sanitary landfills, and saving on energyand material costs to produce the recycled goods, orproducts.

Primary Unit22

Learning About the 4 R’s, continued

Assessment

Extensions

1.� Ask students to name some examples ofrecyclable items.

2.� Have students explain why it isimportant to sort recyclable items.

3.� Ask students to explain another way toreduce the amount of solid wasteentering the municipal solid wastestream.

Day 14


Step 1: Wait one more week and gather students tocount the pieces of trash in the “Classroom TrashCollection Box” a second time. Compare the number ofpieces of trash with the amount counted previous week.Hopefully, there will be a drastic reduction in theamount of trash thrown in the collection box. Discussthe progress made with class members. Ask studentswhat caused the reduction of solid waste generated byclassmates. Call on individual students to explain whatthey personally did to help reduce the amount of wasteentering the municipal solid waste system. List thedifferent strategies used to reduce waste on thechalkboard or a classroom chart.

Step 2: Continue classroom recycling throughout theschool year. Also, encourage students to reuse as muchof the recycled trash as possible by doing such thingsas using both sides of paper or keeping colored paperscraps and any other appropriate items for classroomart projects.

Step 8: Leave the four small boxes labeled “Paper”,“Glass”, “Plastic”, and “Metals” sitting in the room,but do not make it a point to encourage students to usethe box to recycle any of their solid waste. Model forthe students by throwing recyclable items in theappropriate boxes throughout the week.

1.� Invite the local solid waste coordinatorto visit the classroom and talk abouthow recycling is handled in thecommunity.

2.� Ask students to graph or chart theresults of the trash disposal project.

3.� Encourage students to shareinformation learned at school aboutreducing, reusing, recycling andresponding with family members.

4.� With the help of students, write aclassroom recycling pledge, possiblysomething like this:“I will respond to the solid wasteproblem by reducing, reusing andrecycling my trash every day.”Post the pledge in the classroom andrecite it with students every morning.

Primary Unit 23

Handmade Recycled Seed CardsAdapted from “Handmade Recycled Paper Planters”, from Quest for Less, an EPA Publication

Practical Living: PL-E-3.1.5, There are consumer decisions (e.g.,reducing, recycling, and reusing) that have positive impacts on theenvironment.

Students will learn to reuse newspapers by making recycled paper greetingcards containing wildflower seeds.

♦� Large stack of newspapers Egg BeatersScissors Wildflower seedsThree to five 2-gallon buckets Old, but clean, pantyhoseWater Old wire hangersHand lenses Food coloring (optional)

Approximately two to three hours spread out over three days

Recycle: to collect, sort, process, and convert materials that would havebeen thrown away into raw materials used to make the same or newproducts.Fibers: long, thick-walled cells that give strength and support to planttissue. Wood and cloth fibers are used to make paper.Pulp: a mixture of fibrous material such as wood, rags, and paper, groundup and moistened to be used in making paper products.Virgin Materials: raw materials that have not yet been used


What choices do my family and I have about how we reduce, reuse,recycle and respond to changing our habits on how to deal with solidwaste?

Motor SkillsListening and Following Directions

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Materials

Standard

Length of Lesson

Essential Question

Guiding Question

Skills Used

Vocabulary Words

Step 1: Introduce the concepts of recycling anddecomposition to students. Explain that making itemsfrom recyclable materials, rather than virgin materialsbenefits the environment by saving natural resources.(Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheets found at thebeginning of this publication.)

Step 2: Discuss with students how paper is made.Explain that most paper is made from only trees, whileother paper is made from a combination of trees and

Activity

old newspaper or used office paper. A small amountof paper is even made from cotton, papyrus or rags.Discuss how using recycled paper helps conserve ourforests. Help students explore the environmentalimplications of this.

Step 3: Set out newspapers and have each studentcut up two full pages of newspaper into ½ to 1-inchsquare pieces. Demonstrate for students.

Primary Unit24

Handmade Recycled Seed Cards- continued

Step 4: Ask a few student volunteers to fill the buckets 1/3full with paper and the remaining 2/3 with water (1 partpaper to two parts water). Let this mixture sit overnight.By the next day, the newspaper fibers will be soft andready to pulp (break down fibers).

Step 5: Give each student a wire hanger and one leg of anold pantyhose. Ask the students to reshape the hanger intothe shape of a circle. Once this is done, ask them to stretchthe pantyhose over the circular part of the hanger. Securethe pantyhose by tying with string. This “pantyhosescreen” will be used on the next day to hold the paper pulpas it dries.

Step 1: On the second day, have students take turnspulping the fibers with the hand beater until the paper andwater look like mush. Explain that the pulping processbreaks down the fibers into a form that can be bondedtogether again to make recycled paper. Have students lookat the pulp with a hand lens to see the loose wood fibers.(A small amount of food coloring added to the pulp willgive it color, if desired. This is also the time to addwildflower seeds.)

Step 6: Give each student a “pantyhose screen” made onthe previous day. Instruct each student to scoop out aboutone cup of the pulp and spread it out onto the screen, in arectangular shape, as thin as possible without leavingholes. Using a rolling pin on top of a stack of newspapershelps flatten the paper.

Step 7: Let the pulp dry completely over the next twodays. While the drying is taking place, students can becomposing the verse for the cards they will be making.

Day 3

Step 1: Pull the dried, recycled paper from the screens.Use scissors to cut the paper into the desired shape for thegreeting card. Give students time to finish writing thecomposed verse on the greeting card. Include directions forplanting the cards before sending them home withstudents.

Step 2: Before sending the completed cards home with thestudents, discuss how the card will decompose in the soiland the seeds will germinate and grow.

Assessment

Extensions

1.� Read the book, From Tree to Paper, byWendy Davis.

2.� Help students diagram and label all ofthe steps that occur in making paperfrom recycled materials, versus makingpaper from only virgin materials.

3.� Encourage students to discuss what elsethey can do to reduce the number oftrees being cut down to make paper.

4.� Visit the following web site(http://www/kinderart.com/seasons) forart project ideas that encourage thereuse of plastic milk jugs.


Ask students to explain, in writing, howmaking new paper from old newspapersbenefits the environment. Encouragestudents to include different things in theenvironment that are affected in a positiveway when recycling takes place.

Day 2

Writing Connection

Ask students to write a story about thejourney of the wildflower seeds from theirfirst days on the card to when they take rootsin the ground outside. Remind students thatthey can write the story as a nonfictionfeature article, or as a fictitious literarystory.

Primary Unit 25

Luscious Layered LandfillsAdapted from Quest for Less, an EPA Publication

Practical Living: PL-E-3.3.2, To protect all citizens, there are communityguidelines (e.g. school inspections, trash collection, water treatment, wastetreatment, animal control, immunization) that promote healthy livingenvironments in the community.

Students will learn about the different layers of landfills and their functionsby constructing an edible model.

One 8-ounce pliable clear plastic cup per studentFive chocolate sandwich cookies per studentOne 8-ounce box of raisins per studentOne fruit rollup per studentTwo graham crackers per studentTwo red licorice sticks per studentOne package of birthday candlesOne pack of matchesOne scoop of chocolate ice cream (or pudding) per studentTwo tablespoons of whipped cream per studentOne plastic knife per studentOne plastic fork per studentOne handful (per student) of a variety of small chewable candiesOne copy of “Anatomy of a Landfill” handout per student


Sanitary landfill: a specially engineered site for disposing of solid wasteon land, constructed so that it will reduce hazard to public health and safety.Clay Liner: absorbs any leachate (or liquid) that escapes the plastic liner ofa landfill.Plastic liner: prevents leachate from escaping into the ground.Leachate: natural byproduct of decomposing garbage.Leachate collection pipes: used in landfills to collect leachate.Methane: a colorless, odorless, flammable, gaseous hydrocarbon that is aproduct of the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter; can be burned asa fuel.Decompose: the process by which a substance is broken down into its basicelements.


What are the best ways to dispose of our solid waste?What is a sanitary landfill?

Observation and ClassificationMotor SkillsListening and Communication



Materials

Standard

Length of Lesson

Essential Question

Guiding Questions

Skills Used

Vocabulary Words

Primary Unit26

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Luscious Layered Landfills, continued

Step 1: Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheets found atthe beginning of this publication for backgroundinformation on landfills. Explain the purpose of alandfill to students and explain that they willconstruct their own model landfills in class. Copyand distribute the “Anatomy of a Landfill” handoutfor each student. Using the handout, go over eachlayer’s name and function with students.

Step 2: Distribute a cup and five chocolatesandwich cookies to each student. Explain that thecup represents an excavated hole in the ground.

Step 3: Have students carefully “unscrew” two oftheir cookies so that one half has white cream andthe other is bare. Students should have two cookiehalves with white cream and two cookie halveswithout cream. Crush the bare cookie halves intosmall pieces and put them into the cup. Explain thatthe crushed cookies represent a layer of soil that isplaced in the bottom of real landfills.

Step 4: Next, have students take the cookie halveswith white cream and break them up into two orthree pieces. Direct students to place the pieces inthe cup with the white cream face up. These piecesrepresent a layer of clay that is put on top of the soilin real landfills.

Step 5: Have students use the plastic knife to cuttheir fruit rollups to roughly fit the size of the top ofthe cup. Slide the rollup into place (will push up onsides) on top of the cookies to represent a plasticliner. Plastic liners prevent leachate from escapingfrom a landfill into the ground. Leachate is liquidcreated when trash decomposes (decays).

Step 6: Have students crush and add their grahamcrackers to represent a sand layer. This layer is usedto prevent liquids in landfills from seeping out intothe water table.

Activity

Step 7: Next, have students place raisins on top torepresent a layer of pebbles. Like the sand layer,pebbles provide further protection against leachateleaks.

Step 8: Have students rip the licorice sticks in halfand bite, or cut, off both ends to represent leachatepipes. Stick “pipes” into the pebble layer. Thesepipes collect any leachate that collects on top of theliners.

Step 9: Ask students to sprinkle the candies on top ofthe raisins. The candies represent pieces of garbage.Ask students to think about what happens when alandfill or “cup” is filled up with trash or “candies”.How can they reduce the amount of trash that is sentto the landfill? (Refer to Teacher Fact Sheet locatedat the beginning of this publication for moreinformation on recycling, if needed.)

Step 10: Give each student a scoop of ice cream ontop of the candies. Then, have students add one morelayer of candies on top of the ice cream. The icecream layer represents the seepage created from rainseeping through the garbage. Explain that in a reallandfill, more layers of garbage or “candies” areplaced on the landfill each day, so that liquid fromthe decomposition of the trash is continually created.

Ask students to list some common itemsthey throw away. What types of items do theythink pioneers threw away 200 years ago? Askstudents to predict what types of items will bethrown away in the future.

Journal ActivityCheck for food allergiesbefore teaching this lesson!


Primary Unit 27

Luscious Layered Landfills, continued

AssessmentStep 11: Direct students to “unscrew” their tworemaining cookies and crush another layer of the barecookie halves, without the cream, on top of thecandies and ice cream to represent soil again.(Students can eat the other cream-covered cookiehalves.) This layer reduces the amount of rainwaterthat reaches the garbage.

Step 12: Each student should use a layer of whippedcream to “cap” the landfill or cover it. Explain that aplastic cap is used on real landfills to prevent odor,insect and rodent problems.

Step 13: In front of the class, stick a candle deep intoyour own edible “landfill” and light it. Explain thatthe candle represents the methane gas recoverysystem, which draws methane gas from thedecomposing garbage. The flame represents energythat can be generated by burning the capturedmethane gas.

Step 14: Have students eat their landfills as a snack.When they get to the bottom of the cup, ask studentsto notice whether their cookie or “soil” layer is dry,or whether the ice cream or “leachate” leaked past themany layers and the fruit roll-up liner to soak thecookies. Remind students that if they built theirlandfill correctly, the cookies will be dry. In a reallandfill, the soil remains protected from leachate.


Extensions

1.� Before enjoying the luscious layeredlandfill as a snack, team students up inpairs to review the purpose of all of thedifferent layers in landfills. (Remindthem that they may use the handout forreference, if needed.)

2.� Have students conduct a survey offriends and family asking them wheretheir garbage goes. Have them recordpeoples’ responses and determinewhether they are well informed. In class,discuss the survey results.

3.� Contact the local Solid WasteCoordinator for videos or materials toshare with students about local solidwaste management.

�� Visit the following web site to seepictures of a California landfill from the1920’s up to the present:“http://www.lalc.k12.ca.us/uclasp/ISSUES/landfills/landfills.html”

1.� Ask students to explain, either verbally orin writing, why landfills are important toour environment.

2.� As a review, ask students to include wayspeople can reduce the amount of trash sentto landfills.

Primary Unit28

Primary Unit 29

Once Upon a Landfill

Practical Living: PL-E-3.3.2, To protect all citizens, there are communityguidelines (e.g. school inspections, trash collection, water treatment, wastetreatment, animal control, immunization) that promote healthy livingenvironments in the community.

Students will investigate how landfills looked long ago by interviewingolder people about how they handled solid waste.

A list of interview questions (to be developed in class)Note to Parents

Approximately 30 minutes on first day and one hour another day

Sanitary Landfill: a specially engineered site for disposing of solid wasteon land, constructed so that it will reduce hazard to public health and safety.Dump: a site where waste is disposed of in an unmanaged, uncovered area.Municipal Solid Waste Stream: waste collected in a community fromhomes, small institutions, businesses and industry for disposal in a localsanitary landfill.


What are the best ways to dispose of our solid waste? (E.g. most costeffective, safest, healthiest)

CommunicationWriting

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Materials

Standard

Length of Lesson

Essential Question

Guiding Question

Skills Used

Vocabulary Words

Interview Questions

1.� When were you born?2.� When you were little, what types

of trash did you and your familyhave?

3.� Did garbage trucks come to yourhouse to pick up your trash whenyou were little?

4.� Where did you put your trash?5.� Were there any sanitary landfills

like we have today when you werelittle?

6.� Has the type and amount of waste,or trash, changed since you werelittle? How?

Step 1: Before starting this lesson, find the following web siteand bookmark it to share the photos with students:“http://www.lalc.k12.ca.us/uclasp/ISSUES/landfills/landfills.html” (Click onto “Lopez Canyon Landfill Virtual FieldTrip” to view sanitary landfill photos.) This site also containssome pictures of older landfills to share later in this lesson,after the interviews have taken place.

Step 2: Ask students what happens to solid waste once theyput it in garbage cans. Help students understand that once trashis thrown into a garbage can, and picked up by a garbage truck,it enters the municipal solid waste stream (MSW) and has to betaken to a sanitary landfill. Also explain that there are federaland state laws so the solid waste coordinator of the landfillknows exactly how the landfill has to be managed to keep itfrom becoming a health hazard.

Activity

Primary Unit30

Once Upon a Landfill, continued

Assessment

Extensions

1.� Share analyzed data that has beencollected with other students in schoolin an effort to educate others aboutchanges in our society and proper trashdisposal.

2.� Publish results of survey and sharewith parents through the classroom orPTA newsletter.

�� Debate the question: “Is change goodor bad?”


1.� Ask students to write a comparison ofhow trash disposal has changed in thepast 50 – 100 years in the United States.

2.� Encourage students to include in theircomparison paper which type of trashdisposal they think is best for theenvironment. Why?

Step 3: Explain to students that in order to learn moreabout how landfills looked many years ago, each studentwill be interviewing an older person (either a familymember or another elderly person in the community). Soeach student collects the same type of information,explain that everybody will be using the same set ofinterview questions.

Step 4: Ask students to think about what informationthey would like to learn about landfills from long ago.Brainstorm to develop a list of questions, similar tothose on the previous page.

Step 5: Explain that students need to ask their parentsfor advice on whom to interview. (Suggest grandparents,neighbors, or friends of the family.) Tell students thatthe older the person they interview, the more interestingthe answers from the interview will probably be.

Step 6: Type the interview questions, leaving room forstudents to write the answers directly under eachquestion. Make enough copies so each student has one totake home.

Step 7: Set a reasonable deadline for students to returnthe completed assignment. Send the interview questionsand a note explaining the assignment to parents homewith each student.

Step 8: After all students have completed and returnedthe homework assignment, gather all students to discussthe results. Explain the difference between the terms“sanitary landfill” and “dump”. Show pictures of thetwo, if available.

Step 9: Create a “landfill timeline” so students can seehow trash accumulation and disposal has changed overthe years. Leave room on the timeline for students to addtheir own illustrations and information about how theythink landfills might look in the future. Ask studentswhat they think might happen to the landfills we haveright now.

�Note to Parents

We have been studying about howimportant it is to dispose of our solid wasteappropriately in sanitary landfills. We are alsointerested in learning about how people whowere born at least fifty years ago, or longer,disposed of their trash. As a class, we came up with a list ofquestions to ask an elderly relative or friend.We would appreciate your help in assistingyour child in contacting an acquaintance tointerview. We hope this assignment will helpour students better understand some of thechanges that have taken place in our countryduring the last century. If possible, we would like your child tocomplete the interview and return the answersto the questions by . Thank you so much for helping your childcomplete this homework assignment!

Primary Unit 31

Garbage / Trash / Waste

Science:SC-E-2.1.2, Earth materials provide many of the resources humansuse. The varied materials have different physical and chemical properties,which make them useful in different ways. For example, as buildingmaterials (e.g. stone, clay, and marble), as sources of fuel (e.g. petroleumand natural gas), or growing the plants we use as food.

Students will make a list of synonyms for solid waste, make a Venndiagram to compare the synonyms and discuss organic and inorganic kindsof waste.

Chart paperMarkersDictionaryThesaurus


Organic Waste: waste composed of living or once-living matter; (e.g.leaves) more broadly, composed of chemical compounds principally basedon the element carbon.Inorganic Waste: waste not composed of once-living material (e.g.minerals); generally, composed of chemical compounds not principallybased on the element carbon.Synonyms: words with similar, or the same, meanings.

How can I affect the way my family, school, and community useresources and properly dispose of solid waste?

What is organic waste?What is inorganic waste?

CommunicationWriting

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Step 1: Explain to students that there are many words inthe English language that mean the same thing, or almostthe same thing. We call these words synonyms. Tell thestudents that they will be brainstorming to think ofsynonyms for the word “waste”, but that they need tounderstand there are two different types of waste: organicand inorganic. Explain the difference, giving examples, ifnecessary. Then ask for synonyms. (Use the thesaurus ifstudents have trouble.)

Activity

Trash Synonyms

Garbage RefuseDebris JunkClippings RubbishDroppings WasteSweepings Litter

Primary Unit32

Garbage / Trash / Waste, continued

Waste Venn Diagram

OrganicWaste

Either

InorganicWaste


1.� Ask students to write downeverything they threw away inthe lunchroom. Label each wasteitem as organic or inorganic.

2.� Sit in a circle and point to astudent. The student should beready to call out the name of anitem. Explain that the remainingstudents will stick their thumbup in front of them if the item is“organic”. Instruct students toput their thumb down in front ofthem if the item is “inorganic”.

DroppingsClippings

Trimmings

Sweepings TrashDebris Waste

Garbage RefuseScraps

JunkRubbish

Assessment

1.� Prepare a list of ten different typesof waste (e.g. grass clippings, oldrefrigerator, paper, food scraps,plastic wrap).

2.� Ask students to number a paper onethrough ten.

3.� Explain to students that as a wordfrom the list is read, each studentshould write “I” for inorganic wasteor “O” for organic waste next to thecorresponding number on theirpaper.

4.� Check the work together in class sostudents who do not yet understandthe concepts will get another chancefor review.

Step 2: Write the synonyms on a piece of chart paper, oron the chalkboard. Ask students to use the synonyms insentences, in order to check for comprehension.

Step 3: Explain to students that a Venn diagram is a typeof graph that shows a comparison between two or morethings. Explain that, as a class, they will construct aVenn diagram that will show which synonyms for wasteusually refer to “organic waste”, and which synonymsusually refer to “inorganic waste”. Explain the differencebetween the two terms. Draw the Venn diagram on chartpaper or the chalkboard.

Step 4: Call on students, again, to use each synonym in asentence. After each sentence, ask students to decidewhether the word is talking about organic or inorganicwaste. Place the synonym appropriately inside thediagram. Have a dictionary for reference if there is adisagreement about where to place the word.

Primary Unit 33

Potato Traps

Science: SC-E-3.3.3, All organisms, including humans, cause changes inthe environment where they live. Some of these changes are detrimental tothe organism or to other organisms, other changes are beneficial (e.g. damsbuilt by beavers benefit some aquatic organisms but are detrimental toothers).

Students will make “potato traps” and learn how insects aid in thedecomposition process. They will also learn the importance of composting,both naturally in nature and at home.

Large uncooked potatoTwo rubber bands and hand trowels for each studentMetal knife for teacher and plastic knives for studentsSpoon for each studentStraw, tape and paper to make a “flag”Science journals, pencils and Compost Critters, by Bianca LaviesClear plastic container and hand lens for each student

Thirty minutes to one hour on at least three different days

Organic: from a living or once-living organism (e.g. plant, animal, personor bacteria).Inorganic: not composed of once-living material (e.g. rocks or minerals).Decompose: to decay or rot.Millipede: Insect that helps decompose organic materials.Fungi: a major group of organisms that absorb their nutrients from dead orliving organisms. Mushrooms, yeast, toadstools, rusts, molds, and mildewsare all fungi.


How do insects help speed up the decomposition process?Why should my family and I compost?

Communication/ObservationMotor SkillsData Collection and Analysis

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Step 1: Explain to students that in this activitythey will be building a potato trap that will beplaced outside. The purpose of the trap is tocapture insects that help organic materialsdecompose naturally in the outdoor environment.This type of decomposition is nature’s way ofrecycling, because the rich soil-like productcontains organisms that are good for the soil.

Discuss with students the plants and animals, suchas snails, slugs, beetles, millipedes, earthworms,fungi, pill bugs, mushrooms and lichen that performnature’s recycling work. (Read the book, CompostCritters, by Bianca Lavies, and refer to TeacherFact Sheets for information on composting.)

Primary Unit34

Potato Traps, continued


Assessment

Extensions

Pose the following question to your students: We have been learning about animals andother organisms in nature that help decomposeorganic materials. What do you think will beleft of your potato trap once the decompositionprocess has been completed? Why? (Answer:rubber bands, straw and tape because it takesthem much, much longer to decompose, if theyever do.)

Step 2: Give each student a potato that has been cut inhalf lengthwise, by an adult. Also, give each student aspoon. Instruct students to use the spoon to scoop outmost of the inner portion of the potato. Show anexample.

Step 3: Next, instruct students to rubber band the twohalves of the potato back together, then use a plasticknife to cut a hole about the size of a dime in each endof the potato. This gives insects an entrance into thepotato.

Step 4: Instruct students to take a straw, small piece ofpaper and tape. Tell students to write their name on thepiece of paper. Tape the piece of paper to the top of thestraw. Students will use the flag to mark the location oftheir potato trap.

Step 5: Take the students outside with their potatotraps, flags and hand trowels. Show students areas ofthe school property where their potato traps shouldremain undisturbed.

Step 6: Have each student use a trowel to scoop up asmall amount of soil. (This area should be deepenough so the potato trap door is level with the surfaceof the ground.)

Step 7: Tell students to place the potato trap into theshallow hole. Poke the straw through the potato andinto the soil to hold the potato in place, and to markeach student’s potato trap.

Step 8: Check the potato traps every two days torecord the kinds and numbers of critters in the traps.Have students record the changes taking place bothinside and outside the potato traps. When checking thepotato traps, have each student take along a hand lens,science journal, pencil and a clear plastic container.The containers make it easier for students to observeand count the critters before releasing them to theirnatural environment. It would be a great resource toolto have an animal encyclopedia on hand, or a copy ofthe book, Compost Critters, so students can locatetheir critters and record the names accurately in theirjournals. (Students may need rubber gloves to wear asthey check on the decomposing potato traps.)

Step 9: Once back in the classroom, ask students toshare what they found in the potato traps. Give studentsideas of how they might organize their data so it will beeasier to manage each day. Check to see if studentsunderstand that as decomposition takes place, theresulting compost material will be reused in the soil.

Step 10: Discuss why it is so important that naturerecycle its dead plants and animals. Relate this back towhy it is so important for people to recycle, also.Explain that we can compost yard clippings and somefood scraps in compost bins rather than putting theseitems in garbage bags to be sent to landfills. This is onetype of “source reduction”, or decrease of solid wastebeing sent into the municipal solid waste stream. Theresulting material is also very good to use in land-scaping at home.

1.� Start a school-composting project.2.� Take a nature walk and look for signs of

natural composting.3.� Study nature’s recyclers in the winter by

collecting some leaf litter, bringing itinside, and warming it with a lamp.Dormant recyclers, such as millipedes, ants,spiders and worms will come to life underthe heat.

Primary Unit 35

Button Brigade

Social Studies: SS-E-1.3.3, In order for a democratic form of governmentto function, citizens must plan an active and responsible role (e.g.participating in the election process, obeying the law).

Students will create a plan to organize the classes at school to do a school-based service-learning project that will help promote proper waste disposal.

A badge making tool (if one is available) and appropriate suppliesStudent designed “Button Brigade” laminated badges, if badge making toolis not available or is too expensive to useChart paper and markers (or chalkboard)

Approximately one hour on two to three different days


Can one person, or a small group of people, really make a difference inchanging recycling attitudes in our community?

CommunicationOrganizationProblem Solving

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Step 1: Ask students to share some of the thingsthey have learned during the “Solid WasteSurvivor” unit. Chart the volunteered information.(If necessary, drop hints to help students remembersome of the lessons and concepts taught.)

Step 2: Ask students the guiding question: “Canone person, or a small group of people, really makea difference in changing recycling attitudes in ourcommunity?” Debate this within the class.

Step 3: Ask students to brainstorm about thingsthey can do to help promote proper waste disposalat school. List the different ideas on chart paper or achalkboard. Visit the following EnvironmentalProtection Agency Internet site for other service-learning project ideas:http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/general/educate/svclearn.htm

Possible Ideas for Our School-BasedService-Learning Project

1.� Biweekly or monthly trash pick-up onschool property

2.� School recycling program3.� Write and perform infomercials to

present regularly at assemblies or onnews programs at school.

4.� Talk to friends in different classes aboutthe importance of reducing, reusing,recycling and responding to the solidwaste problem by creating less waste.

5.� Develop a school compost pile and eithersell or give away the compost to localfarmers or gardeners, or use at school.

Primary Unit36

Button Brigade, continued


Step 4: After listing the ideas for service-learningprojects, look back over each project, one at a time.Discuss pros and cons of each idea with students. Makesure the project you and your students decide toundertake is one that is feasible, will meet withsuccess, and will make a difference at your school. Tryto choose a project that can eventually involve allstudents attending your school in a meaningful way.

Step 5: With students’ help, write a specific actionplan on how the service-learning project will beimplemented, and who will be involved in overseeingthe project. Check with the school principal to makesure the selected service project meets with his or herapproval. The plan may need to be taken before theSite Based Council of the school to receive consensusfrom this group before proceeding any further.

Step 6: Once the project has been approved, explain tostudents that they will need to design a nametag forstudents who are actively involved in the serviceproject, to wear when working on the project. Thesenametags should be durable so they can be passed fromclass to class. The nametags should be simple, butshould identify the group wearing them as “PlanetSurvivors”, “Recycling Rangers”, or some similar“Environmental Hero”. Give students a few days tocome up with a nametag design, so they are not rushedand will have time to think about a catchy phrase orschool logo.

Step 7: Once the badge designs have been submitted,select judges to decide on the winning design.

Step 8: If the school owns a badge making kit, durablebadges can be easily made, sporting the winningdesign. If not, the design can be copied onto tag boardor colored construction paper, then cut out andlaminated. Punch two holes at the top of the nametag.Then string yarn through the holes so the nametag canbe worn around the neck, or pin with a large safety pin.A minimum of 30 badges should be made, so there willbe an adequate supply to pass from class to class.

Step 9: Present, in detail, the service-learning plan at afaculty meeting. Explain that in order for the project tobe totally successful, it should involve every teacherand student. Explain the commitment level neededfrom teachers. (Since the service project has alreadybeen planned and organized by the students in yourclass, it should not be too time consuming for otherteachers.) Ask for a show of hands from teachers whoare willing to volunteer themselves and their studentsto help implement the project. Write down names soyou and your students can schedule the other classesinto the school year, as needed.

Assessment

Extensions

The assessment for this lesson should includean evaluation by students and teachers as tothe effectiveness of the implemented service-learning plan. This should take placeperiodically and should be ongoing so that theproject remains a primary focus for everyoneinvolved.

1.� Involve parents in the service-learningproject as volunteers to help get theproject started and to help maintain it(along with students), so it becomes atotal school and community project.

2.� If the service-learning project is asuccess, contact The EnvironmentalProtection Agency on the Internet at“http://www.epa.gov/osw/” to let themknow about your project.

3.� Contact local newspapers and televisionstations and invite them to visit theschool and interview students involved inthe service-learning project.

Primary Unit 37

Planning for Our Future

Social Studies: SS-E-1.3.3, In order for a democratic form of governmentto function, citizens must plan an active and responsible role (e.g.participating in the election process, obeying the law).

Students will develop a family solid waste action plan to take home andpresent to their parents and other family members.

Paper, pencil and crayons or markersLocal recycling center recycling guidelines (if available)Overhead projector and overhead markers (for day 2)Transparency of community map (for day 2)Copy of community map for each student (for day 2)

Approximately one hour on first day and 30 minutes the next day


What can I do to encourage family members to reduce, reuse, recycle, andrespond to solid waste disposal problems?

CommunicationWriting and DrawingProblem Solving

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Step 1: Remind students that they have beenworking hard throughout this unit to learn aboutthings they can do to help keep the Earth healthyfor future generations. Tell students that it is nowup to each one of them to spread the word aboutthe “Four R’s” (REDUCING, REUSING,RECYCLING, and RESPONDING). Explain thatin this lesson students will think about, and write, afamily solid waste action plan. The plan willinclude ways family members will implement the“Four R’s” at home.

Step 2: Remind students that each of their familiesare probably reducing, reusing, and recyclingsolid waste in different ways at home. Home actionplans need to be tailored to meet the individualneeds of each family.

Primary Unit38

Planning for Our Future, continued


Assessment

Extensions

��The assessment for this lesson will bethe completed family action plan. Giveeach student the following criteria at thebeginning of this lesson.

Your Family Action Plan shouldcontain the following information:

1.� What will you and your family doto reduce the amount of solidwaste you are currently putting inyour trashcans for weekly garbagepick-up?

2.� How will you and your familyreuse some of the containers andproducts you are currentlythrowing into trashcans?

3.� What solid waste items will youand your family recycle?(Remember that this also includescomposting.)

4.� Will you and your familypositively respond to the solidwaste dilemma by reconsideringwaste-producing activities and byexpressing preferences for lesswaste?

�� Can you think of one other relativeor friend you can talk to about thebenefits of appropriate solid wastedisposal?

Step 3: Ask students to write, or draw, what they willencourage family members to do at home. If the localrecycling center has published guidelines on recycling,give each student a copy of these guidelines to use whenwriting the action plan, so information about how toprepare items for recycling can be accurately included.Remind students that it is up to each of them to sell theiraction plan to family members. Also, remind studentsthat if some family members do not choose to participatein a family solid waste disposal plan, not to becomediscouraged. Remind students that, even individually,they can make a difference, as long as they each keeppracticing what they have learned during this unit.

Step 4: If there are students who say that their familiesare already reducing, reusing and recycling, encouragethem to write a plan showing specifically what they arealready doing at home. When it is completed, askstudents to suggest other activities the family might beable to do.

Step 5: Once the family action plans have reached thepublishing stage of the writing process, encouragestudents to add colorful illustrations showing familymembers caring for the Earth by reducing, reusing,recycling and responding!

Step 6: Locate a neighborhood or community map athttp://www.mapquest.com/, or from the local Chamberof Commerce. Make a copy of the map for each studentand a transparency of the map to use on the overheadprojector.

Step 7: Have students use bright markers or yellowcrayons to highlight the streets where they live. Use thetransparency and overhead projector to show students thestreets they need to mark. Talk about the impact they willhave on their community just by having good solid wastehabits in their own homes!

Step 8: The completed family action plan, communitymap and “Resource Vest” (the unit’s culminatingactivity) should be sent home at the same time.

1.� Follow this lesson up with periodicreports from students about how thehome action plan is working.

2.� Praise students for their efforts to teachothers about proper solid wastedisposal.

Day 2

Primary Unit 39

Teaching Our Families About Solid WasteA Culminating Performance Task

♦� Practical Living: PL-E-3.1.5♦� Practical Living: PL-E-3.3.2♦� Science: SC-E-2.1.2♦� Science: SC-E-3.3.3♦� Social Studies: SS-E-1.3.3♦� Social Studies: SS-E-3.1.1

In this final activity that ties the unit together, students will make a“resource vest.” The vest will be used as an aid to teach family membersabout solid waste issues. Each family will then be asked to help studentskeep a calendar on which they will record family efforts to reduce, reuse,and recycle, thereby responding to the solid waste disposal problem.

Brown paper grocery bagScissors and tapeCrayons, markers or pencilsCopies of calendar for each student (at the end of this lesson)

Approximately one to two hours

♦� How do my family and I depend on the resources in ourcommunity and our world?

♦� My family and I use resources that create solid waste. How doesthat affect the environment?

♦� How can I affect the way my family, school, and community useresources and properly dispose of solid waste?

What can I do to encourage family members to reduce, reuse, recycle, andrespond to solid waste disposal problems?

Organization and CommunicationWriting and DrawingProblem SolvingMotor Skills

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Step 1: Contact a local grocery store and ask for adonation of a class set of brown grocery bags forthis final activity.

Step 2: Remind students that they have beenlearning many things about natural resources,natural objects and products, organic and inorganicmaterials, composting, and the proper disposal of

solid waste in sanitary landfills during this “SolidWaste Survivor” unit. (If you have completed the“Button Brigade” lesson, refer to the chartedconcepts students shared at that time. If this lessonwas skipped, spend a few minutes reviewingconcepts that were covered during this “SolidWaste Survivor” unit.)

Primary Unit40

“Teaching Our Families about Solid Waste” – A Culminating Performance Task, continued


Assessment

Refer to the “Culminating Activity ScoringGuide” found at the end of this lesson.

Step 3: Assist students as they cut holes for their headsin the bottom of the bag, armholes in each side and a slitdown the front. (Even young students can cut the holesand front slit independently if an adult traces the lines forthe circles and slit onto the paper bag.) If the bags havean advertisement on the outside, turn the bag inside out.The grocery bag vests might also need to be reinforcedaround the neckline with tape so they do not tear.

Step 4: Once the vests have been cut and turned insideout, explain to students that it is now their turn to beteachers. Explain that they will turn the paper vest into ateaching tool to help them teach family members aboutsolid waste and its proper disposal. Instruct students tothink about the many things they have learned during the“Solid Waste Survivor” unit. (A list of the vocabularywords from the different lessons would help studentsremember some of the topics that were covered.) Instructstudents to use the back of the vest to share informationabout REDUCING. The front left and right sides will beused for REUSING and RECYCLING. (The idea is forstudents to come up with more ideas for reducing thanfor the other two solid waste disposal solutions.) Explainthat students should use pencils, first, to write their ideasand sketch the pictures. Once the preliminary work hasbeen completed in pencil, encourage students to usewashable markers, or crayons to help make the resourcevests more colorful. Tell students that they can makeillustrations, write words and phrases, make lists, etc. onthe vest, to represent solid waste ideas they have learned.(Move among students during this activity and offerindividual encouragement.)

Step 5: As students finish their resource vests, have“feely socks” and environmental books available forstudents. Also, go to the following EnvironmentalProtection Agency web site(http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/kids.htm) forgames students can play as they wait for classmates tocomplete the assigned task.

Step 6: Once the vests have been completed, pairstudents up together to practice explaining theinformation on their vests. Once each student haspracticed sharing the information on the vest with aclassmate, take turns allowing each student to sharethe information on the vest with the entire class.(This is giving students two different opportunities topractice what they will say to family members oncethe vest is sent home.)

Step 7: Ask students to take the vest home and, whilewearing the vest, explain what they have learned tofamily members. The drawings and words act asprompts that students can use to remember theconcepts they have learned. If the lesson, “Planningfor Our Future” has been taught, also send the familysolid waste action plan home with the resource vest.

Step 8: Ask students and families to find ways toREDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE and RESPOND tothe solid waste disposal problems every day, and towrite those actions on a calendar for one week. (Seethe calendar at the end of this lesson.) Calendarsshould be returned on a predetermined date and serveas part of the assessment.

naturalresources

renewable versusnonrenewable

natural versusmanmade

raw materialconsumption

garbage orlitter

composting

sanitarylandfills

--The 4 R’s--REDUCINGREUSING

RECYCLINGRESPONDING

organic and inorganic

SolidWaste

Survivors

Primary Unit 41

Solid Waste Survivor Calendar

Dear Family,

Each day, I will try to do something to say I am a solid waste survivor and a friend ofthe environment. For one week, please help me keep a record of what I do. Everyday, Iwant to put either a picture, a sentence, a list or a conversation bubble in each box below tohelp me explain what I have done that day to help improve the way we deal with solid waste.Please help me remember to include all of the ways we reduce, reuse and recycle solid wasteat home each day. I want to thank you very much for helping me!

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

NameBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB��Please return to school on the following date�BBBBBBBBBBBBB

Primary Unit42

Assessment Rubric for Primary Unit Culminating Project“Teaching Our Families about Solid Waste”

The student has an extensive understanding of the concepts of reducing, reusing andrecycling and illustrates this on the resource vest by including 4 or more concepts onrecycling and reusing and 5 or more on reducing. The student shows that he or sheunderstands the concepts illustrated on the vest by giving elaborate details andsophisticated support for each concept. Included in the description is the idea thatsolid waste is a problem in our society.

The student monitors and improves his or her family’s solid waste disposal habits byrecording at least 7 activities that reduce, reuse or recycle the family’s solid waste.Activities are from all 3 categories and no activity is repeated.

The student has an appropriate understanding of the concepts of reduce, reuse andrecycle and illustrates this on the vest by including 3 or more concepts on recyclingand reusing and 4 or more on reducing. The student orally explains the concepts onthe vest by giving details and providing support for each concept. There may beoccasional inaccuracies but these do not interfere with conceptual understanding.

The student monitors and improves his or her family’s solid waste disposal habits byrecording at least 7 activities that reduce, reuse and recycle the family’s solid waste.Activities are from all 3 categories.

The student has limited understanding of the concepts reduce, reuse and recycle. Heor she includes 2 or more concepts on reusing and recycling on the vest and 3 or moreon reducing. The student orally explains the vest by giving relevant details for allexamples and provides support for at least 3.

The student monitors and improves their family’s solid waste disposal habits byrecording at least 7 activities that reduce, reuse and recycle the family’s solid waste.At least 2 activities are from different categories.

The student begins to understand the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle andincludes 2 or more examples for each concept on his or her vest. The student begins toorally explain the vest by giving relevant details about each of their examples.

The student monitors and improves his family’s solid waste reduction habits byrecording at least 4 activities that reduce, reuse or recycle the family’s solid waste.

Notes


be a solid waste survivor – take the community challenge ... · “garbage / trash / waste”...

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